Chapter 6 - THE SECOND BABY
Emma looked at Derek.
He no longer had an explanation ready.
That frightened her.
“What does Brittany’s child have to do with mine?”
Derek said:
“Nothing.”
Brittany laughed bitterly.
“You told me everything depended on timing.”
Emma turned toward her.
“What timing?”
“The babies.”
Brittany sat.
Her hands were shaking.
“Derek kept asking my due date. He wanted to know whether my baby could be born before yours.”
Emma’s blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“I didn’t know.”
Luca’s attorney entered after Emma waved him in.
He examined the beneficiary document.
Then requested a copy of the Hayes trust.
Twenty minutes later, the answer emerged.
Michael Hayes had feared exactly what William might try.
The trust passed the shares to Emma at age thirty or upon the birth of her first biological child.
But another clause existed.
If Emma died without a surviving child, the interest moved into a separate family line connected to Michael’s original business partners.
William Morrison had interpreted that clause aggressively.
His attorneys claimed Derek, as the intended spouse, might gain management rights through marital agreements.
If Emma’s child were not Derek’s, those arguments weakened.
Emma understood why Derek demanded the paternity test.
Not because he truly doubted her.
Because he needed legal proof connecting himself to the baby before attempting control of the trust.
Brittany whispered:
“So why my baby?”
The attorney looked at Derek.
Derek said nothing.
Luca answered.
“Insurance.”
Brittany frowned.
“What?”
“Derek intended to create a second family relationship capable of supporting a future claim.”
Emma stared at him.
“That sounds insane.”
“It may fail legally.”
“Then why do it?”
Luca looked at Derek.
“Because people planning fraud often misunderstand how much a document can accomplish.”
Derek snapped:
“I didn’t plan fraud.”
Emma stood slowly.
“Then explain why you told Brittany our daughter might not survive.”
Silence.
Brittany’s face changed.
“He never said that.”
Emma looked at her.
“You just said he told you your child would inherit if something happened to mine.”
Brittany’s hand covered her mouth.
The meaning reached her slowly.
“Oh my God.”
Derek stepped toward her.
“Don’t start.”
She backed away.
“Did you know Emma had complications?”
Emma froze.
Derek’s face changed.
Luca noticed.
“What complications?”
Emma answered:
“High blood pressure. They almost induced me at thirty-six weeks.”
Brittany looked horrified.
“Derek told me your pregnancy was unstable.”
Emma’s heart started pounding.
“How did he know details?”
She had not told him everything.
Not after discovering the affair.
Then she remembered.
Her obstetric portal.
Derek knew her password.
He had helped her set it up months ago.
Luca’s attorney immediately asked Emma to authorize an access audit.
Hospital IT checked.
There were multiple logins from Derek’s phone.
One occurred while Emma was in labor.
Another after delivery.
He had reviewed medical notes before entering the maternity floor.
Emma looked at him.
“You knew she was healthy.”
He said nothing.
“You knew our daughter was fine.”
Still nothing.
“And you still came here pretending you needed proof she was yours.”
Derek’s face hardened.
“I needed time.”
“For what?”
No answer.
Then the hospital’s compliance officer entered carrying another report.
“There’s something else Ms. Hayes should know.”
Emma felt suddenly afraid to hear anything else.
The officer continued:
“Someone attempted to add an authorization to your electronic chart yesterday.”
“What kind?”
“Permission for release of newborn genetic material to an outside laboratory.”
Luca’s eyes darkened.
Emma whispered:
“Who requested it?”
The officer looked at the form.
“Derek Morrison.”
Brittany stepped backward.
Emma stared at him.
“Why did you want my baby’s DNA sent outside the hospital?”
Derek opened his mouth.
William interrupted.
“Don’t answer.”
Everyone turned.
There it was.
A father protecting a son.
Again.
Luca looked at William.
“So you knew.”
William remained silent.
Then Emma asked the question none of them expected.
“What were you really testing for?”
William’s eyes moved toward Luca.
Only for a second.
But Luca saw it.
His expression changed.
“No.”
Emma looked at him.
“What?”
Luca stared at the genetic-release form.
Then whispered:
“They weren’t only testing paternity.”
“What else?”
May you like
He looked through the nursery glass at Emma’s daughter.
“The Moretti bloodline.”
