Chapter 16 - THE CHILD PRISCILLA NEVER SPOKE ABOUTThere was another child in Priscilla’s history.
Not secret baby.
Not dramatic hidden daughter.
A pregnancy before Wesley that ended in miscarriage at eleven weeks after donor insemination.
Priscilla had never told Wesley.
Kline was involved.
This mattered because it deepened obsession.
In 1987, first successful conception occurred with anonymous donor sample.
Pregnancy lost.
Priscilla blamed donor.
Kline told her loss common and unrelated.
She demanded “better donor.”
On next cycle, unbeknownst, Kline used own sperm.
Wesley born.
Priscilla later interpreted Wesley’s survival as proof Kline genetic line “stronger.”
Scientifically irrational.
Emotionally powerful.
When she learned Kline biological, she fused:
lost anonymous donor child
surviving Kline child.
She created superstition around genetics.
Nadia said:
“You thought Kline genes made Wesley survive?”
Priscilla looked ashamed.
“For years, part of me.”
“That is not science.”
“I know now.”
“You knew enough then?”
“I was grieving.”
Grief not evidence.
But it explains why she was receptive to Kline’s “genetic continuity” language.
Kline exploited.
He wrote:
Given Wesley’s viability and health, preserved paternal source offers known success.
Horrifying eugenic undertone.
Priscilla believed.
This chapter also forced Nadia compassion she did not want.
Priscilla had been young woman humiliated by infertile marriage, miscarriage, medical exploitation, patriarchal family.
Nadia could understand pain without forgiving choices.
She told Elise:
“I hate when villain gets sad backstory.”
Elise:
“People have them.”
“Annoying.”
“Yes.”
Nadia laughed.
Priscilla shared miscarriage because public records? No, only family therapy.
Wesley cried learning older lost pregnancy.
He said:
“You carried grief alone.”
Priscilla:
“I carried everything alone because I thought that was strength.”
Wesley:
“And then made everyone else carry secrets.”
“Yes.”
No neat.
The hidden pregnancy also clarified thirty-year photo:
1992 garden party celebrated Kline receiving research award, invited because Charles credited him with miracle and Priscilla emotionally tethered.
Charles did not know donor identity.
Priscilla perhaps did not definitely until 2004, but suspected.
Fine.
The photograph wasn’t proof of affair.
It was proof of proximity.
Mystery answer richer.
Nadia told Priscilla:
“When I found photo, I thought maybe you and Kline slept together.”
Priscilla actually laughed.
“Simon would have preferred syringe to intimacy.”
Dark humor.
Nadia laughed despite.
This was first shared laugh since scandal.
It felt disloyal to anger.
But humans.
Then Nadia remembered violation and became quiet.
Priscilla said:
“You are allowed laugh at me and still sue.”
Nadia smiled slightly.
“Therapy?”
“Yes.”
“Expensive?”
May you like
“Very.”
Some patterns universal.
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