Chapter 4: The Secret Hidden in the Clinic Records
“The embryo wasn't the only thing I canceled.””
Claire's words hung in the air.
Daniel stood beside the gift table, holding the clinic records with both hands. The pink-and-white decorations swayed gently in the air-conditioning, and somewhere outside the private room, restaurant guests laughed over lunch as if our family's world hadn't just shattered.
“What does that mean?”” Daniel asked.
Claire rubbed her palms against her dress.
“Daniel, please. We can't talk about this here.””
“You've said that three times. Every time I ask you a question, you tell me we can't talk about it here.””
He placed the papers on the table.
“I'm asking you one last time. What did you cancel?””
Claire looked at my mother, then at Aunt Patricia, searching for someone who might rescue her.
Nobody moved.
Finally, she whispered, “The embryos.””
Daniel blinked.
“All of them?””
“Not all of them.””
“Claire, we had two frozen embryos left after the last transfer. We agreed we'd use them when the doctor said it was safe.””
“I know.””
“So what did you do?””
She squeezed her eyes shut.
“I asked the clinic to discontinue storage.””
My mother gasped.
I felt my stomach tighten.
Daniel gripped the edge of the table.
“You destroyed our remaining embryos?””
“They hadn't been implanted, Daniel. They were frozen.””
“That doesn't answer my question!””
“I couldn't keep going!”” Claire shouted, startling Sophie, who clutched my hand.
“I couldn't spend another year waiting for something that might never happen! I couldn't watch you look at me like I'd failed you every time another treatment didn't work!””
Daniel stared at her.
“I never blamed you.””
“You didn't have to say it. I saw it in your face.””
“I was grieving too!””
“And I was terrified!””
Her voice cracked. For a moment, the anger drained from her expression, leaving something raw and ugly underneath.
Then she looked at his hands.
“You were so obsessed with becoming a father that you stopped seeing me as your wife.””
Daniel went completely still.
I wanted to believe there was some explanation that could soften what we'd heard. I wanted to believe Claire had made one terrible decision in a moment of panic.
But the fake belly lay exposed beneath her dress, and the stolen money remained on the table beside it.
Whatever pain she'd experienced, she had turned it into a weapon against the man who loved her.
“You could have told me you wanted to stop,” Daniel said quietly.
“You could have said you couldn't do another treatment. I would have listened.””
Claire shook her head.
“No, you wouldn't have.””
“You never gave me the chance!””
His voice echoed through the room.
Sophie began to cry again.
I picked her up and carried her toward the window, whispering that everything would be okay, although I had no idea whether that was true.
Behind us, Daniel asked another question.
“Who knew?””
Claire didn't answer.
“Who knew about the canceled embryos before today?””
She glanced toward the phone.
Daniel followed her gaze.
“Marcus?””
Claire pressed her lips together.
“Did Marcus know?””
“Yes.””
The word landed like a stone.
Daniel sat down abruptly.
“My best friend knew you had canceled our treatment, and he let me believe I was going to be a father?””
“He didn't understand everything.””
“Then explain it to me.””
Claire looked toward the door.
“Marcus helped me find a way out.””
“A way out of what?””
“This marriage!””
The room fell silent.
Even Claire seemed shocked by her own words.
Daniel slowly raised his head.
“You wanted out?””
“I didn't know what I wanted!””
“So you stole my money, fabricated a pregnancy, and let me spend eight months preparing for a child you knew wasn't coming?””
“I thought I could make everything right!””
“How?””
She stared at him.
For several seconds, all I could hear was the soft rustling of tissue paper beneath the gift table.
Then Claire whispered, “I thought if you believed you were going to be a father, you'd finally be happy again. I thought we'd have time to fix our marriage before you discovered the truth.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You made me love a child who never existed.””
He stood and pushed his chair back.
“And you let my sister's four-year-old daughter carry the burden of exposing you because you couldn't tell the truth yourself.””
Claire covered her face.
“I never wanted Sophie to get involved.””
“She didn't get involved,” I said, turning from the window.
“She noticed what you were doing. There's a difference.””
Claire glared at me.
“You have no idea what I've been through.””
“No,” I replied.
“But I know what you've done.””
Daniel picked up his phone.
“I'm calling the clinic.””
Claire immediately reached for him.
“Don't!””
He stepped away.
“Why shouldn't I?””
“Because there's something in those records you haven't seen.””
Daniel stopped.
“Then tell me.””
She looked down at the paperwork.
Her lips trembled.
“The clinic didn't just cancel the storage.””
My brother's expression changed.
“What else?””
Claire swallowed.
“They sent me a letter explaining my options. I signed it. But before I signed, someone called me and told me there was another way to get pregnant without going through another transfer.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Who called you?””
She didn't answer.
He repeated the question.
“Who?””
Claire slowly lifted her eyes.
“Your mother.””
My mother made a strangled sound.
Daniel turned toward her.
“Mom?””
She shook her head violently.
“No. Daniel, I never told Claire to fake a pregnancy.””
Claire stepped forward.
“You told me he would never leave me if he thought I was carrying his child.””
My mother's face crumpled.
“I said you needed to talk to your husband. I never told you to lie!””
Daniel looked between them.
The betrayal on his face was almost unbearable.
“Which one of you is telling the truth?””
Neither woman answered immediately.
Then Sophie, still in my arms, lifted her head and pointed toward the documents.
“Mommy,” she whispered, “that lady came to our house too.””
I frowned.
“What lady, sweetheart?””
“The one who gave Aunt Claire the little bag.””
Claire's eyes widened.
“What little bag?””
Sophie nodded solemnly.
“The one she said would make Uncle Daniel's baby come.””
Daniel slowly turned toward his wife.
“What did you give my wife, Mom?””
My mother opened her mouth.
And before she could answer, the restaurant manager appeared at the doorway holding a small brown envelope.
“I'm sorry to interrupt,” he said.
“A gentleman left this at the front desk for Mr. Carter. He said it was urgent.””
Daniel took the envelope.
There was no return address.
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Only three words written across the front.
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