I tried.
But every time I looked at you,
I remembered how broken you were after the miscarriage.
I was terrified that if I gave you hope and something went wrong again, you’d never recover.”
My hands shook as I opened the envelope.
Inside were medical records, legal documents, and a photograph.
The photograph showed a tiny newborn in a hospital blanket.
The same birthmark was visible beneath his ear.
I looked at Eric.
“Explain.”
He swallowed.
“After the miscarriage, the doctors discovered that the pregnancy hadn’t ended the way we thought.
There had been complications, and the baby had survived.
He was transferred to another hospital under emergency care.”
My heart stopped.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because there was a terrible mistake in the records.
Your file was connected to the wrong case during the transfer.
By the time the hospital discovered the error, the baby had already been placed in temporary protective care.”
