Chapter 9 - WHOSE CHILD WAS I CARRYING?
I couldn’t speak.
Julian couldn’t either.
Liam had been dead for a year.
Yet someone had preserved his biological material.
The doctor explained the possibilities carefully.
“If samples were stored before his death, they could remain viable.”
My mother gripped the side of her chair.
“You’re telling me my daughter may be pregnant with a dead man’s child?”
The doctor’s expression was gentle.
“We don’t know yet.”
I felt numb.
Julian paced.
“Why would my mother do that?”
Hayes looked at him.
“Control.”
He said it like the answer was obvious.
Rachel stood in the doorway.
She had come from giving her statement.
Her son slept against her chest.
She heard enough.
“Because Liam’s child controls the trust.”
We all turned.
She entered.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Rachel sat down.
“Liam discovered something shortly before he died.”
She looked at Julian.
“The trust wasn’t written the way Eleanor told you.”
Julian frowned.
“What?”
“The eldest biological grandchild receives a controlling voting block at age twenty-five.”
Hayes nodded.
“We confirmed it.”
Rachel continued.
“Until then, the child’s legal guardian controls those shares.”
My skin went cold.
“Guardian.”
Rachel looked at me.
“Eleanor.”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Rachel’s voice hardened.
“If Liam and I married, I would have been our son’s guardian.”
“And Eleanor would lose control,” I whispered.
“Exactly.”
I looked down at my stomach.
“If she used Liam’s sample…”
Julian finished.
“She could create another heir.”
Rachel nodded.
“One she believed she could control through you.”
“But why me?”
Julian stopped pacing.
“Because we were already engaged.”
I looked at him.
He understood now.
“If your baby were biologically Liam’s but legally presumed mine after marriage…”
Hayes continued.
“Eleanor could manipulate paternity records, succession, and guardianship.”
I felt sick.
“She used my body to manufacture an heir.”
Nobody contradicted me.
I stood.
“I want the DNA test.”
The doctor nodded.
“We can compare fetal DNA with Liam’s preserved sample.”
“How soon?”
“We’ll prioritize it.”
Julian stepped toward me.
“Chloe…”
I raised my hand.
“No.”
He stopped.
“I can’t do this with you right now.”
“I love you.”
I laughed through tears.
“You loved me enough to let your mother humiliate me.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
The words silenced him.
“You chose her anyway.”
He looked destroyed.
Good.
I was done protecting his feelings.
Hayes received another call.
He walked into the hallway.
A minute later he returned.
His face was tense.
“What now?”
“Gordon Pike is ready to talk.”
Rachel stood.
“What does he want?”
“Full immunity from accessory charges.”
“Give it to him,” I said.
Hayes looked at me.
“I don’t control that.”
“Then tell whoever does that I’ll testify.”
Julian nodded.
“So will I.”
Rachel said, “Me too.”
Hayes left.
Three hours later, he returned with a recording from Gordon’s interview.
We listened.
Gordon’s voice shook.
“Eleanor wanted a backup heir.”
The prosecutor asked, “Whose biological material was used?”
Silence.
Then Gordon said it.
“Liam’s.”
My mother began crying.
I closed my eyes.
The prosecutor continued.
“Did Chloe Bennett consent?”
“No.”
“Was she conscious?”
“No.”
“Who performed the procedure?”
“Dr. Vale.”
“Who ordered it?”
Gordon swallowed.
“Eleanor Sterling.”
Then the prosecutor asked one final question.
“Why was Dr. Vale killed?”
The room went still.
May you like
Gordon’s answer came quietly.
“Because he started keeping records.”
