Chapter 5 - Natalie’s Letter
William retrieved the envelope from a bank safe-deposit box the next morning.
He opened it alone.
Then called me.
His voice sounded wrong.
“Claire, can you come back?”
I hesitated.
I was catering staff.
Not family.
Not an investigator.
But I had become the person Ethan trusted enough to reach through a wall for.
So I returned.
William handed me the letter.
Natalie wrote it during her final month of life.
She explained that their fertility treatment had involved more complications than William knew.
An early cycle failed.
A later cycle succeeded.
But there had been an administrative error involving embryo records.
The clinic investigated internally.
Natalie was told the matter had been resolved.
William apparently never knew.
“Why wouldn’t she tell you?” I asked.
His eyes filled.
“Because she thought it would destroy me.”
The letter also mentioned Isabella.
Not by married name.
Isabella Rossi.
Before becoming Isabella Sterling.
She had worked briefly as an administrative liaison for the fertility clinic.
William stared at the page.
“She told me she worked in pharmaceutical marketing.”
“She may have.”
“Not this.”
Natalie wrote that Isabella had helped her obtain copies of certain records when the clinic refused to release them quickly.
At first, Isabella had been helpful.
Then she started asking questions about the Sterling family.
Money.
Inheritance.
William’s assets.
Natalie became uncomfortable.
Their contact ended.
At the bottom of the letter:
If Isabella ever comes back into our lives, do not assume it’s coincidence.
William covered his face.
He had met Isabella at a charity event eighteen months after Natalie died.
He thought they were strangers.
Isabella knew exactly who he was.
But the largest question remained unanswered.
Why had she returned?
Money seemed obvious.
Too obvious.
Then Ethan said he remembered something else from the red backpack.
A white envelope with his name on it.
Inside, he had seen a hospital bracelet.
May you like
Not his.
It had another baby’s name.
