Chapter 6: The Transfer Request
For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood.
"Why is my name on that?""
Elaine Foster stared at her laptop.
"I don't know.""
"Who requested the release?""
She clicked the notification.
The information appeared.
*Recipient: Holly Bennett.*
*Authorized Representative: Megan Bennett.*
*Scheduled Collection: 9:00 AM.*
I looked at the screen.
"I didn't authorize this.""
Elaine nodded.
"I understand.""
"Then cancel it.""
She began typing.
Dr. Patel leaned closer.
"Wait. Don't modify anything until the request is documented.""
Elaine stopped.
"Why?""
"Because if someone submitted a false authorization using Holly's identity, we need the original request preserved.""
I looked between them.
"Are you telling me someone is trying to make it look like I requested the specimen?""
Neither answered.
That was enough.
I reached for my phone.
Megan's name was still in my recent calls.
I pressed it.
She answered almost immediately.
"Holly?""
"Did you authorize a transfer request?""
Silence.
"Megan?""
"Where did you hear that?""
I closed my eyes.
"That isn't an answer.""
She exhaled.
"Wes told me he needed help recovering something.""
"What?""
"The specimen.""
"Why?""
"He said it belonged to your father and that you wanted it returned.""
I gripped the phone.
"I never said that.""
"I know.""
"Then why did you sign?""
"He said the clinic was going to destroy it.""
I stared at the ceiling.
"Megan, how many times are you going to believe him over me?""
She began crying.
"I thought I was helping you.""
"By pretending to be me?""
"I didn't use your signature.""
"Your name is on the request.""
"He told me it was only an administrative authorization.""
I looked at Elaine.
"Can you see who submitted it?""
She nodded.
I put the phone on speaker.
Elaine leaned toward the microphone.
"Ms. Bennett, this is Elaine Foster from the clinic. Did you personally submit the transfer request?""
Megan hesitated.
"Yes.""
"Did Holly give you written permission?""
"No.""
"Did you have access to her patient portal?""
Another pause.
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"How?""
"Wes gave me the password.""
I felt my chest tighten.
My husband had given my sister access to my medical account.
And she had accepted it.
Elaine continued.
"Did you know the request included a declaration that Holly had reviewed and approved the transfer?""
Megan whispered, "No.""
"Did you know the specimen was being held at a private facility owned by Vanessa Cole?""
Silence.
Then Megan said, "No.""
I took the phone off speaker.
"Megan, I need you to answer one question honestly.""
"Okay.""
"Did you know Wes was planning to use the specimen?""
She started crying.
"I thought he was trying to protect it.""
"From whom?""
"From Vanessa.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Megan's voice shook.
"Wes told me Vanessa wanted to use it without permission. He said he was trying to get it back before she could.""
I looked at Dr. Patel.
She was watching me carefully.
"Then why did he transfer it to her facility in the first place?""
Megan didn't answer.
I continued.
"Why did he leave me?""
"I don't know.""
"Why did he tell Vanessa to make sure I never saw the original records?""
"I don't know.""
"Why did he ask you to delete the messages?""
Megan broke down.
"I don't know, Holly!""
I lowered my voice.
"Then stop protecting him.""
She began sobbing.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, "There's something else.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
"Wes didn't transfer the specimen because he wanted to use it with Vanessa.""
I looked at Elaine.
"Then why?""
Megan swallowed.
"Because he wanted to prove that Dad had given it to him.""
I went still.
"Prove what?""
"That Dad had intended to give him the right to use it.""
I felt sick.
My father had never given Wes anything.
Not that I knew of.
"Why would Dad do that?""
Megan whispered, "Because Wes told me he had an agreement with him.""
I shook my head.
"That's a lie.""
"I know that now.""
"Did you ever see this agreement?""
"No.""
"Did you see Dad sign it?""
"No.""
"Then why did you believe him?""
Megan's voice broke.
"Because he showed me a letter.""
I looked at the handwritten letter from my father lying on the bed.
"Was it Dad's handwriting?""
"I thought so.""
My stomach tightened.
"Where is it?""
"Wes has it.""
I stared at the phone.
"Where?""
"I don't know. He said it was in a safe deposit box.""
I looked at Dr. Patel.
She had gone very still.
Then she spoke.
"Holly, I need to ask something.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
"Did your father ever tell you he wanted to leave you anything specifically connected to fertility treatment?""
I shook my head.
"No. He said he wanted me to have a family. That's all.""
Dr. Patel nodded slowly.
"Then we need to establish whether the letter Megan saw was authentic.""
I looked at the handwritten letter again.
It was genuine.
I knew my father's handwriting.
But perhaps there had been another document.
Something Wes had fabricated.
I turned back to the phone.
"Megan, I want you to come back to the hospital.""
"Okay.""
"Not tomorrow. Now.""
"I'll come.""
"And bring every document Wes ever gave you.""
"I will.""
"Don't call him first.""
There was a long pause.
Then she whispered, "Holly?""
"What?""
"I think he knows.""
My heart tightened.
"Knows what?""
"That I kept the messages.""
Before I could answer, the call ended.
I stared at my phone.
A new message appeared.
This time, it was from Wes.
You need to stop involving the hospital in family matters.
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
The specimen belongs to me. Your father promised it to me.
I felt my hands begin to shake.
I showed Dr. Patel.
She read it without speaking.
Then she handed the phone to Elaine.
"We need to preserve this message.""
Elaine nodded.
"I'll notify our legal department.""
I looked at Dr. Patel.
"Can he actually claim ownership?""
"That depends on the consent documents, the original storage agreement, and the law governing the specimen. But no one can simply declare ownership because they want it.""
I swallowed.
"Can he use it?""
"Not without the required legal and medical authorization.""
I looked toward the bassinets.
"Then why is he fighting so hard to get it?""
Dr. Patel didn't answer.
Instead, she asked Elaine to retrieve the original storage agreement.
While we waited, a nurse came in to check my incision.
She adjusted my IV and examined the dressing.
"You're doing well," she said.
"Your blood pressure is better.""
I nodded.
"Can I take the girls home soon?""
"If your recovery continues, we can discuss discharge in a few days.""
A few days.
I had spent ten years dreaming about bringing my babies home.
Now I was afraid of what might be waiting there.
When the nurse left, Dr. Patel pulled her chair closer.
"Holly, there's something I want you to consider.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
"Your father may have created the storage arrangement specifically to protect your reproductive choices. If someone altered those records, we need to understand exactly when it happened.""
I nodded.
"Find out.""
"We will.""
"And I want the original transfer authorization.""
Elaine returned shortly afterward with a printed agreement.
She placed it on the table.
I looked at the first page.
The date was four years earlier.
My father's name appeared under the original depositor information.
But there was another section.
*INTENDED BENEFICIARY: HOLLY BENNETT.*
I felt tears gather in my eyes.
My father had done this for me.
Not for Wes.
For me.
I turned the page.
There was a section titled RELEASE CONDITIONS.
I read it slowly.
The specimen could only be used after the intended beneficiary provided informed consent.
No spouse, relative, or representative could authorize its use independently.
If the beneficiary declined, the specimen would remain in storage or be handled according to her written instructions.
I looked up.
"Does this mean Wes had no authority?""
Elaine nodded.
"Correct.""
I turned another page.
There was a signature.
My father's.
And beneath it, a witness signature.
I recognized the name.
Dr. Priya Patel.
I looked at her.
"You witnessed this?""
She nodded.
"Your father asked me to confirm that he understood the arrangement. I was not the treating physician at the fertility clinic, but I witnessed his signature on the storage agreement.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because he specifically instructed me to wait until you asked about it or until the clinic contacted you.""
I looked at the document again.
My father had thought of everything.
Or so I wanted to believe.
Then I reached the final page.
There was an additional clause.
*In the event of unauthorized access, transfer, or attempted use, the storage facility must notify the beneficiary immediately and preserve all related access records.*
I pointed at it.
"Did anyone notify me?""
Elaine shook her head.
"No.""
"Why not?""
She turned the page over.
There was a handwritten notation.
*Notification waived by beneficiary.*
I stared.
"What does that mean?""
Elaine studied the entry.
"It means someone entered a waiver into the system.""
"Who?""
She looked at the authorization history.
Then she went completely still.
"Ms. Bennett.""
I leaned forward.
"Who?""
Elaine turned the laptop toward me.
The waiver had been entered three months earlier.
The person who approved it was listed as:
*Holly Bennett.*
My signature appeared beneath it.
I stared.
"I never signed that.""
Dr. Patel moved closer.
"Can we see the electronic access record?""
Elaine clicked the entry.
A new window opened.
It showed the date, the time, the device, and the account used.
My name was displayed at the top.
But the device information was unfamiliar.
I looked at the timestamp.
It was 2:14 in the morning.
On that date, I had been in the hospital for an emergency procedure related to my pregnancy.
I remembered it clearly.
Wes had been sitting beside my bed.
He had told the nurses he would stay all night.
I slowly looked up.
"Can you identify the device?""
Elaine nodded.
She clicked another tab.
Then her face changed.
"It's registered to a mobile phone.""
"Whose?""
She swallowed.
"Wesley Bennett.""
I stared at the screen.
My husband had used his own phone to access my medical account.
He had impersonated me.
He had waived my right to receive notification.
And he had done it while sitting beside my hospital bed, holding my hand.
I felt something inside me turn from grief into anger.
"Print everything.""
Elaine nodded.
"All access logs. Every amendment. Every transfer.""
Dr. Patel placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Holly, we're going to make sure this is investigated.""
I looked at her.
"I want him to know I found it.""
She hesitated.
"That may not be wise until we understand the full situation.""
I shook my head.
"I'm not going to threaten him. I'm not going to beg him to come back. I just want him to know he can't keep lying.""
My phone vibrated again.
Another message from Wes.
Vanessa says you have no idea what you're getting yourself into.
I stared at the words.
Then I typed my first response since he'd left.
I know you accessed my medical account without permission.
I sent it.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
A minute passed.
Then my phone rang.
Wes.
I answered.
"What?""
His voice was sharp.
"Who showed you the access logs?""
"The clinic.""
"Those records are confidential.""
"They're my records.""
"You don't understand what you're looking at.""
"Then explain it.""
He exhaled.
"Holly, listen carefully. The specimen was your father's. He wanted me to protect it.""
"From me?""
"From people who would destroy it.""
"Like Vanessa?""
Silence.
I continued.
"You forged my consent. You transferred the specimen without authorization. You used my account to waive my notification rights.""
"You don't know why I did that.""
"Then tell me.""
He lowered his voice.
"Because your father made a promise.""
"What promise?""
"He told me that if I stayed with you, if I helped you through the treatment, he would make sure I had a biological child of my own.""
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The truth I had been waiting for.
My father had never made that promise.
And even if he had, Wes had no right to use me as the price.
"You're lying," I whispered.
Wes became angry.
"Don't call me a liar.""
"Then show me the original agreement.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa has it.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Why does Vanessa have my father's agreement?""
He didn't answer.
I asked again.
"Wes, why does she have it?""
His voice dropped.
"Because she's the one who told me what was really in it.""
Before I could respond, I heard a woman's voice in the background.
"Give me the phone.""
Vanessa.
Wes said something I couldn't hear.
Then she spoke directly into the receiver.
"Holly, there's something you should know before you accuse Wes of stealing anything.""
I gripped the phone.
"What?""
Her voice was calm.
Almost cheerful.
"Your father didn't leave that specimen for you to have children.""
I stared at Dr. Patel.
Vanessa continued.
"He left it because he knew something about your family that you still don't know.""
Then the call ended.
I sat motionless.
Dr. Patel looked at me.
"What did she say?""
I lowered the phone.
"She said my father knew something about our family.""
Before Dr. Patel could respond, someone knocked on the door.
A nurse entered carrying a sealed envelope.
"Holly Bennett?""
"Yes.""
"This was delivered to the maternity ward for you. The sender requested that it be handed to you personally.""
I looked at the envelope.
There was no return address.
Only my name.
Written in the same familiar handwriting as my father's letter.
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a photograph.
My father stood outside a hospital building.
Beside him was a younger Wes.
And between them was a woman holding a newborn baby.
On the back, my father had written six words.
*The truth about your first child, Holly.*
I looked up at Dr. Patel.
"Who is that woman?""
She stared at the photograph.
Then she slowly sat down.
"Holly," she whispered, "I think we need to talk about what happened before you married Wes.""
And for the first time since giving birth to my daughters, I understood something terrifying.
The secret wasn't just about how my twins were conceived.
May you like
It was about a child who might have existed long before Lily and Emma.
And someone had just sent me proof that my father had known all along.
