Chapter 3: Eli’s Evidence
The hospital corridor outside my room filled with footsteps.
Doctors.
Nurses.
Police officers.
Everyone seemed to be moving except me.
I sat frozen beside June's bassinet, one hand gripping the blanket.
Luke stood near the wall under Detective Harris's watch.
Rachel was crying silently.
And somewhere in that chaos, I realized something terrifying.
The betrayal wasn't just about a baby.
It was about people.
Families.
Mothers.
Lives.
Someone had been moving us around like pieces on a chessboard.
Detective Harris stepped into the room again.
“The other mother is being brought here.””
I swallowed.
“Who is she?””
“We're still confirming her identity.””
Luke suddenly spoke.
“You don't need to bring her here.””
Everyone turned toward him.
Detective Harris stared.
“Why?””
Luke's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
I stood.
“Because you know her.””
Luke looked at me.
“No.””
“You always say no.””
I pointed toward the papers.
“Then explain this.””
He looked at the messages.
“Those aren't what you think.””
Rachel wiped her eyes.
“Then tell her what they are.””
Luke said nothing.
A voice came from the doorway.
“Because he can't.””
I knew that voice.
I turned.
Eli stood there.
His jacket was soaked from the rain, and he was holding a brown evidence envelope.
Luke's face changed instantly.
“Eli.””
Eli looked at him.
“Don't.””
Luke's shoulders dropped.
I stared at Eli.
“What are you doing here?””
He looked at me.
“I found something.””
My heart pounded.
“About Luke?””
“About all of it.””
Luke stepped forward.
“Where did you get that?””
Eli raised the envelope.
“Your laptop.””
Luke's face went white.
“You broke into my house?””
“No.””
Eli looked at Detective Harris.
“You gave me permission to retrieve the files after Emily told me what happened.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“I asked Eli to help us identify the financial trail.””
I looked between them.
“What financial trail?””
Eli opened the envelope.
Inside were printed bank transfers.
He placed them on the table.
“Luke wasn't just hiding an affair.””
He pointed to the first page.
“He was receiving payments.””
My stomach dropped.
“From who?””
Eli turned another page.
“Three different accounts.””
Rachel leaned closer.
“That's impossible.””
Eli looked at her.
“No. It's worse than that.””
He pulled out a second document.
“These payments started two months before Emily gave birth.””
Luke whispered, “Stop.””
Eli didn't.
“One account belongs to a private adoption consultant.””
Rachel covered her mouth.
“The second belongs to a former hospital employee.””
Jasmine stepped backward.
Her eyes widened.
“And the third?””
Eli looked at me.
“The third account belongs to a company registered under a fake name.””
I stared at him.
“What company?””
He slid a photograph across the table.
It showed an office building.
At the bottom was the company name.
*Bright Futures Family Services.*
Rachel suddenly went pale.
“I know that name.””
Everyone looked at her.
“Where?””
Rachel's hands trembled.
“They contacted me when I was pregnant.””
Luke closed his eyes.
Eli looked at him.
“So that's how you found her.””
Rachel shook her head.
“They told me they had a family ready to adopt my baby.””
My voice cracked.
“And Luke was involved?””
Rachel nodded.
“He told me it was legitimate.””
Luke whispered, “I was trying to protect you.””
Rachel stared at him.
“You lied to me.””
“I didn't have a choice.””
“You always had a choice.””
Eli placed another paper on the table.
“This is the part that made me call the police.””
I looked down.
It was a list.
Names.
Dates.
Hospital identification numbers.
My eyes moved down the page.
Then stopped.
*Emily Carter — June Carter — Rachel Bennett — Baby Bennett.*
There were more names underneath.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
My breathing became shallow.
“How many?””
Eli answered quietly.
“Seven.””
Rachel began to cry again.
“Seven mothers?””
Eli nodded.
“And seven babies.””
Jasmine stared at the list.
“I've worked here for nine years.””
She shook her head.
“I've never seen anything like this.””
Luke suddenly moved toward the table.
Detective Harris grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
Luke struggled.
“You don't understand.””
Eli stepped closer.
“Then explain it.””
Luke stared at him.
“I was supposed to make sure Emily's baby disappeared from the system.””
Silence.
My knees nearly gave out.
“Disappeared?””
Luke looked at me.
“Emily…”
“You were supposed to make my daughter disappear?””
He looked broken now.
But I couldn't feel sorry for him.
Not anymore.
Eli's voice was cold.
“But he didn't.””
Luke looked at him.
Eli continued.
“He changed his mind.””
I stared at Luke.
“Why?””
Luke swallowed.
“Because I found out they weren't going to give June to another family.””
My heart stopped.
“What were they going to do?””
Luke looked at Rachel.
Then at me.
“They were going to use her identity.””
Rachel frowned.
“For what?””
Luke hesitated.
And that hesitation terrified me more than any answer could have.
Finally, he said—
“June wasn't supposed to be the last baby.””
The door opened.
A woman stood there with two officers beside her.
She looked exhausted.
Her eyes were red from crying.
She stared straight at Luke.
Then at me.
Then at June.
And whispered—
“That's my daughter.””
My entire body went cold.
Because June was in my arms.
And the woman wasn't pointing at June.
She was pointing at *the photograph in Eli's hand*.
Then she said a name I had never heard before.
“Rachel isn't the only mother he betrayed.””
She looked at Luke.
“He did it to me too.””
Luke closed his eyes.
May you like
And Eli quietly whispered beside me—
“Emily, there's one thing I haven't told you.””
