Chapter 7: The Contract That Sold My Children
My mother had barely finished speaking when someone began pounding on the front door.
“Arthur! I know you're in there!””
Dr. Bennett's voice carried through the house.
Grace grabbed my leg.
“Is that the bad doctor?””
I crouched and placed both hands on her shoulders.
“Listen to me, sweetheart. You're going to stay with Grandma for a moment. Nobody is going to hurt you.””
My mother shook her head.
“Ryan, you don't understand. Your father has people who will do whatever he asks.””
“Then he should have thought about that before stealing my daughters.””
Another pounding shook the door.
“OPEN UP!””
I moved toward the hallway, but my mother caught my sleeve.
“There's something else.””
I turned.
She was holding the medical file with both hands.
“Your father didn't adopt you. He bought you.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
She opened the file and pointed to a document dated thirty-two years earlier.
It was a private surrogacy agreement.
My biological mother was listed as a woman named Margaret Collins. My biological father was listed as Arthur Mitchell.
My father.
According to the agreement, he had arranged for an embryo created using his sperm and a donor egg to be carried by a surrogate.
The woman had died shortly after giving birth.
My father had taken custody of me.
But there was another page.
A confidentiality agreement signed by the clinic's director.
The director's name was Harold Bennett's father.
I looked up.
“Bennett's family has been involved with us for thirty years?””
My mother nodded.
“Your father and his family built that medical business together.””
“Why did you never tell me?””
“Because Arthur told me you were our miracle child. He said the surrogate had died and that we should never tell anyone.””
I stared at the paperwork.
“So I was never your biological son?””
My mother started crying.
“You were always my son.””
“But Dad used me.””
She nodded.
“He believed you were the perfect successor. He had arranged your entire life before you were old enough to understand.””
A key turned in the front door.
My mother looked toward the hallway.
“Ryan, hide Grace.””
I lifted the little girl and carried her into the kitchen. There was a small pantry behind the refrigerator. I placed her inside with my mother.
“Stay here until I come back.””
Grace held my hand.
“Will you find Lily?””
I kissed her forehead.
“She's my daughter. I'll find her.””
I stepped into the hallway just as my father entered.
He looked around the house, then noticed the open medical file on the table.
His expression darkened.
“You've been going through things that don't concern you.””
I moved between him and the kitchen.
“Everything about my daughters concerns me.””
Dr. Bennett entered behind him.
“Ryan, this has gone far enough.””
I pointed toward the door.
“Get out.””
My father removed his coat and handed it to Bennett.
“You're making this unnecessarily difficult.””
“Where's the other document?””
He looked at me.
“What document?””
“The agreement you brought.””
His eyes moved briefly toward the kitchen.
Then he reached into his jacket and produced a folded contract.
“This is the original arrangement.””
He placed it on the table.
I read the first paragraph.
It described a private medical research program involving genetic material, embryo development, and long-term observation.
My name appeared as Subject A-01.
Sarah's name appeared as Carrier 17.
Below that were two additional entries.
Twin One: Lily Sarah Mitchell.
Twin Two: Grace Sarah Mitchell.
But the final clause was what made my hands shake.
*The biological father grants the research sponsor exclusive authority over the medical custody, transfer, and disposition of both children in the event of the mother's death.*
I looked at my father.
“You signed away my daughters.””
He remained expressionless.
“I signed an agreement to protect a research investment.””
“They're children!””
“They were part of a program.””
I shoved the document toward him.
“Sarah never agreed to this.””
“Sarah signed the original consent form.””
“Not this!””
Bennett stepped forward.
“Ryan, the children have been receiving specialized care.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Lily was eating stale bread inside a wall.””
“That was Melissa's decision.””
Melissa's name made me turn.
She had entered the house behind the men.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
My father looked at her.
“You were instructed to keep the child safe.””
“I was instructed to lie,” she replied.
“I was instructed to make a little girl believe her father was dead.””
Bennett shook his head.
“You're emotional.””
Melissa suddenly pulled a small recording device from her purse.
“Not anymore.””
She pressed a button.
A familiar voice filled the room.
Bennett's voice.
The father doesn't need to know. Arthur has already approved the transfer. Once the second child is relocated, the original records will be destroyed.
Then my father's voice.
And if Sarah survives?
Bennett answered.
She won't.
The recording stopped.
Nobody moved.
I stared at my father.
“Did you know they were going to kill Sarah?””
He looked at Bennett.
For the first time, the two men seemed uncertain of each other.
Then my father said something that made the room go silent.
“I didn't order anyone to kill Sarah.””
I stepped toward him.
“That's not the same as saying you didn't know.””
He looked directly into my eyes.
“Your mother knows what happened that night.””
I turned toward my mother.
She was standing at the kitchen entrance.
Her face was white.
“Mom?””
She slowly shook her head.
“Ryan, please.””
“What happened to Sarah?””
My mother looked at the recording device.
Then at the two men.
May you like
Finally, she whispered:
“I was driving the car that hit her.””
