Chapter 5 - THE SECRETI read the message three times.
Who Lily's father really was.
It made no sense.
Lily and Sophie were twins.
Brandon was their father.
Wasn't he?
I looked at him.
“What does she mean?”
He didn't answer.
“Brandon.”
He stood near the window.
“I can't explain.”
“Then I'll ask Rachel.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she lied to me.”
“So did you.”
He closed his eyes.
“Emily, please.”
“Tell me.”
He sat down.
“There was a problem with the fertility clinic.”
My stomach tightened.
“What problem?”
“The donor records were mixed.”
I stared at him.
“What donor?”
“Our fertility treatment.”
We had gone through IVF after two years of trying to conceive.
Brandon had told me the clinic used his sperm.
But now…
“You're saying one of the babies might not be yours?”
“I don't know.”
“How long have you known?”
“Three months.”
I felt physically sick.
“Three months?”
He nodded.
“Rachel works in the legal department of the clinic.”
That explained her.
“She discovered the records.”
“What records?”
“A labeling error.”
My mind raced.
“Which baby?”
“We don't know.”
“Then why would Rachel say Lily?”
“She thinks she does.”
“What happened to the records?”
“They were sealed.”
“Why?”
“Because the clinic is under investigation.”
I stood.
“And you never told me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“No.”
I pointed at him.
“You were trying to protect yourself.”
He looked devastated.
“Emily, I love you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You love me?”
“I do.”
“You left me alone with newborn twins.”
He lowered his eyes.
“I know.”
“You stole our money.”
“I was scared.”
“You let your mother prepare to take our daughter.”
“I stopped her.”
“You signed the paperwork.”
“I never used it.”
“That doesn't make it okay.”
He looked at the floor.
Then his phone rang.
Rachel.
This time, he answered.
“Hello?”
I couldn't hear her.
His face changed.
“That's impossible.”
Silence.
“What?”
He listened.
Then whispered,
“Send it.”
He hung up.
“What did she say?”
He stared at me.
“The clinic found the original embryo records.”
“And?”
“They confirmed which embryo belonged to which sperm sample.”
I held my breath.
“Who is Lily's father?”
Brandon looked at me.
Then said the words that shattered the room.
“Neither of the twins may be mine.”
I sat down.
“What?”
He looked at his phone.
“Rachel is sending the report.”
A minute later, the file arrived.
I opened it.
Two names.
Two embryo numbers.
Two genetic profiles.
One belonged to Brandon.
The other did not.
But there was something else.
The unknown donor wasn't listed as anonymous.
There was a name.
A name Brandon knew.
I looked at him.
“Who is Daniel Reeves?”
Brandon didn't answer.
He just stared at the report.
Then I realized.
He knew exactly who Daniel Reeves was.
And suddenly, the missing money made sense.
May you like
Because the final page showed a payment.
$18,000 to Daniel Reeves.
