Chapter 10 - The Secret of the BabyNobody spoke for several seconds.

Ryan finally whispered:

"What did she mean?"

I looked at him.

"I don't know."

Mom did.

I could see it in her face.

"Mom?"

She closed her eyes.

"Emma..."

"Tell me."

She looked at Ryan.

Then back at me.

"There was a medical procedure."

My heart stopped.

"What procedure?"

"Three years ago."

"Before my wedding?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

She struggled for words.

"Because your fertility records were compromised."

I stared.

"What does that mean?"

"Someone had access to your medical files."

Ryan frowned.

"Who?"

Mom looked at me.

"Victor."

My stomach twisted.

"You're saying he interfered with my pregnancy?"

"Not exactly."

She handed me a report.

A fertility clinic.

A donor agreement.

My name.

My signature.

But I had never seen the document.

I read the last page.

Donor identity:

CLASSIFIED.

I looked at Mom.

"What is this?"

She whispered:

"They used your eggs."

My entire body went cold.

"What?"

"Your eggs were retrieved without your knowledge."

Ryan stepped backward.

"What are you saying?"

Mom looked at him.

"She was inseminated with an embryo created three years ago."

I stared at her.

"That's impossible."

"Your pregnancy was planned."

"By whom?"

Mom's eyes filled with tears.

"By the network."

Ryan's expression changed from confusion to horror.

"Why?"

"Because the baby carries Carter genetics."

I touched my stomach.

"You mean..."

"Your child was designed to become the future beneficiary of the trust."

The room spun.

"Then who is the father?"

Mom hesitated.

Ryan stepped forward.

"Tell her."

Mom looked at me.

"The sperm donor was selected from the Hayes family."

Ryan went completely pale.

"So the baby is mine."

Mom nodded.

"Genetically."

Relief hit me for one second.

Then Mom added:

"But there is another problem."

Ryan looked at her.

"What?"

"The sample wasn't from Ryan."

Silence.

Ryan's face went white.

"Whose was it?"

Mom looked at me.

"The records were altered."

I could barely speak.

"Then we don't know."

"No."

She took a breath.

"But we can find out."

"How?"

"DNA."

Ryan shook his head.

"We don't have time."

Mom pointed to the archive.

"We do."

Before we could move, the facility doors opened.

A man stepped inside.

Mr. Bennett.

My father's lawyer.

The man who had handled our wedding contract.

The man who had prepared the prenup.

The man who had advised my father for twenty years.

He looked at me.

Then at Ryan.

Then at Mom.

"Everyone is asking the wrong question."

I stared at him.

"What do you want?"

He smiled.

"I came to take back what belongs to the Carter family."

Mom raised her gun.

Bennett didn't flinch.

"Don't shoot."

"Why?"

"Because Richard will die."

I stepped forward.

"You kidnapped my father."

"No."

He looked at me.

"Your father was never kidnapped."

My blood froze.

"He came willingly."

Dad's lawyer smiled.

"He asked me to bring you here."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

Bennett opened his briefcase.

Inside was a DNA test.

He placed it on the table.

The result showed:

PATERNITY: 99.99%.

I looked at the name.

My heart stopped.

The biological father of my unborn child was not Ryan.

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