Chapter 3: The Woman With the Financial Records
The woman introduced herself as Helen Brooks.
She was Claire's former financial adviser.
At least, that was what she initially told us.
Daniel looked confused.
“Why are you here?””
Helen opened her leather folder.
“Because I have been trying to contact your wife for three weeks.””
Claire stepped forward.
“You had no right to come here.””
Helen didn't even look at her.
“Your husband deserves to know.””
“This is a private family matter!””
“Not when the money involved belongs to a joint account.””
Daniel turned toward Claire.
“What money?””
Claire's face went white again.
Helen placed a document on the nearest table.
“Mr. Whitmore, I'm going to ask you to look at these transactions.””
Daniel approached.
I stood beside him.
The first page showed a series of transfers from an account belonging to Daniel and Claire.
The amounts were substantial.
Five thousand dollars.
Eight thousand.
Twelve thousand.
Then another transfer for fifteen thousand.
All sent to the same business account.
Daniel frowned.
“What is this company?””
Helen pointed to the name.
“EverBloom Family Services.””
My brother looked at Claire.
“What's EverBloom?””
Claire didn't answer.
Helen continued.
“Your wife established a private account with the company seven months ago. She described the payments as deposits for fertility treatment and maternity-related services.””
Daniel looked down at the documents.
“Seven months?””
“Yes.””
“But she told me the clinic recommended a treatment package. She said it was expensive, but worth it.””
Helen nodded.
“I understand. However, these transactions were not made to a fertility clinic.””
Daniel's fingers tightened around the paper.
“Then what were they for?””
Helen hesitated.
“That's what I've been trying to establish.””
Claire suddenly grabbed the documents.
“Give me those!””
Helen stepped backward.
“Please don't touch my records.””
“You have no idea what you're talking about!””
“Then explain the payments.””
Claire's eyes flashed.
“I don't owe you an explanation.””
Daniel took the papers from her.
“You owe me one.””
She stared at him.
“Daniel, please. We can talk about this at home.””
He shook his head.
“No. We're talking now.””
My father moved closer.
“Claire, what did you do?””
She looked at him.
Then at my mother.
Then at Daniel.
Her expression changed.
The tears stopped.
The trembling disappeared.
For a moment, she looked almost angry that nobody was helping her.
“I wanted to have a family,” she said.
Daniel stared at her.
“We wanted a family.””
“I know.””
“Then why did you lie?””
She pressed her lips together.
Helen cleared her throat.
“There's another matter.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“What else?””
Helen removed a second document from her folder.
“This is a copy of an invoice submitted by EverBloom. It lists services that were supposedly provided to your wife.””
She placed it on the table.
Daniel read the heading.
Then the description.
Then the amount.
His eyebrows drew together.
“What is a simulated maternity package?””
Helen answered carefully.
“According to the company's records, it includes a prosthetic pregnancy belly, maternity clothing consultation, staged ultrasound photography, and a newborn presentation package.””
My mother covered her mouth.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“Staged ultrasound photography?””
Claire shook her head.
“Those were just keepsakes.””
“Fake keepsakes?””
“They were supposed to be temporary.””
“Temporary?””
His voice rose.
“You made fake ultrasound pictures of our child?””
Claire's eyes filled again.
“I wanted you to be happy.””
Daniel stared at her.
“I would have been happy with the truth.””
She looked away.
He continued.
“I told you I didn't care whether we had children naturally. I told you we could adopt. I told you we could live without children if that was what happened. Do you remember?””
Claire said nothing.
“I told you that I married you, not a promise of a baby.””
His voice broke on the final word.
For the first time, I saw my brother cry.
Not loudly.
He simply looked down at the documents, and a tear dropped onto the page.
Helen waited until he had composed himself.
“There's something else you should know, Mr. Whitmore.””
Claire immediately stepped between them.
“No. That's enough.””
Helen finally looked directly at her.
“You told me the transfers were authorized for medical services. You also told me your husband knew about the account.””
Daniel looked confused.
“I didn't know about any account.””
“I understand that now,” Helen replied.
She turned another page.
“The company has also been receiving payments from a separate personal account. Those payments appear to have been made using money transferred from your joint savings.””
Daniel frowned.
“How much?””
Helen named the total.
Thirty-eight thousand dollars.
My father swore.
Daniel shook his head.
“Thirty-eight thousand?””
Claire looked down.
“Daniel, I can pay it back.””
He stared at her.
“With what?””
“I have savings.””
“Where?””
She didn't answer.
Helen closed the folder.
“I don't want to speculate about the purpose of the payments. But I have brought the documents because I discovered that several invoices were altered after they were issued.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Altered how?””
“Some original invoices described theatrical products and cosmetic services. The versions submitted to your household records described fertility treatment and prenatal care.””
The garden fell silent.
My mother slowly sat down again.
I remembered the times Claire had complained about the cost of her appointments.
The supplements.
The vitamins.
The private consultations.
Every time Daniel had offered to pay, she had insisted on using their joint account.
She had made him believe they were investing in their future child.
But there had never been a child.
“Why?”” Daniel whispered.
Claire looked at him.
“Because I was scared.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing you.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You thought I'd leave you because we couldn't have a baby?””
She nodded.
He let out a slow breath.
“Claire, I have never asked you to give me a child.””
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain it!””
She looked toward the ground.
“I knew how much being a father meant to you.””
Daniel's expression softened for just a second.
Then she continued.
“And I knew you would eventually realize you had married the wrong woman if we couldn't have children.””
He stared at her.
“Who told you that?””
Claire didn't answer.
Helen glanced at the folder.
Then she said something that changed the direction of the entire conversation.
“Mr. Whitmore, there is one more payment I haven't mentioned.””
Daniel turned.
“What payment?””
Helen removed a printed bank statement.
“This transaction was made two weeks ago. It wasn't sent to EverBloom.””
She placed it on the table.
The recipient's name was unfamiliar.
But the amount was not small.
Ten thousand dollars.
Daniel looked at the date.
Then at Claire.
“Who is Marcus Reed?””
Claire's lips parted.
No sound came out.
My brother repeated the name.
“Claire, who is Marcus Reed?””
She looked toward the driveway again.
For a moment, I thought she might run.
Then Helen spoke.
“Mr. Reed contacted our office last week. He asked whether the maternity package could be extended for another three months.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“Why would he ask that?””
Helen looked uncomfortable.
“Because, according to his message, he and your wife had agreed to keep the pregnancy story going until a particular date.””
Daniel slowly lowered the bank statement.
“What particular date?””
Helen opened her folder one final time.
She took out a printed email.
And when Daniel read the first line, his entire expression changed.
Because the email wasn't about a fake pregnancy.
It was about a baby.
A real baby.
One that Claire had apparently promised someone else she would deliver.
Daniel looked up at his wife.
“Claire…”
She began shaking her head.
“Please don't read the rest.””
But he already had.
May you like
And the final sentence contained a name that none of us expected to see.
*Marcus Reed — the man who had once been introduced to our family as Claire's childhood friend.*
