Chapter 13 - THE BABY
The delivery room became a storm of voices.
Doctors.
Nurses.
Machines.
Ryan stood beside me.
I could barely hear him.
“Stay with me.”
I squeezed his hand.
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“I don't know if she can survive.”
“She will.”
My daughter's heartbeat suddenly slowed.
The monitor alarm screamed.
Doctors moved faster.
“We're losing her.”
I cried.
“No.”
The doctor looked at me.
“We need to deliver now.”
I closed my eyes.
“Please save her.”
Then everything became chaos.
When I woke, there was silence.
No contractions.
No shouting.
Only the quiet beep of a machine.
I turned my head.
Ryan was crying.
“Where is she?”
He looked at me.
“She made it.”
I started crying.
“She made it?”
“She weighs two pounds, eleven ounces.”
I covered my face.
“She fought.”
Ryan kissed my forehead.
“She looks like you.”
For the first time in weeks, I smiled.
Then Detective Hayes entered.
She looked exhausted.
“We caught Victor.”
I sat up.
“What happened?”
“He tried to leave the country.”
“And Melissa?”
“Arrested.”
I nodded.
Then Detective Hayes placed a folder on the table.
“There is one last thing.”
“What?”
“Your father's death.”
She opened the folder.
“We found evidence that Victor arranged the crash.”
My hands shook.
“And Ryan?”
“He was telling the truth.”
I looked at my husband.
He looked away.
Detective Hayes continued.
“Your father had uncovered a money-laundering operation involving Victor, Daniel, and several executives.”
“And Melissa?”
“She was recruited later.”
“What about Ryan?”
“He was manipulated.”
I looked at him.
“Why didn't he tell me?”
Detective Hayes sighed.
“Because he was twenty-two and terrified.”
Ryan whispered:
“I thought keeping you away from it would keep you safe.”
I looked toward the window.
Maybe he had made terrible choices.
But he had also saved my life.
And our daughter's.
Then Detective Hayes said:
“There's something else in your father's file.”
She handed me a photograph.
It showed my father holding a baby.
I frowned.
“That isn't me.”
“No.”
I stared at the picture.
“Then who is that?”
Detective Hayes looked at me.
“That's the child Victor believed your father had secretly inherited.”
My heart stopped.
“Who?”
May you like
She whispered:
“Your half-sister.”
