Chapter 7 - The Man Outside the Glass.
Victor Cole arrived twenty-seven minutes later.
He wore a navy overcoat over a tailored suit and carried no flowers.
Hospital security stopped him before he reached Claire's room.
From her bed, Claire could see him through the narrow glass panel in the door.
He did not look angry.
He looked amused.
That frightened her more.
Victor spoke quietly with the security officer.
Then he turned his head toward the glass.
His eyes met Claire's.
He smiled.
Margaret stepped between them and closed the privacy shade.
"He always smiles when he thinks he knows more than everyone else."
Claire shifted carefully against the pillows.
"Has he always hated Adrian?"
"No."
Margaret sat down.
"That would have been easier."
She looked toward her son.
Adrian stood near the door, listening to Victor's muffled voice outside.
"Victor loved Adrian when he was a child."
Claire waited.
"Then Adrian's father changed the succession plan."
Adrian turned.
"He thought Uncle Victor was reckless with company money."
Margaret nodded.
"Your father discovered unauthorized loans."
Claire frowned.
"Why have I never heard this?"
"Because the board handled it privately."
Adrian gave a bitter laugh.
"The Cole family specialty."
Margaret looked at him sharply.
"This is not the moment for sarcasm."
"No, Mother."
He looked at Claire.
"The moment for honesty was apparently years ago."
Claire was surprised by the anger in his voice.
Not at her.
At himself.
She did not let it soften her.
Outside, Victor raised his voice.
"I am family."
The security officer answered calmly.
"The patient has restricted visitors."
Victor glanced toward the covered glass.
"My nephew is in there."
"That does not change the restriction."
A new voice entered the hallway.
Vanessa.
Claire knew it before anyone opened the shade.
Her voice had a polished sweetness Claire would never forget.
"Victor, don't make a scene."
Adrian went rigid.
Margaret's eyes widened.
Claire looked at him.
"Did you invite her?"
"No."
Claire believed him.
That made Vanessa's arrival worse.
Dana stepped into the hallway and spoke with security.
Minutes later, she returned.
"Vanessa claims she is here as Adrian's legal representative."
Claire stared at her husband.
"Is she?"
"No."
Dana held up a document.
"She has a limited power of attorney signed by you three weeks ago."
Adrian's face emptied.
"What?"
Dana placed the copy in his hands.
He read it.
"I signed a temporary authorization for her to retrieve records from Northstar Genetics."
Claire leaned forward despite the pain.
"You gave your mistress power of attorney?"
"Not like this."
"Your signature is on it."
"The second page is not the document I signed."
Dana nodded.
"That may be true."
She pointed to a faint mark along the margin.
"The scan appears to combine pages from two different files."
Claire closed her eyes briefly.
Another forged document.
Another piece of paper designed to make Vanessa look legitimate.
"Can she make medical decisions for him?"
"Not under the valid first page."
"Can she access the babies?"
"No."
Claire opened her eyes.
"Then she stays outside."
Dana nodded.
The afternoon passed under a pressure that made time feel slow and distorted.
Victor eventually left.
Vanessa left ten minutes later.
Security photographed both departures.
At six fifteen, the university lab called.
Dr. Harris came to Claire's room in person.
He carried three sealed pages.
Claire's palms became damp.
Adrian stood on the opposite side of the bed.
Margaret held Lucy.
Mia stood near Noah and Grace.
Dr. Harris looked at Claire first.
"The maternity results are conclusive."
Claire stopped breathing.
"All three children are biologically yours."
Her entire body loosened at once.
She began crying before she realized it.
Margaret bent over and kissed her forehead.
Mia smiled.
Claire reached for Lucy.
"All three?"
"All three."
Claire held her daughter against her chest.
For several seconds, nothing else mattered.
Then she looked at Dr. Harris.
"And Adrian?"
The doctor's expression became more complicated.
"The preliminary paternity analysis is not complete."
Adrian frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because there is an anomaly."
Claire's stomach tightened again.
"What kind of anomaly?"
Dr. Harris looked toward the babies.
"The lab has strong evidence that at least two of the triplets are biologically Adrian's."
Adrian stared at him.
"At least two?"
"The third sample is producing a result that requires confirmation."
Claire's heart began to pound.
"Which baby?"
Dr. Harris hesitated.
"Lucy."
Claire instinctively held her tighter.
"What does that mean?"
"It may mean nothing more than a contaminated sample."
"Or?"
He paused.
"Or Lucy may have a different biological father."
Adrian turned pale.
Claire stared at the doctor in disbelief.
"That is impossible."
Dr. Harris nodded.
"I understand."
"No."
Claire shook her head.
"You do not understand."
She looked at Adrian.
"There was no other man."
Adrian's expression was unreadable.
Claire felt anger rise instantly.
"Do not look at me like that."
He stepped closer.
"I'm not accusing you."
"You already did that once."
Before he could answer, Mia's scanner beeped near Lucy's bassinet.
She looked down at the screen.
Her face changed.
"Doctor."
Dr. Harris crossed the room.
Mia showed him a newly posted lab alert.
He read it twice.
Claire's voice sharpened.
"What now?"
Dr. Harris looked at her.
"Lucy has a rare blood antigen."
"Is she sick?"
"Not currently."
"Then why does it matter?"
He looked at Adrian.
"Because Adrian has the same rare antigen."
Claire stared at him.
"So he is her father."
Dr. Harris shook his head slowly.
"It strongly suggests the paternity sample is wrong."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Wrong how?"
Dr. Harris looked toward the sealed evidence tubes collected that morning.
"Someone may have substituted my sample before it reached the university lab," Adrian said.
Dana entered at that exact moment.
"That is what we are checking."
She held up a security still from the courier bay.
A man in scrubs was standing beside the sample transport box.
His face was partly turned away.
But the badge clipped to his shirt was clearly visible.
It belonged to a Bellweather contractor.
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