Chapter 8: The Father Who Paid for the Secret
William Whitmore had been dead for eighteen months.
But his money was still speaking.
Rebecca printed the trust documents and placed them on the dining table.
I stared at the name.
Lily Collins.
"Why would Daniel's father leave money to a child he supposedly never knew?""
Rebecca turned a page.
"Because according to this document, William established the trust shortly after Lily's birth.""
Rachel, who had stayed with me, looked pale.
"Nobody told us about this.""
"Did you receive any financial support from the Whitmore family?"" Rebecca asked.
Rachel shook her head.
"No. We paid our own medical expenses. We never received anything.""
Rebecca examined the document again.
"The trust was funded through a private account. The original trustee was William Whitmore. After his death, the account was transferred to an independent administrator.""
I looked at Rachel.
"Did you know Daniel's father was involved in the embryo arrangement?""
"No. I only met Daniel.""
I turned back to Rebecca.
"Can we find out why he paid?""
"Possibly. But we need the complete trust file.""
My phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
A man's voice came through.
"Mrs. Bennett? My name is Thomas Reed. I was the personal attorney for the late William Whitmore.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"Yes?""
"I understand you've recently discovered some documents concerning a trust established by my former client.""
"That's correct.""
He paused.
"Mr. Whitmore left instructions that I should contact you if the original fertility records ever became part of a legal dispute.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
"Because he believed his son might eventually try to conceal what happened.""
I felt the hairs rise on my arms.
"Mr. Reed, I need to speak with you.""
"I expected that. Can you come to my office tomorrow morning?""
"Can you tell me what this is about?""
He hesitated.
"Your former father-in-law believed you had been treated unjustly. He also believed there was a second child whose existence Daniel had concealed.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did William know about Lily?""
"Yes.""
"Did he know about my twins?""
Another pause.
"Yes.""
I looked at Rebecca.
She was writing something on a notepad.
"Then why didn't he contact me?""
"Because he was afraid of what Daniel would do.""
I almost laughed.
"His son was already doing it.""
"I understand, Mrs. Bennett. But there are things you need to see before making any decisions.""
He gave me his office address.
Before hanging up, he added:
"Bring your divorce settlement. And please don't tell Daniel about this meeting.""
The following morning, Rebecca accompanied me to Thomas Reed's office.
The building was old, with polished wooden floors and framed photographs of Boston's skyline.
Thomas was in his late sixties, with silver hair and a calm manner.
He greeted us warmly.
"Mrs. Bennett. I'm sorry it took so long.""
I sat down.
"Please tell me why William Whitmore was paying for a procedure involving my embryo.""
Thomas opened a filing cabinet.
"Your former father-in-law discovered Daniel's intention to transfer the embryo without your consent.""
I stared at him.
"How?""
"Daniel approached him for money. He claimed the clinic required additional fees to complete an embryo donation.""
"Did William know I hadn't consented?""
"Eventually, yes.""
"Eventually?""
Thomas nodded.
"Initially, Daniel told him that you had agreed. William believed him. But when he reviewed the paperwork, he became suspicious.""
He removed a thick folder.
"Your former father-in-law contacted the clinic directly. He learned that the authorization was disputed.""
I leaned forward.
"Then why did he pay anything?""
Thomas placed a bank statement on the desk.
"Because by then, the transfer had already taken place.""
Rachel covered her mouth.
I looked at the statement.
William had paid for the recipient's medical care.
He had also funded a trust for Lily.
"He knew the child was born?""
"Yes. He met her once.""
Rachel began crying.
"He met my daughter?""
Thomas nodded.
"Under supervision. He was told that the biological parents had agreed to the arrangement. He later learned that your signature had been forged.""
I looked down.
"Why didn't he tell me?""
Thomas removed a handwritten letter from the folder.
"Because he was ashamed.""
I unfolded it.
The letter was addressed to me.
Dear Claire,
If you're reading this, then Daniel has finally forced the truth into the open.
I owe you an apology. I believed my son when he told me you had agreed to the embryo donation. When I discovered the truth, I should have contacted you immediately.
Instead, I made the cowardly decision to protect the family name while trying to protect the child.
I know that was wrong.
I have established a trust for Lily because she is innocent of everything her biological parents and my son have done.
I have also arranged for the original records to be preserved.
There is something else you must know.
Daniel did not act alone.
I stopped reading.
I looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Thomas folded his hands.
"William believed someone at the clinic helped Daniel alter the paperwork.""
Dr. Harris had mentioned an investigation.
But this was different.
"Who?""
Thomas opened another folder.
"A clinic administrator named Patricia Moore.""
Rachel frowned.
"Was she the person who arranged the donation?""
"Yes.""
I remembered her.
Patricia had been the coordinator who called me after the divorce to request updated signatures.
She had been kind.
Soft-spoken.
Always reassuring.
I had trusted her.
"Where is she now?""
"She left the clinic shortly after the transfer. William's investigator located her several months before his death.""
Thomas placed a photograph on the desk.
Patricia Moore.
Standing beside Daniel outside a restaurant.
The photograph was dated three years ago.
I stared at it.
"Why were they meeting?""
Thomas reached for another document.
"According to William's investigator, Patricia was being paid to maintain the altered records.""
Rebecca leaned forward.
"Do you have proof?""
Thomas nodded.
He placed a bank transfer record beside the photograph.
Monthly payments.
From Daniel's private business account.
To Patricia Moore.
For almost three years.
Rachel whispered, "He paid her to lie?""
Thomas nodded.
"That was William's belief.""
I felt sick.
But there was something else.
The final document was a sealed letter with my name on it.
"What's this?"" I asked.
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
"William instructed me to give it to you only after the original records were recovered.""
I opened it.
Inside was a single page.
Claire,
I discovered that Daniel had not simply arranged the transfer because he wanted another child.
He believed the embryo carried something he could use to secure his position in the family business.
I read the sentence twice.
"What?""
Thomas took a breath.
"William had been diagnosed with a serious heart condition four years ago. He was reviewing his estate and business succession plans.""
I looked at Rebecca.
Thomas continued.
"At that time, Daniel was desperate to become the sole heir to the family company. But William had one condition.""
"What condition?""
"Daniel had to demonstrate that he could put family responsibility ahead of personal ambition.""
I frowned.
"How does that involve an embryo?""
Thomas looked at Rachel.
Then at me.
"William had promised a substantial inheritance to the first grandchild born through a legitimate and consensual family arrangement.""
My mouth fell open.
"You're telling me Daniel used our embryo because he wanted his father's inheritance?""
Thomas nodded.
"That was William's suspicion.""
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
The baby shower.
The toast.
The invitation.
All those years, Daniel had treated motherhood as a competition.
But perhaps the competition had never been about love.
It had been about money.
Rebecca picked up the trust papers.
"Does Daniel know about the inheritance?""
Thomas nodded.
"He discovered the trust after his father's death. He has been trying to challenge it ever since.""
Rachel looked horrified.
"Why?""
Thomas placed one final document on the table.
"Because William left Lily the majority of the inheritance allocated to his first grandchild.""
Silence.
Then Thomas looked directly at me.
"However, Daniel recently filed a petition claiming that Lily was never intended to be part of the Whitmore family.""
Rachel stood.
"He's trying to take her money?""
Thomas nodded.
"And he has requested that the court recognize his current unborn child as the rightful beneficiary.""
I stared at him.
Daniel's unborn baby.
The child he had publicly celebrated.
The child he had used to humiliate me.
It was all connected.
Then Thomas said something that made me feel physically ill.
"There's one more thing. Daniel has also filed a claim concerning Emma and Noah.""
Rebecca immediately stood.
"On what grounds?""
Thomas handed her the document.
"He's alleging that they are his biological descendants and should be considered beneficiaries of William's estate.""
I looked at the paper.
At the top was a statement signed by Daniel.
And beneath it was a date.
Three years before my children were even born.
He had been planning this long before I knew anything about it.
I turned to Rebecca.
"Can he do that?""
She looked at the documents.
"Not if we can prove the timeline and expose the fraudulent records.""
Thomas leaned forward.
"Mrs. Bennett, William left one final instruction.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He removed a small envelope from the safe behind his desk.
"Before his death, he recorded a video statement explaining why he created the trust.""
He placed a flash drive in front of me.
"His instructions were that you should watch it before the next court hearing.""
I stared at the little device.
"What's on it?""
Thomas's expression became grave.
"Your former father-in-law names the person who helped Daniel forge your signature.""
I reached for the flash drive.
But before my fingers touched it, my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
"Vanessa?""
Her voice was barely audible.
"Claire, I need your help.""
"What's happened?""
She began crying.
"Daniel knows about the trust. He found out what his father left Lily.""
I closed my eyes.
"What does that have to do with you?""
Her next words made my blood run cold.
"He's asking me to sign a document saying our baby is his only legitimate child.""
I looked at Rebecca.
Vanessa continued.
"And Claire... I just found something in his office.""
"What?""
"A second DNA report.""
I stood.
"What does it say?""
May you like
She whispered:
"It says the baby I'm carrying isn't biologically related to Daniel.""
