Chapter 1854:


    Joselyn looked at Vickie with quiet gratitude, then let her gaze drop to the swell of Vickie’s stomach, and whatever was left of herposure steadied itself around that single point of hope. Vickie was carrying a Dawson heir, and she was far more agreeable than Ynda had ever been. In Joselyn’s eyes, she was exactly the kind of daughter-inw this family needed.


    She shot Ynda a withering look. “That woman is the one who should be leaving. Vickie needs peace and calm during her pregnancy, and Ynda brings nothing but chaos.” She turned to Brendon and pressed on. “Do you understand what’s at stake? Having children doesn’te easily to you. This may be your only real chance at fatherhood. Are you truly willing to throw that away?”


    Brendon had been looking drawn and unwell for some time. The doctors had been frank with him — his chances of fathering a child were slim, and his health would need to improve significantly if he ever hoped to change that.


    Brendon’s face fell at Joselyn’s words. The bluntness of her remark about his inability to father children left him visibly stung.


    “Joselyn, as long as Brendon gets his health back on track, everything will be fine,” Ynda said, her voice perfectlyposed.


    The poison she had been secretly administering to Brendon was designed to work slowly. Ordinary doctors couldn’t detect it — they simply assumed he was naturally frail. When the medical verdict finally came, confirming that fathering children would be difficult for him, Ynda had felt a quiet, private relief. As long as everyone med him, no one would ever suspect that she was the infertile one. All that remained now was to dispose of Vickie’s unborn child.


    “He isn’t the problem — you are,” Joselyn snapped, fixing Ynda with a look of undisguised contempt. “Vickie is pregnant, and you are not. That speaks for itself, doesn’t it?”


    Ynda let her expression crumple and leaned into Brendon, her voice trembling. “Joselyn, it’s too painful to hear you speak about losing my baby. Please stop.” She was careful to let the implication hang in the air — that Joselyn had caused her miscarriage, and was now twisting the knife.


    Brendon pulled Ynda close, exhaustion settling over him like a weight. Standing in the middle of these three women was wearing through what little patience he had left. He found himself thinking of Christina — she was the only one who had ever managed to ease the tension that seemed to follow him everywhere. He thought of their time together, how he had once found her irritating. Looking back now, she seemed far preferable to the three women currently tearing each other apart in front of him.


    “You’re the reason my grandchild is gone, and I haven’t even made you answer for it yet. How dare you stand there and weep!” Joselyn shouted.


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    Vickie allowed herself a small, cool smile and slipped her arm through Joselyn’s. “Joselyn, don’t be too hard on her. Some women simply aren’t capable of carrying a child.”


    “You’re right. Not everyone is fortunate enough to carry a Dawson heir,” Joselyn agreed, returning Vickie’s smile warmly.


    Ynda went pale with fury. She couldn’t hold her tongue. “How do we even know that baby is actually a Dawson?”


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