Chapter 3: The Secret Behind My Baby
“Anna, there is something you need to know about the baby.””
Eleanor’s voice echoed through the hallway.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Not Julian.
Not Daniel.
Not me.
The entire world seemed to shrink down to those seven words.
Something about my baby.
My hand instinctively moved to my stomach.
A mother’s first instinct is supposed to be protection.
But how do you protect your child when the people standing closest to you are the ones hiding things?
“What are you talking about?”” I asked.
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Eleanor looked at Julian.
Not at me.
That was the first thing I noticed.
The second was the way Julian looked away.
Like a man waiting for a sentence he already knew was coming.
My chest tightened.
“Julian.””
He didn’t answer.
I stepped toward him.
“Look at me.””
Slowly, his eyes met mine.
And I hated what I saw there.
Not confusion.
Not anger.
Guilt.
“Did you know?”” I whispered.
His silence was enough.
The hallway suddenly felt colder.
Daniel looked between us.
“Julian, you should answer her.””
My husband’s jaw tightened.
“This is a family matter.””
I stared at him.
“A family matter?””
I held up the forged document.
“You forged my medical information.””
“That’s not what happened.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Eleanor stepped forward.
“Because she doesn’t understand the situation.””
I turned toward her.
“No, Eleanor. I understand perfectly.””
My fingers shook.
“I understand that my water broke, and instead of taking me to a hospital, you locked me in a bathroom.””
Her expression hardened.
“I was trying to prevent panic.””
“You were trying to hide me.””
“That is not true.””
“You literally locked the door.””
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
“You are emotional right now.””
A sharp laugh escaped me.
“I am in labor.””
“You are also scared.””
“Yes.””
I stepped closer.
“I’m scared because my husband watched his mother drag me away from a room full of people while our baby needed help.””
Julian flinched.
Finally.
A reaction.
But it was too late.
“Anna—”
“No.””
My voice broke.
“No more explanations where I have to convince myself you are a good person.””
The silence afterward was heavy.
Daniel looked at me.
Not with pity.
With understanding.
Because he had seen what I was only beginning to accept.
Julian had chosen them.
Again.
Eleanor sighed.
“Fine.””
She looked almost disappointed.
Like I was making things difficult.
“If you want the truth, you will hear it.””
I swallowed.
“Then tell me.””
She walked closer.
“The baby may not be safe.””
Every muscle in my body froze.
“What?””
“There were complications.””
“My doctor said everything was fine.””
“Your doctor doesn’t know everything.””
I looked at Julian.
“Is that true?””
He looked down.
“Julian.””
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
He didn’t answer.
“When?””
His shoulders dropped.
“After the wedding.””
I stared at him.
After the wedding.
Of course.
Everything came after the wedding.
After Seraphina’s perfect night.
After the photographs.
After the guests went home.
After the Sterling family had their beautiful memory.
My child could wait.
I felt something hot behind my eyes.
“You were going to wait until after tonight to tell me something about my baby?””
“Anna, listen—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I’m listening. I’ve been listening for years.””
The words came faster now.
“I listened when your mother told me I wasn’t good enough for this family.””
Julian looked up.
“I listened when you said I needed to be more understanding.””
I pointed toward Eleanor.
“I listened when she insulted me at dinner and you called it a misunderstanding.””
My voice trembled.
“But I will not listen to you tell me that hiding my child’s health from me was somehow protecting me.””
Julian looked like he wanted to say something.
But he didn’t.
Because there was nothing.
Daniel crossed his arms.
“What exactly is wrong with the baby?””
Eleanor looked at him.
“You don’t belong in this conversation.””
Daniel didn’t move.
“Actually, I do.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You’re an employee.””
“I was.””
That caught everyone’s attention.
“What does that mean?”” I asked.
Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out an identification card.
Not the security badge he had been wearing.
Another one.
A private investigator license.
My stomach tightened.
“Who are you?””
He looked at me.
“My company was hired three weeks ago to investigate financial activity connected to Sterling Ridge Estate.””
Eleanor’s face changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
“You were investigating us?””
“I was investigating missing funds.””
Julian’s expression shifted.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel looked at him.
“You should ask your mother.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“That’s enough.””
“No.””
Daniel’s voice became firm.
“I think Anna deserves the truth.””
The hallway suddenly felt like a courtroom.
And I was standing in the middle of a trial where everyone knew the evidence except me.
“What missing funds?”” I asked.
Nobody answered.
That was becoming a pattern.
“Julian?””
He looked at his mother.
“Mom?””
Eleanor’s face remained calm.
Too calm.
“There are things happening right now that are more important.””
I almost smiled.
“More important than my baby?””
She looked away.
That was when I knew.
Whatever was happening had nothing to do with protecting me.
It was about protecting herself.
“Tell me,” I said.
My voice became quiet.
Sometimes anger is loud.
Sometimes it is terrifyingly calm.
“Tell me everything.””
Julian stepped closer.
“Anna, please.””
I moved back.
He stopped.
That hurt him.
Good.
It needed to.
“You don’t get to ask me for trust anymore.””
His face fell.
Daniel looked at Eleanor.
“The medical file was altered.””
She didn’t deny it.
My heart sank.
“You did it.””
Eleanor looked at me.
“I made adjustments.””
“Adjustments?””
“I changed the emergency contact information.””
“You forged my signature.””
“I made sure the right people were involved.””
“The right people?””
I looked at Julian.
“Was he one of them?””
Julian closed his eyes.
That answer was enough.
A horrible realization formed.
“You knew.””
His eyes opened.
“Anna.””
“You knew.””
“I knew there was a concern.””
“A concern?””
I stepped forward.
“My baby’s medical information was changed without my permission, and you call it a concern?””
He ran a hand through his hair.
“I was trying to handle it.””
“You were trying to handle it?””
I pointed toward the bathroom.
“By letting your mother lock me away?””
His silence destroyed whatever was left.
A contraction hit.
Harder than before.
I grabbed Daniel’s arm.
He immediately noticed.
“We need to leave now.””
Julian moved forward.
“I’m coming with you.””
I looked at him.
“No.””
The word came out instantly.
His face changed.
“Anna.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I don’t know what you are anymore.””
“That’s not fair.””
I stared at him.
“Fair?””
The pain made my vision blur.
“My husband watched me beg for help.””
I swallowed.
“And he worried about a dance.””
Julian looked away.
Because he knew.
He knew there was no defense.
Daniel reached for his radio.
This time, I didn’t stop him.
But before he could speak, Eleanor stepped in front of us.
“No one leaves.””
Daniel frowned.
“Excuse me?””
She looked at him.
Then at me.
“I am trying to prevent a disaster.””
“You already created one,” I said.
Her face hardened.
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with.””
“Then explain.””
She hesitated.
And that hesitation told me everything.
Finally, she whispered:
“The baby isn’t the only thing Julian and I have been trying to protect.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
Eleanor looked toward the ballroom.
The sound of applause erupted in the distance.
Seraphina’s wedding continued.
A celebration.
A performance.
A beautiful lie.
Then Eleanor said:
“If the truth about this baby comes out tonight, the Sterling family loses everything.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“The truth about my baby?””
She looked at me.
And for the first time all night…
she looked afraid.
“Yes.””
Daniel’s phone suddenly buzzed.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed instantly.
“What?””
I looked at him.
He turned the phone toward me.
A message.
From an unknown number.
May you like
One sentence.
*You need to get Anna out before Julian tells her why the baby was never supposed to be born.*
