Chapter 7: The Secret Behind the Carter Name
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Patricia was gripping the back of a chair so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
Michael stared at the document.
Daniel looked as though someone had pulled the floor out from beneath him.
And I couldn't stop looking at the name.
*Robert Carter.*
Daniel's father.
The man who had welcomed me into his family seven years earlier.
The man who had attended our wedding, helped us move into our first house, and once driven me to the fertility clinic when Daniel claimed he couldn't leave work.
The man who had always called me his daughter.
I looked at Susan.
“Are you certain?””
She nodded.
“The original laboratory record identifies Mr. Robert Carter as the sperm donor associated with this embryo.””
Patricia shook her head.
“No. That's impossible.””
Susan remained composed.
“The record has been preserved, and the donor identifier matches the archived documentation. However, the circumstances under which the sample was collected and used are still under investigation.””
Michael looked at Daniel.
“Dad?””
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daniel, is that Dad's sample?””
“Shut up, Michael.””
“Did you use our father's sperm?””
Daniel slammed his fist against the table.
“I said shut up!””
Several guests moved away.
Patricia began crying.
“Daniel, tell me this isn't true.””
He rubbed his face.
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain it!””
Daniel looked around the room.
He seemed to be searching for someone who would rescue him.
Nobody moved.
Finally, he turned toward me.
“Emily, this has nothing to do with you.””
I almost laughed.
“An embryo created using my egg was transferred to another woman without my consent. My signature was forged. And now you're telling me the sperm came from your father. How exactly does this have nothing to do with me?””
He lowered his voice.
“Please. Not here.””
“You invited me here.””
I pointed toward the enormous gold sign.
“You wanted me to celebrate your pregnancy. You wanted me to watch you pretend that you had finally found the perfect family.””
My voice trembled.
“You made me believe I was the reason we couldn't have children.””
Daniel looked away.
Then Michael stepped toward Susan.
“Can you explain why Dad's sample was even available?””
Susan opened the folder.
“The records show that Mr. Robert Carter had previously participated in a fertility preservation program. His sample was stored several years before the embryo in question was created.””
Patricia looked up sharply.
“Robert never told me that.””
Susan continued.
“His donor profile was marked for restricted use. It should not have been included in any unrelated treatment arrangement without the required permissions.””
“Then how did Daniel get access?”” I asked.
Susan looked at the document.
“The authorization history identifies Dr. Leonard as the medical director who approved the release.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“And the clinic has confirmed that the approval was not supported by the required documentation.””
Daniel laughed nervously.
“Everyone is acting like this happened yesterday. Those records are old. You don't know what conversations took place.””
Michael turned toward him.
“You knew Dad had stored samples?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he told me.””
“When?””
Daniel looked at Patricia.
She was crying silently.
He finally answered.
“After Dad's heart surgery.””
I remembered the year.
Robert had undergone emergency surgery after a cardiac event. The family had been terrified.
Daniel continued.
“He was worried about his health. He told me he'd made arrangements years ago in case he ever wanted another child.””
Patricia looked at him.
“Another child?””
Daniel nodded.
“He wanted to preserve the possibility.””
Michael shook his head.
“But Mom was right there. They were married.””
“It's complicated.””
Patricia stood.
“No, Daniel. It isn't. Your father had no intention of having another child with someone else.””
Daniel looked down.
“He never said that.””
“He didn't have to!””
Her voice broke.
“I was his wife.””
The room seemed to shrink around us.
Then Vanessa spoke.
“Daniel told me his father had agreed.””
Everyone turned.
She wiped her cheeks.
“He said Robert had donated the sample years ago, and that the family had discussed using it if Daniel ever needed help having a child.””
Patricia stared at her.
“Robert never discussed that with me.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn't know.””
Michael looked at her.
“You didn't know the donor wasn't Daniel?””
“I knew there was a donor arrangement. Daniel said it was a family matter.””
“And you accepted that?””
Vanessa began crying again.
“I wanted to believe him.””
I looked at the document.
The genetic source was now clear.
The embryo had been created using my egg and Robert's stored sperm.
But one question remained.
Why had Daniel gone to such lengths to use that particular sample?
I turned toward him.
“Why?””
He swallowed.
“Because I wanted a child with the Carter name.””
I stared.
“You mean you wanted a child who would inherit your father's genetic identity?””
Daniel's eyes hardened.
“I wanted a son who belonged to this family.””
Michael shook his head.
“You could have adopted.””
“I didn't want adoption.””
“You could have used a legitimate donor.””
“I didn't want some stranger.””
“You could have told Emily the truth!””
Daniel suddenly raised his voice.
“She was never going to give me a child!””
The words echoed through the ballroom.
For a moment, I felt like I was back in our old kitchen.
The divorce papers.
The whiskey glass.
His accusation.
You destroyed my dream of fatherhood.
But something had changed.
I wasn't sitting across from him anymore, begging him to love me.
I was standing in front of the truth.
“Daniel,” I said quietly, “you didn't leave because I couldn't have children.””
He looked at me.
“You left because you had already decided to take what you wanted.””
He didn't deny it.
Patricia covered her mouth.
Then Margaret interrupted.
“There's another matter that needs clarification.””
She placed a second document beside the first.
“This is the donor release authorization.””
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“That's confidential.””
Margaret ignored him.
“Mr. Carter, the signature attributed to Robert Carter appears to have been entered electronically. The account used to submit it was registered to your email address.””
Patricia looked at Daniel.
“What?””
Susan nodded.
“The clinic has preserved the electronic audit trail. We cannot determine the legal validity of the authorization without further examination, but the records raise serious concerns.””
Michael grabbed the edge of the table.
“You forged Dad's signature too?””
Daniel shook his head.
“He gave me permission.””
“Then why use your email?””
“Because he didn't know how to use the system.””
Patricia stepped closer.
“Robert never gave you permission to use his genetic material.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You weren't there.””
“No. But I know my husband.””
Her voice became cold.
“And I know he would never have agreed to something that could destroy this family.””
Vanessa suddenly sat down.
Her hands were shaking.
“I want to go home.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“Don't start.””
“I can't do this anymore.””
“You knew what we agreed.””
She looked up at him.
“I knew what you told me.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“You're carrying our child.””
Vanessa flinched.
Then she whispered:
“Are you sure?””
The question silenced everyone.
I looked at Susan.
“What does she mean?””
Susan carefully opened another section of the file.
“There's an additional discrepancy in the genetic parentage report. The initial record identifies Mr. Robert Carter as the sperm source, but the clinic has not completed its verification of the embryo's final genetic profile.””
Michael frowned.
“Why not?””
“Because the laboratory identifier was altered before the transfer.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Could the sample have been switched?””
Susan didn't answer immediately.
“That possibility is part of the investigation.””
Daniel's face had gone pale.
Vanessa looked at him.
“You told me the baby was definitely Robert's genetic grandchild.””
He stared at her.
“Stop talking.””
“You told me the baby would belong to the Carter family.””
“Vanessa.””
“You promised me!””
She stood abruptly.
“I want the original DNA records.””
Margaret nodded.
“That is exactly what we're requesting.””
Then Susan reached into the folder and removed a sealed envelope.
“There's one more document. It was attached to the original consent package but omitted from the amended version.””
She looked at Daniel.
“This document contains a handwritten instruction from the person who arranged the transfer.””
Daniel took a step backward.
Susan unfolded it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
And beneath the instruction was a sentence that made Patricia collapse into her chair.
*The recipient must never be told that the biological father is not the intended father.*
Daniel closed his eyes.
I looked at him.
“You knew.””
He said nothing.
Then my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A weak, familiar voice came through.
“Emily?””
My heart stopped.
It was Robert.
Daniel's father.
“Robert?””
“Please,” he whispered.
“Don't let them destroy everything before I tell you what really happened.””
I looked at Daniel.
May you like
His expression changed instantly.
And I realized that the man whose name appeared on the laboratory record might know a secret far bigger than the one we had just uncovered.
