Shattered Illusions Love Lies and Redemption (Lizetta and Remington) novel Chapter 1399

"Jerome? Are you there? What the hell is going on? You're driving me crazy!" Liz's vibrant voice yanked Jerome back to the present. He realized he was still on the line with her.

He kept his tone measured. "Liz, have you run a DNA test on the kid?" He knew they were at the Dashiell hospital; running a quick swab on Candy would be effortless. The suspense of not knowing if she was truly his flesh and blood was eating him alive.

"No, it didn't feel right for us to do that behind her back. I just noticed the insane resemblance and called you immediately. Wait, are you seriously telling me you don't even know if she's yours?"

Liz frowned, utterly baffled. How could a man not know if he'd slept with someone and gotten them pregnant? Jerome wasn't exactly the type to sleep around recklessly.

The only logical conclusion was that Jerome simply didn't trust Kimberley and suspected she was lying.

Liz's frown deepened. "Jerome, I looked into it. Candy suffers from a severe neurological condition. The doctors told me it's incredibly rare in children, and it's agonizing for her. But look at how well Kimberley has raised her as a single mom. The kid is bright, sweet, and so incredibly well-behaved. Kimberley gave up her entire career in the spotlight to protect her baby. Most people wouldn't have the guts to do that. She's a fantastic mother, and definitely not the kind of woman who sleeps around. You—"

Realizing she was entirely misunderstanding him, Jerome interrupted with a heavy sigh. "I know. I'm not accusing her of anything. It's a long story, but I need you to do me a massive favor."

If he wanted to know exactly what went down that night, there was only one other person holding the answers. Andrea Porter.

Jerome spun on his heel and strode purposefully toward the parking garage. Sliding into the driver's seat, he fired off a rapid series of phone calls before throwing the car into gear. Forty minutes later, Jerome was standing in the bleak visitation room of the local detention center, staring through the glass at Andrea.

Andrea hadn't expected visitors. Since her incarceration, no one had bothered to show up. As she was escorted to the booth, the sight of the striking man waiting on the other side of the glass sent a shockwave through her system, and tears instantly streamed down her face.