Chapter 2: The Woman Who Paid for the Lie
Vanessa was still sitting on the sofa when Daniel finally spoke.
"Sarah is manipulating you.""
His voice had become unusually calm.
It was the same tone he used whenever he wanted someone to doubt what they had just witnessed.
"She's been obsessed with our marriage since the day we announced our engagement.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"Answer the question.""
Daniel turned toward the guests.
"This is a private family matter.""
A man near the window cleared his throat.
"Daniel, I think you should explain what the document means.""
Daniel glared at him.
"Richard, stay out of this.""
Richard was Daniel's uncle, a retired accountant who had known him since childhood.
He looked at the document in Vanessa's hands.
"I've known you for forty years. I've never seen you look this frightened over a paperwork mistake.""
A few guests shifted uncomfortably.
Patricia stepped between them.
"Everyone needs to calm down. Vanessa is pregnant. She doesn't need this kind of stress.""
Vanessa looked up.
"Then tell me the truth.""
Patricia pressed her lips together.
"Sweetheart, you don't understand how complicated fertility treatment can be.""
"Then explain it.""
"Your husband wanted to give you a child. That's what matters.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
"Did you use Sarah's embryos?""
Patricia glanced toward Daniel.
That glance told Vanessa more than any explanation could have.
I watched her place one hand over her belly.
"Daniel, did you know?""
He stepped closer.
"Of course I knew we were using donor material. The clinic explained everything.""
"Donor material?""
Vanessa held up the document.
"This says the embryos were created by Daniel and Sarah.""
He rubbed his jaw.
"That was an old account. The clinic made a mistake.""
"Then why is Sarah's signature forged?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Because she's trying to destroy us.""
I reached into my folder and removed a second document.
"Would you like to see the notarized affidavit from the clinic confirming that I never authorized the transfer?""
Daniel's face went pale.
I handed it to Vanessa.
She read the first paragraph.
Then the second.
Her lips parted.
"There's no consent from Sarah.""
"That's right," I said.
"And this transfer was performed under a false authorization.""
"That's what the clinic's preliminary investigation found.""
Daniel took a step forward.
"Sarah, enough.""
I didn't move.
"Do you remember the day we signed our divorce settlement?""
He frowned.
"What's that got to do with anything?""
"You insisted that all our fertility records remain confidential. You told me it was to protect both of us.""
"Because they were private.""
"Exactly. So why did your mother have access to our embryo account?""
Patricia's face flushed.
"That's a ridiculous accusation.""
I removed another sheet.
"Here is the payment authorization.""
Vanessa leaned forward.
Patricia's name was printed beneath the amount.
$18,750.
The payment covered storage fees, genetic screening, and the embryo transfer procedure.
Vanessa looked at Patricia.
"You paid for this?""
Patricia lifted her chin.
"I was helping my son.""
"By using his ex-wife's embryos?""
"Don't twist my words.""
"Then tell me what you did!""
Patricia turned toward the guests.
"I did what any mother would do. Daniel wanted a family. Vanessa wanted a baby. I made it possible.""
The room fell silent again.
Vanessa looked down at her belly.
"So you knew?""
Patricia hesitated.
"Of course I knew the embryos came from the previous marriage. Daniel explained that they were abandoned.""
"Abandoned?"" I repeated.
Patricia turned sharply.
"Yes. You had your chance, Sarah. You walked away.""
I stared at her.
"I walked away from my marriage. I never signed away my medical rights.""
"Well, you should have.""
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Vanessa whispered, "What?""
Patricia looked at her.
"You heard me.""
"You're saying she should have had no say in what happened to her embryos?""
Patricia threw up her hands.
"Oh, don't be dramatic. You wanted a baby. Daniel wanted a baby. The embryos were just sitting in storage.""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"They were not yours to give away.""
Patricia's mouth tightened.
"You have no idea what we went through.""
Vanessa laughed once, without humor.
"What we went through? I spent eight months taking hormones, attending appointments, and believing my husband was being honest with me. You knew the truth before I even got pregnant.""
Daniel stepped between them.
"Vanessa, please. We can talk at home.""
She pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
I watched Daniel's expression change.
He had expected Vanessa to be shocked.
He had not expected her to reject him.
The story of how Vanessa entered Daniel's life was something I learned much later.
But I remembered the first time I saw her.
It had been at a charity dinner nearly two years after our divorce.
I was there with a colleague.
Vanessa was standing beside Daniel, wearing a red dress and a diamond bracelet.
She was beautiful, confident, and laughing at something he whispered.
When Daniel saw me, his smile disappeared.
"Sarah.""
I nodded politely.
"Daniel.""
He introduced Vanessa.
"This is Sarah. My ex-wife.""
Vanessa extended her hand.
"It's nice to meet you.""
I shook it.
"You too.""
Then she said something I would remember for a long time.
"Daniel told me you two had a difficult marriage. I'm sorry things didn't work out.""
I smiled.
"Marriage is complicated.""
Daniel immediately interrupted.
"Sarah struggled with some personal things. But we've both moved on.""
I didn't correct him.
I had no reason to explain my life to a stranger.
At the time, I had no idea that Vanessa would eventually become the second woman trapped inside Daniel's carefully constructed lie.
Back at the baby shower, Daniel was becoming increasingly desperate.
"Vanessa, look at me.""
She didn't.
"Please.""
She finally raised her eyes.
"Did you know the embryos belonged to Sarah?""
He swallowed.
"Yes.""
A collective gasp moved through the room.
Vanessa looked as though someone had struck her.
"You knew?""
"Listen to me. We had been trying for a baby for a long time. The doctors said our chances were low. I thought this was the best option.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I knew how you'd react.""
She stared at him.
"So you decided I didn't deserve the truth?""
"I was afraid you'd leave.""
The honesty in his answer was almost laughable.
He had lied to protect himself.
He had not protected her.
Vanessa slowly stood.
"Did you tell the doctor I had agreed to use Sarah's embryos?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Daniel?""
"I handled the paperwork.""
"That's not what I asked.""
He looked toward his mother.
Patricia immediately spoke.
"Vanessa, you should be grateful. You have a healthy pregnancy. Why are you trying to ruin this?""
Vanessa turned toward her.
"Because I thought I was building a family with people who respected me.""
Patricia's eyes narrowed.
"Don't you dare speak to me like that.""
"Then don't speak to me like I'm a child.""
Daniel grabbed his mother's arm.
"Mom, stop.""
Patricia jerked away.
"I sacrificed everything for you!""
"Nobody asked you to," Vanessa said.
Patricia looked at me.
"This is your fault.""
I tilted my head.
"Which part?""
"You should have destroyed those embryos after the divorce.""
I looked at her for a long moment.
"Why? So you could use them without my permission?""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Richard stepped closer.
"Patricia, I think you should stop talking.""
She turned toward him.
"Don't interfere.""
"I've been listening to you justify this for twenty minutes. You paid almost nineteen thousand dollars to transfer embryos that didn't belong to you.""
"They belonged to Daniel too!""
Richard shook his head.
"That doesn't give you permission to forge someone's signature.""
Patricia's face twisted.
"Daniel is my son!""
"And Sarah was his wife. She was a human being, Patricia. Not a storage container for your family's future.""
I felt Ethan tug at my sleeve.
"Mommy, can we go home?""
I looked down.
"Yes, sweetheart. Soon.""
Noah had been quietly watching the adults.
He pointed at the balloon shaped like a baby.
"Mommy, why is everybody sad at the baby party?""
I brushed his hair away from his forehead.
"Sometimes grown-ups make choices they have to fix.""
Daniel heard me.
"Don't use my children to make a point.""
I stood.
"I don't need to. Your choices are doing that perfectly well.""
Vanessa approached me.
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Sarah, can I ask you something?""
"Of course.""
"Did you know about the transfer before today?""
I nodded.
"I discovered it several days ago.""
"Why didn't you contact me?""
I looked at her swollen belly.
"I tried to find a way to tell you without causing unnecessary distress. But Daniel invited me here, and I realized he intended to keep lying.""
She looked down.
"Did you want me to lose the baby?""
The question caught me off guard.
"No.""
"Did you hate me?""
"No, Vanessa.""
"Even though I'm carrying embryos that came from your marriage?""
I took a breath.
"I don't hate you. You didn't forge my signature. You didn't steal the medical records. You were lied to just like I was.""
Her eyes filled.
"I believed him.""
I gently touched her arm.
"I know.""
Then she asked something that made my stomach tighten.
"Sarah, did you ever have any other embryos?""
I froze.
"What?""
"At the clinic. Were there only two?""
I looked at the documents in my folder.
The transfer authorization listed two embryos.
But the original storage statement listed three.
I had never noticed the discrepancy.
I turned toward the page.
"According to this, there were three.""
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
"Then where is the third?""
Daniel's face went completely blank.
Patricia immediately stepped forward.
"That's enough. Vanessa, you need to sit down.""
Vanessa didn't move.
"Where is the third embryo?""
Daniel swallowed.
"It was never transferred.""
"Then where is it?""
He looked at me.
And for the first time, I realized that the baby shower scandal might be only the beginning.
The guests began leaving after another twenty minutes.
Nobody wanted to be seen standing beside Daniel.
Several people offered Vanessa quiet words of support.
Richard took Patricia aside.
A woman from Daniel's office left without saying goodbye.
I was gathering the boys' jackets when Vanessa approached me again.
"Sarah, please don't leave yet.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because I think I need your help.""
Daniel heard her.
"Vanessa, you're not thinking clearly.""
She turned.
"Stop telling me what I'm thinking.""
He lowered his voice.
"We'll discuss this at home.""
She shook her head.
"I'm not going home with you.""
His face hardened.
"Don't make a scene.""
She laughed bitterly.
"You invited your ex-wife to my baby shower and presented a forged medical document as a legitimate consent form. I think the scene has already been made.""
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Vanessa looked at me.
"Can you come to the hospital with me tomorrow? I need to speak to my obstetrician.""
I nodded.
"Of course.""
Daniel stepped between us.
"Absolutely not.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"You don't get to decide that anymore.""
I took my sons' hands.
"Come on, boys.""
As we walked toward the entrance, Daniel followed.
"Sarah!""
I stopped.
He stood beneath the arch of white roses, his expensive suit slightly wrinkled.
"You have no idea what you're doing.""
I turned.
"Neither did I when I married you.""
He came closer.
"You think you can walk away and leave me with all this?""
I looked at him.
"You left me with your lies four years ago. I learned to live without you.""
He glanced at the twins.
"Those boys are mine too.""
I felt my entire body go still.
"What did you just say?""
Daniel looked at them again.
"They came from our embryos. You can't pretend I'm a stranger.""
I stepped forward.
"Biological material does not give you the right to claim children you abandoned before they were even born.""
His eyes narrowed.
"You're going to regret this.""
I opened the car door for Ethan and Noah.
"That's what you said when I signed the divorce papers.""
Then I drove away.
The following morning, I arrived at the hospital at nine.
Vanessa was already in the waiting room.
She wore a loose gray sweater and held a paper cup of water.
Her eyes were swollen.
"Thank you for coming," she said.
I sat beside her.
"How are you feeling?""
"Physically? Fine. Emotionally? I don't know.""
She looked down at her belly.
"I keep thinking about the baby. I love this child. That hasn't changed. But every time I look at my stomach, I remember what Daniel did.""
I nodded.
"Your feelings about the child don't have to change because of what the adults did.""
She wiped her eyes.
"That's what I needed to hear.""
A nurse called her name.
We entered the examination room together.
Dr. Reynolds, her obstetrician, reviewed her records.
Vanessa explained what had happened.
The doctor listened carefully.
"First, I want to reassure you that we can assess the pregnancy's medical progress independently of the administrative questions. We'll review the available genetic and treatment records.""
Vanessa asked, "Can you tell me whose embryos were transferred?""
The doctor nodded.
"The records indicate that the embryos originated from the stored account of Daniel Hayes and Sarah Morgan.""
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"Can you tell me if the transfer was properly authorized?""
Dr. Reynolds looked at the paperwork.
"That's something the fertility clinic will need to investigate. My office did not receive the original consent documentation.""
I leaned forward.
"Doctor, there were three embryos in the original storage report. The transfer record accounts for two. Can you help us understand what happened to the third?""
The doctor frowned.
"That information isn't in the obstetric record.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"So we still don't know.""
The doctor ordered a routine ultrasound.
The room dimmed.
A soft electronic sound filled the space.
The baby's heartbeat appeared on the monitor.
Vanessa started crying.
I looked away to give her privacy.
She reached for my hand.
"Don't go.""
I stayed.
The doctor smiled.
"Everything looks reassuring today.""
Vanessa exhaled.
For a few minutes, the legal documents and family arguments disappeared.
There was only a heartbeat.
Then the doctor enlarged the medical record on her screen.
"There's one thing I'd like to clarify.""
Vanessa looked up.
"What?""
"The pregnancy history in the file indicates that this was a frozen embryo transfer using two embryos, but the original genetic screening was performed under a different patient reference.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"It means the laboratory records need to be reconciled before we can confirm the complete genetic documentation.""
Vanessa's fingers tightened around mine.
"Is something wrong with my baby?""
Dr. Reynolds immediately shook her head.
"I'm not saying that. The ultrasound is reassuring. This is a documentation issue, and we should not speculate.""
She printed a referral and gave Vanessa instructions for contacting the fertility clinic's records department.
We thanked her and left.
Outside the hospital, Vanessa stopped beside my car.
"Sarah?""
"Yes?""
"If Daniel and his mother were willing to forge your signature, what else do you think they're hiding?""
I looked at her.
"I don't know.""
She glanced at the documents in her bag.
"But I'm going to find out.""
Just then, her phone rang.
Daniel's name appeared on the screen.
She rejected the call.
A second later, a message arrived.
You need to come home. I found the original records. We need to talk before Sarah tells you the rest.
Vanessa read it twice.
Then another message appeared.
The third embryo isn't missing. It was never supposed to be part of your pregnancy.
I stared at the screen.
"What does he mean?""
Vanessa's face lost its color.
May you like
Before either of us could speak, a third message arrived.
And if you find out who the third embryo belongs to, you'll understand why my mother paid for everything.
