Chapter 8: The Woman Who Knew My Secret
My father placed the call on speaker.
"Victoria, how did you get this number?""
She laughed.
"Richard, you and I have known each other for years. Surely you don't think changing a few phone numbers will make you unreachable.""
"What do you want?""
"I want the original document Dr. Whitmore is holding.""
The doctor's face tightened.
My father glanced at him.
"Why?""
"Because it belongs to the clinic.""
Dr. Whitmore shook his head.
"No, it doesn't.""
Victoria ignored him.
"Richard, I suggest you be careful. There are people who would pay a great deal of money to know the identity of Danielle's biological father.""
I felt my fingers tighten around Grace's blanket.
My father stepped closer to the phone.
"Don't use my daughter as leverage.""
"Then give me the document.""
"You're not getting anything.""
Victoria sighed.
"You're making this unnecessarily difficult.""
My father ended the call.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Eleanor looked at Dr. Whitmore.
"How did Mrs. Hale know you were here?""
The doctor lowered his eyes.
"I don't know.""
My father looked at Daniel.
"Check the building access records. Find out whether anyone contacted the office after Dr. Whitmore arrived.""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes, sir.""
Eleanor returned to the medical document.
"Doctor, I need you to explain exactly what this form establishes.""
Dr. Whitmore sat down.
"The clinic operated a fertility program funded partly through private donations. Some donors were anonymous. Their identities were supposed to remain confidential unless there was a legitimate medical reason to disclose them.""
"Was Danielle conceived through that program?"" Eleanor asked.
"Yes.""
My throat tightened.
I looked at him.
"Who was the donor?""
He hesitated.
"Before I answer, I need to explain something about your mother.""
I felt a wave of frustration.
"Why does everyone keep talking about my mother instead of answering my questions?""
The doctor lowered his head.
"Because she was the person who discovered the fraud.""
My father frowned.
"What fraud?""
Dr. Whitmore opened another folder.
"Several wealthy donors had been promised complete confidentiality. But someone inside the clinic was selling access to private medical information.""
Eleanor leaned forward.
"To whom?""
"Several consulting firms. One was connected to Robert Hale.""
My father stood.
"Robert?""
The doctor nodded.
"His investment company had been trying to acquire the clinic's research division. They wanted access to the donor database.""
I looked at the papers.
"Why would anyone want that information?""
"Because some of the donors were wealthy, influential people. Their medical histories and family arrangements could have been used to pressure them.""
My father looked sick.
"And Victoria?""
"She was involved in the financial side of the foundation's relationship with the clinic.""
I shook my head.
"You're saying she knew who my biological father was?""
"She may have known.""
"May have?""
The doctor looked at me.
"Danielle, I didn't want to tell you something that might be wrong.""
I took a breath.
"Then tell me what you know.""
He nodded.
He removed the second document from the envelope.
It was an original consent record.
The name had not been covered.
I looked down.
Then everything inside me seemed to stop.
The donor's name was:
*ANDREW HALE.*
I looked up.
"Who is Andrew Hale?""
The doctor glanced at my father.
"Robert Hale's younger brother.""
My father closed his eyes.
Eleanor looked between us.
"Is he still alive?""
"Yes," Dr. Whitmore replied.
"He lives in Connecticut. He has been largely absent from the family's business operations for years.""
I couldn't speak.
Victoria's brother-in-law.
Robert's brother.
A man connected to the same family that had spent the afternoon trying to silence me.
My biological father.
I looked at the document again.
"Did he know?""
The doctor nodded.
"Yes.""
My chest tightened.
"Did he know about me?""
"He knew that his donation had been used in a fertility procedure. He was informed that the recipient would remain anonymous.""
I stared at the paper.
"Did he ever try to find me?""
Dr. Whitmore hesitated.
"Yes.""
My father looked sharply at him.
"What?""
"Several years ago, Andrew requested information through the clinic. He was told that the recipient's identity was protected.""
"Who told him that?""
"The clinic's legal department.""
Eleanor made a note.
"Was that information recorded?""
"Yes.""
My father looked toward me.
"Danielle, I am sorry.""
I shook my head.
"I need a minute.""
I walked toward the window.
Below us, the city continued as though nothing had happened.
Cars moved through the intersection.
People carried shopping bags.
A delivery cyclist shouted at a taxi.
Somewhere, a child was laughing.
And I was standing in a hotel office discovering that the man I had believed was my biological father wasn't.
I looked at Grace.
She was awake now.
Her tiny eyes opened and closed.
I touched her cheek.
"You're still my girl," I whispered.
My father came closer.
"Danielle.""
I didn't turn.
"I need you to answer one question.""
"Anything.""
"Did you know about Andrew?""
He was quiet.
"No.""
"Did Mom?""
"I believe she did.""
"Then why didn't she tell me?""
He looked out the window.
"She may have been trying to protect you from the Hale family.""
I turned.
"Or from the truth?""
He didn't answer.
I looked at Dr. Whitmore.
"Was Victoria trying to find me because she knew?""
The doctor nodded.
"She contacted me about three weeks ago. She said she wanted to verify a family connection.""
"Why?""
"She claimed it was related to an inheritance matter.""
Eleanor immediately looked up.
"Inheritance?""
The doctor nodded.
"Andrew Hale has no biological children that I'm aware of. He recently established a private family trust.""
I stared at him.
"Does it have anything to do with me?""
"Potentially.""
My father shook his head.
"This is why she wanted the document.""
Eleanor leaned forward.
"Doctor, do you have proof that the document is authentic?""
"Yes. The original consent form carries the clinic's registration number and the physician's certification.""
"Can we independently verify it?""
"Absolutely.""
My father looked toward Eleanor.
"Arrange a confidential DNA test if Danielle wants one. No one should pressure her into anything.""
I nodded.
"I want to know the truth.""
Eleanor closed the folder.
"Then we'll arrange it.""
At that moment, Daniel returned.
"Mr. Brooks, we have a problem.""
My father turned.
"What?""
"Mrs. Hale has contacted several media outlets.""
Eleanor sighed.
"What has she told them?""
"That Brooks Hospitality is involved in concealing a family scandal. She claims Danielle's birth records were manipulated and that the company used its properties to hide financial misconduct.""
I felt my face grow hot.
"She's going to make this public?""
Daniel nodded.
"She's already sent photographs of the agreement to two reporters.""
My father looked at Eleanor.
"Are the documents authentic?""
"We don't know yet.""
"Then nobody makes a public statement until we've verified them.""
Daniel continued.
"There's something else. One reporter is outside the hotel.""
My father looked at me.
"Danielle, I want you and Grace away from the cameras.""
I shook my head.
"I'm not hiding.""
He frowned.
"Sweetheart—"
"I'm not ashamed of how I was born. I'm not ashamed of my mother. And I'm not going to let Victoria tell my story for me.""
My father studied me.
Then he nodded.
"All right. But we do this carefully.""
Eleanor approached.
"Danielle, if you speak publicly, I recommend limiting your comments to what you personally witnessed and what can be independently verified.""
"I understand.""
Before we could leave the office, the receptionist called upstairs.
"Mr. Brooks, there's another visitor.""
My father sighed.
"Who now?""
The receptionist hesitated.
"Andrew Hale.""
I felt my heart jump.
The doctor stood.
"Andrew?""
The receptionist continued.
"He says he's here to meet Danielle.""
I looked at my father.
He looked at me.
"Do you want to see him?""
I swallowed.
"Yes.""
A few minutes later, the office door opened.
A man in his late forties entered.
He had dark hair beginning to gray at the temples and tired blue eyes.
He wore a simple charcoal sweater beneath a black coat.
He looked nothing like the extravagant world Victoria occupied.
He looked nervous.
Almost frightened.
His eyes moved across the room until they found me.
Then he stopped.
"Danielle?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
He took a careful step forward.
"My name is Andrew Hale.""
I looked at him.
"I know.""
He glanced at Grace.
Then back at me.
"I heard what happened today. I wanted to come before Victoria could tell you something that wasn't true.""
My father moved closer to me.
"Andrew, what are you doing here?""
Andrew looked at him.
"Trying to fix something that should never have happened.""
He reached into his coat and removed a folded letter.
"Your mother sent me this shortly before she died.""
My breath caught.
He held it out.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
My mother's.
I took the envelope.
The date was written on the back.
Three days before her death.
I opened it carefully.
The first line read:
Andrew, if you ever meet my daughter, please tell her that none of this was her fault.
My eyes filled.
I looked up.
"Why did you keep this?""
Andrew's expression crumpled.
"Because Victoria threatened to expose the clinic's donor records if I contacted you.""
My father stepped forward.
"She threatened you?""
Andrew nodded.
"She told me she would destroy the family's reputation and make sure Danielle was dragged into the scandal.""
I looked down at the letter.
There was more.
I unfolded the second page.
And as I read the final paragraph, my hands began to shake.
There is one thing I have never told Richard. The donor was not the only person involved in the arrangement. Someone in our family knew the procedure had been altered.
I looked at Andrew.
"Who?""
He closed his eyes.
Then he whispered:
"Robert.""
My father's face hardened.
Andrew continued.
"Your biological father was never supposed to be connected to the Hale family business. Robert discovered the arrangement and used it to control him.""
I stared at him.
"Control him how?""
Andrew looked at Grace.
Then at me.
"By threatening to tell everyone that I had fathered a child through an unauthorized medical procedure.""
My father stepped closer.
"Why would Robert care?""
Andrew swallowed.
"Because he had already made a deal with Victoria.""
"What deal?""
Andrew's voice dropped.
"They intended to use Danielle's identity to claim control over part of the family trust.""
Eleanor stood abruptly.
"What?""
Andrew nodded.
"And Victoria has the original trust documents.""
I looked at the letter.
My mother had known.
She had known someone wanted to use my identity before I was old enough to understand what it meant.
I looked at my father.
"Does that mean Victoria can take something from me?""
He shook his head.
"Not if we can establish what happened.""
Andrew looked toward the door.
"There's something else you need to know.""
"What?""
He took another breath.
"Victoria isn't trying to get the trust for herself.""
My father frowned.
"Then who?""
Andrew looked directly at me.
"She's trying to protect Robert.""
And then he revealed why.
Robert Hale was not simply Andrew's brother.
He was the man who had been listed as the legal beneficiary of the original trust if my identity could be successfully concealed.
But the trust had a condition.
If Danielle Brooks was ever identified and confirmed as Andrew's biological daughter, the entire arrangement would automatically be invalidated.
May you like
Victoria had spent years trying to prevent that from happening.
And now, for the first time, she was losing control.
