PART 7
My mother-in-law stood perfectly still.
“The foundation,” Spencer said weakly. “The doctors. The research board.”
Rosa began crying quietly.
I looked between all of them.
“What research?”
Eleanor answered this time.
“Your children are genetically exceptional.”
I stared at her in horror.
“The first boy showed extraordinary compatibility markers. Rare neurological responses. Rare blood traits. The foundation funded everything after he was born.”
I could barely understand the words coming out of her mouth.
“You experimented on my baby?”
“No,” Eleanor snapped. “We saved him.”
“By locking him in a basement?!”
“He would have died otherwise!”
Her voice cracked violently now.
That was the first real emotion I had ever seen from her.
The doctor spoke carefully from near the door.
“The older child suffers from a degenerative condition. The treatments failed. They needed a biological sibling donor.”
My knees nearly gave out.
Matthew.
They wanted Matthew for his brother.
The room went silent except for Matthew’s cries.
Then—
A loud crash echoed downstairs.
Everyone froze.
Another crash.
Then tiny footsteps.
Fast.
Running.
My phone buzzed again.
Basement camera disconnected.
Eleanor’s face drained of color.
“No…”
A child screamed downstairs.
Not in pain.
In fear.
May you like
And then I heard it with my own ears for the very first time:
“Mom!”
