Chapter 6 - The Woman Chloe Was Carrying
At twenty-eight weeks, Emily's pregnancy became medically complicated.
One twin showed signs of growth restriction.
Dr. Voss insisted she relocate from the underground residence to a hidden wing of Blackwood Memorial Hospital.
Emily resisted.
"No hospitals."
"Emily."
"No."
"You need continuous monitoring."
"What if Julian has people there?"
Garrison answered.
"That wing doesn't officially exist."
It had been built beneath the foundation's research center for high-security medical cases.
Private entrances.
Independent records.
Hand-selected staff.
Emily moved reluctantly.
During the first night, she woke to find Garrison asleep in a chair outside her door.
He had been doing that for months.
Never inside unless invited.
Always close enough to protect her.
Their relationship had changed.
Not romantic.
Never romantic.
It was deeper than the gossip Julian would later invent.
Garrison had become the family Emily had lost when Julian destroyed hers.
At thirty weeks, Ross arrived with news.
Chloe's pregnancy had ended.
Not in miscarriage.
In disappearance.
Emily sat upright.
"What does that mean?"
"She was admitted for premature contractions yesterday. According to hospital records, she was discharged twelve hours later."
"And?"
"She says she was never pregnant."
Emily stared.
"That's impossible."
"Her social media accounts have been wiped. Julian's office says the announcement was a misunderstanding."
Garrison swore quietly.
"What happened to the baby?"
"We don't know."
Emily threw back the blanket.
Voss blocked her.
"Where are you going?"
"To find her."
"You're thirty weeks pregnant with twins."
"Then find me a wheelchair."
Garrison almost smiled despite the situation.
Ross showed them security footage.
Chloe entered the clinic visibly pregnant.
Hours later, she left through an underground garage.
Her abdomen appeared flat beneath an oversized coat.
Beside her walked Julian.
Neither looked distressed.
Emily replayed the footage.
"Stop."
Ross paused.
"Back three seconds."
He did.
A nurse pushed a covered neonatal bassinet behind them.
Emily leaned toward the monitor.
"There."
The nurse's badge carried the same two-circle symbol.
Garrison's expression darkened.
Ross identified her as Miriam Holt.
She had worked at Rebecca's hospital eight years earlier.
The connection was undeniable.
"Where is she now?"
"Missing."
They traced her vehicle to a private airfield.
Flight records listed a Blackwood Biomedical plane departing for Switzerland.
Garrison called his brother for the first time in eleven years.
Conrad answered immediately.
"Garrison."
Garrison's voice was ice.
"Where is the child?"
Silence.
Then Conrad laughed.
"So you've finally understood."
"Where is she?"
Emily's eyes widened.
She.
Conrad continued.
"You're still sentimental."
"You used Rebecca."
"I perfected what Rebecca began."
Garrison's hand tightened around the phone.
"My daughter did not participate in this."
"You never knew your daughter."
"Where is Chloe's baby?"
"Not Chloe's."
Emily felt the room turn cold.
Garrison glanced at her.
Conrad said, "Surely your investigators have reached the genetic files."
Ross silently opened his laptop.
"Whose child is she?" Garrison asked.
Conrad answered.
"Rebecca's."
The room stopped.
Garrison did not move.
Emily stared at Ross.
He began typing rapidly.
"That's impossible," Emily whispered.
Conrad heard.
"Is Emily there?"
Garrison disconnected.
Ross pulled a hidden laboratory record.
Eight years earlier, after Rebecca's miscarriage, one viable embryo remained cryopreserved.
It had been transferred.
Not into Rebecca.
Into Chloe.
Eight years later.
Emily covered her mouth.
"Garrison."
He did not answer.
May you like
His granddaughter had just been born.
And disappeared.
