Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 16

“So you’re up to speed on Joseph’s condition, right? I know you overheard me talking with Wilma that night.”

Lizetta nodded, about to offer Hanna a few comforting words, when she continued, “You and Remington better get cracking on making a baby.”

Lizetta choked. Clearly, her mother–in–law had taken the reins and decided for her. Whether or not to have a kid was never really her call to make.

Thank goodness she’d had enough of this life!

“There’s no way Remington and I can have a child. I just asked the doctor, and he said with Joseph’s

condition…”

Joseph’s illness wasn’t at the point where a bone marrow transplant was necessary, and even if it was an emergency, there wouldn’t be time to pop out a kid. Plus, the odds of Lizetta’s baby being a match were slim.

With medicine advancing at lightning speed, leukemia wasn’t a death sentence anymore, especially for a well–connected family like the Dashiells.

Hanna was obviously freaking out, barking up the wrong tree. If having a baby was the only way to save Joseph, with the bond between Lizetta and Joseph, she’d be willing to make that sacrifice without Hanna pulling all the strings.

“Shut your trap! You have to have this child!” Hanna cut her off.

frown, she softened

million if you deliver, 30 million if it’s a match, and we can negotiate a separate price for

stirring her coffee, as

carrot.

her child was just a bargaining chip, devoid of emotion, to be demanded and dispensed with, just like

replaying the moment Jolin had left the Dashiell family for money, and

Hanna’s contemptuous sneer.

bunch of bloodsuckers! How could Remington be outsmarted by such a woman!”

please don’t be upset. It’s just 2 thousand; think of it as tossing a

memories made Lizetta stand

you the truth, my relationship with your son is toast; we’re in the middle of a divorce, so no more babies. You’re 52, not menopausal yet, right? If

purse and left, leaving Hanna sitting there, dumbstruck,

from another table.

wrong? Did Mrs. Lizetta Dashiell get under

Dashiell family really wasted their time on her; even a dog knows to be loyal to its master! She’s making up crazy lies like

then walked away with even more resolve. She headed back to the hospital, pushed open the door to Joseph’s room, and

were both there.