Chapter 3 - The Delivery Room
Hospital records were reopened under court order.
Emily Carter had been admitted at thirty-five weeks pregnant after severe placental complications.
Ethan remembered every detail.
The emergency call.
The rush to St. Matthew’s Medical Center.
The surgeon telling him there had been massive fetal distress.
Then a doctor saying:
“I’m sorry. We couldn’t save the baby.”
Emily was sedated.
Ethan was escorted away.
He never saw Leo.
He had been told Emily did not want him to.
At the time, he respected that.
Now he questioned everything.
The original obstetric record showed:
Male infant delivered at 2:14 a.m.
Initial heart rate:
Present.
Ethan’s hand shook.
Leo had been alive.
A second note:
Resuscitation initiated.
Transferred to Neonatal Stabilization.
Then records disappeared for six hours.
At 8:41 a.m.:
PATIENT MOVED TO PEDIATRIC NUTRITION OBSERVATION.
That matched carton.
At 11:02:
TRANSFER AUTHORIZED.
By whom?
Signature:
Emily Carter.
Ethan stared.
Emily had been under heavy sedation.
Could she legally consent?
Hospital review said possibly not at that hour.
Then transfer destination:
Haven House.
A private neonatal recovery residence.
Ethan had never heard of it.
Why was Leo transferred instead of treated at St. Matthew’s?
A neonatologist named Dr. Allison Greer was located.
She remembered case.
“Leo was fragile but stable.”
“Stable?”
“Yes.”
“Then why was I told he died?”
Dr. Greer went pale.
“I didn’t tell you that.”
“Who did?”
Ethan could not remember name.
A male administrator.
Dark suit.
No badge.
Then Greer revealed:
“Someone told staff the father had been informed that the infant was being placed under emergency protective confidentiality.”
Ethan stared.
“Protective from whom?”
“I assumed you.”
His stomach dropped.
“Emily told you I was dangerous?”
“No. The paperwork did.”
Who filed protective order?
Hospital social worker:
Claire Morgan.
Claire.
She had been working temporary patient-services contract at St. Matthew’s three years ago.
Ethan confronted her.
“You separated me from my son.”
Claire shook her head violently.
“No.”
“Your signature is here.”
“I filed what Emily gave me.”
“What did she say?”
“That Leo couldn’t leave hospital with you.”
“Why?”
“She was terrified.”
“Of me?”
Claire’s eyes filled.
“No.”
“Then who?”
“She said someone in your family wanted Leo gone.”
Ethan frowned.
His parents were dead.
No siblings.
No wealthy patriarch lurking.
Who in his family?
May you like
Claire whispered:
“Your father’s business partner.”
