Chapter 3: My Mother's Number Was on the Message
For a moment, I couldn't understand what I was looking at.
My mother's phone number.
Her name.
A message sent to the birth mother, supposedly explaining why Daniel had abandoned the adoption.
Daniel slowly turned toward her.
"Mom?""
Margaret looked as though someone had slapped her.
"That's impossible.""
Melissa held up her phone.
"That's the number I received the message from.""
"Anyone can put a number on a screen," my mother replied.
Melissa shook her head.
"The birth mother received it directly. She saved the conversation.""
Daniel held out his hand.
"Let me see.""
Melissa passed him the phone.
He read the message silently.
Then he read it again.
His jaw tightened.
The message was brief.
Daniel has changed his mind. He doesn't want the baby. Claire has been instructed to end the arrangement. Please stop contacting this family.
My brother looked up.
"Did you send this?""
My mother folded her arms.
"Daniel, think carefully before you accuse me of something like that.""
"Did you send it?""
"I may have contacted someone to protect you.""
"Protect me from what?""
She glanced at Claire.
"From making a terrible mistake.""
Daniel looked confused.
"What mistake?""
My mother sighed as though she were the only reasonable person in the room.
"You don't understand what Claire was planning.""
Claire suddenly stepped forward.
"Margaret, stop.""
But my mother continued.
"She wanted to bring a child into this family without telling you the truth.""
Daniel stared at her.
"You knew?""
Margaret looked away.
That was answer enough.
My stomach tightened.
I had grown up believing my mother was strict but honest. She had always preached that family came first, that marriage required loyalty, and that children should never be caught in adult conflicts.
Now she stood in front of forty people, admitting that she had interfered with her son's adoption.
"Mom," I said quietly, "how long have you known?""
She looked at me.
"Emily, stay out of this.""
"How long?""
"Since June.""
Daniel's face drained of color.
"June?""
Margaret nodded.
"Claire told me she was having difficulties. She said you were spending too much money and that the adoption could ruin your marriage.""
Claire laughed bitterly through her tears.
"You told me you would help.""
"I did help!"" my mother snapped.
"I tried to stop you from making a mistake!""
Daniel raised his voice.
"By pretending I didn't want my own child?""
Margaret looked offended.
"That child wasn't yours!""
The words struck the room like a slap.
Daniel stood motionless.
Then he asked something I don't think anyone expected.
"Did you ever even see him?""
My mother frowned.
"See who?""
"The baby.""
She said nothing.
"Did you look at his photograph? Did you ask whether he was healthy? Did you care whether he was a boy or a girl?""
"Daniel, this isn't about—"
"Did you?""
Margaret looked away.
I noticed Claire watching her with a strange expression.
Not gratitude.
Not fear.
Something closer to betrayal.
I stepped beside Daniel.
"Why did you tell Mom about the adoption, Claire?""
Claire wiped her cheeks.
"Because she offered to help.""
"Help with what?""
"She said she knew people who could make everything easier.""
My mother immediately interrupted.
"That's not what happened.""
Claire turned toward her.
"You told me the baby would never be accepted if Daniel knew the truth.""
"I was trying to save your marriage!""
"You told me to keep wearing the belly!""
The room went silent.
Daniel slowly turned.
"Keep wearing it?""
Claire pressed her hands against her face.
Margaret looked furious.
"Claire, don't you dare.""
But the words were already out.
Daniel looked at the wrapper in his hand.
"How long?""
Claire began crying.
"Since February.""
He stared at her.
"February?""
She nodded.
"After the doctor told me I couldn't safely carry a pregnancy.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
He had believed every appointment, every excuse, every story about morning sickness and doctor's instructions.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid you'd leave.""
Daniel shook his head.
"I would have stood beside you.""
Claire looked up.
"You don't understand.""
"Then help me understand!""
She finally admitted that the artificial belly had been ordered online months earlier. She had worn it beneath loose clothing, gradually increasing the size of the insert as the months passed.
She had even staged photographs to make it look as though her pregnancy was progressing.
The ultrasound images she had shown Daniel were downloaded from an online pregnancy forum.
And every time he had asked to attend an appointment, she had invented another excuse.
But one question remained.
Why had she gone to such extraordinary lengths?
Claire looked at Daniel.
"Because I thought if you became attached to the idea of being a father, you'd never leave me.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Was the adoption ever real?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you want that baby?""
Claire hesitated.
"Yes. I did.""
"Then why did you tell his mother I didn't want him?""
She looked toward Margaret.
My mother lowered her eyes.
Melissa spoke up.
"There's something else. The birth mother told me Claire had contacted her several times after the arrangement began. She was worried because Claire kept asking whether she could change the baby's name and whether the birth mother would agree not to communicate with him in the future.""
Daniel frowned.
"Why would that matter?""
Melissa hesitated.
"Because Claire said she wanted to raise him as though she had given birth to him.""
Daniel looked at his wife.
"You wanted to erase his mother?""
Claire whispered, "I wanted him to be mine.""
Nobody spoke.
Then Sophie, who had been quietly holding my hand, tugged at my sleeve.
"Mommy?""
I crouched.
"What is it, sweetheart?""
She pointed at Melissa's handbag.
"That's not the same lady I saw.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
Sophie looked toward Claire.
"The lady in the bathroom had a shiny necklace. And she gave Aunt Claire another paper.""
Claire's face went white.
Melissa looked confused.
"What paper?""
Sophie reached into her little cardigan pocket again.
This time, she pulled out a tiny photograph.
It was creased down the middle.
"I found this too, Mommy.""
I unfolded it.
It showed Claire standing beside a dark-haired woman outside the restaurant's bathroom.
The woman wore a silver necklace.
On the back, someone had written a name and a date.
Daniel took the photograph from me.
He stared at the woman's face.
Then he looked at Claire.
"Who is she?""
Claire backed away.
Margaret suddenly grabbed the photograph.
"Give me that!""
Daniel snatched it back.
"Mom, why do you recognize her?""
My mother didn't answer.
Melissa moved closer to examine the picture.
Her face changed.
"Oh, my God.""
Daniel looked at her.
"What?""
Melissa pointed at the woman in the photograph.
"That's the birth mother.""
Daniel stared at the picture.
"Then why was she here?""
Melissa swallowed.
"Because she told me yesterday that she wanted to meet you.""
Claire started shaking her head.
"No. She wasn't supposed to come.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Why?""
Claire's voice became barely audible.
"Because she knows what happened to the first payment.""
Melissa went pale.
"First payment?""
Daniel slowly turned toward his wife.
"What first payment?""
Before Claire could answer, Melissa opened her handbag again and removed another document.
It was a bank transfer confirmation.
The recipient's name was clearly printed across the top.
*Margaret Wilson.*
And the amount transferred was $18,000.
My brother looked at our mother.
"Why did the birth mother send you eighteen thousand dollars?""
Margaret's lips trembled.
Then the restaurant door opened again.
A young woman stepped inside, holding a newborn wrapped in a blue blanket.
She looked directly at Daniel.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"But I can't let your mother tell you another lie.""
She held the baby closer.
"Because the truth is, Daniel, I didn't cancel the adoption.""
She looked at Claire.
"Your wife did.""
May you like
Then she turned toward Margaret.
"And your mother was the one who paid me to disappear.""
