Tempting The Heiress. Martha Kennerson
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offered a knowing nod. “She always wanted that, to have the ability to afford to do and go wherever she wanted.”
“Growing up in the foster care system is hard on anyone, but for Valerie it just seems like it was especially rough on her, although she rarely talked about it with me,” John said, pushing the folder to the side.
“With me, either. She always said what happened, happened, and it’s best to let skeletons stay buried.” Felicia felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow for her friend, who’d died two months ago. While that was not unusual, she hated that the cancer Valerie had once beaten had taken her old friend. Felicia sat in silence while John continued.
“In spite of the divorce, Valerie wanted to become a mother. She wanted to have a child to share her new life with,” he said with a hint of sadness in his voice. “Her career was going well. She had her health, so she just knew this was the next logical step for herself, even if she had to do it alone.”
“She was always fearless like that,” Felicia offered.
“Do you remember when Valerie went to that reproductive clinic and had her eggs harvested and stored?”
“It was just before her first chemo and radiation treatments started.” Felicia’s remorse was mounting. “She wanted to make sure she could have her own children. Valerie spent every dime she’d earned that summer before, as well as the money she’d made from the two jobs she’d held, just to pay for the procedure. She refused any help I offered.”
John scratched his head. “Unfortunately, when Valerie went back to the clinic to have her eggs fertilized and implanted, she found out that only four were viable, which meant she only had two shots at having her own child.”
“Oh, no, I bet she was devastated. Valerie had been adamant about having a biological child. But transferring two good embryos into her uterus at her age would give a forty to fifty percent chance that at least one embryo would result in a live birth.” Felicia released a pained sigh. “She wanted a baby that looked like her, a connection that she herself never had.”
“That’s putting it mildly. The clinic went through a lot of changes after Dr. Dan Ambrose took over.”
“Dan Ambrose?” she asked, swiping at a piece of hair that had fallen into her eyes. “I don’t recognize the name, but I’ve been working out of the country these past couple of years.”
“He’s a fertility specialist that became the clinic’s administrator about four years ago. When Valerie found out she only had a couple of chances at making her dreams come true, she took matters into her own hands to ensure she had her perfect donor.”
“A perfect sperm donor?” she asked, her face tense.
John raised his right hand to halt any further query on her part. “Her words, not mine. Valerie asked...well, paid Ambrose a million dollars to help her make that happen. She had the money and that quack Ambrose was more than happy to take a lot of it off her hands.”
“I don’t understand what any of this has to do with me,” she said, more confused than ever.
John rose and went over to the bar and poured himself a drink. Felicia saw a slight tremor of John’s right hand as he poured the gold liquid into not one but two glasses. That certainly was an ominous sign. He returned to his desk, placed both in front of him and zeroed in on Felicia’s face.
“The donor sperm she used was that of a man she’d been secretly in love with since she was a medical student. The same man her best friend had been in love with—the man who had rejected her in favor of that best friend,” he said, never taking his eyes off Felicia.
Felicia felt as though someone had reached a hand into her chest and was squeezing her heart like it was a stress ball. She didn’t dare open her mouth to ask any questions. The mere idea that someone...that Valerie, could hurt her in such a way. Felicia still regretted that she’d never allowed her close friendship with Griffin to move beyond the friend zone. That she let fear stop her from pursuing something that she really wanted. Fear of both rejection and acceptance. Felicia knew either reaction would have changed the course she had set for her life. Yet, the idea that the one person who knew what she was prepared to do with and for a love she had yet to experience would betray her in such a way was hard to comprehend, so she remained silent and waited to hear the words.
“The same man, the medical school heartthrob with whom Valerie sabotaged any chance that her friend may have had, was her only option. She couldn’t let her friend have something else she couldn’t. Valerie made sure that if she couldn’t have him, her friend wouldn’t have him, either.”
Felicia slowly shook her head as a single tear began to fall.
“You were that friend. And I’m so sorry,” he said, swallowing hard before adding, “Griffin Kaile...was the donor.”
Felicia’s mouth fell open and closed just as quickly. The thought that Valerie had sabotaged any potential relationship she could’ve had with Griffin took root in her mind. She brushed away her tears and reached for the drink John was slowly sliding in her direction. Felicia picked up the glass and tossed the entire contents back in one swallow. She had never been much of a drinker but figured an exception was warranted. Felicia only hoped that the strong, smooth liquid would calm the storm that was building inside her head. She held the empty glass against her lip, feeling the liquor burn its way down her throat.
“Care for another one?” John asked.
“No. Thank you.” Felicia placed the glass on the desk. “What I would care for is an explanation.”
“You and Valerie may have been friends in medical school, but she was also very jealous of you,” he explained with a hurt look on his face.
“Wh-what?” Felicia stammered.
“Valerie thought everything came easy for you. She told me that you didn’t have to work for anything—friends, grades...a man’s interest. Valerie said your family’s money made you special. That you were only nice to her because you were roommates and you had to be.”
Felicia gasped but quickly pressed her lips together, shaking her head like a bobblehead. She was trying to keep the scream she wanted to release from escaping.
“I’m sure your feelings for Valerie were genuine and I have to believe she knew that, as well, at least before she got sick and started making such decisions.”
“Such as?” Felicia managed to spit out.
“Valerie paid Ambrose to steal Griffin’s sperm, fertilize her eggs and implant them in her uterus,” he said.
Anger and disbelief rose to the surface as she gripped the arm of her chair. “How could she do something so vile? To Griffin? To me?” she yelled.
“I’m sorry—”
Felicia held up her right hand, preventing yet another apology from coming forward, which was definitely too little too late and from the wrong person. “While all of this is so ugly, it’s also ancient history,” she snapped, rising to her feet. “I still don’t understand what any of it has to do with me.”
John came from around his desk and stood next to her. “Please calm down and let me finish. There’s so much more you need to know.”
Felicia’s hands flew up in surrender as she stepped two feet away from him, moving closer to the door. “I’m sure you do—and this is calm, so cut to the chase. Why am I here?”
“Valerie stole Griffin’s sperm and fertilized her egg—”
“Old news. Your point?” Felicia folded her arms, realizing she was channeling her sister Farrah’s sharp tongue and being terribly rude, but at this point she didn’t care.
“Last January—January fifteenth to be exact—Valerie had a beautiful six-pound baby girl. Griffin’s biological daughter. That she wants you to raise as your own.”