Chapter 10 - Before Claire
If Project Eight breach began before Ethan met Claire, Sophie was not original target.
Ethan was.
Foundation audit found Family Eight records accessed eight years earlier.
Two years before Ethan met Claire.
Again four years before Sophie’s birth.
User:
H.BENNETT.
The access downloaded Ethan’s genetic profile.
Why?
No obvious reason.
Then six months before Sophie birth, same profile uploaded to private genealogy matching service.
Unauthorized.
A match emerged.
Ethan had a close biological relative he did not know.
Half-sibling?
Possibly.
Do not jump.
Further testing required.
Margaret became nervous.
Ethan noticed.
“What aren't you telling me?”
His mother said his father Henry had been married once before.
Briefly.
No children, supposedly.
Woman:
Diane Cole.
Could Ethan have half-sibling?
Maybe.
Diane died fifteen years ago.
No confirmed children in records.
Then Claire asked:
“What does this have to do with Sophie?”
If someone was building Ethan family tree, Sophie’s birth could validate descendant branch.
That could explain Project Eight note.
Not “Sophie isn't Ethan’s.”
Rather Sophie’s DNA could confirm Ethan’s genetic linkage to unknown person.
Someone fabricated paternity report because database relationship map had unexpected match and software generated exclusion warning? Maybe.
But Northbridge report was manually altered.
So somebody intentionally used paternity language.
Misdirection.
Why?
To force Ethan into private test?
If Ethan believed Sophie wasn't his, he might order DNA test.
That test would enter database.
Then unknown person could match him.
There.
Someone wanted Ethan to submit fresh DNA.
The fake paternity report was bait.
Claire stared.
“Did you test yourself that night?”
“No.”
“After?”
“No.”
“Ever?”
“Not until now.”
Current investigators had taken samples.
Meaning whoever wanted DNA may finally get it, if lab compromised.
They secured chain immediately.
Then Vanessa admitted something.
Four years ago, after corrected report, she secretly took a drinking glass Ethan used in Room 814.
She mailed it to private paternity service.
Claire stared.
“You stole his DNA?”
“I wanted to know.”
“Know what?”
“If Sophie was his.”
“You didn't have Sophie’s DNA.”
“I had something from Claire’s bag.”
Ethan stood.
“What?”
Vanessa had taken Sophie’s first knitted cap from hospital bag before delivery.
No DNA yet.
Useless.
She realized later.
But inside bag also was Claire’s prenatal blood collection card.
She stole it.
Unauthorized testing.
Result?
Inconclusive due mixed maternal/fetal sample.
But company flagged unexpected familial match.
To whom?
A stored profile labeled:
V-08.
Vanessa had never understood.
Investigators traced company.
Profile V-08 submitted by:
Dr. Marcus Hale.
Before Sophie was born.
Marcus had been trying to identify person behind Family Eight breach.
And V-08 had a name attached in sealed legal request.
May you like
Victoria Reed.
Vanessa’s mother.
