Chapter 6: The Secret Ethan Buried
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Richard replayed the video.
Daniel's voice filled the office again.
She'll disappear. We have already arranged that.
I watched Vanessa smile.
I watched Daniel slide the envelope across the table.
Then I watched the video end.
"Where was this recorded?"" I asked.
Richard examined the footage.
"The hotel appears to be the Whitmore. They have private dining rooms with security cameras.""
"Can we get the original recording?""
"Possibly, if we can establish the date and obtain the appropriate authorization.""
I checked the email details.
The video had been sent from an encrypted account.
There was no name.
No telephone number.
Only a subject line.
*THE FIRST REPORT.*
I turned toward Richard.
"What does that mean?""
He looked at the message.
"Someone wants you to investigate Ethan's earlier medical records.""
I remembered the doctor's words.
Someone had accessed Ethan's medical information weeks before his appointment.
A second clinic.
A forged authorization.
Daniel's name.
But the message suggested something even older.
"Richard, how long have you represented Ethan?""
"Eleven years.""
"Did he ever have fertility testing before marrying me?""
Richard hesitated.
"I don't know. Medical records are confidential.""
"Could there be another report?""
"There could.""
My phone rang.
The caller was Ethan.
I answered.
"Olivia, I need you to come to the hospital.""
My heart jumped.
"What happened?""
"Vanessa collapsed.""
I stood immediately.
"Is she all right?""
"The doctors are examining her. She started bleeding, and they don't know whether the baby is safe.""
I glanced at Richard.
"Which hospital?""
"Mount Sinai. I'm at the emergency entrance.""
"I'll be there.""
Richard grabbed his coat.
"I'm coming with you.""
The drive took twenty minutes.
When we arrived, Ethan was standing outside the emergency department.
His shirt was wrinkled, his hair disheveled, and his usual confidence had disappeared.
He looked at me.
For the first time in three years, he seemed genuinely afraid.
"Olivia.""
"What happened?""
"She started crying during an argument. Then she said she couldn't breathe. A few minutes later, she collapsed.""
"Where is she?""
"They're examining her.""
I noticed blood on his cuff.
He saw me looking.
"She grabbed my arm when she fell.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Mr. Blackwood, we need to discuss the medical records.""
Ethan rubbed his face.
"Not now.""
"Daniel's actions may have exposed you to significant financial and legal risks.""
"I know!""
His voice echoed through the corridor.
A nurse glanced toward us.
Ethan lowered his voice.
"I know, Richard. I know.""
I studied him.
"Did you know Daniel had access to your medical records?""
He looked at me.
"No.""
"Did you know about the company registered in my name?""
"No.""
"Did you know Vanessa was involved in the family trust?""
His jaw tightened.
"She told me she was pregnant. She said Daniel had helped arrange the appointments because I was traveling.""
"Why would Daniel arrange her prenatal appointments?""
Ethan looked away.
"I didn't think it was strange.""
I almost laughed.
"You didn't think it was strange that your brother was arranging medical appointments for your pregnant mistress?""
"Olivia, I was trying to build a family.""
"And I was your wife.""
He lowered his head.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he said quietly, "I made a mistake.""
"Which one?""
He looked at me.
"All of them.""
Before I could respond, a doctor approached.
"Mr. Blackwood?""
Ethan stepped forward.
"How is she?""
The doctor glanced at his chart.
"Ms. Reed is stable. However, we need to clarify a few things about her pregnancy.""
Ethan's face tightened.
"What things?""
"The ultrasound measurements don't match the gestational age she reported.""
"What does that mean?""
"The pregnancy appears to be approximately nine weeks along, not twelve to thirteen weeks.""
Ethan stared at him.
"Are you sure?""
"We'll need additional testing, but that's our preliminary finding.""
I looked at Ethan.
Nine weeks.
Vanessa had claimed three months.
The difference mattered.
Especially when the pregnancy had supposedly begun during a period when Ethan was traveling overseas.
"Doctor," I asked, "has the biological father been established?""
The doctor looked uncomfortable.
"That isn't something we can determine from an ultrasound.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"Then arrange a paternity test.""
"Mr. Blackwood, we can discuss the appropriate options with the patient.""
"I'll pay for whatever is necessary.""
The doctor nodded and walked away.
Ethan turned toward me.
"Olivia, I need you to help me.""
I stared at him.
"You need to stop treating me like someone you can purchase whenever things go wrong.""
"I'm not asking you to come back.""
"Good.""
"I'm asking you to help me find Daniel.""
Richard interrupted.
"We've already contacted the authorities. You should provide them with every record you have.""
Ethan nodded.
Then he looked at me again.
"There's something you should know.""
I waited.
"About five years ago, I had a serious medical problem.""
I frowned.
"What kind of problem?""
"I was hospitalized after a business trip. Severe infection. The doctors performed emergency surgery.""
I remembered him mentioning a hospitalization once.
He had told me it was a minor procedure.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't think it mattered.""
"What happened?""
He swallowed.
"The infection damaged my reproductive system. I was told there might be complications.""
My heart began beating faster.
"Did you have a fertility test afterward?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"What did it say?""
"I don't remember every detail. The doctor told me my chances of having children naturally were extremely low.""
I stared at him.
"Extremely low?""
"That's what he said.""
"Then why did you tell me there was nothing wrong with you?""
Ethan looked ashamed.
"Because I didn't want you to know.""
I stepped backward.
He had known.
Maybe not every detail, but he had known there was a problem.
He had watched me endure months of examinations, treatments, and disappointment while allowing me to believe I was the reason we couldn't conceive.
"Who was your doctor?""
"Dr. Harrison.""
I froze.
"Was it the same clinic?""
"No. It was another hospital. Five years ago.""
Richard immediately took out his phone.
"Do you remember the name of the hospital?""
Ethan gave him the information.
Richard wrote it down.
Then Ethan added something else.
"Daniel knew about the surgery.""
I stared at him.
"How?""
"He was the one who took me to the hospital. He handled my medical paperwork while I was unconscious.""
The corridor seemed to grow colder.
Daniel had known about Ethan's reproductive condition years before Vanessa announced her pregnancy.
He had known before Ethan married me.
He had known before the fertility test.
And he had known before creating the company registered under my name.
Suddenly, the entire scheme looked different.
This wasn't a brother who had recently discovered an opportunity.
It was a plan that might have begun five years earlier.
Richard's phone rang.
He answered and listened.
Then he looked directly at Ethan.
"Mr. Blackwood, we've received confirmation from the second clinic.""
"What confirmation?""
"The original medical authorization was submitted using your brother's credentials.""
Ethan closed his eyes.
"Then we know Daniel did it.""
"There's more.""
Richard turned his phone toward us.
An old medical report appeared on the screen.
It was dated five years earlier.
The conclusion was unmistakable.
*PERMANENT OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA — NATURAL CONCEPTION EXTREMELY UNLIKELY.*
Ethan stared at it.
"That's my original report.""
Richard scrolled down.
At the bottom was a second document.
A surgical consent form.
The patient signature was Ethan's.
But the witness signature belonged to Daniel.
Then I noticed the date of the authorization.
It was signed two days after Ethan's surgery.
And beneath Daniel's signature was a handwritten instruction.
Do not disclose reproductive findings to the patient until the family succession documents are finalized.
Ethan took a step backward.
"That wasn't supposed to be there.""
Richard enlarged the page.
"Mr. Blackwood, do you recognize the handwriting?""
Ethan's face had turned white.
"Yes.""
"Whose is it?""
He stared at the document.
Then he whispered:
"My father's.""
Before anyone could speak, the emergency department doors opened.
A nurse approached us holding a small plastic envelope.
"Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Reed asked us to give you this.""
Ethan took it.
Inside was a folded note.
He opened it.
His hands began shaking.
I watched his eyes move across the page.
Then he looked at me.
"Olivia...""
"What?""
He swallowed.
"Vanessa says Daniel isn't the only person who knows the truth.""
He turned the note around.
May you like
There were six handwritten words.
*YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT THE BABY.*
