Chapter 6: One of My Twins Wasn't His
I couldn't feel my fingers.
For several seconds, I simply stared at the phone.
“What did you just say?””
Olivia repeated herself.
“The second birth certificate lists a different biological father.””
I shook my head.
“That makes no sense. I gave birth to both girls. They're twins.””
“I know.””
“Then how can one of them have a different father?””
Olivia lowered her voice.
“Because Linda told me something else. She said your husband might not be the biological father of either girl.””
I looked toward Tyler.
He had heard enough to understand that something was terribly wrong.
“Give me the phone,” he said.
I handed it to him.
“Who are you?”” he demanded.
“Olivia Carter.””
“Where are you?””
“I'm at my apartment.””
“Why is my mother giving you my daughters' birth certificates?””
Olivia started crying.
“Because she thinks Robert is going to hurt them.””
Tyler closed his eyes.
“Where is my father?””
“I don't know.””
“Then why should I believe anything you're saying?””
Olivia's voice became firmer.
“Because your mother told me she helped Robert arrange the DNA tests before your daughters were born.””
Tyler went completely still.
“What DNA tests?””
Olivia explained that Linda had contacted her several weeks earlier.
According to Olivia, Robert had been obsessed with the family trust. He wanted to establish which children were biologically related to the Carter family before releasing any money.
He had apparently arranged private testing using medical samples collected during my pregnancy.
I felt nauseated.
“That's impossible,” I whispered.
Olivia heard me.
“Emily, I don't know what happened. But Linda said the results were changed.””
Michael stepped closer.
“Olivia, did you see the original reports?””
“Yes.””
“Where are they?””
“In a safe deposit box. My grandmother gave me the key.””
Tyler grabbed the phone.
“Why didn't you tell anyone?””
“Because I didn't know who to trust!””
I took the phone back.
“Olivia, listen to me. Are you safe?””
She hesitated.
Then she whispered:
“No.””
The call disconnected.
I immediately called back.
The number was unavailable.
Daniel took the phone from my hand.
“Give me the number.””
He typed it into his device.
Michael was already speaking to his attorney.
“We need to contact the authorities.””
Tyler paced in front of us.
“My mother arranged DNA tests? What does that even mean?””
I looked at him.
“Tyler, I need you to tell me something.””
He stopped.
“Anything.””
“Did you ever provide a DNA sample to your mother?””
His expression changed.
Then he looked away.
“Tyler?””
He rubbed his face.
“Last year, she asked me to take a paternity test.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
“She said it was for a family medical history project. She wanted to know if I carried certain inherited conditions.””
“And you agreed?””
“I didn't think anything of it.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“Did she tell you what the results were?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
I looked down at Piper and Poppy.
For months, I had believed my biggest problem was raising two babies without their father.
Now I was being told that someone might have secretly manipulated their identities before they were even born.
Michael returned from speaking with his attorney.
“There's something else.””
I closed my eyes.
“Please tell me it isn't another document.””
He gave a serious nod.
“The original birth certificate Vanessa showed us was amended after the baby's birth. That means we need to establish whether the amendment was legitimate.””
Tyler looked at him.
“Are you saying Vanessa's child might not be mine?””
“I'm saying we shouldn't accept any of these documents without independent verification.””
Daniel suddenly looked up from his device.
“I found Olivia.””
Everyone turned.
“Where?””
“Her phone briefly connected to a nearby network. She's at an apartment building less than ten minutes from here.””
Michael grabbed his jacket.
“Let's go.””
I immediately pushed the stroller forward.
Tyler stepped in front of me.
“Emily, stay here with the girls.””
I stared at him.
“Absolutely not.””
“It's dangerous.””
“My children are already involved. I'm not sitting here while everyone else decides what happens to them.””
He looked at the twins.
Then nodded.
“Okay. We go together.””
Daniel drove us in a black SUV.
During the journey, I watched Miami's palm-lined streets pass through the window.
Piper had fallen asleep.
Poppy was awake, staring at the ceiling of the stroller.
I kept thinking about the birth.
The delivery room.
The doctors.
The first time I held both girls.
I remembered how Tyler had looked at them through the video call.
He had cried.
He had said they were perfect.
How could any of this be true?
When we reached Olivia's building, Daniel parked near the entrance.
The lobby door was unlocked.
We took the elevator to the fourth floor.
Apartment 407.
Michael knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
“Olivia? It's Michael Bennett. We're here to help.””
A faint sound came from inside.
Then something heavy fell.
Tyler stepped forward.
“Olivia!””
The door suddenly opened.
A young woman stood there.
She had dark hair, tired eyes, and a bruise along her cheek.
“Emily?””
I nodded.
She looked at the stroller.
Then tears filled her eyes.
“You brought them.””
I moved closer.
“Are you hurt?””
She stepped aside.
“Come in. Quickly.””
The apartment was a mess.
Drawers had been pulled open. Papers covered the floor. A lamp lay broken beside the sofa.
Someone had searched the place.
Olivia hurried toward a small cabinet.
“They took the safe.””
Michael looked around.
“Who?””
“My grandmother's people.””
She reached underneath the cabinet and pulled out a small silver envelope.
“They didn't find this.””
She handed it to me.
Inside were two folded laboratory reports.
My hands trembled as I opened them.
The first report showed a genetic match between Tyler and Piper.
The second showed no biological relationship between Tyler and Poppy.
I felt the room spin.
Tyler took the paper.
He read it once.
Then again.
“No,” he whispered.
I looked at Olivia.
“Who is Poppy's biological father?””
Olivia hesitated.
Then she pointed to a name printed at the bottom of the report.
Michael Bennett.
I stared at him.
Michael stepped backward.
“That can't be right.””
Vanessa's husband.
The man who had brought the birth certificate to the cruise terminal.
The man who had spent the entire morning helping us uncover the truth.
Tyler grabbed the report.
“You?””
Michael shook his head.
“I've never been with Emily.””
I looked at him, horrified.
“Then how can this be?””
Olivia reached into her pocket and removed one final photograph.
It showed Michael standing beside a woman in a hospital corridor.
The woman was holding a newborn baby.
Olivia placed the photograph on the table.
Then she looked directly at Tyler.
“Because Michael isn't Poppy's father.””
She pointed to the man standing beside him in the photograph.
“His identical twin brother is.””
Michael's face turned white.
He stared at the photograph for several seconds.
Then he whispered a name.
“David.””
Olivia nodded.
“David Bennett. The man who disappeared five years ago.””
And before anyone could speak, Michael's phone rang.
May you like
The caller ID displayed a name that made him drop the phone.
*DAVID BENNETT — INCOMING CALL.*
