Evelyn Caldwell.
Ethan stared at the evidence in disbelief.
His mother had stolen his first child to separate him from Hannah.
Then, years later, consumed by guilt, she had secretly arranged for Hannah’s twins to be biologically Ethan’s.
It was monstrous.
Absurd.
And yet not the final truth.
Because when Ethan confronted Evelyn in jail, she laughed bitterly.
“You think I did that?”
“Your authorization code was used.”
“My code was stolen.”
“By whom?”
Evelyn looked almost amused.
“You still haven’t figured out the only person who knew everything?”
Ethan’s blood chilled.
Maria Santos.
But Maria was seventy.
A retired nurse.
A frightened witness.
Wasn’t she?
Ethan raced back to the hospital.
Maria was gone.
So was the yellow envelope.
Security footage showed her leaving through the east entrance.
Then Hannah found a handwritten note beneath Daniel’s drawing.
I returned one child. I gave you two more. Forgive me for deciding what your life should become. — M
