LOGINDerek's trial lasted three weeks.I attended every day, the twins with Elizabeth in the back of the courtroom. I wanted Derek to see them. To know what he'd lost.The prosecution presented our case methodically. The recorded confessions. The DNA evidence showing one twin was genetically mine, proving the clinic had made an error. The falsified IVF forms. The plan to have me locked up in a mental institution.Derek's lawyer tried every defense, even claimed Derek had genuinely loved me and had been manipulated by Claire and Patricia.None of it worked. The jury deliberated for four hours and Derek was found guilty on all counts.The judge sentenced him to thirteen years, with parole eligibility after eight."Mr. Morrison," the judge said, "you perpetrated one of the most egregious violations of bodily autonomy I've seen in my career. You treated your wife as an incubator, stole her genetic material, and planned to steal her children. The sentence reflects the severity of these crimes."
I couldn't believe my eyes. Was this a prank? A water gun?“Adrian… what… what is…” I didn't even know what to ask."Inside." His voice was flat, not the gentle tone I'd come to know. "Now."I stepped back, my arms instinctively wrapping around my body. The twins were sleeping in the nursery down the hall. Elizabeth, their nanny, was in the kitchen preparing bottles for the night feeding."Adrian, please. Whatever this is-""A million dollars." He closed the door behind him, the gun still trained on me. "Transfer it to this account. Now."He thrust his phone at me with his free hand, showing a banking app with account details already entered."I don't understand-""I have gambling debts. Five hundred thousand dollars. People who will kill me if I don't pay. I need double that to disappear, start over." His hand shook slightly, making the gun waver. "You told me everything about Lancaster Industries. Every weakness, every secret, every vulnerability. If you don't pay me, I sell it all
Derek looked terrible. Gaunt, unshaven, wearing clothes that hung loose on his frame. Prison was destroying him already."Thank you," he whispered.I let him inside, my hand on my phone, ready to call 911 if needed.Derek walked to the cribs, staring at the sleeping twins with an expression I'd never seen before. Genuine grief."They're beautiful," he said softly."They are.""Lily has your nose.""She does."He turned to face me."Vivian, I know I don't deserve forgiveness. I know what I did was unforgivable. But I need you to know... I did love you. Once. In the beginning, before the plan consumed everything. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, and I destroyed it.""You destroyed us," I corrected. "Your greed destroyed us.""I know." Tears streaked down his face. "I know. And I'll pay for it for the rest of my life. But please... please let me hold them. Just once. Before I go to prison."Every instinct screamed that this was manipulation. That Derek Morrison didn't do
He rubbed his forehead with his tattooed hand, then went down on his knees.“Don't bother. I'm never forgiving you. My kids will grow up and see online, what you made of their mother while they were in my belly. I hate you, Nathan. I HATE YOU!!”Now I was crying again and Harold had to hold me together.I cried all the way upstairs. I didn't even introduce Adrian to Harold, just went into his room and cried myself to sleep.---An emergency custody hearing was scheduled for the next morning. I had a full team of lawyers representing me, presenting the DNA evidence, the recorded confessions, the proof of reproductive coercion.Derek's lawyer tried to argue that Claire had genetic rights to Lucas.The judge shut him down immediately."Ms. Morrison never consented to donor eggs. This entire situation was predicated on fraud. Full custody is awarded to Vivian Morrison."Derek had stood in the courtroom, shackled, watching me hold both twins."Vivian, they're still my children—""They're M
VIVIAN"This is bullshit!" Claire screamed."This is justice," I said quietly. "You tried to steal my children. My company. My life. Now you lose everything."Watching Derek and Claire led away in handcuffs was the sweetest moment of my life.Better than my wedding day, than becoming CEO, than anything I'd ever experienced. Because I did this. I orchestrated their downfall from nothing.The police had been skeptical when I first approached them with my story and only DNA results as evidence.A cheating mother claiming her husband had switched embryos? It sounded insane.Until I tricked them with a fake alert to the hotel and made them watch the livestream of what was happening in Derek's room while hiding in the room opposite.One of the men criticized me, calling it illegal, but I didn't care. They decided to burst in once they started hitting each other.In less than an hour, the news of the interim CEO of Lancaster industries was everywhere. Questions were arising, all centering ar
DEREKVivian had been missing for over six weeks.Six weeks of police searches, growing panic, and manipulating the media with claims that Vivian was mentally ill. Claire was barely speaking to me, blaming me for the entire disaster, and my mother wouldn't stop calling."Find her," Patricia demanded. "Find her before she ruins everything.""I'm trying. She's vanished.""She was pregnant with twins. She didn't just vanish into thin air."But Vivian had disappeared completely like she'd become a ghost. No credit card usage, no email log-ins, no sightings.Until I received an anonymous text: "Suite 412, Grand Hotel. 8 PM. Come alone if you want to see your children. Let's negotiate."It was a trap. Felt like one, but I went anyway, without informing Claire nor Patricia.Vivian isn't smart. Who does she have on her side? What resources does she have?I arrived at 8 PM, knocked… and Claire answered for me.“What the hell are you doing here?!” I yelled at her.“You are Mr. Ghost? What the f







