Chapter 4: The Name On The Record
The woman’s name on the hospital document made my hands go numb.
I stared at the photo Daniel had sent me, zooming in until the letters blurred.
*Patient: Melissa Carter.*
My stomach dropped.
Carter.
The same last name as Claire.
The same last name Daniel had proudly chosen for their future child.
I called him back immediately.
He answered after one ring.
“Who is Melissa Carter?”” I asked.
There was silence.
Then Daniel said, “I don’t know.””
“You’re married to Claire Carter.””
“I know.””
“Daniel, look at the document again. Is Melissa related to her?””
“I’m trying to figure that out.””
I could hear voices in the background.
“Where are you?””
“At Claire’s mother’s house.””
That surprised me.
“Why?””
“Because she called me.””
I sat down at the kitchen table.
“Claire’s mother called you?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel took a breath.
“She said I deserved the truth.””
I looked at the document again.
A hospital record.
A woman’s name.
A date.
A secret.
Everything about Claire’s story was starting to feel like a puzzle where every piece revealed something worse.
“What did Claire say when you confronted her?”” I asked.
Daniel was quiet.
“She said she never wanted to hurt me.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“I know.””
“Daniel.””
“She said the baby was real.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“She said she wasn’t pretending there was a baby. She said there was a baby.””
I frowned.
“But the fake belly—”
“She said the baby wasn’t hers.””
I stood up.
“What does that mean?””
“I don’t know.””
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I heard a woman crying in the background.
“Daniel?””
“That’s Claire’s mother.””
“Put her on.””
He hesitated.
Then I heard a voice.
A tired, broken voice.
“Is this Claire’s sister-in-law?””
“Yes.””
“My daughter made a terrible choice.””
I gripped the phone.
“What choice?””
The woman exhaled shakily.
“Claire couldn’t get pregnant.””
I looked toward the staircase where Sophie was still sleeping.
“And she lied to Daniel?””
“She panicked.””
“Panicked for eight months?””
“No.””
The woman’s voice cracked.
“She panicked after something happened.””
“What happened?””
There was a pause.
Then she said:
“Claire’s sister died.””
I froze.
“I’m sorry. What?””
“Melissa.””
The name hit me again.
“Melissa was Claire’s younger sister.””
I looked at the document.
“Why was Melissa’s name on a pregnancy record?””
Nobody answered.
And then Claire’s mother whispered:
“Because Melissa had a baby.””
The room felt colder.
“A baby?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Eight months ago.””
The same time Claire announced her pregnancy.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Where is the baby now?””
The woman started crying.
“That’s the part I’m afraid to tell you.””
I heard Daniel say something in the background.
Then he came back on the phone.
“She’s telling me Claire adopted the baby.””
I closed my eyes.
A thousand thoughts rushed through my head.
The fake belly.
The fake appointments.
The lies.
But one question remained.
“Daniel…”
“What?””
“Did Claire tell you she was adopting?””
“No.””
His voice sounded shattered.
“She told me she was carrying our child.””
A heavy silence followed.
Then Daniel said something that made my heart sink.
“She didn’t just lie about being pregnant.””
May you like
“What?””
“She lied about where the baby came from.””
