Chapter 9: Celia's Confession
We reached St. Aldwyn's just before eleven.
The school sat beyond a line of ancient oak trees, its stone buildings glowing under yellow security lights.
There were no children outside.
No teachers.
No cars.
Only silence.
Daniel parked at the main entrance.
Eleanor stayed in the vehicle.
“If we're not back in thirty minutes,” she said, “I'm calling the police.””
Daniel nodded.
I reached for the door.
He stopped me.
“Stay behind me.””
“No.””
“Claire.””
“They took my daughter.””
His hand fell away.
We walked inside.
The entrance hall smelled of waxed wood and old books.
A receptionist sat behind a desk.
She didn't look surprised to see us.
“Mr. Mercer.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Where's my daughter?””
“Dr. Voss is expecting you.””
“I didn't ask about Dr. Voss.””
The receptionist smiled.
“She's in the east wing.””
“Where is Lily?””
The woman pointed down the hallway.
“Room twelve.””
I ran.
Daniel followed.
We reached a wooden door.
It was unlocked.
I pushed it open.
Empty.
A bed.
A small dresser.
Lily's pink backpack.
And a stuffed rabbit lying on the pillow.
I grabbed it.
“Lily!””
Daniel searched the adjoining bathroom.
Nothing.
Then we heard a door slam somewhere below us.
Daniel ran into the hallway.
“Claire, stay here.””
I followed.
We descended a staircase.
At the bottom, voices echoed from behind a closed door.
Celia's voice.
“You shouldn't have come.””
Daniel opened the door.
Celia stood beside a long table.
Dr. Voss was there.
And Lily sat between them.
Her wrists weren't tied.
But she looked terrified.
I ran to her.
She jumped into my arms.
“Mommy!””
I held her.
“I'm here.””
“I'm sorry.””
“You did nothing wrong.””
Celia looked away.
Daniel stepped toward her.
“You're finished.””
She laughed bitterly.
“You still don't understand.””
“I understand enough.””
“No, Daniel.””
She pointed at Lily.
“Do you know why they wanted her?””
“Tell me.””
“Because your father promised them something.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“What?””
“An heir.””
Silence.
Celia continued.
“Your father was desperate to preserve the Mercer bloodline after your mother died.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You're lying.””
“I wish I were.””
Dr. Voss spoke calmly.
“Your father entered into an agreement.””
Daniel stared at her.
“With whom?””
“The St. Aldwyn Foundation.””
“What did they want?””
“A child.””
I felt Lily bury her face against me.
Daniel looked at me.
“My father couldn't have known about Lily.””
Celia shook her head.
“He did.””
“How?””
“Because Claire was already being monitored.””
I stared at her.
“By whom?””
Celia looked at me.
“Me.””
Daniel's face changed.
“You?””
“I was told to watch her.””
“You followed my wife?””
“I reported on her.””
“For how long?””
“Since before you married her.””
My stomach turned.
Daniel stepped toward Celia.
“You knew her before I did?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because your father chose her.””
I felt numb.
“Chose me for what?””
Celia hesitated.
Dr. Voss answered.
“To carry the Mercer heir.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Daniel whispered, “No.””
I looked at him.
“You knew.””
“No.””
“You knew something.””
“I knew my father wanted children. I didn't know this.””
Celia laughed.
“You knew enough to marry her.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Don't you dare.””
“You think your marriage was an accident?””
I stared at Daniel.
He looked at me.
“Claire, I swear—”
Celia reached beneath the table and pulled out a folder.
She tossed it toward me.
It landed at my feet.
I opened it.
Inside was my medical history.
Every appointment.
Every blood test.
Every ultrasound.
Every conversation I had with doctors during my pregnancy.
Someone had recorded all of it.
Then I saw one page that made my hands go cold.
*Subject: Claire Mercer*
*Pregnancy outcome: Successful*
*Child: Female*
*Status: Retained by mother*
*Contingency: Father to be informed only after attachment is established.*
I looked at Daniel.
“Who wrote this?””
He couldn't answer.
I turned the page.
At the bottom was a signature.
Not Celia's.
Not Dr. Voss's.
Not Daniel's.
The signature belonged to someone I had never heard of.
*Eleanor Mercer.*
I looked toward the door.
Eleanor was standing there.
Her face was expressionless.
Daniel whispered, “Eleanor?””
She closed the door behind her.
May you like
Then she said:
“I think it's time I told you why Lily was never supposed to survive.””
