The Vanishing Mrs. Moretti

Part 2 – The Woman Holding His Child

Alexander stared at the housekeeper.

“A newborn baby?”

“Yes, sir. She’s waiting outside.”

“Bring her in.”

A few moments later, a young woman entered the office carrying a small bundle wrapped in a pale blue blanket.

She looked exhausted, her eyes swollen from crying.

Alexander barely glanced at her.

“Where did you get that baby?”

The woman swallowed.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Moretti. I was asked to deliver something to you.”

She carefully placed a small envelope on his desk.

Alexander recognized the handwriting immediately.

Claire.

His fingers trembled as he opened it.

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Inside was a single sheet of paper.

Alexander,

Our daughter arrived at 1:18 a.m. She weighed seven pounds and two ounces. She has your dark hair and my eyes.

I waited for you to come when I was in labor. I waited until I could no longer stand the pain. But you never came.

I named her Grace.

She’s healthy, and she’s safe. That’s all you need to know.

You wanted Vanessa and her son to have a home. I hope you enjoy the family you chose.

Don’t look for us.

Claire.

Alexander read the letter twice.

Then a third time.

“Where is my daughter?”

The young woman shook her head.

“I promised Mrs. Moretti I wouldn’t tell you.”

Alexander’s eyes turned cold.

“Do you know who you’re speaking to?”

“Yes, sir. But she made me promise.”

He slammed the letter onto the desk.

“Tell me where my wife is!”

“I can’t.”

The woman turned to leave.

“Wait!”

Alexander reached for his phone.

“Get me every hospital in Chicago. Check every delivery record from the last seven days. I want the name of every doctor who treated a woman matching Claire’s description.”

His security chief nodded and hurried away.

But before Alexander could make another call, his phone rang.

Vanessa.

He stared at her name before answering.

“Alexander, where are you? Ethan has been asking for you all morning.”

For the first time, her voice irritated him.

“Not now, Vanessa.”

There was a pause.

“What’s wrong?”

“My wife gave birth.”

Silence.

Then Vanessa asked quietly, “Is the baby yours?”

Alexander closed his eyes.

“She is my daughter.”

Vanessa’s voice immediately changed.

“Alexander, you promised Ethan he would finally have a real father. You can’t just abandon us now.”

He said nothing.

“Please don’t let Claire manipulate you. She’s probably using that baby to get your attention.”

Alexander slowly lowered the phone.

Manipulate him?

He remembered Claire standing in the foyer, asking him not to leave her alone when their baby could arrive at any moment.

He had walked away.

He had chosen another woman’s phone call over his pregnant wife.

And now he didn’t even know whether his daughter had been born in a hospital or somewhere alone in the city.

For the first time, Alexander felt something he had never experienced in his life.

Fear.

Three days later, his security chief finally found a lead.

“Boss, we located the hospital.”

Alexander stood so quickly that his chair fell backward.

“Where?”

“St. Mary’s Medical Center. A woman matching Mrs. Moretti’s description arrived shortly before midnight. She was admitted under a different surname.”

“Is she still there?”

“No, sir. She was discharged two days ago.”

Alexander grabbed his coat.

“Get the car.”

Within twenty minutes, he was standing at the hospital reception desk.

“I need the records for Claire Moretti.”

The receptionist looked uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry, sir. Patient information is confidential.”

Alexander placed his identification on the counter.

“I’m her husband.”

The receptionist glanced at the document.

“Mr. Moretti, your wife specifically requested that no information be released to anyone.”

His jaw tightened.

“I’m the father of her child.”

“I’m sorry.”

Alexander leaned forward.

“Did she leave alone?”

The receptionist hesitated.

Then she quietly replied, “No. An older woman came to pick her up. She brought a wheelchair and a car seat for the baby.”

“Where did they go?”

“I don’t know.”

Alexander stepped back.

For five years, he had believed Claire had nowhere to go without him.

Apparently, he had never bothered to discover how many people loved her outside his world.

That evening, Alexander returned to the mansion.

Vanessa was waiting in the living room with Ethan.

She wore an expensive silk dress, and several suitcases had already been placed near the staircase.

“Alexander, we need to talk.”

He didn’t even remove his coat.

“Why are your things here?”

Vanessa smiled nervously.

“I thought it would be easier if Ethan and I moved into your bedroom. The east wing is too far from you.”

Alexander stared at her.

“My bedroom?”

“You said we would finally be together.”

He looked toward the staircase.

“Take your belongings and move out.”

Vanessa’s smile disappeared.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Alexander, don’t do this. Claire left you. She doesn’t want you anymore.”

His expression hardened.

“Claire is my wife.”

“And I’m the woman you love!”

He looked at her for a long moment.

Then he said something that made her face turn pale.

“I don’t think I ever loved you the way I loved her.”

For the first time, Vanessa had nothing to say.

Alexander walked past her and headed upstairs.

Inside his bedroom, he found Claire’s old pregnancy journal on the bedside table.

He opened it.

The first entry was dated five years earlier.

Today Alexander brought me white roses. He said he wanted five children with me. I laughed because I couldn’t imagine loving anyone more than I loved him.

He turned another page.

Today I heard our baby’s heartbeat. I wish Alexander had been there.

Another page.

Thirty-six weeks. He forgot my appointment again.

And finally, the last entry.

Thirty-eight weeks. I think my husband has already started another family. I hope my daughter never grows up believing she has to beg someone to love her.

Alexander sat on the edge of the bed.

Then, for the first time in his adult life, the feared Mafia boss began to cry.