Chapter 4: The Secret Hidden in My Medical Records
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The garden, which had been filled with laughter and champagne only minutes earlier, had become painfully silent.
I looked at Dr. Harris.
"What do you mean they're connected to my fertility treatment?""
The doctor opened his folder again.
"Claire, before I explain, I need you to understand that some of the records I'm holding were obtained through a formal review of the clinic's archived files. I didn't bring these documents here to create a spectacle.""
Daniel let out a bitter laugh.
"How noble of you.""
Dr. Harris ignored him.
"Four years ago, you underwent a series of fertility treatments. During that period, you and Daniel signed several consent forms. One of those forms concerned the preservation and potential use of reproductive material.""
I frowned.
"I remember signing consent forms. We signed dozens.""
"Yes. But you also signed a separate document authorizing the clinic to preserve embryos created during your treatment.""
My knees weakened.
"Embryos?""
Daniel looked away.
I remembered that appointment.
It had been one of the few days when Daniel seemed genuinely hopeful. The doctor had explained that we could preserve embryos while exploring further treatment options.
I had cried in the car afterward.
Daniel had held my hand and said, "One day, Claire. We'll get there.""
Now Dr. Harris was telling me those embryos were somehow connected to two children standing in front of me.
"What happened to them?"" I asked.
Dr. Harris took a breath.
"Two viable embryos were created using your eggs and Daniel's sperm. They were frozen and stored at the clinic.""
I stared at him.
"Nobody told me.""
"I know.""
"Daniel told me the cycle had failed.""
"It did not fail in the way you were led to believe.""
A strange ringing filled my ears.
Daniel finally stepped forward.
"That's enough, Harris.""
"No," I said.
My voice surprised even me.
"Let him finish.""
Daniel looked at me.
"Claire, you're misunderstanding.""
"Then explain it.""
He rubbed his jaw.
"It was complicated.""
"Seven years of marriage were complicated. Losing three pregnancies we never had was complicated. Watching you pack your bags while I was still taking medication was complicated.""
My voice cracked.
"This should be easy. Tell me what happened to our embryos.""
He looked at Vanessa.
She had stepped away from him.
Dr. Harris continued.
"After your separation, Daniel contacted the clinic. He wanted information about the embryos.""
"Was he allowed to make decisions about them without me?""
"No. Not under the consent agreement you both signed.""
"Then how were they used?""
The doctor lowered his eyes.
"An administrative employee processed a request using a document that appeared to contain your authorization.""
I looked at the envelope in my hand.
Another forged signature.
Another decision made in my name.
"Who submitted it?""
Daniel finally answered.
"I did.""
The words seemed to knock the air out of me.
"You did?""
He looked at the ground.
"I wanted children, Claire.""
I stared at him.
"You already knew that I wanted children.""
"I knew.""
"Then why did you steal the chance from me?""
His expression hardened.
"I didn't steal anything. We were divorced. I had moved on.""
"Those embryos were created during our marriage!""
"And I was their biological father.""
"And I was their biological mother!""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Rachel stepped forward.
"Daniel arranged for the embryos to be transferred to a gestational carrier.""
I turned toward her.
"Who?""
Rachel looked uncomfortable.
"I don't know her personally. The agency handled that part.""
Dr. Harris nodded.
"Two embryos were transferred during the same treatment cycle. Both resulted in successful pregnancies.""
I looked at Oliver and Sophie.
The children were watching us from beside Rachel.
The little girl was holding the stuffed rabbit I had promised to keep.
"Are you saying they're biologically mine?""
The doctor hesitated.
"Based on the original records, yes. But establishing legal parentage and confirming the chain of custody would require independent testing and a proper review.""
I couldn't take my eyes off the children.
Four years.
They were four years old.
Four years of birthdays.
First words.
First steps.
Christmas mornings.
I had missed everything.
Not because my body had failed me.
Because someone had decided I didn't deserve to know.
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
"Daniel, you told me you had no biological children.""
He looked at her.
"That was before.""
"Before what?""
"Before I met you.""
She shook her head.
"No. You told me the embryos had never been viable.""
Daniel's silence answered her.
Vanessa took another step backward.
"You told me there was no possibility of you having children from your first marriage.""
"Vanessa, I was trying to protect our relationship.""
"By lying?""
He reached for her hand.
She pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
The words echoed across the garden.
Melissa came toward me.
"Claire, we should get you somewhere quiet.""
I shook my head.
"I need to ask one more question.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Why the adoption?""
He frowned.
"What?""
"Why did you apply to adopt Oliver and Sophie if you already knew about the embryos?""
He looked uncomfortable.
For the first time, his carefully prepared explanations seemed to be failing him.
Rachel answered.
"Because the children were originally being considered for a different placement before their birth. Daniel wanted the adoption paperwork to make it appear that he had become their parent through a separate process.""
I stared at her.
"But why would he need that?""
"Because the gestational carrier arrangement had become complicated. The agency needed clarification about the intended parents and the children's legal status.""
Dr. Harris interrupted.
"Rachel, be careful. We should distinguish what we know from what we suspect.""
Rachel nodded.
Then she turned toward me.
"What we know is that Daniel requested that your name be removed from the intended-parent documentation. He claimed you had withdrawn your consent.""
I looked at Daniel.
"You told everyone I was incapable of having children.""
He said nothing.
"But you knew we had embryos.""
He remained silent.
"You knew there was a chance.""
His eyes narrowed.
"Claire, you need to understand something. You were never going to be happy with me.""
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"That's your explanation?""
"You were always crying. Always questioning me. Every appointment became an argument. I couldn't live like that.""
"So you decided to have our children without telling me?""
"They were never going to have the life they deserved if we stayed together.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Did you know?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
Her eyes were full of tears.
"Daniel told me he had spent years trying to become a father. He said his previous marriage had ended because his first wife didn't want to consider alternatives.""
I closed my eyes.
He hadn't just lied about my fertility.
He had rewritten our entire marriage.
A sudden movement caught my attention.
Sophie was tugging at Rachel's sleeve.
"Can we go home now?""
Rachel crouched.
"Not yet, sweetheart.""
The girl looked toward Daniel.
"Is Daddy angry?""
Daniel forced a smile.
"No, baby.""
Sophie lowered her voice.
"Then why does he look angry?""
Nobody answered.
I crouched in front of her.
"Sweetheart, would you like some cake?""
She nodded.
I walked with her toward the dessert table.
Oliver followed, holding his rabbit.
For a few moments, I concentrated on ordinary things.
A small paper plate.
A plastic fork.
A blue balloon drifting against the ceiling.
Sophie chose a piece of vanilla cake with a strawberry on top.
Oliver asked for two pieces.
I smiled despite the ache in my chest.
"Two?""
He nodded seriously.
"One for me and one for Sophie.""
I cut two small slices.
Then Sophie looked at my pearl earrings.
"You're pretty.""
I laughed softly.
"Thank you.""
"Mommy has those.""
My hand stopped.
"Which mommy?""
She pointed toward Vanessa.
Vanessa was standing near the table, watching us.
I looked at her.
"Do they call you Mommy?""
She nodded.
"They've been with me for almost two years.""
My heart tightened.
"How?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"Daniel introduced them as children he had adopted through a private arrangement. I thought he had completed everything legally before I met him.""
I looked down at Sophie.
She was carefully eating the strawberry.
"Do they know about me?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Not the whole truth. Daniel told them you were a family friend who lived far away.""
Sophie suddenly looked up.
"But Rachel said you were our first mommy.""
I couldn't answer.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"Daniel told me they were too young to understand.""
Sophie looked between us.
"Did we do something bad?""
I immediately shook my head.
"No, sweetheart. You haven't done anything wrong.""
"Then why doesn't Mommy Claire live with us?""
I swallowed hard.
"That's something the grown-ups need to understand first.""
She nodded, apparently satisfied.
Then she placed her small hand over mine.
"Can you come to my birthday?""
I felt tears gather in my eyes.
"If I'm invited, I would love to.""
She smiled.
"I'll ask.""
Across the room, Daniel was speaking sharply with a man in a dark suit.
I recognized him as the attorney who had handled our divorce.
He was holding a document.
When Daniel saw me looking, he quickly folded it.
I returned the children to Rachel and approached them.
"What are you discussing?""
Daniel's attorney stepped forward.
"Claire, perhaps we should speak privately.""
"Why?""
"Because the situation has become legally sensitive.""
Daniel crossed his arms.
"This is getting ridiculous.""
The attorney lowered his voice.
"Daniel, I strongly advise you to stop talking.""
Daniel ignored him.
"Claire, the children are safe. They're loved. They have a home. Nothing changes that.""
"Did you forge my signature?""
His jaw tightened.
"I made decisions based on what I believed was best.""
"That's not an answer.""
He leaned closer.
"You should be careful about making accusations you can't prove.""
I looked at the attorney.
"Can he legally prevent me from seeing them?""
The attorney adjusted his glasses.
"That depends on several matters, including the validity of the reproductive consent, the children's legal parentage, and any court orders concerning custody.""
I nodded slowly.
"Then I suppose we'll find out.""
Daniel laughed.
"You're seriously thinking about taking my children?""
I looked at him.
"No, Daniel.""
I glanced toward Sophie and Oliver.
"I'm thinking about finding out why you thought you had the right to take mine.""
For the first time, he had no immediate response.
Then Vanessa approached us.
Her face was pale.
"Daniel, I need to talk to you.""
"Not now.""
"Now.""
She held up her phone.
"I just received an email from the adoption agency.""
Daniel went completely still.
"What email?""
Vanessa looked at me.
Then at the children.
Her voice trembled.
"They've suspended the children's current placement review.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
She turned the phone toward us.
There was a single sentence highlighted in the email.
The agency has received evidence that the original intended mother may have been deliberately excluded from the children's parentage arrangements.
I looked at Daniel.
He had gone white.
But Vanessa wasn't finished.
She scrolled down.
"There's another message.""
Her fingers trembled.
Then she read it aloud.
"An independent investigator has requested an interview with the woman who carried Oliver and Sophie.""
I stared at her.
"Why would they need to interview her?""
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
"Because apparently, the gestational carrier has been trying to contact Claire for four years.""
And then she showed me the name.
*Rebecca Bennett.*
My younger sister.
The sister Daniel had told me moved overseas after our mother's funeral.
May you like
The sister I hadn't spoken to in four years.
The sister who had apparently carried my children.
