Chapter 3: The Woman at the Door
The woman didn't move.
Neither did I.
For a heartbeat, the only sound in the room was the baby's soft cry.
Then Luke stepped between us.
“Rachel, you need to leave.””
Her face twisted.
“Don't call me that.””
“Not here.””
“You said she'd be safe.””
“I said I'd fix it.””
“You promised me.””
The nurse manager immediately moved toward the doorway.
“Ma'am, who are you?””
Rachel's eyes never left Luke.
“You know who I am.””
“I need your name.””
“Madison Hale.””
Luke closed his eyes.
Eli whispered, “That's her.””
I looked at the woman again.
“Your name is Madison?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did my stepson call you Rachel?””
Her face changed.
Just for a second.
Then she looked at Luke.
He didn't meet her eyes.
“Because Rachel is my middle name,” she said.
I knew she was lying.
I didn't know how.
But I knew.
“Where is your baby?”” I asked.
Madison's face crumpled.
“That's what I came to find out.””
She pointed toward the bassinet.
“She was born at 8:31.””
The nurse manager checked the tablet.
“Yes.””
“Her name is Ava.””
Luke said nothing.
Madison looked at him.
“You told me she'd be here.””
“I told you I'd handle it.””
“You said no one would get hurt.””
“I know.””
“Then where is my daughter?””
I looked at Luke.
He couldn't even look at me.
My voice came out almost inaudibly.
“Luke.””
He finally met my eyes.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
He swallowed.
“There was a mistake.””
Madison laughed bitterly.
“A mistake?””
She stepped into the room.
“You switched them.””
The nurse manager stiffened.
“Sir?””
Luke shook his head.
“No.””
Madison pointed at him.
“You switched my daughter with hers.””
I looked at my baby.
June.
My little girl.
The pink-and-white blanket.
The tiny fingers.
The face I had stared at for less than an hour.
My mind couldn't accept what my eyes were seeing.
I looked down at the chart.
Then at the bracelet.
Then at Madison.
“You're saying that's your baby?””
“Yes.””
“And mine?””
Madison's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't know.””
That answer hurt more than anything.
I looked at Luke.
“What did you do to my daughter?””
“Claire—”
“Where is she?””
“I didn't hurt her.””
“Where is she?””
His voice dropped.
“She was taken upstairs.””
The nurse manager froze.
“What?””
Luke's eyes widened.
“I meant—”
“You said upstairs,” I whispered.
He stopped.
The nurse manager turned toward the hallway.
“Security.””
Luke immediately reached for her arm.
“No, wait.””
She pulled away.
“Don't touch me.””
“Please.””
“Where is the second infant?””
Luke looked at the floor.
“I don't know.””
Madison screamed.
“You said she was alive!””
“She is!””
“How do you know?””
Luke said nothing.
Madison rushed toward him.
“You told me she'd be mine again!””
The nurse manager stepped between them.
“Everyone needs to calm down.””
I couldn't.
My body was shaking.
The C-section incision burned beneath my gown, but I barely felt it.
I kept hearing Eli's voice.
That's not your sister.
Dad switched them.
I looked at him.
“Eli.””
He came closer.
“Did you see where Dad took my baby?””
He nodded.
“Where?””
“The elevator.””
Luke immediately said, “Eli, stop.””
I ignored him.
“Which floor?””
Eli looked frightened.
“Six.””
The nurse manager's face changed.
There was no maternity ward on the sixth floor.
Only administrative offices and several locked surgical recovery rooms.
“What did you see?”” I asked.
Eli swallowed.
“Dad carried the baby in a blanket.””
“Which baby?””
“The one with the strawberry mark.””
Madison covered her mouth.
“I saw it too,” she whispered.
I turned toward her.
“What?””
“When they brought my baby to me, she had a red mark on her shoulder.””
She pointed at the infant beside us.
“She doesn't.””
The nurse manager stared at the baby.
Then at Madison.
Then at Luke.
“Sir, I need you to stay here.””
Luke backed away.
“I need to make a phone call.””
“No.””
“My attorney—”
“No.””
He suddenly ran.
The nurse shouted.
Security personnel appeared in the hallway almost instantly.
Luke made it three steps before they grabbed him.
Eli screamed.
“Dad!””
Luke struggled.
“Claire!””
I stared at him.
For the first time, I saw the man I had married without the mask.
Not the devoted husband.
Not the father.
Not the man who held my hand during ultrasounds.
A man who had been caught.
A man who knew exactly where my daughter was.
“Tell me where she is!”” I shouted.
Luke stopped fighting.
His eyes found mine.
“I didn't take her.””
“Then who did?””
His lips parted.
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
One of the security officers pulled it from his pocket.
The screen showed an unknown number.
The nurse manager answered on speaker.
Nobody spoke.
Then a man's voice came through.
“You have ten minutes.””
The nurse manager frowned.
“Who is this?””
The voice ignored her.
“After that, the baby leaves the hospital.””
My heart stopped.
Luke whispered, “No.””
The man continued.
“Bring Madison.””
Madison stepped backward.
“No.””
“And bring Claire.””
I felt cold all over.
The voice gave a final instruction.
“Come to the sixth floor alone.””
The call ended.
Nobody moved.
Then Eli suddenly looked at me.
His face had gone completely pale.
“Mommy…”
“What?””
He pointed toward the hallway.
“The man on the phone.””
I waited.
“He's the man Dad was talking to.””
My blood ran cold.
“Did you see him?””
Eli nodded.
“Where?””
He stared at Luke.
May you like
Then whispered,
“He was wearing Dad's wedding ring.””
