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Nothing and no one is irreplaceable The words echoed in her mind as if Ja he’d always said whenever they’d lost a valued staff ued that this was different—she was Riley’s oodness’ sake!—her head knew that on paper it iven birth to another couple’s child

It was unbearable It was a ht her life couldn’t sink any lower, that things couldn’t possibly get worse, but she’d been so very wrong Through vision blurred with the tears that continued to fall, she looked through the balance of the papers, identifying a visitation docureement

A settlean to feel her grief beco, as it blended with pure fury when she saw the ter In a nutshell, he wanted to pay her a ratitude for carrying his son and providing for hi ive her time to wean Riley onto formula before he was handed over to his father

One word leaped froainst the back of her eyes Gratitude? Erin clenched her jaw and sed hard He was grateful she’d given him a son to take home and love and raise? How dare he reduce her arduous, joyful, life-changingmore than a service provided by a paid ehting the urge to rip them into shreds

A ht a child orth? He was paying her for his son? No No way How dare he? How could he put a price on a life? On what she’d gone through? On what she was losing—what he was taking from her?

She pushed herself up to her feet so rapidly her chair fell, bouncing on the tiled floor Grabbing the cordless phone she dialed Janet’s nu on to her sanity by no more than a thread

Janet wasn’t available but Erin was able toup, she sat down again and read every paper through, over and over, until she felt she understood every last word

She couldn’t fight his claim for full custody but she could hold some power here It was the only power she had left

Fifteen

“What do you h? Is she asking for h his phone

“I mean, she won’t accept the money Any money”

David’s cool clear voice sounded absurdly rational in light of the information he’d just disclosed