He flipped past the main signatures to a page titled *Schedule C: Special Protective Custody Provisions*.

It was a document I had never seen before.

Samuel’s finger stopped on paragraph four, which was printed in a slightly smaller font than the rest.

“Read that, Claire,” Samuel said.

I leaned closer, my eyes focusing on the small, dense print.

*In the event that the surrogate, Olivia Grant, exhibits any signs of emotional instability, postpartum distress, or financial insecurity, custody shall immediately bypass the co-intended parent, Ethan Lawson.*

My breath caught in my throat.

I kept reading, my eyes moving faster and faster.

*Full and sole parental rights shall default immediately and permanently to the designated trustee, Margaret Lawson.*

I stared at the words, unable to process them at first.

“She was going to take the baby from Olivia,” I said, my voice cracking.

“What?” Ethan asked, stepping closer to the desk.

“Read it, Ethan,” Samuel said, pushing the paper toward him.

Ethan read the paragraph, his lips moving silently.

His face drained of color, turning a sickly shade of gray.