Chapter 7: The Secret Behind Lily’s Birth
I held the envelope in my hand and watched Diane’s face.
That was when I knew.
Whatever was inside wasn’t just another accusation.
It was something she was afraid of.
And Diane was never afraid.
Not when she grabbed Lily.
Not when she humiliated me.
Not when she stood in front of twenty people and acted like hurting a child was somehow justified.
But now?
Her hands were shaking.
“Give me that,” she repeated.
Her voice was lower this time.
Almost desperate.
I looked at Ethan.
“Why does your mother care so much about this?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
And for the first time that night, I saw him standing in the same confusion I had been trapped in for years.
“I’m opening it,” I said.
Diane moved forward.
“No.””
I stepped back.
“Don’t come near me.””
She stopped.
Maybe because she saw my expression.
Maybe because she finally understood I wasn’t the woman she could intimidate anymore.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single document.
A hospital record.
My heart immediately started racing.
The top of the page had Lily’s name.
I scanned the details.
Then I saw the date.
The day Lily was born.
My hands went cold.
“What is this?””
Ethan stepped closer.
“Claire?””
I looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
I kept reading.
There was a section highlighted.
A note from the hospital.
“Parentage confirmation required.””
My breathing stopped.
“What?””
Ethan looked confused.
“What does that mean?””
Before I could answer, Diane spoke.
“Tell him.””
I turned toward her.
“You know about this?””
Her silence said everything.
Ethan looked at his mother.
“Mom.””
Diane lifted her chin.
“I knew there were questions.””
“Questions about what?””
She looked at me.
“About whether Lily is really yours.””
The room went completely silent.
I stared at her.
Then I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was unbelievable.
“You’re accusing me of what?””
Diane’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m saying things don’t always happen the way people tell you.””
Ethan looked horrified.
“Stop.””
“No, Ethan. You deserve to know.””
He looked at the document.
Then at me.
And I saw it.
The smallest moment of doubt.
It was only there for a second.
But I saw it.
And it hurt more than anything else.
“Ethan.””
He immediately shook his head.
“No.””
But his voice wasn’t strong.
I swallowed the pain.
“You need to hear me.””
“I do trust you.””
“Then why do you look scared?””
He had no answer.
I took the document and placed it on the table.
“Lily is your daughter.””
“I know.””
“Do you?””
The question broke through him.
I regretted saying it immediately.
But I was too hurt to take it back.
Diane crossed her arms.
“I knew this would happen.””
I turned.
“What?””
“You always attack when someone questions you.””
“No.””
My voice became quiet.
“I’m reacting because you are questioning my child.””
Diane smiled.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“That anger.””
I stared at her.
“You hurt Lily, then you collected information about my past, then you created a story where I’m the problem.””
“I collected facts.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You collected weapons.””
Ethan picked up the hospital paper.
“Mom, where did you get this?””
She didn’t answer.
“Where?””
Finally, she said,
“From someone who knew the truth.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Diane looked at me.
“Your old friend.””
I froze.
“What friend?””
“The one who knew you before Ethan.””
I felt a chill.
There was only one person who came to mind.
“Rachel?””
Diane smiled.
And that confirmed it.
My oldest friend.
The person who knew every painful detail of my past.
The person I trusted.
“You talked to Rachel?””
Diane didn’t respond.
Ethan looked at me.
“Who is Rachel?””
I stared at him.
“She was there when Lily was born.””
“Why didn’t I know about this?””
Because I had never needed to explain.
Because I never imagined I would need to defend my own child.
Because I thought my husband trusted me.
But now everything was different.
My phone suddenly rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at it.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice came through.
“Claire?””
I recognized it instantly.
Rachel.
My stomach dropped.
“Rachel?””
Her voice trembled.
“You need to listen to me.””
I stepped away from the others.
“What happened?””
“I’m sorry.””
“For what?””
There was a long pause.
Then she whispered,
“Diane came to me months ago.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What did she ask you?””
Rachel’s breathing became uneven.
“She wanted information about Lily.””
I closed my eyes.
“And you gave it to her?””
“I didn’t know what she was planning.””
“Rachel.””
“I swear, Claire, I didn’t.””
I looked back at Diane.
She was watching me.
Waiting.
“What did you tell her?””
Rachel hesitated.
Then said,
“I told her the truth about the day Lily was born.””
My heart stopped.
“What truth?””
The line went silent.
May you like
Then Rachel whispered,
“The truth that Ethan was never supposed to find out.””
