The Night I Was Replaced

"All this because I got Elliot to step in for you?" Janet's smile turned upside down. "I just want to give you an heir to strengthen the Wallace and Charlton families! And I even said you can stay while I'm with Elliot. What are you worried about?

"On our big day, are you really going to make a scene over nothing?"

"Over nothing? Janet, no man in the world can stand to watch his wife with someone else!"

I held on to my wheelchair, my voice cold as ice. "And I don't need a kid to make a business deal work! If you want a child, we can wait. You don't have to do it with Elliot!"

Elliot strutted up to me in just his underwear, showing off with a sneer on his face.

"Hey, you can't even walk, and the doctor says you can't have kids anymore. Let's face it, you can't make a baby happen," he said with a laugh. "Thinking you can is just fooling yourself."

I felt a flash of anger as his eyes darted to my legs.

"Why's my doctor telling you all my business?" I asked.

Elliot stiffened, and I just shook my head, not impressed.

Mom and Dad saw us and pushed my wheelchair aside, pulling Elliot to safety.

They were angry with me. My dad snapped, "Your brother's only worried about you, and you accuse him of having bad intentions. How did we raise someone so ungrateful?

"If you can't have kids, it's not just Janet who suffers. You'll anger the Wallaces too. Do you really think this marriage is a joke? Today, I'm making the call. Janet and Elliot will spend the night together!"

"You don't get to decide," I said firmly.

I brushed off the footprint on my knee and looked at Janet. "It's your choice. Kick Elliot out, or we're done."

Janet bit her lip, torn between Elliot and me.

Elliot went pale, grabbed my foot, and started his act. "Yale, don't do this! If you divorce, I'll be the one who messed up the Wallace-Charlton alliance! Don't mess this up for me! If you're worried, I'll hurt myself after tonight!

"I'll do anything to keep Janet from a sad, lonely life!"

He hit my leg like he was in pain and grabbed a knife from the table.

Janet's eyes widened in shock.

In a flash, the knife Elliot held was ripped from his grasp and flung out, piercing into the wall right behind me.

Janet's gaze was icy, her lips barely moving as she said, "Tonight, nobody's going to make Elliot leave my bed! From now on, he's your sweet little brother by day and mine by night!"

I saw how fiercely Janet stood up for Elliot, and it left a sour taste in my mouth, but all I could say was, "Okay."