Two Mothers in One Record
Chapter 02 - Two Mothers in One Record
Ethan believed Lucas’s biological mother, Anna Reed, died six years earlier in a highway accident.
Victoria entered their lives three months after the funeral.
She had been Anna’s college friend and offered to help care for the grieving child. Over time, support became affection, and affection became marriage.
Ethan never imagined that Lucas still spoke about Anna as though she were alive.
Maya inserted the memory card into an offline hospital computer.
The first folder contained photographs of Lucas entering North River Clinic on four separate dates.
Victoria appeared beside him in every image.
The clinic records listed her as Lucas’s biological mother.
The second folder contained audio.
A woman’s quiet voice said, “Lucas, keep the hat. Nurse Maya will know what to do.”
Maya froze.
She recognized the voice.
Anna Reed had worked at Saint Matthew’s as a pediatric-records specialist.
Before the reported accident, Anna discovered that children’s identities were being duplicated across several private clinics. Insurance companies paid for treatments that never occurred, while real children received altered histories and false diagnoses.
Anna asked Maya to preserve one file.
Then she vanished.
Maya had been told Anna died before she could testify.
Ethan stared at the computer.
“You knew my wife?”
“I knew Anna. I did not know she survived.”
Another recording began.
Victoria’s voice filled the room.
“The next assessment must show worsening behavior. Ethan cannot learn about North River until guardianship is approved.”
A man answered, “The father’s signature?”
“I copied it from the school enrollment form.”
Ethan stood so quickly that the chair moved backward.
Maya stopped the recording.
“Your son needs you calm.”
Ethan looked at Lucas.
The boy watched him carefully, measuring whether truth would create another dangerous room.
Ethan sat down again.
“What did Victoria tell you about Anna?”
Lucas held the blue hat against his chest.
“She said Anna was sick and could only visit if I followed the clinic rules.”
Ethan understood.
May you like
Victoria had not merely hidden medical appointments.
She had used the possibility of Lucas seeing his mother to keep him silent.
