Chapter 2: The Woman at the Door
The woman who entered wore a beige coat and carried a black handbag.
She appeared to be in her late thirties.
Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, and she looked completely out of place among the pink decorations, expensive gifts, and smiling photographs.
She glanced around the room.
Then she noticed the artificial pregnancy belly wrapper in Daniel's hand.
Her smile vanished.
"Oh," she whispered.
Claire rushed toward her.
"Why are you here?""
The woman looked confused.
"You told me to come at two.""
"I told you not to come inside!""
"Claire, you specifically said—"
"Not now!""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Who are you?""
The woman looked from Daniel to Claire.
Then she slowly placed her handbag on the nearest chair.
"I'm Melissa.""
Daniel frowned.
"Melissa who?""
"Melissa Grant.""
He looked at his wife.
"Do you know her?""
Claire shook her head too quickly.
"No. She's nobody. She's confused.""
Melissa stared at her.
"Nobody?""
Claire grabbed her arm.
"Please. Just leave.""
Melissa pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
The entire room went silent again.
My mother looked increasingly uncomfortable.
"Perhaps we should all calm down," she suggested.
Melissa turned toward Daniel.
"Are you Claire's husband?""
"Yes.""
"Then I think you deserve to know why she asked me to come here.""
Claire began shaking her head.
"Melissa, please.""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"What did my wife ask you to do?""
Melissa took a breath.
"She contacted me through a private pregnancy-surrogacy group about eight months ago.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Surrogacy?""
Melissa nodded.
"She told me she wanted to become a mother but couldn't carry a pregnancy herself. She said you knew everything and were supporting the arrangement.""
Daniel looked at Claire.
"That's a lie.""
Melissa blinked.
"What?""
"My wife told me she was pregnant. Naturally. She said we conceived in February.""
Melissa's face changed.
She looked genuinely shocked.
"She told me you knew the baby wasn't biologically yours.""
Daniel took a step backward.
"What baby?""
Melissa reached for her handbag.
Claire suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Don't.""
Melissa looked at her.
"Claire, enough.""
Then she pulled out a small envelope.
"I brought the documents you requested.""
Daniel took them.
The first page contained a printed agreement.
The second listed several dates.
The third contained a photograph of a newborn baby.
Daniel's fingers began trembling.
"Who is this?""
Melissa looked down.
"That's the baby.""
"What baby?""
"The little boy Claire arranged to adopt through a private placement.""
Daniel looked at the photograph again.
A tiny newborn lay wrapped in a blue blanket.
He had a small birthmark near his left ear.
Daniel swallowed.
"Where is his mother?""
Melissa hesitated.
"She gave birth three weeks ago.""
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel looked at his wife.
"Three weeks ago?""
She nodded weakly.
He looked back at Melissa.
"Then why have you been telling me you're seven months pregnant?""
Melissa's eyes widened.
"You mean she never told you?""
Nobody answered.
Melissa sat down.
"Claire said you wanted the adoption to remain confidential until the baby came home. She said you were both pretending she was pregnant because your family wouldn't understand the arrangement.""
Daniel stared at her.
"My family?""
Melissa nodded.
"She said your mother was particularly traditional and would never accept an adopted child.""
My mother immediately stood.
"That's absurd! I would love any child Daniel brought into this family.""
Claire turned toward her.
"Mom, don't.""
But my mother was already looking at Daniel.
"Your wife has been lying to you?""
Daniel didn't answer.
He was reading the agreement.
Then he stopped at one paragraph.
His expression changed.
"Melissa, what does this mean?""
She leaned forward.
"Which part?""
He pointed at a sentence.
"'Intended father assumes all financial obligations and agrees to final placement upon completion of payment.''"
Melissa nodded.
"That's standard in the private arrangement. The birth mother received financial assistance during her pregnancy, and Claire was responsible for the remaining expenses.""
Daniel looked sick.
"How much?""
Melissa hesitated.
"Claire told me you'd already paid most of it.""
"How much?""
"Approximately forty-five thousand dollars.""
The room erupted.
"Forty-five thousand?"" my mother repeated.
Daniel looked at Claire.
"Where did that money come from?""
Claire started sobbing.
"I was trying to give you a family!""
"Where did the money come from?""
He repeated the question so loudly that even the guests near the doorway flinched.
Claire covered her face.
"I used our savings.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Our savings?""
She nodded.
"The money we were keeping for the house renovations.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
That money had come from years of overtime, canceled vacations, and the sale of his motorcycle.
He had worked himself sick to build the life Claire wanted.
And she had spent it without telling him.
I moved closer to my brother.
"Daniel, we should call someone who can help us understand these documents.""
He barely heard me.
His attention was fixed on Melissa.
"Where is the baby now?""
"He's safe. He's with his birth mother.""
"Why isn't he here?""
Melissa glanced at Claire.
"Because Claire told the birth mother that you had canceled the arrangement.""
Daniel went completely still.
"What?""
"She said you didn't want the baby anymore. She told her you'd changed your mind after learning something about the pregnancy.""
Daniel shook his head.
"I've never spoken to this woman.""
Melissa looked horrified.
"Then why did Claire tell her you were refusing to take the baby?""
Claire started crying harder.
"Please, Daniel. I can explain.""
He turned toward her.
"Explain what? You told me we were having a child. You let me buy a crib.
You let me paint a nursery. You watched me talk to your stomach every night.""
His voice cracked.
"Do you understand what you've done?""
Claire reached for him.
He stepped away.
Melissa quietly picked up her handbag.
"I think there's something else you should know.""
Daniel looked at her.
"What?""
Melissa glanced at the envelope.
"The birth mother didn't just contact me because of the adoption.""
Claire's eyes widened.
"Melissa, don't.""
Melissa continued.
"She contacted me yesterday because she received a message from someone claiming to be you.""
Daniel frowned.
"What did the message say?""
Melissa pulled out her phone.
"It said the baby wasn't yours, the adoption was canceled, and you had never wanted him.""
She turned the screen toward Daniel.
There was a message.
But the name at the top wasn't Claire.
May you like
It was Margaret.
My mother.
