“Claire, I learned this later. The twins’ biological father had been listed under a different surname in one of the early records. There was a question about a family connection, and the social worker was trying to establish whether Daniel knew anything that might help.””

I looked at Daniel.

“Did you?””

He didn’t answer.

Rachel continued.

“He told the social worker he didn’t know anything. But I don’t think he was telling the truth.””

Vanessa covered her mouth.

Daniel shook his head.

“This is getting out of control.””

I could barely speak.

“Why would the twins’ biological family have any connection to you?””

Daniel looked at the children.

For the first time, I saw something in his expression that wasn’t anger, pride, or embarrassment.

Recognition.

He looked at Oliver’s eyes.

Then Sophie’s face.

And he whispered, “I didn’t know.””

I took a step toward him.

“Didn’t know what?””

He stared at the children for another long moment.

Then he turned toward the living room.

“I need to find something.””

He walked away.

Nobody followed him.

I stood in the hallway, struggling to understand what I had just heard.

Rachel moved closer.

“Claire, I need to tell you something about the day you brought them home.””

I turned toward her.

“Go on.””

She took a shaky breath.

“Daniel called me that evening. He asked whether I had seen you at the hospital. He wanted to know if you had adopted the twins.””

My throat tightened.

“What did you tell him?””

“I told him no. I didn’t know you had.””

I stared at her.

“Then how did he know?””

Rachel looked at the floor.

“Because someone had told him.””

“Who?””

She shook her head.

“I never found out. But I think Daniel had been searching for information about the twins for months before you adopted them.””

I felt the room tilt.

“Why?””

Rachel looked at me with tears running down her face.

“I don’t know. But I think he believed they were connected to him somehow.””

Before I could ask another question, Daniel returned.

He held a thin folder in his hand.

His fingers were trembling.

He looked at me, then at the children.

And for the first time that afternoon, he didn’t try to control the room.

He simply held out the folder.

“Claire,” he whispered, “I think you need to see this.””

I didn’t take it.

“What is it?””

He swallowed.

“A copy of the original family services report.””

I looked at the folder.

Then at my children.

“Why do you have that?””

Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.

“Because the day I saw them in the hospital, I realized there was a possibility I couldn’t ignore.””

He paused.

May you like

Then he said the words that made Rachel turn away and Vanessa grab the wall for support.

“Oliver and Sophie might be my biological children.””

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