Chapter 001

Louisa Delaney unbelievably glared at the content of the paper in her hands. Her stomach sank in despair. What had she just read?

She batted her lashes up to catch the unbothered look of her husband and then her eyes roamed over to her mother-in-law who threw her face away almost immediately their eyes met.

Her mother-in-law knew what she was doing. They all knew.

“Colin, what is this?” she asked, returning her gaze to the man she called her husband, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out.

Colin rolled his eyes in displeasure. “Stop being so dramatic Louisa, I'm sure you haven’t forgotten how to read” He spat.

“This is surrogacy for crying out loud!” Her hands balled into fists, rumpling the paper in the process.

“I'm your wife! How can you boldly ask me to carry a child for some stranger?”

“We need to pay bills, Louisa! You know I lost my job and this is our only way out from this shack we live in!” He bellowed, the veins in his neck popping out.

Louisa’s shoulder slumped in dismay as she watched the man she loved raise his voice at her like she was filth.

They’d been married for two years and within that period, she had done everything she could to please him. It was like she lived her life for him.

Everything she ever did was for him! Now that he lost his job, instead of going out there to find something to do, he chose to turn her into the breadwinner.

She bit her lower lips dejectedly. Where was the man who claimed to love her? Because all she saw in him was a selfish and greedy fellow.

“Colin, we don't have to do this– - we can find other ways to foot our bills, I’ll work shifts if I have to.” Her voice softened in a desperate bid to persuade.

“You’ll work shifts?” He let out a scoff mockingly.

“What will the peanut you earn from that do for us?! It won't even cover our feeding expenses—”

“Then why don't you also support me? Look for a job! Ever since you lost your previous job, I've been the one footing every bill of this family!”

She suddenly lost it as she blurted out her mind. He saw red and in seconds he grabbed her left arm violently and surged her forward, his eyes burning with rage.

“I don't hit women, don't push me!” He warned, his voice deadly.

Her body went limp, the fear she had tried to mask earlier, resurfacing.

Louisa couldn't wrap her head around why he was so quick to give her away to be some stranger’s baby factory machine when he had refused countlessly to have her carry a child of his own.

“I'm not ready to father children now, those little creatures are a pain in the neck” He always told her each time they made love, and immediately her body would feel dead against his touch.

It felt like she was being tortured so she decided to give the topic a rest until he was fully ready.

Now she wasn't expecting this.

“You’ll go over to the De Luca Estate and accept the contract.” Another word from him brought her back from her thoughts.

“Wait, what?!” Louisa was taken aback.

It was all clear now as to why Colin was on her neck about signing the contract. The money the De Luca were offering must be huge.

Those people were not some ordinary family. They were the wealthiest in the country and she had heard all kinds of illegal things about them.

“Do you even love me? The De Luca aren't just anybody, I can't take such risk–”

“Love won’t pay our bills, darling wife! Quit this nonsense and do as I say!” He instantly shut her up.

“If you want to save this marriage, you won't think twice!” With that, he stormed into their bedroom and Louisa slumped onto a nearby couch, tears streaming down her face.

Her mother-in-law, Hattie who hadn't said a word at all, slowly walked past her, a mischievous smile on her lips. Her silence spoke louder than anything else.

She had surely put her son up to this. She was evil!

By the next day, Louisa was standing outside the gynecologist’s office. Sweats broke out everywhere on her body as she clutched her bag strap tightly and held on to the test report she had requested from her doctor.

This was the De Luca family hospital she was in and everything there screamed luxury. It wasn't the kind that even an average family could afford.

“Miss, please come in”

The voice startled her. It was a nurse in scrub who threw her a warm smile.

“Thank you– -” Louisa muttered, following the nurse into the spacious office.

Closing the door behind her, she slowly swirled around and met the smiling face of the gynecologist. Her gaze shifted.

There was a man, he was on a swivel chair, backing her and twirling the chair slightly.

One look at his broad shoulders and she noticed how his muscles tensed. He had one hand on the armrest and a finger tapping away idly.

He raised his left wrist slightly, stared at his wristwatch, and then muttered heavily under his breath.

Louisa threw her eyes away from him, her chest now bubbling with unease.

“Finally, Mrs.Carter you are here” The Doctors announced gleefully.

“I'm sorry if I kept you waiting, there was a bit of a delay– -” Louisa trailed off, her face holding an apologetic look as she gripped the sides of her dress.

“You are late.” The man’s voice, rough and sharp, suddenly cut through the air, giving her chills. He didn't care to spare her a glance, not yet.

“Pardon her Mr. De Luca, at least she's here now” The woman spoke before Louisa could find her voice, her tone sounded like a plea.

There was no response.

“Have your seat please.” The woman gestured at the chair just a few distance away from the brooding man and Louisa with a grateful look, lowered herself into the chair. All the while, careful not to draw the man’s attention.

She slowly handed over the test report to the Doctor and immediately withdrew her outstretched hands back to her lap.

“Meet the surrogate, Mr. De Luca, I think she's the right fit for this arrangement, her health report looks good.” the woman implored after scanning through the test paper, her keen gaze now on the man who had finally stopped tapping his fingers.

He slowly turned to look at her. Louisa’s breath caught in her throat. Dark eyes. Chiseled jaws. The way he gazed at her coldly, something else flickered in his eyes. Her pulse raced.

“Oh, my bad! I forgot to introduce you two” the Doctor added, interrupting the heated silence.

“Mrs. Louisa Delaney Carter, this is Mr. Alessandro De Luca,” she said to Louisa who managed a small nod.

“That won't be necessary. I don’t have all day” he said, eyes never leaving Louisa.

She didn't dare look away. She couldn't.

His facial features were devilishly appealing, it drew her in immensely.

“Get your acts together” she mentally chided herself and threw her eyes away from him. Heart racing.

“I want the perfect surrogate for my child and she– –” he sized her up, enjoying the way she shifted uncomfortably in the chair, now avoiding eye contact with him.

“She’s perfect, I like her.” He declared, lifting his weight from the seat.

He liked her? Louisa thought. There was something cold and sweet about the way he said it.

Her cheeks heated up uncontrollably.

“Great!” The Doctor sighed in relief.

The door to the office opened. A man stood there, holding out the door. It seemed as if they communicated through some eye signal as Alessandro walked out with calculated steps.

Outside the hospital, she could finally have a breath of fresh air. A smile tugged at her lips that the meeting had gone well and she hadn't messed it up.

She was beginning to think maybe Alessandro wasn't as bad as she’d heard—

Immediately her wrist was grabbed by a cold hand and she felt her body collide into the embrace of something stiff.

A car zoomed off, its driver yelling curse words. She hadn't realized she was standing in the streets.

“Are you always this careless?” Louisa suddenly heard and looking up she met that gloomy gaze.

Alessandro.

He had a heavy frown on his face as their eyes held.

She swallowed anxiously and his eyes followed the way her neckline sucked in.

His touch sent an electrifying feeling through her. Her skin suddenly felt hot against the cool evening breeze. He had his large palms wrapped just around her midriff.

They were close. Too close. It was compromising.

“I asked a question, dolcezza.”

Her body stiffened as the words rolled off his tongue. Dolcezza? It sounded so personal coming from him.

“I'm sorry, I wasn't looking,” she whispered and with the way her heart thumped, she feared he could hear it.

For some reason, she loved the warmth she felt in his arms—

“Louisa!”

An agitated voice bellowed her name.

Cold shivers ran down her spine as she pulled away from Alessandro’s hold.

Her chest heaving heavily.

“Colin?”