Chapter 6: The Document That Could Destroy Him
I called Rebecca back immediately.
The phone rang six times before going to voicemail.
I tried again.
Nothing.
My fingers were shaking so badly that I nearly dropped the phone.
Melissa took my arm.
"Claire, what's wrong?""
"Daniel found Rebecca.""
"What?""
"He knows about the safe-deposit box.""
Melissa looked toward the terrace.
Daniel had disappeared.
I turned toward the entrance.
"Where did he go?""
Samantha, who had been standing near the gift table, pointed toward the driveway.
"He just left.""
I ran outside.
A black SUV was pulling away from the estate.
I couldn't see who was inside.
But I knew.
Daniel was going after my sister.
"Claire!"" Melissa called.
I stopped beside my car.
"You're not going alone.""
"I'm not asking you to.""
She grabbed her handbag.
"Then let's go.""
Before we could leave, Vanessa hurried out of the house.
"Wait!""
She was holding a folder.
"Claire, I think you should see this.""
I looked at the folder.
"What is it?""
"Something Daniel left in our study. I found it after he went outside.""
She opened it.
Inside were copies of financial statements, legal correspondence, and several documents from a private reproductive agency.
I recognized my name on the first page.
Claire Bennett.
But the signature at the bottom was not mine.
Vanessa pointed to a highlighted paragraph.
"Read this.""
I scanned the document.
It was an authorization relating to the transfer of the embryos.
The language was formal and complicated, but one sentence stood out.
The intended mother voluntarily relinquishes all parental participation and authorizes the intended father to assume sole responsibility for future placement arrangements.
I felt my stomach twist.
"I never signed this.""
Vanessa nodded.
"I know.""
She turned another page.
"There's something else.""
It was a bank transfer confirmation.
A payment of $85,000 had been made to an account associated with an intermediary involved in the gestational arrangement.
The sender was Whitmore Holdings.
The date was four years earlier.
I looked at Vanessa.
"What does this mean?""
"I don't know. But Daniel told me the entire arrangement had been funded through an inheritance.""
"Whose inheritance?""
"He said his grandfather left him money specifically for starting a family.""
I stared at the document.
"Was that true?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I checked the company records last month. The money came from an account that belonged to your former marital estate.""
I looked up.
"Mine?""
"Both of yours, apparently.""
I felt a wave of nausea.
During our marriage, Daniel and I had owned a small investment portfolio.
When we divorced, he had insisted on keeping several accounts because they were tied to his business.
I had accepted a smaller settlement because I wanted the divorce finalized.
I had believed the money was worth less than the emotional cost of continuing to fight.
Now Vanessa was telling me that some of that money had been used to arrange the birth of the children I had been told I could never have.
"How much of our money?""
Vanessa showed me another page.
"At least eighty-five thousand dollars. Possibly more.""
I stared at the figures.
Daniel hadn't simply hidden the embryos.
He had used money from our marriage to build a family while telling me I was incapable of becoming a mother.
Then he had invited me to celebrate it.
Melissa looked at the documents.
"Claire, this is enough to get an attorney involved immediately.""
I nodded.
"Who prepared these?""
Vanessa pointed to a name at the bottom.
"His attorney.""
I recognized it.
The same lawyer who had represented Daniel during our divorce.
"Does he know about this?""
"I think so.""
Vanessa closed the folder.
"Claire, there's something I need to tell you.""
I looked at her.
"Go ahead.""
"When I became pregnant, Daniel insisted we use a private fertility clinic. He said he wanted to avoid the complications from his first marriage.""
I frowned.
"What complications?""
"He said your fertility problems had caused years of emotional trauma.""
I looked away.
Vanessa continued.
"He also told me he had already been tested. He said there was no reason to worry about his fertility.""
I looked back at her.
"But Dr. Harris said his results weren't perfect.""
"Exactly.""
She pulled another document from the folder.
It was a medical report.
Daniel's name appeared at the top.
His sperm analysis had been performed shortly before our divorce.
The report contained several abnormal findings.
I remembered the appointment.
I remembered Daniel refusing to discuss his results.
I remembered him telling me the doctor had said my body was the main problem.
Vanessa's voice trembled.
"His recent fertility treatment used donor material.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"He told me the pregnancy was natural.""
The words seemed to hang in the air.
I looked at her stomach.
"Are you sure?""
She nodded.
"I found the clinic invoice. The treatment involved donor sperm.""
I didn't know what to say.
Vanessa lowered herself onto a nearby chair.
"He made me believe we had conceived naturally. He said it was a miracle.""
Her eyes filled.
"I thought I was part of something beautiful.""
She looked at the documents.
"Now I don't know what was real.""
For the first time, I felt something other than anger toward her.
She had been deceived too.
Not in the same way.
Not with the same consequences.
But Daniel had used both of us to maintain a story in which he was the victim of circumstances rather than the author of his own decisions.
I sat beside her.
"Vanessa, I don't know what happens next.""
She wiped her eyes.
"But I want you to know I didn't know about the embryos.""
I nodded.
"I believe you.""
She looked surprised.
"Why?""
"Because I know what it feels like to believe someone who keeps changing the truth.""
Melissa checked her phone.
"We need to go. The bank closes at four.""
I looked at the time.
2:47 p.m.
"Rebecca said the box was in her name.""
Vanessa stood.
"Then I'll come with you.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"Because Daniel has another set of keys to the house. If he finds out I helped you, he'll probably try to take whatever documents are still there.""
"You're pregnant. You shouldn't be getting involved in this.""
She gave a small, exhausted smile.
"Claire, I think I'm already involved.""
We drove to the bank in separate cars.
Melissa called a lawyer she knew through her work.
Vanessa contacted a private security firm.
I kept trying Rebecca's number.
At 3:18, I finally received a text.
I'm safe. Don't come to my apartment. Meet me at the bank. Bring Melissa.
I exhaled.
"She's okay.""
Melissa looked over.
"Thank God.""
We reached the bank at 3:35.
A woman in a dark blue suit approached the reception desk.
"Can I help you?""
I explained that we needed to speak with someone about a safe-deposit box belonging to Rebecca Bennett.
The woman checked the system.
"I'm sorry. Only the registered holder can access that box.""
"I understand. She's on her way.""
The woman nodded.
"Please wait.""
Five minutes later, Rebecca entered through the glass doors.
She looked thinner than I remembered.
Her dark hair was shorter, and there were faint shadows beneath her eyes.
When she saw me, she stopped.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then I walked toward her.
"Rebecca.""
Her face crumpled.
"Claire.""
I wanted to hug her.
I wanted to slap her.
I wanted to ask why she hadn't fought harder.
Instead, I stood there, trembling.
She took one step forward.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know they were my children?""
She began crying.
"Yes.""
"From the beginning?""
"Not at first. Daniel told me he had permission to use the embryos. He said you had signed everything and that you had chosen not to be involved.""
"Why didn't you call me?""
"I did.""
"Once?""
"No. Dozens of times.""
"Then why did you stop?""
Rebecca looked down.
"Because I believed him when he said you didn't want me in your life.""
I swallowed.
"And the letters?""
"He intercepted them.""
I felt a terrible ache.
"All of them?""
She nodded.
"I kept copies.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because I thought one day you might need them.""
For the first time, I saw the little girl who used to save birthday cards and movie tickets in shoeboxes.
My sister.
Still trying to preserve pieces of a family that had fallen apart.
I stepped forward and hugged her.
She collapsed against me.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed.
I held her tightly.
"We'll talk about everything later.""
She nodded against my shoulder.
"But first," I whispered, "show me the documents.""
The bank employee escorted us into a private room.
Rebecca entered her access code.
Then she opened the safe-deposit box.
Inside were several envelopes, a small notebook, a USB drive, and a sealed medical file.
She removed the file first.
"This is the original consent agreement.""
I opened it.
The first page showed my signature.
This one was real.
I remembered signing it.
It authorized the preservation of embryos created during our fertility treatment.
The second page was also legitimate.
It stated that no embryo could be transferred, donated, or destroyed without written authorization from both intended parents.
I turned to the next document.
A transfer authorization.
My name appeared at the bottom.
The signature looked similar to mine.
But the date was wrong.
I had been out of the country on that date.
I looked at Rebecca.
"How did you get this?""
"Daniel gave me a copy when he asked me to participate. I didn't realize the signature was forged until I compared it with the original.""
She opened her notebook.
"I wrote down everything he told me.""
She turned to a page dated four years earlier.
There were several handwritten notes.
Daniel says Claire has agreed to surrender all rights.
Daniel says the embryos belong to him because he paid for treatment.
Daniel says Claire wants a clean break.
Then, beneath those entries, one sentence had been underlined twice.
Daniel said Claire must never know the children were born.
I stared at the words.
"Why would he say that?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Because he had another plan.""
She removed the USB drive.
"Before the twins were born, I overheard him speaking to his attorney. He said the children were only the beginning.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"He wanted to use the embryos to establish a family legacy. He said he needed children who would inherit his business.""
I looked at the medical file.
"Then why did he use donor sperm for Vanessa?""
Rebecca swallowed.
"Because he was afraid his fertility problems would become public.""
I felt my pulse quicken.
"What does that have to do with the children?""
Rebecca looked directly at me.
"Daniel wanted to prove he could produce biological heirs. He thought the twins would be enough. But he didn't want anyone knowing they came from embryos created during your marriage.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
"Because that would mean you had a legitimate claim to their parentage.""
I looked down at the documents.
Then I noticed something I hadn't seen before.
The final page contained a handwritten note.
It was dated six months before the twins were born.
The handwriting was Daniel's.
Once the children are registered under my name, Claire will have no reason to return.
I felt sick.
Rebecca touched my arm.
"Claire, there's more.""
She opened the notebook to the final page.
There was a name.
A bank account.
And a payment schedule.
I looked at the date.
The last payment had been made only three weeks ago.
"What's this?""
Rebecca swallowed.
"Daniel has been paying someone to keep the original birth and reproductive records sealed.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
She pointed to the name.
I recognized it immediately.
It belonged to the adoption agency director.
Before I could speak, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice came through.
"Ms. Bennett, this is Detective Collins with the state fraud investigation unit.""
My stomach tightened.
"Yes?""
"We've received information regarding forged reproductive consent documents and the transfer of two embryos without proper authorization.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"How did you get my number?""
"Your sister provided it.""
I closed my eyes.
"Is something wrong?""
"Not necessarily. But we need to speak with you and your sister as soon as possible.""
"About Daniel?""
There was a pause.
"About Daniel Whitmore, yes. But also about the adoption agency.""
I looked at the notebook.
"What's happened?""
The detective lowered his voice.
"We've just discovered that the original records for Oliver and Sophie were not the only records altered.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"What do you mean?""
"Ms. Bennett, we have evidence that another embryo transfer was arranged using the same authorization.""
I stared at Rebecca.
Her face had gone completely white.
"Another transfer?""
"Yes.""
"Who was the carrier?""
The detective paused.
Then he gave me a name.
"According to the preliminary records, the woman was registered under a false identity.""
I swallowed.
"Do you know her real name?""
"Yes.""
He read it aloud.
And when I heard it, I understood why Daniel had been so desperate to keep the truth buried.
The third embryo hadn't been transferred to a stranger.
May you like
It had been transferred to Vanessa.
*And according to the records, Daniel had known about the pregnancy long before he ever proposed to her.*
