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Chapter 4

When I said I was going to lose a lot, I didn’t think I would lose the one thing that gave my life meaning. We had been dating for two years, and in those two years, I never imagined what it would feel like without him. That’s because I never planned to be without him. I was heartbroken. I was angry. Mad, even. Why couldn’t he understand me? Why couldn’t he wait for just nine months?

I cried my eyes out for three days, nonstop. Then I spent the next two days mourning his absence, followed by three more days trying to pull myself together. And the next five days, plotting and planning how to begin this job and figuring out how to lie to my mom.

And just like that, two weeks flew by.

Twenty thousand dollars had been sent to my account as promised by Mr. Leonard. My mom had been discharged, and she was feeling better. I told her a big lie about getting a well-paying nursing job away from home. Thankfully, she believed me because I had been studying nursing before my dad passed away. Plus, she trusted that I wouldn’t do anything reckless.

But there I was, doing something reckless.

I was ready to leave for the house Mr. Leonard had prepared for me. A part of me wanted to change my mind, even though I knew it was too late. At first, the whole thing seemed absurd. Hell, it was absurd. On a normal day, I would shame anyone who became a surrogate for money. But there I was.

Only then did I realize how wrong it is to judge people for what they do for money because you never know what they’re going through. I understood that now.

“I’ll miss you,” Daniel and Sofia cried, hugging me tightly. I’d miss them too. Truth be told, I’d only ever been away for school, and even that was only five months at most. But now, I had to be away for an entire year. Nine months of pregnancy and three months to get my body back to normal.

“I’ll have lots of gifts for you guys when I come back,” I said through teary eyes. They nodded and smiled.

“Take care, my dear,” my mom said as she hugged me. “Don’t forget to call me often. I know you’ll be busy, but find time to call.”

I almost laughed. Busy doing what? Carrying a baby? But I nodded and smiled. “I will, Mom.”

After the emotional farewell, I left. Thoughts of Kelvin flashed in my mind, but I pushed them away. He hadn’t called, texted, or replied to any of my messages. I took a deep breath and focused on staying calm throughout the journey.

When I arrived at the address Leonard had given me, I was amazed. The house wasn’t as big as his, but it was still impressive. Flowers lined the surroundings, and I couldn’t help but smile. I couldn’t believe I’d be living here. Alone.

As I walked into the house with my suitcase, my jaw dropped. I didn’t expect it to be so beautifully decorated and furnished. Everything was white and sparkling.

I left my suitcase at the door and wandered through the house, curious to see the rest. White sofas, a centre table, a giant TV set, a small bar, and a dining table caught my eye. I walked through a door on the left and found myself in the kitchen. Everything was arranged perfectly. I opened the fridge and was shocked at how stocked it was, just like the cabinets and drawers.

I was about to head upstairs when I noticed the glass doors leading to a backyard. I peeked through and saw a gorgeous garden and a pool. I rushed out to check it out.

“Little paradise,” I squealed. This was all mine for the next year. I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t have to spend a dime of my money on anything.

I wanted to scream with excitement, but it was cut short when the doorbell rang.

Frowning, I walked up to the door and opened it.

“Hello, Miss Eva,” a girl I’d never seen in my life greeted me. I scanned her from head to toe. I recognized the uniform she was wearing, and I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was.

I’ve always appreciated beauty.

“Don’t tell me Leonard sent you here,” I said, half-amused and half-annoyed.

“He did,” she replied, “to help you with anything you need.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you, but I can take care of myself,” I dismissed her kindly.

“Miss Eva, you’ll be pregnant soon, and Mr. Leonard doesn’t want you doing any work,” she explained, surprising me.

“Tell Mr. Leonard that I’m not pregnant yet, so until then, I’ll take care of myself. I don’t need a maid,” I said with a smile.

She looked worried but turned and left without another word. I closed the door and resumed my tour of the house.

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