Chapter 10 — The Woman Who Tried to Take the Baby
Chapter 10 — The Woman Who Tried to Take the Baby
The first thing Emily heard was the heartbeat.
Fast.
Steady.
Alive.
She lay beneath the dim examination light while the ultrasound technician moved the probe across her stomach.
Raymond stood near the door.
Adrian stood beside Emily.
Daniel was outside under security guard.
Nobody spoke.
The screen showed the tiny shape of the child.
Emily stared at it.
“My baby.”
Adrian looked at the screen.
His eyes softened.
“Yes.”
Then the technician frowned.
Emily noticed immediately.
“What?”
The woman looked at the monitor.
“Nothing.”
“You're lying.”
The technician swallowed.
“I need to get the doctor.”
Raymond stepped forward.
“Which doctor?”
“Dr. Maren.”
Emily's expression tightened.
“Why?”
The technician didn't answer.
Adrian moved closer.
“Tell us.”
The woman looked at the door.
Then whispered:
“Someone changed the order.”
“What order?”
“The prenatal testing order.”
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
The technician shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Who authorized it?”
The woman hesitated.
“Catherine Blackwell.”
Silence.
Emily's hand immediately went over her stomach.
“What did she order?”
The technician's face went pale.
“A procedure.”
“What procedure?”
“Amniotic sampling.”
Emily stared.
“Why?”
“To establish paternity.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“Without Emily's consent?”
The technician looked down.
“Yes.”
Raymond's voice became cold.
“Who was supposed to perform it?”
The woman whispered:
“Dr. Vincent Shaw.”
Raymond froze.
“That man doesn't work here.”
“He did.”
“When?”
“Until yesterday.”
The door opened.
A woman in a white coat entered.
Emily immediately recognized her.
Catherine Blackwell.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
She walked in calmly.
Almost elegantly.
As if she owned the room.
Because, in some ways, she believed she did.
“Emily.”
Emily stared.
“You.”
Catherine smiled.
“I've come to discuss your pregnancy.”
“You've come to take my baby.”
Catherine's smile disappeared.
“That is an emotional interpretation.”
“You changed my medical records.”
“I corrected them.”
“You listed yourself as my baby's mother.”
“That was an administrative error.”
“You authorized a procedure without my consent.”
Catherine looked at the technician.
“Leave us.”
Raymond stepped forward.
“No.”
Catherine looked at him.
“This is a private medical matter.”
“This is my hospital.”
“No.”
Raymond's voice was quiet.
“It was your hospital.”
Catherine's face tightened.
“Raymond.”
“You lost control of the board this morning.”
“What?”
Raymond smiled without warmth.
“Your voting shares were frozen.”
Catherine's eyes narrowed.
“Who did that?”
“I did.”
“You can't.”
“I already did.”
Catherine looked at Emily.
Then Adrian.
Her expression changed.
“So you've finally found him.”
Emily frowned.
“Found who?”
“Your father.”
Catherine looked at Adrian.
“You should have stayed dead.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You should have stopped lying.”
Catherine laughed.
“You still think this is about money.”
“It isn't.”
“No.”
She looked at Emily.
“It is about what she carries.”
Emily's hand tightened over her stomach.
Catherine smiled.
“You don't even understand what that child is.”
Emily stared.
“Then tell me.”
Catherine shook her head.
“You're not ready.”
“I am.”
“No.”
Catherine turned toward the door.
“You'll learn soon enough.”
Raymond blocked her path.
“You're not leaving.”
Catherine looked at him.
“You can't hold me here.”
“No.”
Raymond raised his phone.
“But I can call the police.”
Catherine's expression hardened.
“On what grounds?”
“Attempted unauthorized medical intervention.”
Catherine smiled.
“Prove it.”
Raymond held up the hospital authorization.
“Already did.”
Catherine's lawyer arrived eleven minutes later.
He entered with two security officers.
Raymond immediately stepped forward.
“You're trespassing.”
The lawyer held up a document.
“Ms. Blackwell has legal authority regarding the patient.”
Emily stared.
“Patient?”
The lawyer looked at her.
“Yes.”
“I'm not your patient.”
“You are registered under the Blackwell family medical trust.”
Emily's face went cold.
“I never agreed to that.”
“You don't have to.”
Raymond snatched the document.
“This is fraudulent.”
The lawyer smiled.
“Prove it.”
Raymond read the final paragraph.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Adrian moved beside him.
“What does it say?”
Raymond whispered:
“Emily granted medical authority to Catherine.”
Emily stared.
“I never signed that.”
Raymond looked at the signature.
“It's your signature.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
Catherine smiled.
“You signed it three years ago.”
“When?”
“During your marriage.”
“I never signed anything giving you control over me.”
Catherine's smile became colder.
“You didn't.”
Emily stared.
“Then who did?”
Catherine didn't answer.
Daniel suddenly appeared in the doorway.
“I did.”
Everyone turned.
Emily's face went white.
“You?”
Daniel walked inside.
His expression was devastated.
“I signed it.”
Emily stared.
“Why?”
“Because my mother told me it was a standard medical authorization.”
“You lied.”
“I didn't know what it was.”
“You signed it.”
“Yes.”
“You gave her control over me.”
“I know.”
Emily's eyes filled.
“You promised you loved me.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I did.”
“Then how could you do this?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You keep saying that.”
Daniel looked down.
“I was wrong.”
Catherine turned toward him.
“You've said enough.”
Daniel looked at his mother.
“No.”
She frowned.
“What?”
“I've spent my entire life obeying you.”
“Daniel.”
“You told me what school to attend.”
“You're being emotional.”
“You told me who to marry.”
“Because I knew what was best.”
“You told me when to lie.”
“Stop.”
“You told me to convince Emily to sign documents she didn't understand.”
Catherine's face hardened.
“And now you think you're brave?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Emily.
“I think I'm late.”
Emily couldn't speak.
Daniel continued.
“I found something.”
Catherine went still.
“What did you find?”
Daniel looked at her.
“The original agreement.”
Catherine's face lost its color.
Raymond immediately asked:
“Where?”
Daniel reached inside his jacket.
He pulled out a small envelope.
“My father kept it.”
Catherine stepped forward.
“Give me that.”
Daniel moved away.
“No.”
“Daniel.”
“No.”
He handed it to Raymond.
“This proves everything.”
Raymond opened it.
His eyes widened.
“The medical authority was temporary.”
Emily stared.
“How temporary?”
“Until your child was born.”
Catherine's expression changed.
Raymond continued.
“And it required your consent.”
Emily looked at Daniel.
“So the document she has…”
“Is forged.”
Catherine suddenly turned toward the door.
Security blocked her.
“Move.”
“No.”
“You're making a mistake.”
Raymond shook his head.
“The mistake was letting you into this hospital.”
Catherine looked at Emily.
“You think you've won.”
Emily stared back.
“No.”
Catherine smiled.
“You haven't.”
She pointed toward Emily's stomach.
“Because the child isn't yours to protect.”
Emily's face hardened.
“My child is mine.”
Catherine whispered:
“Ask your father.”
Everyone turned toward Adrian.
Emily stared at him.
“What does she mean?”
Adrian's face was pale.
Catherine smiled.
“He hasn't told you.”
Emily stepped toward him.
“Told me what?”
Adrian said nothing.
“Dad.”
His eyes closed.
Catherine walked past the security officers.
“Ask him who the baby's father really is.”
The room fell silent.
Emily looked at Adrian.
Her heart began pounding.
“What is she talking about?”
Adrian finally looked at her.
“I don't know.”
Catherine laughed.
“You always were a terrible liar.”
Catherine was escorted away.
But her final words remained.
Emily turned toward Adrian.
“Is Daniel the father?”
Adrian shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Emily stared.
“You don't know?”
“Your pregnancy was medically complicated.”
“That doesn't answer the question.”
Adrian took a breath.
“I wasn't told everything.”
“By whom?”
“Your mother.”
Emily's voice became quiet.
“What did she hide?”
Adrian looked away.
“I don't know.”
Raymond stepped in.
“Enough.”
Emily turned toward him.
“You knew something too.”
Raymond hesitated.
“Uncle.”
“I knew there were questions about the paternity record.”
“But?”
“It was sealed.”
“By whom?”
“Anna.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Everyone had been hiding things from her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
She was beginning to realize that the truth wasn't one secret.
It was a wall.
And every person she loved had helped build it.
That night, Emily couldn't sleep.
Adrian sat outside her room.
He refused to leave.
At 2:17 a.m., Emily opened the door.
“Come in.”
He looked surprised.
She sat on the edge of the bed.
“I need you to tell me everything you know.”
Adrian nodded.
“I will.”
“Even if it hurts?”
“Yes.”
“Even if it changes everything?”
“Yes.”
Emily looked at him.
“Was my mother afraid of me?”
“No.”
“Was she afraid of my baby?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she believed the child would be born with the same genetic marker as the original Mercer heir.”
Emily frowned.
“What marker?”
“A specific genetic sequence.”
“What does it do?”
“It activates the trust.”
“That's all?”
Adrian hesitated.
“No.”
“What else?”
“It identifies the biological successor.”
Emily looked down.
“And that's why Catherine wants the baby.”
“Yes.”
“But why would she need to take the baby physically?”
Adrian answered quietly.
“Because whoever raises the child can influence the succession.”
Emily's expression changed.
“So she wants to raise my baby.”
“Yes.”
“And erase me.”
“Yes.”
Emily stared at him.
“Then she's not trying to steal my baby.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
“She is trying to replace me.”
“Yes.”
The next morning, Emily woke to shouting.
She rushed into the hallway.
A nurse was running toward them.
“Mr. Raymond!”
“What happened?”
“Someone tried to access the maternity ward.”
“Who?”
“We caught her.”
Raymond's expression changed.
“Who?”
The nurse swallowed.
“Catherine's attorney.”
Emily froze.
“Why?”
“He had a court order.”
Raymond snatched the document.
“This is fake.”
The nurse nodded.
“He was trying to remove the baby.”
Emily's heart pounded.
“Where is he?”
“Security has him.”
Raymond looked at Adrian.
“This is escalating.”
Adrian nodded.
“They're desperate.”
Emily suddenly felt a sharp pain.
She grabbed her stomach.
Adrian caught her.
“Emily?”
She breathed through it.
“I’m okay.”
The nurse immediately rushed forward.
“We need to examine you.”
“No.”
Emily looked at her.
“Not unless I consent.”
The nurse stopped.
Raymond nodded.
“Good.”
Emily looked down at her stomach.
Then toward the security cameras.
“From now on, nobody touches me or my baby without my permission.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“That's my girl.”
Emily looked at him.
“I've been your girl for twenty-eight years.”
His smile disappeared.
She took his hand.
“It's time you acted like my father.”
Adrian squeezed her hand.
“I will.”
That afternoon, the hospital received another package.
No sender.
No return address.
Raymond opened it under security supervision.
Inside was a photograph.
Emily.
Pregnant.
Taken outside the hospital two days earlier.
Behind her stood Daniel.
And in the reflection of the hospital window was Catherine.
Raymond's face hardened.
“She has someone watching you.”
Adrian stared at the photograph.
“No.”
“What?”
“She isn't watching Emily.”
He pointed to the background.
“She's watching Daniel.”
Everyone looked closer.
A small red circle had been drawn around Daniel's reflection.
Beneath it was a handwritten message.
HE KNOWS WHO THE FATHER IS.
Emily looked at Daniel.
He was standing across the room.
His face had gone completely white.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
She stepped closer.
“Who is the father of my baby?”
Daniel couldn't answer.
Emily's voice became colder.
“Tell me.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“It's not who you think.”
Emily's heart stopped.
“Then who?”
Daniel looked at Adrian.
Then Raymond.
Finally, he looked at Emily.
And said:
“Your father knows.”
Adrian's face went pale.
Emily stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian slowly shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Daniel whispered:
“Then we need to find the original paternity test.”
Emily looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because the first test was never about your father.”
He swallowed.
“It was about the baby's father.”
The room fell silent.
Emily's hand moved protectively over her stomach.
And somewhere inside the hospital's restricted archives, a medical record existed that could destroy every lie the Blackwell family had ever told her.
A record Catherine had tried to erase.
A record Daniel had been terrified to reveal.
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And a test result that would finally answer the question Emily had never thought she would have to ask:
Who was the father of her unborn child?
