Chapter 4 - Victor Had Planned Something Before I Went Into Labor
Victor refused to return to my room.
Good.
Claire moved us to another maternity suite down the hall after the original became part of the hospital review.
My daughter stayed with me the entire time.
Her identity was confirmed through the delivery record, nursing chain, matching maternal identifiers, and the staff who had never let her out of secured care.
Nobody had switched my baby.
That should have been the biggest relief of my life.
Instead I kept staring at her ankle.
The replacement bracelet remained in a sealed evidence bag now.
Claire had applied a fresh verified band.
“Does this happen?”
I asked.
“Duplicate records happen.”
She adjusted the blanket.
“This?”
“No.”
“Did you know before Marcus walked in?”
“I knew something was wrong.”
“What?”
Claire sat beside the bed.
“Your daughter’s original band scanned normally after delivery.”
“Then?”
“About fifteen minutes later, the system asked us to reconcile a second infant profile.”
“Who saw it?”
“Me.”
“Did you tell Julian?”
Her face changed slightly.
“I asked him whether anyone had discussed a privacy registration.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did he say?”
“That his father handled family security.”
I closed my eyes.
Julian had known enough to have an answer ready.
“Then what?”
“I told him nobody handles newborn identity except hospital staff.”
Good.
“He got angry?”
“No.”
That surprised me.
“He got nervous.”
Claire continued.
“He asked whether both profiles could remain until your discharge.”
“Why?”
“He said his father would explain.”
There it was.
“Did you tell Marcus?”
“I escalated the duplicate.”
“And?”
“Ten minutes later I saw Julian beside the bassinet.”
My heartbeat changed.
“Doing what?”
“Standing there.”
“Touching her?”
Claire took time.
“His hand was near the band.”
I stared.
“Did you see him remove it?”
“No.”
Important.
“Then?”
“I got called to the medication room. When I returned, the original band no longer scanned on your daughter.”
“Because it had been replaced.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ask Julian?”
“Before I could, Victor arrived.”
Then the shouting.
The kick.
The slap.
Dad.
Everything happened before Claire could stop the room.
I looked toward the hallway.
Julian was not permitted back in.
“What would the second profile have done?”
Claire shook her head.
“Not much by itself.”
That mattered.
“No one could simply walk out with your baby because a different record existed.”
“So why create it?”
“I don't know.”
A real mystery.
Not a magic loophole.
Marcus came in twenty minutes later.
He had spoken with Victor.
“How did that go?”
“Victor Hayes believes volume is evidence.”
Dad almost smiled from the sofa.
Marcus looked at me.
“He says the second record was intended for privacy.”
“Same as eleven years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Who asked him to create it?”
“He says Julian.”
I stared.
Julian had said Victor.
Of course.
“What can you prove?”
Marcus appreciated the question.
“The request originated through the concierge liaison attached to Victor's hospital-donor account.”
“So Victor.”
“His account.”
“Not necessarily him.”
“Correct.”
Dad frowned.
“Why are we being fair?”
Marcus looked at him.
“Because being angry doesn't improve facts.”
Dad leaned back.
I almost smiled.
Then Marcus said:
“There is another detail.”
“What?”
“The request was submitted six days ago.”
I looked at him.
I had not gone into labor until that morning.
“Okay.”
Marcus continued:
“It specified ‘male infant.’”
The room went very still.
Claire looked at me.
I stared at Marcus.
“How?”
“That's what we're trying to understand.”
Julian and Victor hadn't merely hoped for a boy.
Someone had created the second record believing they already knew I was carrying one.
May you like
But Julian and I had deliberately refused to learn the sex.
At least I had.
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