Chapter 5: The Woman Who Had Been Waiting
Darius sat down on the edge of Renee's bed.
The photograph trembled in his hand.
“Brittany claimed she had a child with me?””
Marcus nodded.
“She contacted Renee through an anonymous letter. She claimed you had been seeing her before your marriage.””
“That is impossible.””
“I know.””
“Renee and I were together for years before Kayla was born. I never met Brittany.””
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck.
“That's what I told Renee.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Renee begged me not to.””
Darius stood.
“She was my wife! She deserved the truth!””
“She wanted proof first. She was afraid someone was trying to destroy your marriage.””
Darius looked at his brother.
“And you let her handle it alone?””
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I thought it was a lie. I didn't realize how serious it was.””
Darius paced across the bedroom.
“What happened after that?””
“Renee hired a private investigator. He discovered Brittany had worked briefly at the hospital where Kayla was born.””
Darius stopped.
“What?””
“Not as a nurse. She was employed by a medical records contractor. She had temporary access to patient files.””
Darius looked at the bracelet again.
“That's why she knew about the hospital.””
Marcus nodded.
“Renee thought Brittany had somehow obtained information about your family.””
“Did the investigator find anything else?””
Marcus reached into his jacket.
“I kept one of his reports.””
He handed Darius a folded document.
The paper was old and slightly yellowed.
Darius opened it.
The report contained Brittany's employment history, several photographs, and a list of addresses.
One address was familiar.
It belonged to a small apartment building where Brittany had lived before they met.
Another document showed a bank transfer.
The payment had been made to a private medical records consultant.
The date was October 12, six years earlier.
Two days before Kayla's birth.
Darius looked up.
“Who paid this?””
Marcus pointed to the name.
“Brittany Collins.””
Darius felt sick.
“She paid someone to access Renee's records?””
“That was the investigator's suspicion.””
“Why?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Darius turned another page.
A handwritten note appeared at the bottom.
Subject may have attempted to establish a connection with Mitchell family before the child's birth.
Darius stared at it.
Then he noticed something else.
A second name appeared in the report.
*Dr. Samuel Reeves.*
“Who is this?””
Marcus frowned.
“He was the obstetrician who handled Renee's delivery.””
Darius immediately called James.
“I need you to look into Dr. Samuel Reeves.””
“Why?””
“His name appears in a private investigation report from before Kayla was born.””
James paused.
“I'll check his background.””
Darius ended the call.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“There's one more thing.””
Darius turned.
“What?””
“Renee told me she believed Brittany had been involved in a hospital incident the night Kayla was born.””
“What incident?””
“A temporary evacuation of the maternity ward.””
Darius remembered something about that night.
He had been told there was a minor electrical problem near the nursery.
Patients had been moved into different rooms for a short time.
But he had never questioned it.
“Why would that matter?””
Marcus shrugged.
“Renee thought someone used the confusion to access Kayla's records.””
Darius looked at the hospital bracelet.
“Then we need the original records.””
He immediately contacted the hospital's administration office.
After several transfers, a records supervisor agreed to speak with him.
“Mr. Mitchell,” she said, “we can arrange for your attorney to submit a formal request.””
“I need the records concerning my daughter's birth.””
“Of course.””
“And I need to know whether any amendments were made.””
The supervisor paused.
“Amendments?””
“Yes. Any changes to the maternity records, patient identification, or nursery logs.””
There was another pause.
“I'll need to review the archived file.””
“How long?””
“I can't promise anything today.””
Darius tightened his grip on the phone.
“Please understand. This concerns a potential identity issue involving my daughter.””
The woman's voice became more serious.
“I'll escalate it.””
After ending the call, Darius returned to the study.
James had already begun reviewing the trust documents.
“Did you find anything?”” Darius asked.
James removed his glasses.
“I contacted the hospital's legal department. They confirmed the records exist, but there's something unusual.””
“What?””
“Two birth registration entries were created under Renee's patient number.””
Darius felt his heart pound.
“Two?””
“Yes. One was created at 8:42 p.m. The second was entered at 9:16 p.m.””
“Why?””
“They're investigating.””
James opened his laptop.
“There's another matter. The suspicious financial authorization was submitted through an electronic signature service.””
“Can you identify who submitted it?””
“Not yet. But the account used an email address associated with Brittany.””
Darius leaned forward.
“Show me.””
James turned the laptop.
The email address was familiar.
It was the same account Brittany used for wedding planning.
Darius stared at the screen.
“So she forged my signature.””
“That's what the evidence suggests.””
James closed the laptop.
“I strongly recommend that you suspend her access to every financial and personal account.””
“Already done.””
“And don't confront her alone.””
Darius nodded.
But he wasn't prepared for what happened next.
At 6:20 p.m., Brittany arrived at the house.
She walked through the front entrance carrying a shopping bag.
Her expression was composed, almost cheerful.
“Darius?””
He stood in the hallway.
“Why are you here?””
“Because you're my fiancé.””
“Not anymore.””
Her smile vanished.
“Don't say things you don't mean.””
“I mean every word.””
Brittany placed the shopping bag on a table.
“I brought Kayla something.””
Darius didn't move.
“What?””
“A beautiful scarf. I thought she might like it.””
“You think a scarf fixes what you did?””
Brittany sighed.
“Can we please talk without everyone watching?””
Marcus stepped into the hallway.
“I'm not going anywhere.””
Brittany glared at him.
“This is between me and Darius.””
Marcus folded his arms.
“Not anymore.””
Brittany turned back to her fiancé.
“I made a mistake with the haircut. I admit that.””
“You held down a six-year-old and shaved her head after she begged you to stop.””
“I was frustrated!””
“She trusted you.””
Brittany's expression hardened.
“And she needs to understand that this family cannot revolve around her mother forever.””
Darius stared at her.
“Renee has been dead for two years.””
“Exactly!””
Brittany threw her hands up.
“Two years, Darius! And every room in this house still feels like she's living here!””
Darius looked at her quietly.
“She was my wife. She's Kayla's mother.””
“And I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life competing with a dead woman?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Watch your mouth.””
Brittany ignored him.
“I have sacrificed everything to be with you.””
“What have you sacrificed?””
“My time! My future! My chance to have a normal marriage!””
Darius shook his head.
“You knew I had a daughter when you met me.””
“Yes, but I didn't know she'd control every decision!””
Darius looked toward the stairs.
“She's six.””
Brittany's face twisted.
“Then perhaps you should stop treating her like she's the only person who matters.””
A small voice came from behind them.
“Daddy?””
Everyone turned.
Kayla stood at the top of the staircase wearing her pink sweater.
She held the stuffed rabbit against her chest.
Brittany looked up.
For a moment, her expression softened.
“Kayla, sweetheart…”
The little girl immediately stepped backward.
Darius moved toward the stairs.
“It's okay, baby.””
Kayla looked at Brittany.
“Are you going to cut my hair again?””
Brittany opened her mouth.
“No, darling. I would never—”
“Don't call me darling.””
The words were quiet.
But they stopped everyone.
Kayla's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't like you anymore.””
Brittany's face turned red.
“That's because your father keeps telling you I'm a bad person.””
Darius stepped between them.
“Enough.””
Brittany grabbed her handbag.
“Fine. If that's how you want it.””
She walked toward the entrance.
But before leaving, she turned.
“You're making a terrible mistake, Darius.””
He didn't respond.
Brittany opened the door.
Then she looked over her shoulder.
“And when you discover what really happened the night Kayla was born, don't come begging me for forgiveness.””
The door slammed.
Marcus stared after her.
“She's bluffing.””
Darius wasn't so sure.
His phone vibrated.
James had sent a message.
*Hospital records supervisor just called. There are two separate identification numbers connected to Kayla's birth. One was deleted from the official system six years ago.*
A second message arrived.
*The deleted record lists Brittany Collins as the biological mother.*
Darius felt his legs weaken.
He read it again.
Then he looked at Marcus.
May you like
His brother's face had gone completely white.
“Darius,” Marcus whispered, “we need to find out who really gave birth that night.””
