Chapter 7: The Twin Brother Who Disappeared
Michael stared at his phone as it continued vibrating on the coffee table.
Nobody moved.
The caller ID still displayed the same name.
DAVID BENNETT.
“Answer it,” Daniel said.
Michael shook his head.
“I haven't heard his voice in five years.””
Tyler stepped closer.
“Your brother disappeared five years ago?””
Michael nodded slowly.
“After our father died, David became involved with some people who were running fraudulent investment schemes. He borrowed money, disappeared, and left me to deal with the creditors.””
The phone stopped ringing.
Then it rang again.
Michael picked it up.
“David?””
A man's voice answered immediately.
“Hello, brother.””
Michael closed his eyes.
“Where the hell have you been?””
“That's not a very friendly way to greet family.””
“You've been missing for five years!””
“I wasn't missing. I was staying away from people who wanted me dead.””
Michael looked at the DNA report.
“Why is your name connected to Emily Carter's daughter?””
There was a long pause.
Then David laughed.
“So you've finally seen the paperwork.””
I felt my legs weaken.
I moved closer to the phone.
“Who are you?””
“Emily Carter?””
“Yes.””
“Congratulations on your beautiful daughters.””
My blood ran cold.
“How do you know about them?””
“I've known about Piper and Poppy since before they were born.””
Tyler grabbed the phone.
“You stay away from my family!””
David chuckled.
“Tyler. Still pretending you have everything under control?””
“Answer the question!””
“Which one? Why I know about your daughters? Or why your mother has been helping me?””
Tyler went silent.
Michael stepped forward.
“David, listen carefully. Did you have a relationship with Emily?””
David didn't answer.
Instead, he said something that made my stomach turn.
“Ask your wife what happened during her pregnancy.””
I stared at Michael.
“I'm not his wife.””
“Exactly,” David replied.
“But someone has been using your medical records.””
Daniel immediately took out his phone.
“I'm recording this conversation.””
David laughed again.
“Good. Record everything. You'll need it.””
Then he continued.
“Emily, do you remember the week you were hospitalized during your pregnancy?””
I nodded instinctively, even though he couldn't see me.
At thirty-one weeks, I had been admitted overnight because of severe dehydration and contractions.
Tyler had been overseas.
Linda had stayed with me.
She had insisted on handling the hospital paperwork because I was exhausted.
I remembered waking up and finding her speaking quietly with a nurse.
“Why are you asking about that?”” I demanded.
David's voice became serious.
“Because your mother-in-law arranged for your blood samples to be collected and transferred to a private laboratory.””
Tyler looked at me.
“Mom told me she was helping with your medical records.””
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
“What did she do?””
David answered.
“She wanted to know whether the twins were connected to the Bennett family.””
Michael grabbed the phone.
“Why would my family have anything to do with this?””
“Because five years ago, your brother made a mistake.””
Michael's jaw tightened.
“What mistake?””
“I fell in love with someone I shouldn't have.””
There was a pause.
Then David said:
“Her name was Linda Carter.””
The room went silent.
Tyler stared at the phone.
“No.””
David continued.
“Your mother and I had a relationship before I disappeared. Robert discovered it. He threatened to destroy both of us.””
Michael looked sick.
“And Emily?””
“Robert needed someone to blame. When he discovered Linda was pregnant, he made arrangements to hide the truth.””
I covered my mouth.
Linda had been pregnant?
Twenty-nine years ago?
That would explain Jack.
Tyler's supposed half-brother.
But the dates didn't fit.
“David,” I said carefully, “are you telling me you fathered a child with Linda?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
David's answer came quietly.
“Jack Carter.””
Tyler staggered backward.
His entire family history was collapsing in front of him.
The brother who supposedly shared his father's blood had actually been Michael's twin brother's son.
Michael looked toward the floor.
“So Poppy's DNA match…”
David interrupted.
“Is real.””
I stared at him.
“How?””
“Because I'm Poppy's biological father.””
Tyler made a strangled sound.
I looked down at my daughter.
“No,” I whispered.
“That is impossible.””
David's voice softened.
“Emily, I never intended for this to happen.””
“Then why does the report say you fathered my daughter?””
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he said:
“Because I was at the hospital the night your twins were born.””
My heart stopped.
Tyler grabbed the phone again.
“You were nowhere near Miami!””
“I was.””
“You're lying!””
“Ask Linda who signed the visitor log.””
Then David added:
“And ask her why she switched the identification bracelets.””
The call disconnected.
For several seconds, the only sound in the apartment was Poppy crying.
I looked at the two laboratory reports.
One claimed Tyler was Piper's biological father.
The other claimed David was Poppy's.
But something still didn't make sense.
Piper and Poppy were identical-looking twins.
They shared the same birthday.
The same hospital room.
The same mother.
I had assumed they were ordinary identical twins.
Daniel finally spoke.
“Emily, there is a medical explanation for something like this, but we need independent testing before accepting these reports.””
Michael nodded.
“David could have manipulated the records.””
I looked at him.
“Why would he?””
Michael's expression hardened.
“Because he's been hiding from creditors for five years. If he can claim a connection to the Carter trust, he could be trying to obtain money.””
Tyler looked at me.
“Emily, we need to get the girls tested again.””
I nodded.
But before anyone could move, Olivia approached me.
She was holding another document.
“I found this in my grandmother's envelope.””
It was a hospital visitor log.
I scanned the entries.
Then I saw it.
The night my daughters were born, three visitors had entered the maternity ward.
Linda Carter.
Robert Carter.
And David Bennett.
I looked at Olivia.
“Where is your grandmother now?””
Olivia's eyes filled with tears.
“She called me ten minutes ago.””
“What did she say?””
Olivia swallowed.
“She said Robert knows you've found the reports.””
Then she handed me a final message.
*IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHICH MAN IS REALLY YOUR DAUGHTERS' FATHER, FIND THE ORIGINAL DELIVERY ROOM RECORDING.*
At the bottom was a location.
A private medical archive in downtown Miami.
May you like
And beside it, someone had written:
*ROOM 12. BEFORE MIDNIGHT.*
