3rd Person POV
Few days before
It had all started the day Caleb and Emma visited the hospital together. Caleb had told Vanessa a flimsy story about being there at the gynecologist, but she didn’t buy it for a second she had known him too long to miss the nervous edge in his voice.
As Caleb chatted with Jake, waiting for Emma to finish her chat with the doctor, Vanessa excused herself, claiming she needed to use the restroom. But instead of heading to the bathrooms, she found herself near the reception desk.
She stood silently for a moment, watching the receptionist shuffle papers and greet patients. Then her eyes landed on the clipboard sitting on the counter—a list of appointments for the day.
Vanessa’s heart raced as she quickly scanned the names, and then she saw it:
Emma Stone - Ultrasound diagnosis with Dr. Foster.
A wicked smile crept across her face. Emma was here for an ultrasound, and Caleb was here at the same time. The pieces began falling into place.
Vanessa returned to the waiting area with her newfound knowledge. She didn’t confront Caleb—not yet. Instead, she played it cool, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary. She needed to be certain before she made her move.
The following day, Vanessa came back to the hospital with a plan.
Approaching the reception desk with confidence, she put on her sweetest smile. “Hi,” she said brightly. “I’m here to pick up the results for Emma Stone. She’s not feeling well today and asked me to grab them for her.”
The receptionist raised an eyebrow. “Do you have her written consent?”
Vanessa reached into her bag and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper. “Of course,” she said, handing it over.
The receptionist scanned the document briefly before nodding. “Alright. One moment.”
Vanessa waited, tapping her nails on the counter as the receptionist disappeared into the back. When she returned, she handed Vanessa a sealed envelope.
“Thank you so much,” Vanessa said, her voice dripping with fake gratitude.
Once she was back in her car, Vanessa didn’t wait to tear open the envelope. Inside, she found the ultrasound images and the accompanying notes. Her breath caught as she stared at the black-and-white image on the top.
Twins.
Flipping through the papers, her eyes landed on the line she had been hoping to see:
Paternity Test: Caleb Torres - Positive Match.
Vanessa leaned back in her seat, a triumphant smile spreading across her face. She now had confirmation—the twins were Caleb’s.
This information was dynamite, and she was the first to know. Caleb and Emma had no idea that their secret was already unraveling, and Vanessa intended to make sure they paid the price.