Chapter 3: Clara’s Secret Payment
Daniel held Karen’s phone like it was burning in his hand.
“What does this mean?” he asked.
Karen shook her head. “It’s not what it looks like.”
Emily’s voice was weak but sharp. “It looks like Clara wanted my baby dead.”
“No!” Karen said. “She only wanted information.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened. “What information?”
Karen looked at the doctor. “Please, I’ll lose my job.”
“You should have thought about that before texting a woman who attacked my fiancée,” Daniel said.
Karen broke. “Clara paid me.”
Emily closed her eyes. “For what?”
“To tell her when you came for checkups. To tell her if the baby was healthy.”
Daniel stepped back, stunned. “How long?”
“Three months.”
“Three months?” Emily whispered. “You were watching my pregnancy?”
Karen cried. “I needed money. My brother has debts.”
Daniel leaned closer. “Did Clara ask you to harm Emily?”
Karen looked down.
“Answer me,” Daniel said.
“She asked if there was a way to make labor happen early.”
The doctor immediately called security.
Emily started shaking. “Daniel…”
He returned to her side. “I’m here.”
Karen sobbed. “I refused that part. I swear. I only gave her records.”
Daniel’s phone rang.
It was Victoria.
He answered on speaker. “Mom.”
Victoria’s voice was calm. Too calm. “Where are you?”
“At the hospital.”
“Is the baby alive?”
Daniel looked at Emily.
“Why would you ask it like that?”
Victoria paused. “I meant… is everything all right?”
“No. Clara paid a nurse to spy on Emily.”
Another pause.
Then Victoria said, “Don’t involve the police.”
Emily stared at the phone.
Daniel’s voice dropped. “Why?”
“Because scandal will destroy the family.”
“My child almost died.”
“And if that child is not yours?”
The room froze.
Emily whispered, “What?”
Daniel’s face turned pale. “Mom, what did you just say?”
Victoria sighed. “There are things you don’t know about Emily.”
Emily pushed herself up despite the pain. “That’s a lie.”
Victoria replied, “Then ask her why she met your brother two weeks before she announced the pregnancy.”
Daniel looked at Emily.
Emily’s eyes widened. “I met Michael because he called me.”
“For what?” Daniel asked.
Before she could answer, the hospital doors opened.
May you like
Michael walked in, bruised, bleeding, and holding a torn envelope.
“Because I found the DNA report your mother forged.”
