Chapter 6 - Adrian’s Mother
Adrian stepped away from the bed.
“My mother was Elizabeth Bennett.”
Charles closed his eyes.
“Elizabeth raised you. She loved you. But she did not give birth to you.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“Who did?”
Charles looked toward the closed hospital door.
“Her name was Celeste Vale.”
Maya recognized the surname.
Vale Medical Group owned the private hospital where she planned to deliver.
The group controlled six hospitals, several fertility clinics, and a major genetics laboratory.
Its chairwoman, Dr. Celeste Vale, was one of the wealthiest women in the state.
She also sat on the Bennett Capital board.
Adrian sank into a chair.
“I’ve known Celeste my entire life.”
“She made sure of that,” Charles replied.
“Why would she give me away?”
“She didn’t give you away willingly.”
Charles explained in broken pieces.
Twenty-seven years earlier, Celeste had been a young medical researcher working at Northstar House. She became pregnant during a secret relationship with Thomas Bennett, Adrian’s adoptive father.
Thomas was married to Elizabeth and refused to leave her.
Celeste gave birth to Adrian in private.
Diane, then Northstar’s financial administrator, discovered the affair.
She arranged for Elizabeth and Thomas to adopt the baby without revealing Celeste’s identity.
In exchange, Diane demanded money and influence.
“Where does Maya fit into this?” Lena asked.
Charles’s hands trembled.
“Celeste did not recover after losing Adrian. She became obsessed with maternal inheritance, bloodlines, and genetic compatibility. She believed she could prove that children were shaped more by biology than love.”
Maya felt sick.
“She experimented on babies?”
“Not at first. Northstar was supposed to help mothers in crisis. But Celeste began collecting medical data without consent. Diane found wealthy couples willing to pay for infants with preferred traits.”
Lena’s face twisted with disgust.
“And Mom?”
“Evelyn worked there as a nurse. When she gave birth to twins, Celeste selected one child for placement.”
“Me,” Maya said.
Charles nodded.
“Why?”
“Because your blood type and genetic markers matched something Celeste was studying.”
Maya’s hand moved instinctively to her stomach.
“What?”
Charles looked at Adrian again.
“You and Adrian share a rare immune-system profile.”
The room became silent.
Maya’s thoughts raced toward the worst possibility.
“Are we related?”
“No,” Charles said quickly. “Not by blood.”
Adrian exhaled.
“But Celeste believed that a child conceived by two people with those profiles would possess a combination she had been trying to recreate for decades.”
“Our son,” Maya whispered.
Charles nodded.
“That is why they prepared Northstar House.”
Adrian’s face became deadly calm.
“Celeste arranged our marriage?”
“No. She monitored both of you. When you met independently, she saw it as fate.”
Maya remembered her first meeting with Adrian at a charity literacy event.
Celeste Vale had sponsored the event.
She had introduced Maya to the director who seated her beside Adrian.
It had seemed accidental.
Now nothing felt accidental.
“Diane wants money,” Lena said. “Celeste wants the baby. Why are they working together?”
“They aren’t,” Charles replied. “Not anymore.”
He explained that Diane had stolen research, adoption records, and financial documents from Celeste. For years, Diane blackmailed both Celeste and the Bennett family.
The blue ledger was her protection.
Evelyn eventually stole it and threatened exposure.
Diane returned Maya but kept copies of everything.
“Then who took the ledger from the bank?” Adrian asked.
“I don’t know.”
“You expect us to believe that?”
Charles looked ashamed.
“There were three groups searching for it. Diane. Celeste. And someone Evelyn trusted.”
“Who?”
Charles shook his head.
“She never told me.”
Maya stood slowly.
“Why did Diane kidnap you?”
“She believed I knew where Evelyn hid the ledger.”
“And do you?”
“No.”
“It was stolen from us.”
Charles looked alarmed.
“Then Celeste may already have it.”
Reed entered the room after receiving permission from the doctors.
He listened to Charles’s statement and immediately requested warrants for Vale Medical Group records and Celeste’s properties.
Within an hour, Celeste’s attorneys obtained an injunction blocking broad access to patient information.
The legal battle began before the police reached the hospital parking lot.
Celeste herself called Adrian that afternoon.
He placed the call on speaker.
“Adrian,” she said warmly, “I heard Charles has been unwell.”
“You know what he told us.”
A quiet pause.
“Charles has suffered neurological damage.”
“Are you my biological mother?”
Celeste did not answer immediately.
“Yes.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Maya reached for his hand.
“Did you plan to take our baby?” he asked.
“No.”
“Then why was there a hospital bracelet with his name in Northstar House?”
“I have no knowledge of that.”
“Diane controls the property through your former foundation.”
“Diane controls many things she stole from me.”
Celeste’s voice remained calm.
“Maya, I know you’re listening.”
Maya leaned toward the phone.
“Stay away from my child.”
“I have no intention of harming your son.”
“You watched me.”
“I protected you.”
“You manipulated our lives.”
“I created opportunities. You made your own choices.”
Maya’s anger sharpened.
“Did you take me from my mother?”
“No.”
“Did you select me?”
Celeste remained silent.
That silence was an answer.
Adrian spoke.
“If you come near my wife or son, I will destroy every company you own.”
Celeste sighed.
“You still sound like Thomas when you’re afraid.”
The call ended.
That evening, Diane contacted Maya from a new number.
ONE PERSON IN THAT HOSPITAL ROOM LIED TO YOU.
Maya replied for the first time.
WHO?
Diane sent a photograph.
It showed Charles standing beside Evelyn three months before Evelyn’s death.
They were arguing outside Northstar House.
May you like
On the back of the photograph, Evelyn had written:
CHARLES KNOWS WHY MAYA’S BABY CANNOT BE BORN AT VALE MEMORIAL.
