Jared's Counterfeit Fiancee - Brenda Jackson [35]
Seven
“W hat do you mean there’s a possibility the child is mine?” Sylvester Brewster shot to his feet.
Jared slid the documents out of the envelope and across the table as he met the man’s shocked gaze. “What I’m saying is that according to this medical report, based on the physical that you took last week, you’re not sterile. In fact you have a very high sperm count.”
Sylvester sank back into his chair. “B-but what about that childhood disease?”
“According to Dr. Frye, you may have had a low sperm count at one time but there’s no indication you were ever sterile and nothing is documented in your medical history.”
Sylvester shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut. “This doesn’t make sense, Jared.”
“You were misinformed. Whatever doctor told your parents you were sterile evidently misdiagnosed your condition. And since you are capable of producing children, there’s a strong possibility that your wife’s child is yours…just like she claimed.”
Sylvester dropped his head on Jared’s desk with a solid thump. “Damn, Jared, you don’t know what all I said to her, all the things I accused her of.”
Jared nodded. He could just imagine. “All that medical report does is indicate you aren’t sterile. It doesn’t prove the child is definitely yours. The next step is to order an amniocentesis.”
Sylvester lifted his head. “A what?”
“An amniocentesis. It’s a test that’s done to the mother, generally during the fourteenth to twenty-fourth week of pregnancy to determine the paternity of an unborn child. We can have the results back in two weeks.”
“No.”
Jared lifted a brow. “No?”
“No. I’ve humiliated her enough. Did you see the tabloids this morning, man? Someone leaked my accusations to the papers and it’s all in the news. Jackie is never going to forgive me for not trusting her.”
Jared knew that was a very strong possibility. That very morning, he had spoken to Jackie Brewster’s attorney, who had informed him that his client was hurt and upset, but would be more than happy to undergo a paternity testing. Once it’s proven that Sylvester was her baby’s father, she planned to sue him for every cent he had for publicly humiliating her.
Jared met the man’s stare. “I suggest you don’t make decisions about anything today. Take the report home and read it and then let’s meet one day next week to discuss how we’re going to proceed.”
“I don’t want a divorce, Jared. I want my wife back. I was wrong. I should have trusted her. I love her and I owe her a huge apology.”
It was on the tip of Jared’s tongue to remind Sylvester that two weeks ago, when he was certain he was sterile, he’d been singing a totally different tune. “Yes, that might be the case but I doubt a reconciliation is what Mrs. Brewster has on her mind right now. According to her attorney, she doesn’t want to see or talk to you. As your attorney, I suggest you don’t try to contact her until we’ve determined our next course of action.”
Thirty minutes later, Jared was standing at the window in his office looking out. Sylvester had gotten himself in a real mess this time. The love he had for his wife had gotten overshadowed with mistrust. Was there any hope of the marriage surviving? For Sylvester’s sake, he hoped so.
Jared sighed deeply as he switched his thoughts from Sylvester’s problems to his own. He could sum up his troubles with one name.
Dana.
There were very few times in his life when he’d been faced with a situation that he couldn’t figure out or adequately handle. And this was one of those times. Frustrated and annoyed, he drew in a deep breath. What had happened between them yesterday had touched him in a way that it shouldn’t have. And what was so extraordinary about it was that they hadn’t made love. Yet he had shared something with her that he hadn’t ever shared with another woman.
While in that bed kissing her, touching her, he had felt as if she was the only woman he could ever want. The only woman that he wanted in his lifetime. Damn, but this pretended engagement was going to his head, zapping him of common sense