Chosen to Carry

ed leather chair in the lawyer's office, her hands folded tightly in her lap. She hadn't changed out of the black dress she wore

amily, now wearing the cold, careful face of a professiona

ther left behind one asset: the

the wall behind him, blank and beige, and tried not to imagine he

name," Mr. Evans continued

owly focusing.

treatments, your brother's school... and the business." He looked up at her. "U

like a punch

w m

d her the figure. Her br

a million. Even ten thous

ve that," s

kno

e quiet roar of the rain dripping

ipping the folder tightly. "Tha

p understanding

igure i

ld offer sympathy. She could

-

' living room. The house was quiet now. Too quiet. Th

hand, and let the tears come. Silent, shu

s still hung in the shed. Her mother's scarves were folded neatly in the upstairs drawer. Her brother's bo

f memory

kes,"* her father said, grabb

th you,"* Ma

had said with a crooked g

side the bed, watching her mother struggle to breathe, the bee

red the last wo

time to sto

em the second th

ter, her mot

that, a call

other never made

river. A

l of the

-

dark at the kitchen table.

but something in the sub

Request - Confidenti

d, she

, and a guaranteed payout. Enough to p

Emotionally stable. Preferably no existing childre

nds tr

everything... b

hone down and st

othing le

*

ed of antiseptic and t

grandfather lay - the man who built the Callahan empire, whose n

, he wa

the frailty of his voice.

said n

one by the end of next month, the will changes

obert? He's barely

her's voice hardened. "He ha

ned. "I've been focu

breath rattling. "Love failed you? Fine. Then pay for what you n

im to rest. Spencer turned a

-

in his penthouse, the lights of the city

o were the lies

ntually wanted the same thing - the

on a clock. Two mont

ached. Efficien

ce echoed in his me

t handle this. Surrogate

Quiet, verified programs. Discreet

he sa

Kin

tired eyes, but something hones

lear: willing. Healthy. In n

nt anything b

closed t

as pe

the email. Her coat clung to her body, damp from the morning drizzle. She hadn

eclined, nervously clutching the straps of her bag. She wasn't sure what she ex

oor opened, and

grey and black, like he walked st

er Ca

at her. Ri

d just been seen - not in

he asked, voice e

slowly, sta

asked to meet

her paus

the lobby. "I believe if we're going

furnished with soft chairs an

aid once the door closed. "But I'm not look

fully. "You n

es. And I understand

s house. It's all I hav

. He didn't pus

're healthy. You've never been pr

no rights after birth. I'

r stud

ng this for the

to keep something that belongs

hing flickered in h

nally, h

aw up the contract. If you

"How soon is

ansfer in

er lip. "

have time

er di

feet. "Then let'

s - firm, cold,

decision would unravel everythin