She told me it was just a cleaner copy.
An administrative update.
I signed it without reading it carefully enough.”
“You signed the altered version?” Joel said.
A pause.
“Yes.
I didn’t know what I was signing.
I trusted her.” Another pause, longer.
“I know how that sounds.”
“Marcus,” I said.
“What is it you didn’t tell Diane?”
He was quiet for a moment.
Then: “There’s a second document.
Penelope had a private agreement drawn up.
Not through a proper legal channel — through someone she found online, some kind of document service.
It’s not a real legal instrument but she thinks it is.
Or she thinks it’s enough.”
“What does it say?”
“It says that in the event the surrogacy agreement is challenged or voided, you agree in advance to surrender the child voluntarily.
No court involvement.
No dispute.” His voice dropped further.
“She was going to ask you to sign it today.
