Chapter 9: The Truth About Tessa
Evelyn took us to a private room beneath the old facility.
No windows.
One steel table.
Four chairs.
The man in the gray suit stood by the door.
I hated how calm he looked.
Evelyn sat across from me.
"You want answers.""
"I want my daughter.""
"Then you need to listen.""
"I've been listening to lies for twelve years.""
She nodded.
"Fair.""
Roy sat beside me.
Tessa sat across from us.
Mason remained standing.
Evelyn folded her hands.
"Emily was born eleven years ago.""
"You told the world she died.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because your father-in-law discovered something.""
Roy leaned forward.
"My father?""
"Richard discovered that the fertility program had become something much larger than he intended.""
"What did he discover?""
"Children were being created for specific genetic purposes.""
My stomach tightened.
"Explain.""
"Certain genetic profiles were extremely valuable. Some could match rare blood disorders. Others had unusual tissue compatibility.""
Mason whispered, "Organ compatibility.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Exactly.""
Tessa looked horrified.
"You were creating children to harvest their tissue?""
"Not exactly.""
"Then what?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"They were created as biological matches.""
My hands curled into fists.
"For whom?""
"Rich clients. Powerful families. People who could pay.""
Roy's voice was cold.
"And Emily?""
"Your embryo was unusually compatible with several patients.""
"She was a child.""
"Yes.""
"Not a resource.""
Evelyn looked down.
"I know.""
"Do you?""
She met my eyes.
"No. I didn't, twelve years ago.""
The room went quiet.
"What changed?""
"Your father-in-law tried to shut the program down.""
Roy stared at her.
"He threatened to expose it.""
"He copied the records.""
"And then?""
"He died.""
Roy's face hardened.
"You're saying my father was murdered.""
Evelyn didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
I looked at the man by the door.
"Who is he?""
Evelyn said, "His name is Daniel Mercer.""
Roy stood.
"Impossible.""
"The original Daniel Mercer died twelve years ago.""
"This is his son.""
The man stepped forward.
"My name is Adrian Mercer.""
I stared at him.
"Then why use Daniel's identity?""
"Because my father was the physician who designed the genetic program.""
Roy's jaw tightened.
"And you continued it.""
"No.""
Adrian looked at Tessa.
"I tried to destroy it.""
Everyone went silent.
"What?""
Adrian walked to the table.
"I was the one sending Roy the warnings.""
"D.M.""
He nodded.
"I needed him to stop investigating openly.""
"You threatened him.""
"I wanted him scared enough to move carefully.""
I laughed.
"You sent Tessa to me.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I needed you involved.""
"By making me think my husband cheated?""
"It was the only way to get you to investigate your own records.""
I stood.
"You nearly destroyed my marriage.""
"I know.""
"You terrified me.""
"I know.""
"You made me think my husband had another woman.""
"I needed you angry.""
"Congratulations.""
My voice broke.
"I was.""
Adrian lowered his eyes.
"I'm sorry.""
I didn't care.
"Where is Emily?""
His face changed.
"That's the problem.""
"What problem?""
"She disappeared.""
My heart stopped.
"When?""
"Six months ago.""
The same time everything started.
Evelyn looked at Adrian.
"She wasn't supposed to.""
"Who took her?""
"We don't know.""
I stared at them.
"Then why did you say she was alive?""
"Because the last person who saw her was one of ours.""
"Who?""
Evelyn answered.
"Tessa.""
I turned.
Tessa went white.
"What?""
Tessa started crying.
"I didn't know.""
"Didn't know what?""
She shook her head.
"I was recruited six months ago.""
"By whom?""
"I was told they could help me have a baby.""
My stomach dropped.
"You were part of the program.""
"I didn't know what it was.""
"What did you do?""
"I signed forms.""
"Which forms?""
"Consent.""
"For what?""
She covered her face.
"They said I was carrying an embryo from an anonymous donor.""
Roy stood.
"You were carrying Emily's embryo?""
"No.""
Tessa shook her head.
"They told me the embryo was new.""
Mason looked at Adrian.
"Then why is Tessa genetically connected to the program?""
Adrian pulled out a file.
"Because Tessa wasn't selected randomly.""
He opened it.
Her full genetic profile appeared.
Then mine.
Then Roy's.
There was a fourth profile.
Emily.
The four profiles were connected.
I stared.
"What does this mean?""
Adrian pointed to the results.
"Tessa is Emily's biological half-sister.""
Nobody spoke.
Tessa began sobbing.
"My mother was an egg donor.""
I looked at her.
"Who?""
She whispered a name.
"Anna Callahan.""
Roy's face went blank.
"My sister?""
Tessa nodded.
"That means..."" I couldn't finish.
Adrian did.
"Emily and Tessa share Anna's genetics.""
Roy stared at Tessa.
"You're my niece.""
She covered her mouth.
I felt dizzy.
The pregnancy wasn't random.
The woman who walked into my office wasn't a mistress.
She was carrying a child connected to my husband's family.
And someone had deliberately used her to trigger a scandal.
I sat down.
"Then whose baby is she carrying?""
Adrian looked at me.
"Roy's.""
Roy closed his eyes.
"But how?""
"The embryo was created twelve years ago.""
"From Vanessa's egg.""
"Yes.""
"And my sperm.""
"Yes.""
"But carried by Anna.""
"Yes.""
"Then transferred again?""
Adrian nodded.
"After Emily was born, another embryo remained.""
My heart stopped.
"The second embryo.""
"The one your fake medical records said was destroyed.""
Adrian looked at Tessa.
"That's the embryo you're carrying.""
I stared at her stomach.
"My biological child.""
"Yes.""
"And Roy's.""
"Yes.""
Tessa cried.
"I never knew.""
I believed her.
She had been manipulated too.
All of us had.
Then I remembered something.
"The messages.""
"What about them?""
"Someone threatened Tessa's baby.""
Adrian nodded.
"Because they need the embryo.""
"For what?""
He hesitated.
"There's a patient.""
"Who?""
"A child.""
He handed me a photograph.
A little boy.
Maybe nine years old.
His face was pale.
A hospital bracelet around his wrist.
"His name is Lucas.""
I looked at the chart.
He needed a transplant.
"What's wrong with him?""
"Rare genetic disease.""
"Bone marrow?""
"Yes.""
"And Tessa's baby is a match?""
Adrian nodded.
"But the baby isn't born yet.""
"They don't need the baby.""
My stomach dropped.
"They need the embryo.""
"For genetic extraction.""
I stood.
"You're talking about destroying my child.""
"Yes.""
"Who is the patient?""
Adrian looked at Roy.
"His father.""
Roy's expression changed.
"Who?""
Adrian answered:
"Dr. Richard Callahan.""
I stopped breathing.
"That's impossible.""
"Your father-in-law isn't dead.""
Roy stumbled backward.
"What?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"The man who died twelve years ago wasn't Richard.""
Roy stared at her.
"Then who died?""
"A donor.""
She placed a photograph on the table.
An old morgue photograph.
The face was badly damaged.
But the hospital identification number was clear.
Roy recognized it.
He whispered:
"That's not my father.""
I looked at him.
"Where is he?""
Adrian's answer was barely audible.
"He's been running the entire operation.""
A door slammed somewhere upstairs.
Then the lights went out.
Again.
This time, nobody moved.
A voice came through the speaker.
Old.
Calm.
Familiar.
"Hello, Roy.""
Roy's face turned white.
The voice continued.
"Did you miss me?""
Then another sound came through the speaker.
A child's voice.
A girl's voice.
"Mom?""
I stopped breathing.
"Emily?""
The voice cried again.
May you like
"Mom, please...""
Then the line went dead.
