Chapter 3: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
I don’t remember sitting down.
I don’t remember breathing.
I only remember one sentence repeating in my head.
Those babies may not be yours.
Victoria had just turned my entire world upside down with eight words.
I stared at her.
“Say that again.””
She wiped away tears.
“James…”
“No.””
My voice sounded different.
Colder.
“Say exactly what you meant.””
Victoria looked away.
“I’m trying to protect you.””
I almost laughed.
“Protect me?””
I pointed toward the bedroom.
“Someone tied Emily up.””
Then toward the documents.
“Someone changed our children’s records.””
I looked back at my wife.
“And now you’re telling me my babies aren’t mine?””
Her silence was the answer.
Detective Harris immediately stepped in.
“Mrs. Cole, we need you to explain.””
Victoria shook her head.
“This isn’t what it looks like.””
Everyone says that when things look exactly like they are.
“I need a lawyer,” she said.
The words hit me harder than any confession.
Because innocent people ask questions.
They don’t ask for lawyers before explaining why their husband’s children might not be his.
The police continued their investigation.
Emily was taken to the hospital to treat her injuries and check on her condition.
Before she left, she stopped beside me.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at her.
“For what?””
“For bringing this into your life.””
I shook my head.
“You didn’t bring this into my life.””
I looked back at the house.
“My life was already here.””
Emily lowered her voice.
“Mr. Cole, please be careful.””
“Why?””
She hesitated.
“Because Victoria is not afraid of losing you.””
That confused me.
“What does that mean?””
Emily looked toward the staircase.
“She’s afraid of losing control.””
Those words stayed with me.
After everyone left, I walked through my house alone.
Every room looked different.
The photographs on the walls.
The family portraits.
The nursery.
The place I had built with love now felt like a crime scene.
I opened the nursery door.
My twins were asleep.
They looked peaceful.
Completely unaware that their father was standing there questioning everything.
I sat beside the crib.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
I didn’t know who I was apologizing to.
Them.
Myself.
Or the version of my family that no longer existed.
That night, I didn’t sleep.
At 2:14 a.m., my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice spoke.
“Is this James Cole?””
“Yes.””
There was a pause.
Then:
“You need to know what Victoria did before your twins were born.””
My body went still.
“Who is this?””
“My name is Rachel Miller.””
I didn’t recognize the name.
“What do you want?””
“I worked at the fertility clinic where Victoria received treatment.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What are you talking about?””
Another pause.
Then she said:
“The embryos used for your twins were not the ones you were told about.””
The room felt like it was spinning.
“What?””
“I tried to warn you months ago.””
“Why didn’t you?””
“Because Victoria threatened my career.””
I stood up.
“What are you saying?””
Rachel’s voice became quieter.
“James, your wife didn’t just hide something from you.””
A chill ran through me.
“She changed the entire story of how your children were created.””
I looked toward the nursery.
My children.
My babies.
“Tell me everything.””
“I can’t explain over the phone.””
“Then meet me.””
“I will.””
“When?””
“Tomorrow morning.””
I grabbed a pen.
“Where?””
She gave me an address.
Then before hanging up, she said one more thing.
“James?””
“Yes?””
“Do not tell Victoria you know.””
My heart started racing.
“Why?””
Because the next words she said made my blood run cold.
“Because she already knows I contacted you.””
The call ended.
I stood there frozen.
How could Victoria know?
I hadn’t told anyone.
Nobody knew about the call.
Unless…
I slowly turned toward the hallway.
The nursery door was slightly open.
I was certain I had closed it.
A shadow moved.
Someone was standing there.
Watching me.
“Who’s there?”” I shouted.
No answer.
I walked closer.
The hallway was empty.
But on the floor outside the nursery was something I had never seen before.
A small white envelope.
My name was written on the front.
James.
I picked it up with shaking hands.
Inside was a single photograph.
I looked at it.
And my entire body went numb.
Because the picture showed Victoria at the fertility clinic months before the twins were born.
Standing beside a man I had never seen before.
A man holding a folder.
A man whose face had been carefully cut out of the photograph.
May you like
And on the back of the picture, someone had written six words:
*“Ask her who the father is.””*
