Chapter 4: The Hospital Secret
I spent the entire night staring at the ceiling.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same images.
The red heels by the door.
Claire wearing my robe.
Ava standing on the stairs with tears in her eyes.
But the thing that kept replaying in my mind was Ethan’s last sentence.
“Claire knows what really happened in the hospital.””
The hospital.
The night Ava was born.
The night I thought was the happiest moment of my life.
I remembered the bright lights.
The cold hallway.
The sound of machines beeping around me.
And the moment I held my daughter for the first time.
I remembered Ethan crying.
Or at least I thought he was crying because he was happy.
Now I wondered what else I had missed.
The next morning, I drove back to the house.
Not because I wanted Ethan back.
Not because I was ready to forgive.
I needed answers.
Ethan was sitting alone at the kitchen table when I walked in.
The house looked exactly the same.
That almost made me angry.
How could everything look normal when my entire life had changed?
He stood up.
“Lauren.””
“Sit down.””
He obeyed.
For the first time in years, Ethan looked like someone who was afraid of me.
“Tell me about the hospital.””
He looked away.
“I knew you would ask.””
“Then you should have started there.””
He rubbed his hands together.
“I was scared.””
I laughed quietly.
“Everyone says that when they’re about to explain why they hurt someone.””
His eyes filled with regret.
“When Ava was born, there was a mistake.””
My heart started beating faster.
“What kind of mistake?””
He swallowed.
“The paperwork.””
I stared at him.
“What paperwork?””
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Claire.
He ignored it.
The phone rang again.
And again.
Finally, he turned it face down.
“Keep going.””
Ethan took a deep breath.
“When Ava was born, there was another baby in the same room.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?””
“That baby belonged to someone connected to Claire.””
My face tightened.
“Stop speaking in riddles.””
He looked directly at me.
“Claire’s daughter was born the same night.””
The room went silent.
I felt a strange pressure in my chest.
“Claire had a daughter?””
“Yes.””
“Had?””
His expression changed.
“She died.””
I stared at him.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.””
“Claire believes the hospital made a mistake.””
“What mistake?””
Ethan looked down.
“She believes Ava should have been hers.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
He stood up.
“Lauren, listen to me. Claire lost her baby that night. She spent years believing someone was responsible.””
“And you?””
His silence answered before his words did.
“You knew her?””
He nodded.
“How?””
“I met her after.””
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
I stepped back.
Three years.
The same time Melissa disappeared.
The same time Ethan started acting differently.
“You met Claire three years ago, and you never told me?””
“I was trying to fix it.””
“Fix what?””
He looked destroyed.
“The truth.””
I shook my head.
“You’re still hiding something.””
His eyes moved toward the hallway.
Toward Ava’s room.
“I found out something about the hospital records.””
“What?””
“The birth certificate.””
I waited.
“Your name was correct.””
I frowned.
“Then what?””
He hesitated.
“Claire found another document.””
“What document?””
Before he answered, the front door opened.
Both of us turned.
Claire walked inside.
She wasn’t crying.
She wasn’t angry.
She looked calm.
Too calm.
Ethan immediately stood.
“What are you doing here?””
Claire ignored him.
Her eyes locked onto me.
“You deserve to know why your husband never told you.””
I stepped forward.
“Then tell me.””
She reached into her bag.
And pulled out an old hospital envelope.
My breath caught.
Because I recognized the logo.
The same hospital where Ava was born.
Claire placed it on the table.
“Open it.””
I stared at the envelope.
“What is this?””
May you like
Her voice was cold.
“The truth about your daughter.””
