CHAPTER 5 – The Baby She Never Told Him About
The backyard fell into absolute silence.
Rain drummed softly against the stone patio.
The only sound was Derek's ragged breathing as two officers secured the handcuffs around his wrists.
Marcus didn't even look at him.
His eyes remained fixed on his daughter.
"Lila..."
His voice had lost every trace of anger.
"What was he talking about?"
Lila's lips parted.
Nothing came out.
Captain Brooks immediately stepped between them.
"Colonel."
"Let's do this inside."
Marcus nodded.
Not because he wanted to wait.
Because he could see his daughter trembling so violently she could barely stay on her feet.
Twenty minutes later...
An ambulance sat in the driveway while a paramedic carefully examined Lila's ribs.
"Take a deep breath."
She tried.
A sharp cry escaped before she could stop it.
The paramedic exchanged a quick look with his partner.
"I suspect at least two fractured ribs."
He gently moved the ultrasound Doppler across her belly.
Everyone in the room stopped breathing.
A second later—
Thump... thump... thump...
The baby's heartbeat filled the living room.
Strong.
Steady.
Lila burst into tears.
Marcus closed his eyes.
For the first time since arriving...
He allowed himself to breathe.
The baby was alive.
The paramedic smiled gently.
"Your little one is fighting."
Lila rested both hands over her stomach.
"So am I."
Marcus looked at her.
"That's my girl."
Captain Brooks waited until the paramedics finished before speaking.
"Mrs. Carter."
"I need to ask you about what your husband said."
Marcus immediately objected.
"She can do that later."
Lila slowly shook her head.
"No."
"I'm tired of hiding."
She wiped away her tears.
"Dad deserves the truth."
Marcus moved closer but didn't interrupt.
Whatever she was about to say...
He wanted her to say it because she chose to.
Not because anyone forced her.
"It happened three years ago."
Lila stared at the floor.
"I was pregnant."
Marcus blinked.
His heart skipped.
"What?"
She nodded once.
"I found out only a few weeks after Derek and I got married."
"You were deployed overseas."
"The satellite phones barely worked."
"I wanted to tell you when you came home."
Marcus whispered,
"You never did."
Lila swallowed.
"Because..."
Her voice broke.
"I lost the baby."
The room fell silent.
Marcus slowly sat down.
His knees suddenly felt too weak to hold him.
"When?"
"Twelve weeks."
Lila answered.
"I slipped on the stairs."
She paused.
"At least..."
"...that's what Derek made me tell everyone."
Marcus looked up.
"What really happened?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"He pushed me."
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Lila continued.
"We argued."
"I wanted to keep working."
"He wanted me to quit."
"He grabbed my arm."
"I pulled away."
"He shoved me."
"I fell."
She closed her eyes.
"I woke up in the hospital."
"My baby was gone."
Marcus felt as though every word was driving another knife into his chest.
"You should have called me."
His voice cracked.
"I would've come."
Lila smiled sadly.
"I know."
"Derek took my phone."
"He told the doctors not to contact anyone except him."
Captain Brooks looked up sharply.
"He controlled your medical records too?"
Lila nodded.
"He told everyone I was emotionally unstable."
"He said losing the baby had affected my memory."
Marcus looked toward Captain Brooks.
"Can hospital records still exist?"
"They should."
She immediately turned to one of the detectives.
"I want every medical record from three years ago."
"If she reported falling..."
"I want to know whether the injuries match."
The detective nodded and stepped outside to make the call.
Across the room...
Derek finally spoke.
"You can't prove anything."
Everyone turned toward him.
He sat handcuffed between two officers.
"It was an accident."
Marcus slowly walked over.
"No."
"It was murder."
Derek laughed bitterly.
"There wasn't a baby."
Lila looked directly at him.
"There was."
Her voice was stronger now.
"I saw the ultrasound."
"I heard the heartbeat."
"You held my hand."
"You cried."
She paused.
"I thought those tears meant you loved us."
Derek looked away.
Captain Brooks opened the recovered files from the security server.
"The digital team recovered another deleted clip."
She connected the laptop to the television.
"This one is older."
"The timestamp says..."
"...three years ago."
Everyone looked toward the screen.
Even Derek stopped breathing.
The recording began.
A younger Lila entered the kitchen.
She couldn't stop smiling.
In her hand...
A tiny gift box wrapped in yellow ribbon.
Marcus frowned.
"What is that?"
Lila whispered,
"I bought baby shoes."
On the screen, Derek walked through the front door carrying his briefcase.
Lila ran toward him.
"I have a surprise!"
She handed him the tiny box.
He opened it.
Inside...
A pair of newborn sneakers no larger than the palm of his hand.
Lila laughed happily.
"We're going to be parents."
For one brief moment...
Derek smiled.
He picked her up.
He kissed her.
Marcus watched silently.
"That..."
Lila whispered.
"...was the man I married."
The recording continued.
Thirty seconds later...
Derek's phone rang.
He answered.
His smile disappeared.
His face hardened.
"What?"
A long pause.
Then...
"I said no."
Another pause.
"I don't care if my father wants an heir."
He hung up.
Lila looked confused.
"What happened?"
Derek stared at the baby shoes.
Then suddenly—
He threw them across the kitchen.
"They're ruining everything!"
The screen froze.
Captain Brooks paused the video.
Marcus frowned.
"What was that phone call?"
No one answered.
Except...
Martha.
The elderly housekeeper looked terrified.
"I know."
Everyone turned.
She slowly lowered her head.
"It was Mr. Carter's father."
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"Explain."
Martha's hands shook.
"Mr. Richard Carter."
"He owns Carter International."
"He always wanted a grandson."
"He told Derek..."
"...that if Lila gave birth to the family's first male heir..."
"...Derek would inherit the company."
Silence.
Marcus looked confused.
"Then why didn't he want the baby?"
Martha closed her eyes.
"Because..."
"He had already emptied the company accounts."
Everyone stared.
"What?"
Captain Brooks asked.
Martha nodded.
"He stole millions."
"If his father discovered the fraud..."
"He would lose everything."
Marcus slowly understood.
"The baby wasn't the problem."
Captain Brooks finished the thought.
"The inheritance was."
Martha whispered,
"If Mr. Carter Senior started paying attention to the family..."
"...he would discover Derek had been stealing from him for years."
Every officer in the room exchanged glances.
The case had just become much bigger.
Derek suddenly stood despite the handcuffs.
"Shut up!"
Martha flinched.
"You old woman!"
"You don't know anything!"
Captain Brooks looked at the officers.
"Sit him down."
As they forced Derek back into his chair, another detective rushed through the front door.
"Captain!"
He held a sealed evidence bag.
"We just recovered this from the study fireplace."
Captain Brooks frowned.
"What is it?"
The detective carefully held it up.
Inside the bag...
Half-burned documents.
One page remained almost untouched.
Marcus leaned closer.
Lila gasped.
It wasn't a financial statement.
It wasn't a contract.
It was an ultrasound report.
Across the top, still clearly visible despite the fire, were the words:
PATIENT: LILA CARTER
GESTATIONAL AGE: 12 WEEKS
FETAL HEARTBEAT: PRESENT
And written diagonally across the page in thick black marker...
GET RID OF IT.
Marcus slowly turned toward Derek.
His face had become frighteningly calm.
"That wasn't written by my daughter."
Captain Brooks looked at the handwriting.
Then at Derek.
"Whose handwriting is it?"
No one answered.
Until Brooke's voice, barely above a whisper, broke the silence.
May you like
"...It's mine."
End of Chapter 5
