Chapter 6: The Woman Who Never Left
Daniel stared at the name on my phone.
"Emily Reeves," he repeated.
Vanessa folded her arms.
"Who is she?""
Patricia looked toward the staircase.
Nobody missed the movement.
"Mom," Daniel said slowly.
"Who is Emily?""
Patricia's lips parted, but no words came out.
I waited.
Then an unfamiliar female voice spoke from behind us.
"Apparently, I'm the person everyone has been discussing.""
We turned.
A woman stood at the entrance to the living room.
She looked to be in her late forties, wearing a charcoal coat and carrying a leather folder. Her dark hair was pulled into a neat bun, and her expression was calm in a way that seemed completely out of place.
Daniel went pale.
"Emily?""
She looked at him.
"Hello, Daniel.""
Vanessa stood.
"Who are you?""
The woman glanced at her.
"My name is Emily Reeves. I'm Michael Reeves's daughter.""
Patricia stood abruptly.
"You weren't invited.""
Emily gave her a cold smile.
"Neither was Sarah, apparently. Yet you sent her an invitation yourself.""
A few guests exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Why are you here?""
"Because Rebecca called me after discovering that the clinic's old storage records had been accessed without authorization.""
Patricia's expression hardened.
"That is private information.""
Emily opened her folder.
"Not when someone has been using my account to maintain embryos that were never supposed to be transferred.""
Daniel looked confused.
"Your account?""
Emily nodded.
"After Dad died, I inherited responsibility for his medical estate. His preserved samples were supposed to remain under strict restrictions. They were not available for anonymous donation or use by anyone else.""
Patricia shook her head.
"Michael wanted Daniel to have children.""
Emily turned toward her.
"Did he tell you that?""
"He said he wanted to help.""
"No. He said he wanted his son to have a family. He never authorized you to use his genetic material in a procedure without informed consent.""
Daniel lowered his head.
Emily placed several documents on the coffee table.
"These are the original storage instructions, the renewal agreements, and the clinic's correspondence.""
Vanessa picked them up.
"Why is your name on the storage account?""
"Because I was the legal contact for my father's medical estate.""
"Did you know about the embryos?""
"Yes. I discovered the issue when I received a notice about an attempted transfer.""
Patricia interrupted.
"You knew and did nothing!""
Emily looked directly at her.
"I immediately objected. The clinic froze the transfer pending verification. Unfortunately, someone submitted additional paperwork afterward.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Who?""
Emily didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at Patricia.
"Would you like to tell him, or should I?""
Patricia's hands began shaking.
"Emily, don't.""
Daniel turned toward his mother.
"Tell me what?""
Emily opened another page.
"The authorization was submitted using a digital identity linked to Daniel's account. The final approval was processed after the clinic received a notarized statement.""
Daniel looked horrified.
"Mom?""
Patricia shook her head.
"I was only trying to make things right.""
Emily's voice remained steady.
"You made things worse. And you involved people who had no idea what they were agreeing to.""
Vanessa began crying.
"I thought I was having a baby with my husband. I thought we had chosen an embryo together.""
Emily looked at her gently.
"I'm sorry. You deserved to know the truth before any procedure took place.""
Vanessa sank into the sofa.
I understood her pain.
She hadn't invited this situation into her life. She had trusted someone she loved, just as I once had.
Then Emily turned toward me.
"Sarah, I also need to apologize.""
I frowned.
"For what?""
"Because your original consent documents were included in the file I reviewed. I should have raised concerns sooner.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know Daniel and Patricia were using my signature?""
"Not at first. I only learned about the suspected forgery after the clinic began its internal review.""
She paused.
"But there's something else you should know about your twins.""
My entire body went still.
"What about them?""
Emily glanced at Daniel.
"Before your marriage ended, your former husband had access to the clinic's genetic testing records. He knew the results showed severe fertility problems.""
I nodded.
"I already know that.""
"But he also knew the clinic had identified a separate genetic issue in one of the embryos.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Emily, stop.""
She ignored him.
"The genetic testing showed that the embryo created with Michael's sample carried a hereditary condition. It wasn't transferred at the time because the clinic recommended additional counseling.""
Vanessa's face tightened.
"Is that the embryo I'm carrying?""
Emily looked at her.
"We need a specialist to confirm the exact medical details. But the transfer record suggests your pregnancy came from one of those embryos.""
Patricia whispered, "It was the only way.""
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
"You knew there was a genetic risk?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Emily continued.
"However, Sarah's twins were conceived through a completely separate IVF treatment. Their medical records have no connection to these embryos.""
I held my sons closer.
For the first time since entering the mansion, I felt the room stop spinning.
Whatever had happened between Daniel and his mother, my boys were safe.
Then Emily pulled out one final document.
"There is one more reason I came here.""
She placed it in front of Daniel.
It was a letter from Michael Reeves, dated three months before his death.
Daniel stared at his father's handwriting.
"What's this?""
Emily took a breath.
"His final instructions regarding the preserved genetic material.""
Daniel opened the envelope.
His eyes moved across the first paragraph.
Then his hands began to shake.
The letter contained a sentence written in bold ink:
If Patricia ever attempts to use my samples without Daniel's knowledge, tell my son the truth about the woman who gave birth to him.
Daniel looked up.
"What woman?""
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"Daniel, Patricia isn't your biological mother either.""
May you like
The room fell silent.
And for the first time that afternoon, Patricia looked like a woman who had finally run out of lies.
