And I understood, even before he said it.
I understood in the way your body sometimes knows before your mind catches up.
“You went to a clinic,” he continued slowly. “A private one. You told me it was a donor. Anonymous. That it was the only way.”
Diane’s breathing grew shallow.
“You said it didn’t matter who the donor was. That a child is a child.”
Richard’s voice cracked.
“But it mattered to you.”
Diane stepped forward. “Stop.”
He didn’t.
“You chose someone,” he said. “Someone close. Someone… convenient.”
My hands started shaking.
No.
No, no, no—
“You used my brother,” Richard said.
The words landed like a bomb.
“He never knew,” Richard added quickly. “You told the clinic it was anonymous. You lied to me. You lied to everyone.”
Caleb staggered back like he’d been hit.
“That’s not possible,” he whispered.
Richard pointed toward the bassinets.
“Look at them,” he said.
