Chapter 5: The Daughter Who Was Never Mine
The emergency lights flickered on after several seconds.
Claire was gripping my arm so tightly that I could feel her nails through my shirt.
"Ryan," she whispered.
"Don't believe him.""
I stared at her.
"What baby did you bring home four years ago?""
She shook her head.
"Please. Not now.""
"That's exactly what you said upstairs.""
My mother moved toward the cabinet, searching for something.
"Ryan, listen to me. Your father is trying to separate you from Claire.""
I turned toward her.
"Then tell me the truth.""
She looked at Claire.
My wife lowered her head.
For a moment, the only sound was the faint buzzing of the emergency lights.
Then Claire began speaking.
"Four years ago, Lily was born at St. Vincent's Hospital.""
I nodded.
"I know. I was there.""
"You remember holding her?""
"Of course.""
"You remember the nurse bringing her into our room?""
"Yes.""
Claire wiped her cheeks.
"That wasn't the first baby they brought me.""
My stomach dropped.
"What?""
She pressed her hands against her mouth.
"The first baby was a little girl. She had dark hair and a small birthmark on her neck. The nurse said she was healthy.""
I felt my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
"Then what happened?""
Claire looked directly at me.
"An hour later, another nurse came in. She told me there had been a mistake with the identification bracelets. She took the baby away.""
"And?""
"She brought another little girl back.""
I stepped away from her.
"You're saying they switched our baby?""
Claire nodded.
"I was exhausted. I'd been through an emergency delivery. They told me the first baby had been transferred because of a medical concern. Then they gave me Lily.""
I shook my head.
"Why didn't you question it?""
"I did! I asked to see the first baby. They said she was being monitored in another unit.
Your father came to visit that afternoon. He told me everything was fine.""
My mother suddenly turned around.
"Your father arranged the switch.""
Claire nodded.
"He told me four months ago.""
I felt as if someone had punched me.
"So Lily isn't my biological daughter?""
Claire began crying harder.
"Ryan, she's your daughter. You raised her. You love her.""
"That's not what I asked.""
She couldn't answer.
My mother stepped between us.
"Your father wanted to see whether he could create a family using children carrying your genetic markers. He took one child from Claire and substituted another. Then he kept the original baby here.""
I stared at the photographs.
"Emma?""
My mother shook her head.
"No. Emma came later.""
I looked at Claire.
"Then who was the first baby?""
She pointed toward the photograph of the newborn.
"That was her.""
I looked closer.
The baby in the picture had a small crescent birthmark near her left ear.
My own birthmark.
I couldn't understand.
"How many children are there?""
My mother took a trembling breath.
"Three that I know of.""
A faint knock came from the other side of the steel door.
Then a small voice whispered:
"Mommy?""
Claire spun around.
"Emma?""
The voice came again.
"Mommy, I'm scared.""
I rushed toward the door.
"Emma! Are you okay?""
"Grandpa says I have to go to sleep.""
My mother grabbed my shoulder.
"Don't open it.""
I turned.
"She's a child!""
"Your father controls the locks. If you open that door, he can trap you in the corridor.""
I ignored her and began pulling at the handle.
Claire ran to the cabinet.
"There's a manual release!""
She found a red lever hidden behind a wooden panel and pulled it down.
The lock clicked.
I opened the door.
The corridor was empty.
But on the floor sat a small pink slipper.
Emma's slipper.
I picked it up.
There was something written inside.
Ryan, don't trust the woman downstairs.
I turned slowly toward my mother.
She was standing in the doorway.
Her face had changed.
"What does that mean?"" I asked.
She stared at the slipper.
Then she looked at Claire.
"I told you he would find out eventually.""
Claire backed away.
"Don't.""
My mother sighed.
"Ryan, I need you to understand something. Your father isn't the only person who made decisions about your children.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What are you talking about?""
She reached into her cardigan and pulled out a folded document.
It was an adoption certificate.
The date was four years ago.
The mother's name was Claire Bennett.
The father's name was Ryan Bennett.
But the child's name was not Lily.
It was Emma Bennett.
I looked at Claire.
She was shaking her head.
"No. No, that's not real.""
My mother pointed at the document.
"Emma was the child you brought home. Lily was the child your father substituted.""
I couldn't speak.
The woman continued.
"Your father didn't steal Emma from the hospital. Claire agreed to the arrangement because she believed the other baby was dying.""
I turned toward my wife.
"Is that true?""
Claire collapsed against the wall.
"I thought she was going to die, Ryan. They told me she had a genetic disorder. They said she wouldn't survive the first year.""
"Who told you?""
"Your father.""
I stared at the adoption certificate.
My entire life with Lily was suddenly hanging in the balance.
"Then who is Lily?""
Claire covered her face.
"I don't know.""
A noise came from the corridor.
Footsteps.
Then my father's voice.
"She's lying, Ryan.""
I spun around.
He stood at the far end, holding a small tablet.
On its screen was a live camera feed.
It showed Lily sitting alone in her bedroom.
My father smiled.
"Would you like to know who your daughter really is?""
He tapped the screen.
The camera zoomed in on Lily's neck.
There was no birthmark.
Then he opened another photograph.
It showed Lily as a newborn, beside a hospital identification bracelet.
The name on the bracelet made my blood run cold.
*Emma Bennett.*
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My father looked directly at me.
"Now ask your wife why she gave away the only child who was actually hers.""
