Chapter 11 - THE WITNESS WHO REFUSED TO LIE
“YOU CAN DESTROY MY REPUTATION, HARRISON! YOU CAN CALL ME UNSTABLE AND TURN STRANGERS AGAINST ME! BUT THERE'S ONE THING YOU CAN'T DESTROY—THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY DID!”
I spoke those words to Naomi after watching another video spread across social media.
In the edited footage, I appeared frightened, exhausted, and furious.
The captions claimed I was threatening to keep three children from their biological families.
They didn't mention that I had never knowingly agreed to carry embryos belonging to those families.
They didn't mention the forged documents.
They didn't mention the fake surrogate.
And they certainly didn't mention Harrison laughing about using his wife as an incubator.
The videos showed only what someone wanted the public to see.
My tears.
My anger.
My most vulnerable moments.
I couldn't understand how a person could share images of a frightened pregnant woman in a hospital room and call it justice.
By the following morning, Naomi had contacted the hospital's privacy officer.
An internal investigation began immediately.
Security personnel reviewed visitor records and available surveillance footage.
The hospital also began determining how confidential information from my medical records had appeared online.
Dr. Patel visited that afternoon.
“Chloe, I know you're frightened.”
I nodded.
“Someone was close enough to take that photograph.”
“We're investigating how it happened. In the meantime, we've tightened the visitor restrictions around your room.”
I glanced toward the door.
“What if someone comes back?”
“Tell the nursing staff immediately if anything feels wrong. Your care team is aware of the situation.”
I looked at her.
“I'm so tired of being afraid.”
Her expression softened.
“I know.”
She checked the monitors.
“Your babies are doing reasonably well today. Baby B still needs careful surveillance, but we haven't seen a change requiring immediate delivery.”
I closed my eyes.
That was the only good news I needed.
Later that afternoon, Caleb arrived at Naomi's office for a formal interview.
He had contacted his own attorney and agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
I watched the meeting over video.
Caleb looked different from the confident businessman I'd known through Harrison.
His eyes were tired.
His shoulders seemed permanently tense.
Naomi placed a recording device on the table after confirming the interview arrangements.
“Caleb, I need you to describe what happened during the lunch at the St. Regis.”
He nodded.
“Harrison invited several of us to celebrate what he called a major business success.”
“What did you believe he meant?”
“I assumed he'd closed an investment deal.”
“And what happened?”
Caleb swallowed.
“He started talking about three babies. He said his wife was carrying them, but that each child had been promised to a different family.”
“Did he describe Chloe's knowledge of the arrangements?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
Caleb looked directly into the camera.
“He said she didn't know.”
My throat tightened.
Naomi continued.
“Did he appear to be joking?”
“No.”
“Did anyone question him?”
“Yes. One of the guys asked whether Chloe would leave him if she found out.”
“And what did Harrison say?”
Caleb's expression hardened.
“He laughed. He said she was six months pregnant with triplets and had nowhere to go.”
I looked away.
Hearing those words again hurt more than I'd expected.
But this time, someone else was saying them.
Someone who had been there.
Someone Harrison couldn't easily accuse of inventing the entire conversation.
Caleb then revealed something important.
After Harrison began explaining the arrangements, Caleb had started recording part of the conversation on his phone.
He admitted that he'd been frightened by what he was hearing and uncertain what to do.
He had participated in the conversation, and Naomi said she would have the recording evaluated before deciding how it could lawfully be used.
But Caleb could testify about what he had personally heard regardless.
He played a short portion for his attorneys.
Harrison's voice filled the room.
“Chloe thinks those babies are hers.”
Then laughter.
A pause.
And another sentence.
“By the time she figures anything out, the paperwork will already be finished.”
I covered my mouth.
For weeks, Harrison had claimed I misunderstood his intentions.
Now his own words contradicted him.
Caleb stopped the recording.
“There's more,” he said quietly.
Naomi looked up.
“What?”
“He talked about the delivery.”
My heart pounded.
Caleb swallowed.
“He said he planned to make sure Chloe didn't get the opportunity to interfere when the babies were born.”
I stared at him.
“What did that mean?”
“He mentioned having her kept away from the nursery while the transfers were arranged.”
My hands began trembling.
He'd planned the separation before my babies had even taken their first breaths.
I looked down at my stomach.
Baby B shifted beneath my hand.
And a thought struck me with terrible clarity.
Harrison had never imagined bringing our babies home.
He had imagined a transaction ending at the hospital doors.
That evening, June found me crying.
I was sitting on the edge of my bed with my notebook open.
“Chloe?”
I looked up.
“I keep thinking about the day I bought the cribs.”
She sat beside me.
“Why?”
“Harrison helped me choose them.”
I wiped my eyes.
“He stood there pretending to care whether we should buy white cribs or natural wood.”
June remained silent.
“He knew those babies weren't supposed to come home with us.”
My voice cracked.
“He knew, and he let me decorate their nursery anyway.”
June wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
I leaned against her.
For several minutes, we didn't speak.
Then she said:
“You know what I remember about you when we were kids?”
I shook my head.
“You used to rescue everything.”
I laughed weakly.
“What?”
“Injured birds. Lost cats. That ridiculous turtle you brought home from the school playground.”
Despite myself, I smiled.
“His name was Franklin.”
“He bit Dad.”
We both laughed.
Then June squeezed my hand.
“You've always loved things that needed protecting.”
I stared at the blanket covering my belly.
“I just don't know if I can protect all three.”
“You don't have to solve everything tonight.”
I rested my head against her shoulder.
For the first time in days, I let myself sleep.
The hospital's investigation produced results the next morning.
Security footage showed that an outside visitor had entered the unit during a busy shift and approached my room.
The visitor had been registered under a business-related purpose.
The photograph appeared to have been taken from the partially open doorway.
The hospital was reviewing whether staff had improperly allowed the person access.
Naomi requested that the footage be preserved and that investigators examine any connection to the online harassment.
Then she received a name.
The visitor was a private investigator named Derek Holt.
He had worked on assignments for several wealthy clients.
Among the names associated with his recent work was Harper Lawson's company.
I stared at Naomi.
“Harper sent someone to photograph me?”
“We don't know precisely who authorized this visit yet.”
But her expression told me the connection was serious.
Minutes later, Rebecca called with another development.
The private investigator had also submitted a report containing observations about my emotional state.
The report had been forwarded to attorneys involved in the parentage dispute.
Someone had been gathering material to make me appear unstable.
Then Naomi opened the final attachment.
It contained payment instructions.
May you like
And the client listed on the invoice wasn't Harrison.
It was Harper Lawson.
