Chapter 8: The Third Child
The boy outside the ambulance couldn't have been older than five.
His hair was dark brown, neatly combed to one side. His blue jacket was too large, and one of his shoelaces was untied.
But it was his eyes that frightened me.
They were the same shade of gray as mine.
He stared through the ambulance window.
Then he raised his hand and knocked twice.
“Daddy?””
I stopped breathing.
Emily sat upright.
Her fingers tightened around Noah.
“Who is that?””
I opened the door.
The little boy took a step backward.
“Are you Ethan?””
I crouched.
“Yes. What's your name?””
He looked over his shoulder.
A woman stood near the garden gate.
She was wearing a beige coat and holding a brown envelope.
My mother began walking toward her.
“Sarah?””
The woman nodded.
“I came as soon as I heard.””
I looked back at the boy.
“What's your name?””
He hesitated.
“Lucas.””
Emily made a small sound.
She climbed out of the ambulance, ignoring the paramedic's warning.
“Lucas?””
The boy looked at her.
His eyes widened.
“Mrs. Emily?””
Emily dropped to her knees.
“Do you remember me?””
He nodded slowly.
“You gave me a cookie when I was little.””
She began crying.
Sarah approached.
“He remembers more than you think.””
I stood up.
“Who is this child?””
Sarah looked at me.
“Your son.””
My legs nearly gave way.
“What?””
She opened the envelope.
Inside were medical records, photographs, and a folded letter.
“I was working at the hospital the night Emily gave birth. Richard had already arranged everything. He wanted to control the trust, and he needed the babies' identities changed.””
I looked at Lucas.
“Is he one of the twins?””
Sarah shook her head.
“No. He's my biological son.””
I felt confused.
“Then why are you calling him mine?””
She handed me the first medical report.
“Because the child I gave birth to was not biologically mine.””
I stared at her.
Sarah took a shaky breath.
“I was told my baby had died. They gave me a different child and told me he'd been transferred from another hospital. I was young.
I was terrified. I believed them.””
Emily covered her mouth.
Sarah continued.
“Three years later, I discovered the truth. The boy I had raised was actually one of the Hayes twins.””
I looked at Lucas.
“Which one?””
“Jacob.””
My heart began pounding.
“Then where is the baby you gave birth to?””
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't know.””
I looked at the medical records.
The first page contained three blood test results.
One was labeled Ethan Hayes.
One was labeled Emily Hayes.
The third was labeled Sarah Miller.
A fourth name appeared at the bottom.
*PATERNITY MATCH: ETHAN HAYES — 99.99%.*
I looked at Sarah.
“You're telling me Lucas is my biological son?””
She nodded.
“Your biological son with me.””
The words made no sense.
Emily slowly stood.
“Sarah…”
Sarah looked at her.
“I know.””
“You were pregnant before I was.””
Sarah nodded.
“I was seven months pregnant when you arrived at the hospital.””
Emily shook her head.
“But I never…”
“I know you didn't know.””
Sarah's voice cracked.
“Richard arranged everything. He wanted a child he could use to replace one of the twins if anything went wrong. He used my baby because nobody would question a transfer from the maternity ward.””
I looked at Lucas.
He was watching me with frightened eyes.
“Did you know?”” I asked Sarah.
“Not until years later.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Richard threatened to send me to prison. He said he'd accuse me of stealing a child and falsifying medical records.””
I stared at the documents.
“Then why come now?””
Sarah looked toward the garden.
“Because Richard contacted me this morning.””
She handed me a second letter.
It contained a message written in Richard's handwriting.
*BRING THE BOY TO MARGARET'S BIRTHDAY. THE FAMILY WILL FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS DONE.*
I read it twice.
“He wanted you to bring Lucas here?””
Sarah nodded.
“He told me the truth would be revealed today.””
I looked at my mother.
“Did you know?””
Mom was crying.
“Yes.””
I felt something inside me break.
“You knew Lucas was my son?””
She nodded.
“I knew Sarah had been forced to raise one of the children. I didn't know which one until recently.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Richard said if I spoke, all three boys would disappear.””
I looked at Lucas again.
He was holding a small toy dinosaur.
“Why did you come here alone?””
Sarah glanced toward the road.
“Because Richard said he would bring Jacob to meet Lucas.””
My phone vibrated.
A video call.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Richard appeared on the screen.
He was sitting in the back of his SUV.
Behind him was a little boy.
Jacob.
He was wearing the blue backpack from the school photograph.
“Hello, Ethan.””
I stepped away from the ambulance.
“Where is my son?””
Richard smiled.
“Which one?””
I clenched my jaw.
“Bring Jacob home.””
“Of course. But first, I want you to listen.””
He turned the camera toward Jacob.
The boy looked frightened.
“Daddy?””
My chest tightened.
“I'm here, son.””
Richard smiled.
“Interesting, isn't it? You spent three years believing you had one son. Now you have three boys and no idea which one belongs where.””
“Stop playing games.””
“I'm not playing.””
He leaned closer.
“Your father left something in the cellar. Something that proves the entire arrangement.””
“What?””
“The original hospital register.””
Emily stepped beside me.
“Richard, where is Sarah's baby?””
Richard laughed.
“Still asking the wrong question.””
He looked into the camera.
“The baby Sarah gave birth to was never transferred to Margaret.””
Sarah went pale.
“Then where is he?””
Richard's expression turned cold.
“Your mother knows.””
I looked at Mom.
She shook her head.
Richard continued.
“Ask Margaret about the night she brought three children home and only two were breathing.””
The call ended.
Sarah collapsed onto the ambulance step.
Emily held her.
I turned toward my mother.
“Three children. Two breathing. Explain.””
Mom was sobbing.
“I tried to save them.””
“Who?””
She looked at Lucas.
Then at Noah.
Then at me.
“The third baby was dying when they brought him to me.””
I stepped closer.
“What happened?””
She whispered:
“I took him to a private clinic.””
“Which clinic?””
Mom looked toward the street.
Before she could answer, a police siren sounded.
A patrol car stopped outside the gate.
An officer rushed toward us.
“Mr. Hayes! We have a problem.””
“What?””
He held up a photograph.
It showed Richard's SUV parked outside a private medical clinic.
The passenger door was open.
The back seat was empty.
And on the ground beside the vehicle was a small child's shoe.
The officer swallowed.
“We found blood inside the car.””
I looked at Emily.
She was staring at the photograph.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“That's Noah's shoe.””
