Chapter 2 - The Second Envelope
Ethan stared at Adrian, his confident smirk replaced by a mask of angry confusion. He looked at me, then back to the doctor.
“That’s a lie,” Ethan snapped. “We spent two years in your clinic. The charts said her ovarian reserve was depleted. I read the paperwork myself.”
“You read the paperwork that was provided to you at home,” Adrian corrected, his voice steady. “When Claire requested a direct audit of the hospital’s digital server last month, we found that her original bloodwork and ultrasound data had been manually overwritten in the patient portal. The changes were made by someone using Claire’s emergency proxy login.”
Ethan blinked, the information failing to process. “Proxy login?”
“Madison was my emergency contact, Ethan,” I said, the words tasting like ash. “She had my passwords. She handled the charity’s administrative emails, and she set up my medical portal when I was hospitalized for the ectopic pregnancy.”
“This is ridiculous.” Ethan gestured broadly to the boy in Madison’s arms. “I have a son. Proof is sitting right here. If Claire wasn't the problem, why couldn't we conceive?”
Madison was trembling now. The baby began to fuss, sensing her rising panic. “Ethan, stop,” she whispered. “Let’s just go to the car.”
“No,” Ethan demanded, planting his feet. “Tell her she’s delusional.”
Instead of answering, Adrian reached into his breast pocket and produced a second, thinner envelope. He held it out to Ethan.
“During the digital audit, we also recovered the unedited results of your preliminary male-factor screening from fourteen months ago,” Adrian said. “The results that were mailed to your house, which you claimed you never received.”
Ethan didn't move to take it. His eyes darted to the envelope, a sudden, primal dread washing over his features.
“Open it,” I said quietly.
May you like
Ethan snatched the envelope, tore the seal, and scanned the single sheet of paper. His breath hitched. He read it again, his eyes tracking the same line of text over and over.
Plaintext
