Chapter 5 - The Night Lily CrashedLily worsened after midnight.
Not because he wanted another secret between them.
Because he had already destroyed their relationship once by acting on incomplete information.
He would not do it again.
At noon, Ethan met Martin in an empty conference room two floors beneath the maternity wing.
Martin placed several bank records on the table.
“The payments went to a consulting company called Northbridge Patient Services.”
“Never heard of it.”
“It doesn’t actually provide patient services.”
“Who owns it?”
“On paper, three separate holding companies.”
“And underneath?”
Martin slid forward another document.
“Leon Bennett.”
Ethan stared.
“Sophie’s uncle?”
“You know him?”
“Barely. Her father’s younger brother.”
“Apparently he knew Richard.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Maybe it does.”
Martin opened another folder.
“Leon had serious gambling debts six years ago. Richard’s first payment to Northbridge came four months before you and Sophie broke up.”
Ethan felt sick.
“What was he being paid for?”
“We don’t have the written agreement.”
“Then what do we have?”
“Phone records.”
Martin handed him a printout.
Hundreds of calls between Leon and Richard’s private number.
Ethan leaned back.
“My father paid Sophie’s uncle to spy on her.”
“That is the most likely explanation.”
“For five years?”
“That’s the part I don’t understand.”
Neither did Ethan.
What could Richard possibly have wanted after Sophie left?
He was about to ask when his phone rang.
Rachel.
He answered immediately.
“What happened?”
“Nothing yet. But you need to come upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Someone tried to access the twins’ medical records.”
Ethan stood.
“Who?”
“That’s what security is trying to determine.”
He was in the NICU three minutes later.
Sophie was sitting beside Noah.
She looked frightened.
A hospital administrator stood near the desk.
“What happened?” Ethan demanded.
The administrator lowered her voice.
“An external request came through claiming to represent the twins’ father.”
Sophie froze.
“What?”
“They requested medical status, estimated discharge date, and confirmation of guardianship.”
“Did you give them anything?” Ethan asked.
“Absolutely not.”
Sophie pushed herself upright.
“Who called?”
“Male voice. Used the name Andrew Hale.”
Her face changed.
Ethan noticed.
“You know that name.”
“No.”
“Sophie.”
She looked down.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters if someone is trying to access your children’s medical records.”
“I said I’ll handle it.”
“How?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Ethan struggled to control his frustration.
“Would you stop saying that when someone may be threatening you?”
Sophie turned on him.
“You don’t get to become protective now!”
The NICU quieted.
A nearby nurse looked away.
Sophie lowered her voice.
“You don’t get to spend five years believing the worst thing anyone ever said about me, then appear beside an incubator and decide you’re entitled to protect us.”
Ethan absorbed it.
“You’re right.”
Her anger faltered.
“But if Andrew Hale is dangerous, tell hospital security.”
“He isn’t dangerous.”
“Then who is he?”
Sophie’s eyes glistened.
“Their father.”
Ethan felt something twist inside him.
Not jealousy.
He told himself it wasn’t jealousy.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“He disappeared.”
“When?”
“When I was twenty weeks pregnant.”
“Why?”
“He said twins weren’t part of the future he wanted.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“He just left?”
“He transferred money for an abortion.”
Something dark flashed across Ethan’s face.
Sophie saw it.
“I didn’t take it.”
“Obviously.”
“I blocked him.”
“And now he’s calling?”
“I don’t know.”
“Could it have been him?”
“Yes.”
“Then we need security.”
“I don’t want drama.”
“You have premature twins in intensive care. Drama is already here.”
She almost smiled despite herself.
Almost.
Then Noah stirred.
Both looked toward him.
For a moment, the tension softened.
Ethan watched Sophie place one finger against the baby’s hand.
“He has your stubbornness,” Ethan said.
Sophie looked at him.
“You’ve known him less than twenty-four hours.”
“I’ve known you for eleven years.”
“Five of those don’t count.”
“They count to me.”
“That sounds like your problem.”
“It is.”
She looked away quickly.
Ethan remained beside her.
“What was Andrew like?”
“Why?”
“I want to know who might show up.”
“You’re not my husband.”
“I know.”
“Not my boyfriend.”
“I know.”
“Not their father.”
He hesitated only a fraction.
“I know.”
Sophie noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Ethan.”
Rachel’s comment echoed again.
That baby looks…
He shook his head.
“Nothing.”
Sophie studied him suspiciously.
Then the NICU doors opened.
A tall man wearing an expensive wool coat approached the desk.
He had blond hair, perfect teeth, and the kind of confidence that came from rarely hearing no.
Sophie’s body went rigid.
Ethan saw it immediately.
“Andrew.”
The man turned.
His expression brightened.
“Sophie.”
Ethan stepped between them.
Andrew’s smile disappeared.
“And you are?”
“Dr. Ethan Caldwell.”
Recognition flickered.
“The billionaire doctor.”
“I prefer obstetric surgeon.”
Andrew glanced toward the incubators.
“Those are my children.”
Sophie stood carefully.
“No, they aren’t.”
“They’re biologically mine.”
“You abandoned us.”
“I panicked.”
“You sent me money to get rid of them.”
Andrew lowered his voice.
“I made a mistake.”
“A mistake is forgetting an anniversary.”
“Sophie—”
“You called my babies a catastrophe.”
Ethan’s hands curled.
Andrew noticed.
“This is a private conversation.”
Ethan looked at Sophie.
“Do you want me to leave?”
She hesitated.
Then quietly said, “No.”
One word.
But it mattered.
Ethan stayed.
Andrew’s jaw tightened.
“I want a paternity test.”
Sophie stared.
“What?”
“I have rights.”
“You didn’t want rights four months ago.”
“I’ve reconsidered.”
“Why?”
Andrew looked toward the babies again.
“Because my parents found out.”
Sophie gave a stunned laugh.
“There it is.”
“My family wants to be involved.”
“Your family?”
“They’re their grandchildren.”
“They’re my children.”
“And mine.”
“No.”
Andrew stepped closer.
“I’ve spoken to an attorney.”
Ethan moved in front of Sophie.
“Then have your attorney contact hers.”
Andrew looked him up and down.
“And why are you involved?”
Ethan had no answer that would not make everything worse.
Sophie provided one.
“He saved our lives.”
Andrew’s expression hardened.
“That doesn’t make him family.”
“No,” Sophie said.
“It makes him more useful than you’ve ever been.”
Andrew’s face reddened.
Before he could respond, hospital security arrived.
“Sir, visiting access to this unit requires authorization from the patient’s legal guardian.”
“I’m the father.”
“That is not established in the record.”
Andrew pointed toward Sophie.
“This isn’t over.”
She lifted her chin.
“Yes, it is.”
Security escorted him away.
Only after he disappeared did Sophie begin trembling.
Ethan reached toward her.
Stopped before touching.
“Sit down.”
She did.
“He’ll come back.”
“Then we’ll be ready.”
“We?”
Ethan looked at her.
“I know what you’re going to say.”
“Do you?”
“Yes. I have no right.”
Sophie remained silent.
“So I’m not claiming one.”
He pulled a chair beside hers.
“But until your brother arrives, if you need someone here, I’m here.”
“You have patients.”
“I have partners.”
“You have a life.”
“Not as much of one as you think.”
She looked at him.
For the first time, there was no anger in her expression.
Only curiosity.
“What happened to you after I left?”
Ethan considered lying.
Instead he answered.
“I became exactly what my father wanted.”
She frowned.
“I worked constantly. Bought an apartment I was never in. Went to events with women I didn’t care about. Took over part of the family foundation. Made money. Got awards.”
“You sound miserable.”
“I was.”
“Why?”
He met her eyes.
“Because none of it was you.”
Sophie looked away.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not asking you for anything.”
“Then don’t say things like that.”
“They’re true.”
“Truth arrived five years late.”
“I know.”
Silence settled between them.
Then Sophie whispered, “I loved you more than I knew how to survive.”
Ethan’s throat tightened.
She immediately seemed to regret saying it.
He leaned forward.
“Sophie—”
A nurse interrupted.
“Ms. Bennett?”
Sophie looked up.
“Yes?”
“We need to discuss Lily.”
Fear returned instantly.
“What happened?”
Rachel approached from behind the nurse carrying test results.
She pulled a chair close.
“Lily has developed an intestinal complication we sometimes see in premature infants.”
Sophie’s face went white.
“What kind of complication?”
“We’re concerned about necrotizing enterocolitis.”
Ethan closed his eyes briefly.
He knew exactly how serious that could become.
Sophie looked between them.
“Why are you both looking like that?”
Rachel took her hand.
“Because if it progresses, Lily may need surgery.”
Sophie began shaking her head.
“No.”
“We caught it early.”
“She’s three pounds.”
“I know.”
“She can’t have surgery.”
“Small babies undergo surgery when they need it.”
Sophie turned toward Ethan.
He saw pure terror.
“You promised me.”
He moved closer.
“I know.”
“You promised you’d save them.”
“I’m not breaking that promise.”
Her eyes flooded.
“Then fix this.”
Ethan wished medicine worked that way.
He wished love worked that way.
He wished promises could control outcomes.
Instead he crouched beside her chair.
“We’re going to fight for her.”
Sophie grabbed his hand.
This time she did it deliberately.
“Don’t leave.”
Ethan closed his fingers around hers.
“I won’t.”
Across the hospital, inside a parking garage, Andrew Hale sat in his car and made a phone call.
The person who answered did not say hello.
Andrew spoke quietly.
“She’s with Caldwell.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Another pause.
Andrew looked toward the hospital entrance.
“I understand.”
He listened.
Then his expression darkened.
“No, she doesn’t know why I came back.”
He ended the call.
May you like
Three levels above him, Leon Bennett stood near a concrete pillar.
Watching.
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