Chapter 20 - THE LAST RECORDINGOne year after the nightmare began, sunlight filled the Carter home.
Noah stood in the center of the living room.
His knees trembled.
Daniel held his hands out.
“Come on, buddy.”
Noah took one step.
Then another.
Then another.
Sophie screamed excitedly.
“He's walking!”
Rachel laughed.
Emily covered her mouth and cried.
Daniel recorded everything.
Their family wasn't conventional.
It wasn't simple.
But it was theirs.
Helen remained incarcerated awaiting final sentencing.
Michael had begun cooperating with investigators.
Victor Hale faced decades in prison.
Dozens of families were learning the truth about the fertility clinic.
For once, the Carters believed the nightmare had ended.
That night, everyone left.
Daniel carried Noah upstairs.
Emily followed.
They placed their sleeping son into the crib.
Daniel kissed his forehead.
“Goodnight, buddy.”
Emily switched off the lamp.
They walked downstairs.
Daniel's phone vibrated.
Both stopped.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Emily looked at him.
“Open it.”
Daniel tapped the message.
A video appeared.
Old security footage.
The timestamp was six years earlier.
A hospital hallway.
Margaret Lawson walked into frame.
She looked younger.
Healthier.
She was speaking with another woman.
Daniel had never seen her.
The woman turned toward the camera.
Emily gasped.
Daniel looked at her.
“Who is that?”
Emily stared at the screen.
“My mother's sister.”
Daniel frowned.
“I thought she died.”
“No.”
Emily's hands began shaking.
“She disappeared.”
On the screen, Margaret handed the woman a folder.
Two words were printed across the cover.
PROJECT EVE.
The footage ended.
Another message immediately appeared.
HALE WASN'T THE BEGINNING.
Daniel and Emily stared at each other.
Then another line appeared.
AND NOAH WASN'T THE FIRST CARTER CHILD.
Daniel felt the room turn cold.
Outside the house, across the street, a black sedan sat beneath a dead streetlight.
Its headlights were off.
Inside was a woman in her sixties.
On her lap rested an old photograph.
Margaret Lawson.
Emily as a young girl.
And beside them—
A newborn baby.
A child Emily had never mentioned.
The woman touched the photograph gently.
Then looked toward the Carter house.
Her eyes filled with sadness.
“I'm sorry, Margaret.”
She reached for the car door.
“It's time they knew.”
Inside the house, Daniel's phone began ringing.
He looked at Emily.
Neither moved.
The unknown number continued flashing across the screen.
Daniel finally answered.
“Who is this?”
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then a woman's voice whispered:
“Before you ask who I am…”
Daniel's expression changed.
“…ask Emily what happened to her brother.”
Daniel slowly turned toward his wife.
Emily's face had gone completely white.
The call disconnected.
Daniel stared at her.
“Emily?”
Tears filled her eyes.
“There are things about my family…”
She looked toward the dark window.
“…that even my mother was afraid to tell you.”
Outside, the woman stepped from the black car.
May you like
And began walking toward their front door.
THE END… FOR NOW.
