Chapter 3 — The Missing Doctor
Claire stayed with her sister Rebecca, who worked as a hospital administrator.
She showed Rebecca the ultrasound image Vanessa had sent Nathan.
The image displayed a healthy fetus at approximately twelve weeks.
A clinic name appeared at the top.
Westbridge Women’s Center.
Rebecca examined it carefully.
“Ultrasound images are easy to copy,” she said. “But clinics usually include patient identification numbers and exact timestamps.”
“This one has a timestamp.”
“It may be real. That doesn’t mean it belongs to Vanessa.”
Rebecca searched the clinic’s public records.
Westbridge existed, but the doctor named on Vanessa’s paperwork—Dr. Martin Vale—did not appear on the staff list.
Claire called the office.
She pretended she was trying to confirm the address before an appointment.
“Does Dr. Vale still work there?” she asked.
The receptionist paused.
“We’ve never had a Dr. Vale at this clinic.”
Claire’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
After the call ended, Rebecca leaned closer.
“Someone created those records.”
Claire’s anger rose, but beneath it was something worse.
Fear.
If Vanessa had fabricated medical documents, what else had she done?
Ethan called that evening.
“She came back looking for the pin.”
“Did she threaten you?”
“Not directly.”
“Ethan, stay away from her.”
“She said you had already lost Dad.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Vanessa’s confidence was becoming desperation.
“Your father needs to know.”
“Not yet,” Ethan said. “We need something she can’t explain away.”
Rebecca suggested hiring a private investigator.
Claire resisted at first.
Then she remembered the hotel room.
Nathan’s missing memory.
Vanessa’s perfect timing.
This was no longer simply a possible fake pregnancy.
Someone might have deliberately created the appearance of an affair.
Rebecca contacted a former police detective named Daniel Ruiz.
Ruiz listened without interrupting.
When Claire finished, he examined the silicone fragment and the ultrasound copy.
“I’ll look into Vanessa’s medical claims,” he said. “But I also want to investigate the hotel.”
“The celebration happened three months ago.”
“Hotels keep security recordings for different lengths of time. We may be lucky.”
Ruiz also asked about Vanessa’s finances.
Claire did not know much.
Vanessa lived extravagantly, but her family company had suffered serious losses the previous year.
Nathan’s company, Hale Aerospace, was preparing to sign a government contract worth nearly two billion dollars.
A child legally connected to Nathan could become enormously valuable.
Especially if Vanessa persuaded him to change his will.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Margaret organized a private dinner to celebrate the supposed pregnancy.
Nathan objected.
“It’s too early.”
“Vanessa needs support,” Margaret replied.
“My wife just left the house.”
Margaret’s expression hardened.
“Claire chose to leave. Vanessa chose to stay.”
Nathan looked at his mother with disbelief.
“You’re talking about the woman who has been my wife for sixteen years.”
“And I’m talking about your unborn child.”
Ethan entered the room.
“Are you sure it exists?”
Margaret turned sharply.
Nathan stared at his son.
“What did you say?”
Ethan knew he had spoken too soon.
But he was tired of watching adults treat Vanessa’s claims as unquestionable truth.
“I said nobody has actually seen proof.”
Margaret slapped her hand against the table.
“You will apologize.”
“No.”
“Ethan,” Nathan warned.
Ethan looked directly at his father.
“Ask to attend the next appointment. Don’t wait outside. Don’t accept another photograph. Watch the ultrasound happen.”
Nathan’s anger faded.
Something in Ethan’s voice disturbed him.
“Why are you saying this?”
Before Ethan could answer, the front doors opened.
Vanessa stepped inside wearing a cream-colored maternity dress.
Her hand rested over the same perfectly shaped curve.
Margaret rushed to greet her.
Vanessa smiled at Nathan.
Then her eyes moved to Ethan.
For one second, her hand pressed firmly against her stomach.
May you like
Not protectively.
Almost as though she feared it might come loose.
