Chapter 4: The Girl in Pink
I read the sentence three times.
Not because it was complicated.
Because my mind refused to let the words become real.
*GENETIC PARENTAGE ANALYSIS — MATERNAL SOURCE*
My name was beneath it.
I looked at Claire.
"The baby girl isn't yours?""
Claire shook her head.
"No.""
"Then whose is she?""
Her lips trembled.
"Yours.""
The word entered the room quietly.
No thunder.
No shattered glass.
No cinematic explosion.
Just one syllable.
Yours.
I sat down because my legs stopped cooperating.
"That's impossible.""
"I thought so too.""
"I never carried a child.""
"I know.""
"I never gave birth.""
"I know.""
"So don't sit there and tell me—"
"She's genetically yours, Anna.""
I stopped.
Claire pushed the report closer.
There were percentages.
Markers.
Laboratory terminology.
Numbers I couldn't process fast enough.
But one line was painfully clear.
The tested infant showed a maternal genetic relationship consistent with the sample associated with my fertility treatment records.
My hands began shaking.
"No.""
Claire covered her mouth.
"Anna—"
"Don't say my name.""
She lowered her hand.
I looked at the woman I had called my best friend for sixteen years.
"Tell me everything.""
Claire nodded.
"Okay.""
"Not the version that makes you look less guilty.""
"I understand.""
"No excuses.""
"Okay.""
"No saying Daniel manipulated you unless you're also willing to tell me every moment you could have stopped him.""
Her eyes dropped.
"Okay.""
I leaned back.
"Talk.""
She took a breath.
"It started three years ago.""
I frowned.
"You told me six months.""
"The affair started six months before I got pregnant. The other part started earlier.""
"What other part?""
"The clinic.""
A cold pressure spread through my chest.
Claire clasped her hands together.
"After your first cycle, Daniel contacted Dr. Vale.""
"Why?""
"Because Daniel knew him through an investor.""
"And?""
"He asked whether embryos could be moved to another facility.""
I stared at her.
"Without my consent?""
"Vale said not legally.""
"That wasn't my question.""
Claire looked down.
"Daniel had paperwork.""
"The forms I signed.""
She nodded.
I remembered the yellow tabs.
The bedroom.
The medication.
Daniel telling me, Just insurance paperwork.
I could almost feel the pen in my hand again.
"How did you become involved?""
Claire didn't answer immediately.
"Claire.""
"Daniel called me.""
"Why you?""
"Because I knew how badly you were taking the failed cycle.""
Something inside me twisted.
"So you helped him because I was grieving?""
"No.""
"Then explain it.""
"He told me he wanted to protect the remaining embryos.""
"From me?""
"He said you wanted everything destroyed.""
I stared at her.
"You believed that?""
"At first.""
"You had known me for thirteen years.""
"I know.""
"You sat beside me while I injected myself.""
"I know.""
"You watched me cry because I thought there were no embryos.""
Her eyes filled.
"I know.""
"Stop saying you know.""
She flinched.
"Then what do you want me to say?""
"The truth.""
Her face collapsed.
"I was jealous of you.""
That stopped me.
Not because it made sense.
Because it was the first honest thing she had said.
Claire wiped her cheeks.
"I was jealous of your house. Your career. Your marriage. The way people listened when you walked into a room.""
I almost laughed.
"My marriage?""
"I didn't know what it was really like.""
"You knew more than anyone.""
"I knew what you told me.""
"I told you he called me cold.""
"And then you'd defend him.""
"Because he was my husband.""
"I know.""
I closed my eyes.
"Keep going.""
"Daniel started calling me after the clinic transfer. At first it was about you.""
"Of course it was.""
"Then it became about him.""
I looked at her.
"And you liked being chosen.""
Claire's silence confirmed it.
"You liked knowing my husband told you things he didn't tell me.""
"Yes.""
The answer came so softly I almost missed it.
"Did you sleep with him then?""
"No.""
"When?""
"Last year.""
"And the embryo?""
Claire pressed both hands against the table.
"Daniel told me the embryos were legally his too.""
"They weren't.""
"I know that now.""
"You knew it then.""
She looked up.
"I didn't let him transfer one to me then.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He wanted to.""
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
"Why?""
Claire's face tightened.
"He said if you never became pregnant, eventually you'd leave him.""
I felt physically sick.
"He thought giving my embryo to another woman was a solution?""
"He didn't say it like that.""
"How did he say it?""
She swallowed.
"He said he couldn't let his chance at fatherhood depend on your body.""
The cruelty of the sentence was so precise that I knew it was Daniel's.
I stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, cars moved through the parking lot.
People walked in and out carrying coffee cups, handbags, folders.
Ordinary life.
Somewhere in the same building, perhaps only a floor away, there was a newborn girl wearing pink.
My daughter.
The thought was too large to touch.
So I didn't.
Not yet.
"What happened to the three embryos?""
"One was deemed unsuitable later.""
"And the other two?""
Claire hesitated.
"One was transferred to me.""
"Which became the girl?""
"Yes.""
"And the other?""
"I don't know.""
I turned.
"You don't know?""
"Daniel says it was destroyed.""
"Do you believe him?""
"No.""
That answer came instantly.
"Why?""
"Because that's what we were arguing about at Evelyn's house.""
The missing copy.
Those children deserve to know where they came from.
"What records did he want you to erase?""
"The transfer records. The consent documents. The genetic screening.""
"Why keep them?""
Claire stared at me.
"Because I stopped trusting him.""
I laughed bitterly.
"How unfortunate.""
"I deserve that.""
"You deserve considerably worse.""
She nodded.
Then she whispered, "I know.""
My phone vibrated.
Daniel.
I declined it.
It rang again.
Declined.
Again.
Claire looked toward the door.
"He knows you're here.""
"How?""
"I told him.""
My head snapped toward her.
"You what?""
"I had to.""
"Why?""
"Because I needed him to come.""
I stared at her.
"You used me as bait?""
"No.""
"Then what would you call it?""
"Insurance.""
Before I could respond, she took a second phone from her bag.
The screen showed an active recording application.
"Daniel thinks I still have the original transfer authorization.""
"Do you?""
"No.""
"Who does?""
"Dr. Vale.""
I stared at her.
"Why would he keep evidence?""
"Because Daniel owes him money.""
The financial wall in my study flashed through my mind.
Four entities.
Payments moving between them.
One company registered to Claire.
One unexplained recipient that appeared six times.
MV Clinical Consulting.
M.V.
Marcus Vale.
I pulled out my phone.
Opened the photograph I'd taken of the wall.
Zoomed in.
There it was.
*MV CLINICAL CONSULTING — $38,000*
Then another.
*$52,500*
Then another.
"Daniel has been paying him.""
Claire nodded.
"For years.""
"For what?""
"I don't know all of it.""
"Guess.""
She took a breath.
"Silence.""
My phone rang again.
This time it was Rebecca.
I answered.
"Where are you?""
"St. Catherine's.""
"I know. Daniel's attorney just called.""
"Why?""
"He claims you've obtained stolen medical records.""
I looked at Claire.
"Interesting.""
"Anna, listen carefully. Do not sign anything. Do not hand anything over. And do not confront anyone about the genetic report until I verify the laboratory.""
"Too late for the last one.""
Rebecca exhaled.
"Is Claire with you?""
"Yes.""
"Put me on speaker.""
I did.
Rebecca's voice filled the room.
"Claire, did you obtain Anna's medical records without authorization?""
"No.""
"How did you get the report?""
"I requested testing on the baby.""
"Why?""
"Because I suspected the embryo Daniel used wasn't mine.""
Rebecca went silent.
"Used?""
Claire closed her eyes.
"He told the clinic the embryo belonged to both of us.""
Rebecca's voice became colder.
"Was your name on the original embryo creation record?""
"No.""
"Was your genetic material used to create it?""
"No.""
"Did Anna consent to you carrying it?""
"No.""
Rebecca stopped speaking.
When she continued, each word was precise.
"Do you understand what you're describing?""
Claire whispered, "Yes.""
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Then Daniel's voice.
"Claire!""
She went pale.
"He's here.""
Rebecca heard him.
"Lock the door.""
Claire did.
Daniel hit it seconds later.
"Open the door.""
Neither of us moved.
"Claire.""
Another knock.
Harder.
"I know Anna's in there.""
I walked toward the door.
Rebecca said, "Do not open it.""
"I won't.""
Daniel struck the door with his palm.
"Anna, whatever she told you is a lie.""
I looked at Claire.
She held the second phone in her shaking hand.
Recording.
"Which part?"" I called.
Silence.
Then Daniel said, "She stole those records.""
"Which records?""
No answer.
"The ones proving the girl is genetically mine?""
Claire stared at me.
Outside the door, nothing moved.
I imagined Daniel standing there.
Processing.
Calculating.
Then his voice came through.
Quiet now.
Dangerously controlled.
"You don't understand what that test means.""
My stomach tightened.
"Then explain it.""
"I can't through a door.""
"Try.""
"Open it.""
"No.""
"Anna.""
"Was my embryo transferred to Claire?""
Silence.
"Daniel?""
He exhaled.
"That embryo belonged to both of us.""
"It was created from my egg.""
"And my sperm.""
"That doesn't give you permission to steal it.""
"I didn't steal anything.""
"You told me it was dead.""
"I told you the cycle failed.""
"Was it dead?""
No answer.
I felt something inside me settle.
Not rage.
Clarity.
"Was it dead, Daniel?""
His voice dropped.
"No.""
Claire began crying again.
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
Not a suspicion.
Not an interpretation.
His admission.
Rebecca spoke through the phone.
"Anna, don't ask anything else.""
But Daniel kept talking.
"You wanted to give up.""
I opened my eyes.
"I wanted to recover.""
"You were falling apart.""
"So you decided for me?""
"I was trying to save something.""
"From your wife?""
"From your fear!""
His voice echoed down the hallway.
"You were never going to survive another cycle. You know that.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"So you saved my embryo by secretly giving it to my best friend?""
"That wasn't the original plan.""
Claire's head lifted.
I felt Rebecca go silent on the line.
"What was the original plan?"" I asked.
Daniel didn't answer.
Claire moved toward the door.
"What original plan?""
"Claire, shut up.""
Her face changed.
"What original plan, Daniel?""
He hit the door again.
"Open this door.""
"No.""
"Claire!""
"You told me Anna had abandoned the embryos.""
"I said open the damn door.""
Claire looked at me.
Then she shouted, "Who was supposed to carry it?""
Silence.
A terrible silence.
My skin went cold.
"Daniel?""
Rebecca whispered through the phone, "Anna, stop.""
But I couldn't.
"Who?""
His answer came through the door.
"You.""
I stared at it.
"What?""
"You were supposed to carry it.""
Nothing made sense.
"You told me there was nothing to transfer.""
"Because I needed time.""
"For what?""
No response.
Then Claire whispered behind me.
"Oh my God.""
I turned.
She was staring at the report.
"What?""
She flipped to the second page.
Then the third.
Her hands shook violently.
"Claire.""
"The dates.""
"What dates?""
She pushed the pages toward me.
The embryo transfer date was from nine months ago.
But beside it was another entry.
An earlier procedure.
Three years earlier.
A transfer preparation protocol.
Patient initials.
Not Claire's.
Mine.
I stared at the document.
"I never had a transfer.""
Claire looked horrified.
"No.""
I checked the date.
And remembered.
Three years ago.
A minor procedure Daniel insisted I needed after the failed cycle.
A uterine examination.
Sedation.
A private clinic.
A doctor whose face I barely remembered.
Dr. Marcus Vale.
My heartbeat stopped.
I looked at the door.
"Daniel.""
He said nothing.
"What happened to me that day?""
Silence.
"What did Vale do?""
Claire covered her mouth.
Rebecca said my name sharply.
But I barely heard her.
Because another memory had surfaced.
Waking after the procedure.
Daniel beside the bed.
Holding my hand.
Telling me everything had gone perfectly.
And then, eleven days later, waking in the middle of the night with the worst cramps I'd ever experienced.
Blood.
So much blood.
Daniel had driven me to an emergency clinic.
He told them I'd had an unusually heavy period.
I had believed him.
I had believed everything.
My voice broke for the first time.
"Was I pregnant?""
Outside the door, Daniel said nothing.
"Was I pregnant, Daniel?""
A sound came from the hallway.
Not his voice.
A woman's voice.
A nurse.
"Sir, you need to step away from the door.""
Then another voice.
Security.
Daniel spoke quickly.
"Anna, don't believe Claire.""
I pressed my palm against the door.
"Was I pregnant?""
His footsteps moved away.
"Daniel!""
Claire suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Anna.""
I turned.
She was looking at the final page of the laboratory report.
Her face had gone completely white.
"What?""
"There were two specimens tested.""
I stared at her.
"The twins?""
"No.""
She shook her head.
"The girl and another archived sample.""
"Whose?""
Claire handed me the page.
At the bottom was a specimen number.
Beside it was a date.
Three years ago.
The same week I woke bleeding.
And beside the sample classification were two words that made the room disappear around me.
*Products of conception.*
I couldn't breathe.
Claire whispered, "You were pregnant.""
My hand covered my mouth.
But she wasn't finished.
She pointed to the genetic comparison beneath it.
"The embryo you lost three years ago wasn't the same embryo they transferred to me.""
I stared at her.
"Then where did mine come from?""
Claire looked toward the locked door.
Her voice trembled.
"That's what Daniel has been hiding.""
Then she turned the page.
And beneath the archived embryo record was a donor identification number.
Not Daniel's.
Not mine.
A third person's.
May you like
A name had been handwritten beside it.
*Marcus Vale.*
