Chapter 002

“What the hell was that?!”

Colin's voice boomed as soon as they were in the four walls of their bedroom.

Louisa hadn't responded at first, she moved hastily over to a pile of clothes by her wardrobe and began folding them idly. Her heart pounded so hard against her chest.

“I'm talking to you, Louisa!” He surged towards her and spun her around to look at him within seconds.

Louisa winced at the way he tightly held her arm, his eyes shooting fire.

“That was Alessandro De Luca” she croaked as her chest tightened “I'm going to be a surrogate for him, remember? The date for the insemination has been set, once it's done and successful, the contract comes next”

She explained, turning her face away from his ugly glare.

Wasn’t he supposed to be grateful she pulled him away before he could get gang-beaten by those hefty men?

When He showed up at the hospital and shoved Alessandro by the shoulder in a daring way for touching her, It wasn't long until Alessandro’s men showed up. They almost created an ugly scene if she hadn't intervened.

“Cut that bullshit! I saw the way he held you like you were his fucking lover!” He violently shook her.

“Oh, now it's bullshit right?” her jaws clenched “You'll have to make a choice Colin, it's either you want this surrogacy or you don't and I'm so ready to back out, just say the word”

“What? How dare you?!–” His face contorted into fury.

“Stop making my life more miserable than it already is, I'm doing this for us okay? For you! For the fucking money! The least you can do is not mount any sort of pressure whatsoever on me!”

She watched as he kissed his teeth in rage and when he lifted his hands mid-air, she thought he would hit her but instead, he drove the hand into his hair in feigned frustration.

“Babe– - I’m so sorry, how should I have reacted seeing you in the arms of another man, I'm your husband!” He stated, breathing heavily.

Louisa scoffed bitterly. This was the stunt he always pulled to cajole her into something for his gain.

“If you are my husband, then act as one– - it's like I don't know who you are anymore!”

Forcefully pulling her arm from his hold, she walked out only to run into his sister, Maria, by the door.

She had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

“My brother is trying his best Louisa,” she sneered. “why not try being a submissive wife?”

“I hope you marry a man just like him, that's all I can say to you” Louisa spat and the slap that followed suit wasn't expected.

It was so stinging and humiliating. Her face reddened instantly.

It was her mother-in-law.

“Shut your hole you whore! Colin is your husband and you should listen to every one of his instructions, I let him marry a filth like you. Be grateful!” Hattie’s shrill voice scolded.

“What?” Louisa couldn't believe her ears. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“You’d stop whining like a child and go ahead with the surrogacy! It's the least you can do for my son!”

“The least you say? Carrying a child is risky, I've never done this before– -”

“There's no risk! The De Luca will see to your every need, stop being selfish.”

Colin leaned by the bedroom door watching his mother rain insults on his wife, an unbothered look plastered on his face.

Louisa looked towards his direction, hoping he’d say something to defend her from his evil mother but he remained mute and walked lazily to where she stood.

“Mom is right, my love, please don't take her harsh words to heart and just do this– -for me!” He cooed and without warning, pressed a kiss on her lips.

Louisa was in a daze as they all left her standing there, Maria’s shoulder nudging hers mockingly.

The next few days spurn into weeks and with each passing day, her heart sank into sadness. The coldness of the place she called home felt quite unbearable and when her sister suddenly called, the conversation ended sourly.

“Leave that jerk, Louisa, dad wants you to get a divorce and come home!”

Lilian’s voice carried agitation as she spoke.

“I already signed my consent letter with the hospital, I can't back out now” she replied dryly, the conversation bored her but the thought of her father weighed heavily on her mind.

Her father surely hated her now. He hadn't been in support of her union with Colin but she had gone ahead to defile his words and even shut him out from attending their wedding.

“Of course you can! You don't have to show up on the day of the insemination.”

“Lilian, please! I can't just walk away from my marriage, I'm trying to salvage what's left of it, he hasn't given me strong reasons to file for a divorce, marriage has a crisis at some point, you know!”

She defended.

“You know what, Louisa? You are so unbelievable! I'm trying to help you out here. The best you can do for yourself is take my advice” Lilian’s voice was sharp at the other end but Louisa wasn't having any of it.

“I don't have anything to say to you anymore, tell dad I'm sorry” she disconnected the call, throwing her phone onto the bed quickly, and then slowly she broke down in tears.

Her body shook as she tried to muffle her crying sounds. She was in distress and Colin, who could have been there to comfort her, was out and about at 11pm.

She had never experienced so much pain as she did now. It seemed as though she was fighting a losing game.

A week passed again and the day of the insemination arrived.

The VIP ward room was silent. Too silent. Louisa lay in bed with her hands on her stomach. Her heart felt hollow and her eyes clouded with uncertainty.

The insemination was done.

Soon, she’d be carrying a child for a man she barely knew.

“Shouldn't your husband be here with you? I mean, since he's in support of this arrangement” The gynecologist said, peeking through the door with a bright smile.

“something came up” she lied, a stiff smile etched across her face.

The lie tasted like something bitter on her tongue as they rolled out of her lips.

She remembered pleading with Colin that morning to accompany her.

“I'm nervous Colin, if you are by my side, I will feel some relief at least– -”

“For. Fuck.Sake. Louisa! I'm busy today, you aren't going to war! You will be fine” He had shut her down immediately like her feelings didn't matter to him.

“Ouu, it would have been best if he was here but you did just fine”

“Rest well, Mrs. Carter” The gynecologist closed the door gently, and again the room went dead silent.

Louisa blinked away the tears that stung her eyes. She felt so lonely being there all by herself.

“You got flowers!” A nurse announced, walking in and interrupting the drop-dead silence once again.

They were all so nice to her. It calmed her tensed body a bit.

“From Colin?” she asked, beaming eagerly. Maybe he felt bad for not being there with her.

The nurse only smiled without saying a word as she handed the bouquet to her.

“He remembered I love roses” Her face lit up. “They smell so good” she sniffed.

“Where did he get the money to buy this? It looks so expensive and– -”

The rest of her words died on her tongue on seeing a name tag. Her heart skipped a hundred times over and whatever feelings that were now warming up inside her, she deeply felt it. It was unraveling.

Alessandro had sent her flowers. Not Colin. Of course, he wouldn't have done such, she could only dream.

“Rest up, dolcezza. We’ll be meeting again soon” the ribbon on the flower read.

She was immediately left breathless. Her face flushed red as she stared at the written words.

She felt her stomach flip unexpectedly at the thought of their previous brief encounter and her heart? It was slightly aching. Not from pain, it ached pleasantly, like her heartstrings were being tugged at.

Why had he sent her flowers? She thought. Was it out of kindness? He had only met her once and he didn't seem like the type who’d be this considerate of others.