CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1: Ava’s POV

I stood in front of the mirror, fixing my hair for the fourth time.

“Mom,” I said, looking at my reflection. “I think I’m making a mistake.”

Isa looked up from the bed.

“You said that ten minutes ago.”

“And I still think I might be right.”

She sighed and stood, “You’re nervous. That’s different from making a mistake.”

I turned around. “How do you know?”

“Because you’ve been thinking about this for weeks.”

I looked away.

She wasn’t wrong..For weeks, I’d been thinking about the offer.

Two million dollars.

The number still sounded unreal every time I thought about it.

Two million could clear our debts. It could get us out of this apartment. It could give me enough money to build a life where I didn’t have to worry about the next bill.

But it came with a price.

I would carry someone else’s child, and when the baby was born, I would have to give it away.

“What if I can’t do it?” I asked.

Isa walked toward me.

“Then you don’t.”

I looked at her in surprise.

“You’re the one who told me to take the offer.”

“I told you to consider it. I didn’t tell you to sell your soul.”

A small laugh escaped me. “That’s dramatic.”

“So is the way you’ve been staring at yourself in that mirror.”

I rolled my eyes.

Isa smiled and took my hands.

“Ava, you need this money. I know that. You know that. But don’t accept because you’re desperate. Accept because you’ve thought about it and you’re willing to do it.”

I swallowed.

“What if I get attached?”

“Then you’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

“That doesn’t sound very comforting.”

“Life isn’t always comforting.”

I stared at her.

She squeezed my hands, “You’ve always been stronger than you think.”

I glanced at the small stack of bills sitting on the table.

Rent, electricity, medical expenses. Everything we had been struggling to keep up with.

I picked up my bag.

“This money really could change things.”

“Yes. For both of us.” Isa said.

I took a deep breath, “Then I’ll go.”

Isa smiled.

“Good.”

I pointed at her.

“But if this man turns out to be some arrogant billionaire who thinks money means he can control everything, I’m leaving.”

She laughed, “Then tell him that.”

“I will.”

“You probably won’t.”

“Watch me.”

She shook her head, still smiling.

I walked toward the door, then stopped.

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

“What if I regret it?”

Isa’s smile faded.

“Then remember why you made the decision. But don’t let fear make the decision for you.”

I nodded.

“Okay.”

I opened the door and stepped outside before I could change my mind.

Reynolds Group was exactly what I expected from a billionaire’s company.

Huge is an understatement right now.

I stood outside the glass building for a few seconds before walking in.

The receptionist looked up.

“Ms. Morales?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Reynolds is expecting you.”

She pointed toward the elevators.

“His office is on the top floor. Someone will meet you there.”

“Thank you.”

I walked toward the elevator.

My nerves returned the moment the doors closed.

I looked at my reflection.

“You can do this,” I whispered.

The doors opened.

A secretary was waiting for me.

“Ms. Morales?”

I nodded.

“This way.”

She led me down a quiet hallway and stopped in front of a large wooden door.

“Mr. Reynolds is inside.”

“Thank you.”

She walked away.

I took a breath and knocked.

“Come in.”

I opened the door.

Liam Reynolds was sitting behind his desk.

I had seen his picture before coming here, but the man in front of me looked different in person.

He was tall, well dressed, and completely composed. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression gave nothing away.

His eyes settled on me, “You’re Ava Morales.”

“Yes.”

“Have a seat.”

I sat across from him.

He picked up a folder.

“You’ve reviewed the basic information about the surrogacy arrangement?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

He pushed the folder toward me.

“This contains the full agreement. Read everything before you sign.”

I opened it.

The contract was longer than I expected but I started reading.

Liam waited.

After a few moments, I looked up.

“The compensation is two million dollars?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and continued reading. Then I noticed something.

“No contact after the arrangement?”

“That depends on what you mean.”

I looked at him.

“The contract says our relationship ends after the birth.”

“Correct.”

“So once the child is born, I leave?”

“Yes.”

“And that’s it?”

“That is the agreement.”

I looked down again.

For some reason, his answer bothered me.

Maybe because he said it so easily, as if a pregnancy could be reduced to a contract and a signature.

I closed the folder.

“Do you always talk about people like they’re business deals?”

His eyebrow lifted.

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

“I’ve known you for less than ten minutes.”

“And you’ve already decided everything about this arrangement.”

“Because I know what I want and I'm paying you for the job.”

His answer was so direct that I almost laughed.

“You really are a billionaire.”

His expression changed slightly, “What does that mean?”

“It means you’re used to getting what you want.”

“Usually.”

I smiled, “At least you’re honest.”

“So are you. You’ve questioned every part of the agreement.”

“Shouldn’t I?”

“Yes.”

That surprised me.

Liam leaned back and said, “You should ask every question you have before signing.”

I studied him.

He wasn’t as cold as I expected. Still intimidating, but not careless.

I opened the folder again. “There won’t be any sexual contact?”

“No. It's true artificial insemination.”

“And I’m allowed to make decisions concerning my own health?”

“Of course.”

I nodded.

He watched me for a moment, “You’re worried.”

“I’m about to carry a stranger’s child for nine months. What do you think?”

“Fair enough.”

I almost smiled but a thought came to my mind.

“Do you have to use a surrogate?”

His expression hardened, “That is a personal question.”

“I know.”

“And yet you asked.”

He was silent for a moment. Then he said, “There are reasons for my decision. You don’t need to know all of them to decide whether you want the arrangement.”

I nodded slowly.

He looked at the contract.

“You can walk away if you don’t want this.”

I looked at him.

“You’d actually let me?”

“Yes.” He said firmly.

I looked down at the contract. This was my last chance to walk away.

I thought about the bills waiting at home and I thought about my mother’s tired face.

I thought about the life I could build with two million dollars. Then I picked up the pen.

“I’ve made my decision.”

Liam watched as I signed my name.

Ava Morales.

The moment the ink touched the paper, my stomach twisted.

Liam took the contract and checked the signature.

“It’s done.”

I put the pen down.

For some reason, hearing him say those words made everything feel real.

I was going to have a baby. And one day, I would have to give that baby away.

When I stepped out of the building, I immediately called my mother.

“Hello?”

“I did it.”

There was a pause.

“You signed jt?”

“Yes.”

Isa exhaled and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“You sound scared.”

“I am.”

“Do you regret it?”

I looked back at the glass building.

“No.”

At least, I didn’t think I did.

I started walking down the street.

“Two million dollars,” I said quietly.

Isa laughed, “You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.”

“Maybe I am.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“I hope so.”

I ended the call and continued walking.

The city moved around me, people rushing past without knowing that my entire life had just changed.

I placed a hand over my stomach.

There was no baby there yet. Nothing had changed and yet everything felt different.

I had signed a contract to carry a child for a man I barely knew.

A child I would love for nine months. A child I was supposed to give away.

I stopped walking.

For the first time, I wondered if two million dollars could really make that part easy.

I already knew the answer. It couldn’t.

But I had made my choice and there was no going back.