Chapter 2: The Secret Inside My Blood
The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beep of the monitor beside my bed.
For twenty-four hours, I watched every doctor who entered.
Every nurse who checked my daughter.
Every expression on their faces.
I was waiting for someone to tell me the nightmare was over.
But nobody did.
Because they had found something else.
Something that didn’t make sense.
The doctor walked into my room holding a tablet.
His name was Dr. Harris.
He pulled a chair beside my bed.
“Rachel, I need to ask you some questions.””
I immediately knew something was wrong.
“Is my baby okay?””
“She’s stable,” he said carefully.
“But your bloodwork showed something unusual.””
My heart tightened.
“What kind of unusual?””
He looked at the screen.
“You have traces of a substance in your bloodstream that should not be there.””
I stared at him.
“What substance?””
“A medication compound that can cause serious complications during pregnancy.””
The room suddenly felt colder.
“I don’t take anything except the vitamins my doctor gave me.””
“I know.””
“Then how did it get there?””
Dr. Harris didn’t answer immediately.
That scared me more than anything.
Finally, he said, “That’s what we need to determine.””
Daniel grabbed my hand.
“Are you saying someone put this in her body?””
The doctor looked between us.
“I’m saying we cannot rule out outside exposure.””
Outside exposure.
A careful way of saying someone may have poisoned me.
My mind immediately went back to the backyard.
Claire’s words.
The kick.
My parents’ reaction.
The way my father tried to take Lily’s phone.
Daniel stood.
“I want the police involved.””
Dr. Harris nodded.
“They already contacted us.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because the injuries from the incident combined with your blood results raised concerns.””
My stomach dropped.
The kick was no longer just an assault.
It was something bigger.
A detective arrived an hour later.
Her name was Detective Morgan.
She sat across from my bed with a notebook.
“Rachel, I need you to think carefully.””
“I will.””
“Before today, did you feel sick?””
I hesitated.
“Yes.””
Daniel looked at me.
“You didn’t tell me everything?””
“I didn’t want you to worry.””
I swallowed.
“For the past two weeks, I’ve been exhausted. Dizzy. I thought it was normal pregnancy stuff.””
Detective Morgan wrote something down.
“Did you tell anyone?””
“My mother.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“When?””
“Last week. She came over with dinner.””
The detective stopped writing.
“What dinner?””
“Chicken casserole. She said she made it herself.””
The room went silent.
Daniel’s face changed.
“Rachel…”
“I didn’t think anything of it.””
Detective Morgan leaned forward.
“Did anyone else know about your pregnancy arrangements?””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
“Your daughter’s future.””
I felt a strange chill.
“What about it?””
The detective exchanged a glance with Daniel.
Then she opened a folder.
“Rachel, before we continue, there is something you need to know.””
She pulled out a document.
“This concerns your grandfather’s trust.””
I stared at the paper.
My grandfather had passed away eight months earlier.
Before he died, he created a trust for his first great-grandchild.
My baby.
A trust worth millions.
But there was one condition.
The money would become permanent only after the baby was born safely.
I looked at Detective Morgan.
“You think someone wanted my baby gone?””
She didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
My hands started shaking.
Daniel moved closer.
“No.””
Detective Morgan looked at him.
“We’re not making conclusions yet.””
But then she said something that made my blood run cold.
“Your father tried to access the trust documents the morning of the attack.””
I stared.
“What?””
“He told the attorney he was concerned about your ability to manage the inheritance.””
“That’s impossible.””
Detective Morgan opened another page.
“Your sister also made several inquiries about the trust.””
My breathing became shallow.
Claire.
My sister.
The woman who kicked me.
The woman who cried and claimed it was an accident.
She wasn’t just angry.
She had a reason.
Then Detective Morgan placed Lily’s phone on the table.
“We recovered the video.””
My heart raced.
“Did you watch it?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
The detective looked at me.
“Rachel, there is something in that video you need to see.””
She pressed play.
The screen showed my family’s backyard.
My sister walking toward me.
My father standing near the house.
My mother holding a folder.
Then Claire looked directly at my father before she kicked me.
Not at me.
At him.
And right before she moved…
My father nodded.
The video froze.
May you like
Detective Morgan looked at me.
“Your sister didn’t act alone.””
