Chapter 5: The Money Behind the Fake Pregnancy
Daniel placed Noah carefully in Rachel's arms before examining the bank statement again.
"Twenty-seven thousand dollars," he whispered.
His voice was so quiet that I almost couldn't hear him.
He looked at Claire.
"Did you transfer this money?""
Claire shook her head.
"I didn't.""
Daniel turned toward our mother.
"Mom?""
Margaret adjusted the strap of her handbag.
"I don't know what you're talking about.""
Daniel held up the statement.
"The company is registered under your name.""
"That doesn't mean I took anything.""
"Then explain the transfer.""
She glanced around at the guests.
"Not here.""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"You were perfectly comfortable discussing my marriage in front of everyone. Why should the money be different?""
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
"Because I'm your mother.""
"And I'm your son. Apparently, that didn't stop you from taking money from my family.""
The words struck harder than shouting.
I watched my mother grip her handbag.
For years, she had used the same argument whenever anyone challenged her.
I'm your mother.
It had always ended conversations.
Not this time.
Rachel stepped closer.
"I can explain where some of the money went.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Please.""
She opened a folder and removed several receipts.
"When Claire first contacted me, she said she needed help covering medical expenses and legal fees. She told me you were working constantly and couldn't handle everything.""
Daniel frowned.
"That was our savings.""
Rachel nodded.
"She also told me your mother was helping coordinate the placement.""
Margaret interrupted.
"That's enough.""
Rachel continued.
"After I received the first eighteen thousand dollars, Claire asked me to sign an additional agreement. She said the money was coming from a family trust.""
Daniel looked at the documents.
"Did you sign?""
"I refused. Something didn't feel right.""
She pointed to one receipt.
"This was for a private medical clinic. Claire told me she needed the paperwork to make the pregnancy appear legitimate.""
I stared at her.
"She was using the money to stage the pregnancy?""
Rachel nodded.
"That's what I believe.""
Daniel looked sick.
"Which clinic?""
Rachel showed him the receipt.
It was a private imaging center in Dallas.
Claire immediately spoke.
"I can explain that!""
Daniel turned.
"Then explain.""
She took a shaky breath.
"I wanted pictures. I wanted you to believe the pregnancy was real.""
"Where did you get the ultrasound images?""
"Online.""
"Then why did you pay a clinic?""
Claire looked down.
"I paid someone to print the images and create a medical folder.""
Daniel stepped away.
"You fabricated medical records?""
"I never meant for it to go this far!""
He laughed once.
"You had seven months to stop.""
Claire covered her face.
Margaret suddenly pointed at Rachel.
"You're leaving out important details. This woman agreed to the arrangement. She accepted money.""
Rachel's expression hardened.
"I accepted legitimate expenses. I never agreed to lie to Daniel.""
"You knew what was happening!""
"I knew Claire wanted to adopt the baby. I didn't know she was pretending to be pregnant with her husband.""
Margaret turned toward the guests.
"Nobody here understands how complicated this situation is.""
I stepped forward.
"I understand one thing. You stole from your own son.""
My mother looked at me with disbelief.
"Emily, don't involve yourself.""
"He's my brother.""
"He's my son!""
"Then why did you do this to him?""
For the first time, she had no immediate answer.
A guest near the back quietly collected her purse.
Another whispered that she was calling her husband to pick her up.
The baby shower decorations suddenly seemed grotesque.
Pink balloons.
A cake with tiny blue shoes.
Forty personalized gift bags.
All of it had been prepared to celebrate a child whose existence had been surrounded by lies.
Daniel looked at Claire.
"Was any part of this real?""
She started crying.
"I loved you.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"I wanted a baby.""
"Did you want me to be his father, or did you want everyone to believe you were pregnant?""
Claire lowered her head.
He continued.
"Did you ever intend to tell me the truth?""
She didn't answer.
Then Margaret spoke.
"Daniel, I can return the money.""
He slowly turned.
"All of it?""
She nodded.
"Of course.""
"Where is it?""
Margaret hesitated.
That hesitation told him everything.
"Mom, where is my money?""
She finally admitted that most of the $27,000 had gone toward personal expenses and debts connected to her consulting business.
The remaining money had been used to pay someone who helped Claire obtain fake pregnancy photographs and medical documents.
Daniel stared at her.
"You used my money to help my wife pretend she was carrying a child?""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"I thought I was helping you.""
He shook his head.
"Stop saying that.""
Then he pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling my attorney.""
Claire immediately grabbed his sleeve.
"Please don't!""
He moved away.
"Don't touch me.""
"Daniel, if you do this, you'll destroy our marriage!""
He looked at her.
"You destroyed it when you made me believe my child was growing inside you.""
Claire fell into a chair.
My mother began crying.
But neither of them seemed to understand that Daniel was no longer trying to protect their feelings.
He was trying to discover what else they had taken from him.
Rachel stood quietly with Noah.
"Daniel, there's something else about the adoption agreement.""
He looked at her.
"What now?""
She opened the folder to the final page.
"Claire asked me to sign a document stating that I would never contact the child again, even if the adoption didn't happen.""
Daniel frowned.
"Why would she need that?""
Rachel swallowed.
"Because she said she had already promised someone else that the baby would never be raised by his birth family.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Who?""
Rachel looked toward Margaret.
"Your mother.""
My stomach dropped.
Daniel slowly turned.
"Mom, what did you promise her?""
Margaret began backing toward the door.
And then a man in a dark suit appeared behind her.
"Mrs. Wilson?""
She froze.
He held up a business card.
"I'm attorney James Porter. I represent Daniel regarding the joint account.""
May you like
He glanced at the documents in Daniel's hand.
"And I think everyone should hear what was discovered in the account records this morning.""
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