Chapter 6: The Child Brooke Buried in Her Past
I read the sentence again.
Then a third time.
Brooke Lawson gave birth to a child seven years ago.
My fingers went numb.
Seven years ago.
That was before Ethan and I divorced.
Before Brooke became his wife.
Before the baby shower.
I looked at my mother.
"Is this real?""
She nodded slowly.
"Your father received that letter shortly before he died.""
"Why didn't he tell me?""
"He wanted to investigate first. He was afraid Eleanor would find out.""
I looked back at the paper.
"Who was the father?""
My mother shook her head.
"The letter doesn't say.""
"Does it say where the child is?""
"No.""
I sat down.
For a few seconds, I couldn't think.
Then I remembered the letter from Brooke.
I need your assurance that Ethan will never discover the truth about the previous pregnancy.
I had assumed it referred to something involving Ethan.
But now I wasn't sure.
"Mom, did Dad ever meet Dr. Whitmore?""
"Yes. Several times.""
"Did they discuss the medical report?""
"I believe so.""
"Then why didn't Dad go to the police?""
My mother looked down.
"Because the doctor told him that the hospital records were incomplete. He couldn't prove who had authorized the changes without risking his own position.""
I stared at the letter.
"And Eleanor?""
"Your father believed she was protecting someone.""
"Brooke?""
"Possibly.""
I stood.
"Then I'm going to find out.""
My mother reached for my hand.
"Claire, please be careful.""
I nodded.
But I already knew where I needed to go.
The next morning, I called Natalie.
She answered immediately.
"Claire?""
"I need information about Brooke Lawson.""
There was a pause.
"What kind of information?""
"She had a child seven years ago.""
Natalie went quiet.
Then she whispered, "You found the letter.""
"Yes.""
"Claire, I was hoping you wouldn't.""
"Why?""
"Because I know something about that child.""
I gripped the phone.
"What?""
Natalie took a breath.
"Brooke was pregnant when she started working with the Cole family.""
"Who was the father?""
"I don't know.""
"Where is the child?""
"I believe the child was placed with another family.""
I closed my eyes.
"Adopted?""
"Something like that.""
"How can you be sure?""
"Because I was asked to prepare a set of documents for Eleanor.""
"What documents?""
"An agreement involving a private adoption.""
My heart pounded.
"Did Brooke sign it?""
"Yes.""
"Was Ethan involved?""
Natalie hesitated.
"That's the part I can't explain.""
"What do you mean?""
"At the time, Ethan was still married to you. But Eleanor instructed me to prepare documents naming Ethan as the biological father.""
I nearly dropped the phone.
"What?""
"I didn't understand it either. I asked whether the information was correct.""
"And what did she say?""
Natalie lowered her voice.
"She said the father didn't matter. What mattered was keeping the child away from the family until the inheritance issue was resolved.""
I stared at the kitchen wall.
"Did Ethan know?""
"I don't think so.""
"Why would she name him as the father?""
"I don't know, Claire.""
I closed my eyes.
A terrible thought began forming.
"What if Brooke's child was Ethan's?""
Natalie didn't answer.
And somehow, that silence was more frightening than anything she could have said.
At eleven, I met Natalie at a small office building in Midtown.
She looked different from the confident assistant I remembered.
Her hair was tied back.
Her hands were trembling.
She carried a thick folder.
"Thank you for coming," she said.
I sat across from her.
"Show me everything.""
She opened the folder.
Inside were copies of emails, financial statements, and several documents with Eleanor's signature.
The first document was an adoption arrangement.
The child's name had been covered.
The birth mother was listed as Brooke Lawson.
The father was listed as unknown.
But someone had written a note in the margin.
Possible Cole heir. Pending confirmation.
I stared at the words.
"Possible Cole heir?""
Natalie nodded.
"That was Eleanor's wording.""
"Why would a child born to Brooke be considered a Cole heir?""
"Because she suspected Ethan might be the father.""
I felt sick.
"How could that happen?""
Natalie looked uncomfortable.
"Before your divorce, Brooke was working as an assistant on one of Ethan's business projects. She spent a lot of time around him.""
I stared at her.
"Are you saying they had an affair?""
"I don't know. I never saw anything inappropriate.""
"Then why would Eleanor suspect it?""
"Because Brooke told her something.""
"What?""
Natalie hesitated.
"She said the child was conceived during a period when she and Ethan were involved.""
My chest tightened.
I remembered the months before the divorce.
Ethan coming home late.
His phone always face down.
The sudden passwords.
The unexplained business trips.
Every time I had asked, he said I was imagining things.
I had blamed myself for becoming suspicious.
Now the memories came rushing back.
"Did Ethan know Brooke was pregnant?""
Natalie shook her head.
"According to Eleanor, he didn't.""
"Then who arranged the adoption?""
"Eleanor.""
"Why?""
"She believed that if the child was legally connected to Ethan, it would complicate the family trust while you were still married.""
I leaned forward.
"But why not tell Ethan after the divorce?""
Natalie looked down.
"Because Brooke changed her mind.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"She didn't want to give up the child.""
"Then where is the child?""
Natalie opened another document.
It was a financial transfer.
A payment had been made to a private family foundation.
The description read:
*Child Placement and Continuing Support.*
The date was seven years earlier.
"That foundation," Natalie said, "was controlled by Eleanor.""
I looked at the amount.
It was enormous.
"Who received the money?""
Natalie pointed to the bottom.
A family name.
I read it.
Then read it again.
The name belonged to a private children's home in Connecticut.
I stood.
"I want the address.""
Natalie quickly wrote it down.
"Claire, wait.""
I turned.
"What?""
"There's something else.""
She removed one final document.
It was an email from Eleanor to Brooke.
You must understand that the child cannot be acknowledged until Ethan has produced a legitimate heir within the family.
I frowned.
"Legitimate heir?""
Natalie nodded.
"That's why the baby shower matters.""
I stared at her.
"Explain.""
"Eleanor has been trying to secure the family inheritance for years. She wanted Ethan to have a child with someone she considered suitable. If Brooke's baby is born and registered as Ethan's child, the trust becomes much harder to challenge.""
I looked at the document.
"But what about my twins?""
Natalie swallowed.
"Your twins are already six. If their paternity is confirmed, they may have rights that Eleanor cannot easily take away.""
I felt a cold wave move through me.
"Then why is she so interested in Brooke's pregnancy?""
Natalie looked directly at me.
"Because she may be planning to use Brooke's baby to challenge your children's position.""
That afternoon, I drove to Connecticut.
I didn't tell Ethan.
I didn't tell Brooke.
And I didn't tell Eleanor.
I left Lily and Leo with my mother, telling them I had an important meeting.
The children's home was a modest brick building surrounded by trees.
A small playground stood behind a white fence.
I parked across the street and stared at the entrance.
A woman in her fifties answered when I rang the bell.
"Can I help you?""
"My name is Claire Bennett. I'm looking for information about a child placed here seven years ago.""
Her expression changed.
"Do you have an appointment?""
"No.""
"Then I'm afraid I can't help you.""
I took out the document Natalie had given me.
She looked at it.
Then her eyes widened slightly.
"Where did you get that?""
"From someone who worked for Eleanor Cole.""
The woman stepped back.
"Please come inside.""
Her name was Patricia.
She led me into a small office.
There were children's drawings on the walls and a photograph of several families standing beneath a Christmas tree.
I sat down.
"I'm trying to find a child whose birth mother was Brooke Lawson.""
Patricia folded her hands.
"That arrangement was handled privately.""
"Was the child adopted?""
"Yes.""
"By whom?""
She looked uncomfortable.
"I'm not authorized to disclose that.""
I placed the financial transfer on her desk.
"This money came from Eleanor Cole.""
Patricia looked at it.
Then she closed the office door.
"Mrs. Cole was very particular about the arrangement.""
"Did she visit the child?""
"Several times.""
"Did Brooke?""
Patricia nodded.
"Initially.""
"Initially?""
"She visited for a few months. Then the visits stopped.""
My throat tightened.
"Why?""
"I was told she had decided to move on.""
I stared at her.
"Did the child know who his mother was?""
Patricia looked down.
"She was too young to understand.""
I took a breath.
"Was it a boy or a girl?""
Patricia hesitated.
Then she said, "A girl.""
A girl.
Seven years old.
Almost the same age as Lily and Leo.
I looked at the family photographs.
"Is she still here?""
Patricia shook her head.
"No. She was adopted when she was two.""
"By whom?""
Patricia looked at me for a long moment.
Then she stood.
"I need to speak with my director.""
She left the room.
I waited.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Finally, Patricia returned.
She carried a small photograph.
I took it.
A little girl stood in front of a birthday cake.
She had dark brown hair, a tiny nose, and a smile that looked strangely familiar.
On the back was a handwritten name.
*Sophie.*
I looked up.
"Who adopted her?""
Patricia swallowed.
"The adoption was arranged through a private agency. But I remember the family because they came here with Mrs. Cole.""
"Who?""
Patricia lowered her voice.
"Brooke Lawson's parents.""
I stared at her.
"Brooke's parents adopted their own granddaughter?""
She nodded.
"They raised her as their daughter.""
My head spun.
Brooke had given birth to a child.
Eleanor had arranged for that child to be raised as Brooke's younger sister.
And somehow, the Cole family had managed to bury the truth.
"Does Brooke still see her?""
"She visits occasionally.""
"Does Sophie know?""
"No.""
I sat back.
A little girl was growing up believing her mother was her older sister.
And the woman celebrating a new baby in a luxury hotel ballroom had been hiding a child for seven years.
I looked at Patricia.
"Was Ethan ever told?""
She shook her head.
"Not to my knowledge.""
I put the photograph into my purse.
Then I asked the question that had been bothering me since I read Natalie's documents.
"Why did Eleanor think Ethan was the father?""
Patricia's face changed.
She looked toward the office door.
Then she whispered:
"Because Brooke told her that he was.""
I stood.
"Did she have proof?""
Patricia nodded.
"She brought a photograph.""
"What photograph?""
Patricia opened a drawer and removed a small envelope.
Inside was a picture of Brooke standing beside a man.
The photograph was grainy, but the man's face was unmistakable.
Ethan.
I felt the air leave my lungs.
He was younger, wearing the same gray suit I remembered from our anniversary dinner.
Brooke stood close to him, one hand resting on his arm.
On the back was a date.
Seven years earlier.
Three months before our final fertility appointment.
I stared at the photograph.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Ethan.
Claire, I need you to come to the hospital. Brooke has been admitted. Something is wrong with the baby.
A second message appeared immediately.
My mother is here. She says you know about Sophie.
I stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
This one was from an unknown number.
If you want to protect Lily and Leo, don't let Ethan sign the papers.
I looked up at Patricia.
"What papers?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
My phone rang again.
Ethan.
I answered.
His voice was panicked.
"Claire, listen to me. My mother has brought a lawyer. She wants me to sign something before Brooke goes into surgery.""
"What does it say?""
"I haven't read it.""
"Then don't sign anything!""
He went silent.
Then he whispered:
"Claire, the document says that my unborn baby is the only legitimate heir to the Cole family.""
My blood ran cold.
And before I could respond, Ethan said:
"There's a second page.""
"What does it say?""
His voice broke.
"It says I'm declaring that I have no other biological children.""
I closed my eyes.
Eleanor wasn't simply hiding the past.
May you like
She was trying to erase my children from the future.
And this time, I wasn't going to let her.
