Chapter 7: The Baby They Stole From Me
For several minutes, I couldn't speak.
I sat in my hospital bed with my phone pressed against my ear, staring at the two little girls sleeping beside me.
An embryo had been transferred.
A pregnancy might have begun.
And someone had deliberately changed the medical records.
"Mrs. Carter," I finally whispered, "are you telling me I was pregnant ten years ago?""
"I'm telling you that the original laboratory records strongly suggest it.""
"But I never knew.""
"I understand.""
"Did I lose the baby?""
Evelyn hesitated.
"That's what we need to establish.""
I started crying.
Not the quiet tears I'd shed when Wes left.
These were different.
They came from somewhere deep inside me, from ten years of believing my body was broken.
I remembered that treatment cycle.
I'd been thirty years old. Wes had taken me to the clinic, held my hand during the procedure, and brought me flowers afterward.
Two weeks later, the clinic called.
The transfer hadn't been successful.
I remembered sitting on the bathroom floor that night, holding a negative pregnancy test.
Wes had wrapped his arms around me.
"Maybe it's not meant to happen yet," he'd whispered.
I'd apologized to him.
I'd actually apologized.
Now I wondered whether he'd known the truth while holding me.
"Did Wes know?"" I asked.
Evelyn answered carefully.
"I found a payment record showing that Margaret contacted him after the disputed procedure.""
"Can you prove what she told him?""
"Not yet.""
I wiped my face.
"Find out.""
"I will.""
After the call ended, Claire came over and sat beside me.
She'd been listening from the other side of the room.
"Holly, we need to get you out of this hospital and somewhere safe.""
I shook my head.
"I'm not leaving without my girls.""
"That's not what I mean. We need to make sure nobody can manipulate you while you're recovering.""
I looked at Emma and Lily.
"They're all I have now.""
Claire took my hand.
"You have me.""
For the first time, I believed I might need her more than ever.
That afternoon, Daniel arrived with a thick envelope.
He placed it on the table.
"The clinic released the preliminary records.""
I stared at him.
"What did they find?""
He opened the envelope.
"There are two versions of your treatment file. The version you received ten years ago states that the embryo transfer was canceled because the laboratory identified a viability problem.""
"And the original?""
He slid another document toward me.
"The original record states that the embryo was transferred successfully.""
I covered my mouth.
Daniel continued.
"There's also a note indicating that a blood test was recommended twelve days later.""
"Why wasn't I tested?""
"Someone canceled the appointment.""
"Who?""
He pointed to the electronic authorization.
*MARGARET BENNETT — FAMILY CONTACT.*
I felt my stomach turn.
"She wasn't my family contact. She was Wes's mother.""
Daniel nodded.
"The clinic has acknowledged that allowing her access to your file without proper authorization was a serious procedural failure.""
I looked at the document again.
"Did they give her my medication?""
"There's a record of a medication request, but we're still trying to determine who authorized it and whether it was administered.""
I stared at him.
"Was I given something that ended the pregnancy?""
"We don't know yet.""
My eyes filled.
"Then what happened to my baby?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"There's one more record.""
He removed a photocopy from the envelope.
It was a handwritten laboratory note.
The writing was difficult to read, but one line stood out.
Patient requested follow-up. Husband instructed clinic not to disclose discrepancy pending family discussion.
I looked up.
"Wes?""
Daniel nodded.
"The signature appears to be his.""
I felt as though someone had punched me.
He knew.
Maybe not everything.
But he knew enough to stop the clinic from telling me.
My husband had watched me cry over a pregnancy I might actually have had.
He'd held me while I blamed myself.
And he'd let me believe I was the problem.
Claire stood up.
"I'm calling the police.""
"Wait," Daniel said.
"We need to preserve the records and establish exactly what happened before making accusations.""
Claire turned toward him.
"Are you seriously telling us to wait?""
"I'm telling you that evidence matters. If there was deliberate medical interference, the clinic, the individuals involved, and any related financial transactions need to be investigated properly.""
I looked at the document.
"Can we prove what happened to the pregnancy?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Not from these records alone.""
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then I asked, "Why would they do this?""
Daniel opened another folder.
"Because Richard Bennett's trust contains a provision that may explain part of it.""
He showed me a paragraph in the original agreement.
If Wesley Bennett had a biological child, that child would become the beneficiary of the estate.
However, the trust also contained a clause regarding the identity and number of beneficiaries.
If the first biological child died before reaching adulthood without descendants, the trustee could appoint an alternate beneficiary from Richard's extended family.
I read it twice.
"An alternate beneficiary?""
Daniel nodded.
"Your father-in-law wanted the money protected, regardless of what happened to the child.""
I frowned.
"Who is the alternate?""
Daniel turned the page.
The name was unfamiliar.
*Nathan Bennett.*
"Who is Nathan?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Richard's grandson from his first marriage. Wesley's half-brother.""
I blinked.
"Wes has a brother?""
"Yes. They've been estranged for years.""
I looked at the papers.
Suddenly, another possibility occurred to me.
"Did Wes know about Nathan?""
"Absolutely.""
Claire crossed her arms.
"So if something happened to the first child, the money could go to Nathan?""
"Under certain circumstances, yes.""
I felt sick.
Daniel closed the folder.
"There's another issue. The trust's original wording refers to the first biological child, but the current administrator has not yet formally confirmed how the provision applies when there are multiple children born in the same pregnancy.""
I looked toward Emma and Lily.
"Both of them are beneficiaries?""
"That is our working interpretation, but the trustee needs to make a formal determination.""
For the first time, I understood why Margaret had been so desperate to get custody arrangements signed before the girls were born.
She wanted control of the money.
Not just access to my children.
Control.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*Holly, my name is Nathan Bennett. I believe we need to talk. I know what happened ten years ago.*
I looked at Daniel.
He read the message.
Then his face changed.
"Don't respond yet.""
"Why?""
"Because Nathan is the person your father-in-law named as the alternate beneficiary.""
I stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
*Your husband has been telling everyone that you lost a child naturally. That's not what happened. I have the original recording.*
My hands began shaking.
"What recording?""
The reply came almost immediately.
*A recording of Wes and Margaret discussing what to do after your first embryo transfer.*
I looked at Claire.
She whispered, "Oh my God.""
Then Nathan sent one final message.
*Holly, if you want to know who made the decision that destroyed your first pregnancy, meet me tomorrow. Come alone.*
I looked at my daughters.
I wasn't going anywhere alone.
And I wasn't going to let anyone make another decision about my children without me.
May you like
But I was going to find out the truth.
Whatever it cost.
