Chapter 8 - The Patient Room
The glass patient room had once been Helen Vale’s private office.
After her death, it was converted into a luxury maternity suite for major donors.
The room still contained an encrypted wall terminal linked to the original foundation accounts.
Someone had used that terminal repeatedly.
The most recent transfer occurred the previous night while Claire was in labor.
Margaret looked almost relieved.
“I was in the ballroom downstairs.”
Ethan had been beside Claire.
Leah had been on another floor.
The access record identified Claire.
Her wristband opened the terminal.
Claire stared at it.
“I never left the bed.”
Leah checked the room log.
Claire’s bracelet had been scanned at 2:14 a.m.
At that moment, two nurses and Ethan were standing beside her.
No one touched the wall terminal.
Then Leah examined the newborn’s band.
The hospital system had created a second identical identification number.
A duplicate band existed.
It had been printed before the baby was born.
The corridor went silent.
The duplicate was not attached to another infant.
It was used only to activate the private terminal and create a false clinical record.
Someone had prepared a digital identity for Claire’s child in advance.
Margaret’s face changed.
“That was not part of my plan.”
Claire looked at her.
“You had a plan to take my baby.”
“But not that.”
The distinction did not excuse her.
It revealed another person was involved.
The fake identity had already cast one board vote.
It approved the sale of the Queens clinic.
The newborn’s trust had voted before the newborn legally existed.
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Then the system identified who requested the duplicate band.
The order came from Ethan’s technology company.
