Chapter 7 - The Child He Intended to Replace Her With
Shelby looked at Courtney.
“Your baby isn’t part of my family trust.”
Courtney’s face stiffened.
Jared answered for her.
“That can be corrected.”
“How?”
No one spoke.
Shelby already knew.
Adoption.
If Jared convinced Shelby to adopt Courtney’s child—or forged the documents while Shelby was declared incapacitated—the baby could potentially be presented as Shelby’s legal heir.
But the trust required biological descent.
Jared must have known that.
Unless he planned to alter more than adoption records.
Shelby turned toward the blue folder.
“What else is in there?”
Jared tucked it under his arm.
“Nothing you need to see.”
Erin moved closer.
“That folder contains her records.”
“It contains confidential documents.”
“They’re confidential from your mistress, not from your wife.”
Courtney’s composure finally cracked.
“Stop calling me that.”
Erin stared at her belly.
“What should I call you? The replacement?”
Courtney took a sharp breath.
Jared raised one hand.
“Enough.”
Shelby studied Courtney’s reaction.
The younger woman was jealous.
Not secure.
That meant Jared had made promises he had not yet fulfilled.
Shelby changed her approach.
“What did he tell you?”
Courtney looked away.
“He told you I was sick, didn’t he?”
“Don’t answer her,” Jared said.
Shelby continued.
“He told you I couldn’t manage the company. That I was unstable. That I refused to give him children.”
Courtney’s lips parted.
Shelby saw the truth in her eyes.
“He told you the surgery was necessary.”
Courtney shook her head.
“You don’t know anything about us.”
“I know Jared lies to women when he needs something.”
Jared moved toward the bed.
“Shelby.”
She ignored him.
“Did he promise to marry you?”
Courtney glanced at Jared.
There it was.
The wound beneath her cruelty.
“He said the divorce papers were already prepared,” Courtney said.
Jared’s face hardened.
“Courtney, stop.”
“He said Shelby would be moved to a private rehabilitation center.”
Erin went pale.
“A rehabilitation center?”
Courtney realized she had said too much.
Shelby’s gaze sharpened.
“What kind?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
Courtney’s hand tightened over her belly.
“A psychiatric facility.”
Melissa whispered, “Oh my God.”
Jared stepped toward Courtney.
“You’re emotional. Sit down.”
Courtney backed away from him.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
Shelby understood the full sequence.
The surgery.
The altered medical chart.
The forged power of attorney.
Then a psychiatric commitment based on alleged instability.
Once Shelby was confined, Jared could manage her finances, control access to her, and slowly dismantle the trust protections.
The operation had not been the final act.
It had been the opening move.
Shelby lifted her recording phone.
“Thank you, Courtney.”
Courtney stared at it.
“You recorded that?”
“Yes.”
Jared’s face went rigid.
May you like
Then every light in the room went out.
👉 The sudden blackout was not an accident—and in the darkness, Jared made one desperate move to destroy Shelby’s evidence.
