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
“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
“Congratulations Mrs. Carter, you are pregnant”Louisa almost choked on her saliva the moment those words filtered into her ears. “I– – I am?” She found herself stuttering with a voice barely audible.“Of course! This is great news for Mr.Alessandro” her heart skipped on hearing his name “I’ve sent words out to him. You are four weeks into” the Doctor's cheerful voice came from the other end of the line. Her heart rammed into her ribcage as the words registered in her brain. Was she supposed to be happy? How was she meant to react to this news? This was all new to her and the weight of it pulled her to slump into the bed. “We’ll get back to you on when to schedule your first appointment.” The line disconnected. Louisa subconsciously touched her stomach. Still flat but now carrying a life in it. She was neither happy nor sad. Just, uncertainty and anxiety.Pulling herself up from the couch she walked over to where the roses sat by the window in a vase. Her fingers glided over it,
The moment her signature was written on the contract paper, Louisa watched as the man in suit returned it into the briefcase, whispered into Alessandro’s ears, and walked out. They were now all alone. Thick silence. His eyes were on her not leaving. Louisa pursed her lips shyly as she averted her gaze idly around the study. She didn't know if she was meant to leave or just sit there like a lone puppy while he stripped her with his eyes. This was uncomfortable. “Can I call home?” she suddenly asked, sprawling up to her feet while clenching her sides nervously. “Do what you must, Dolcezza” He moved away from the chair, sat at the edge of the table with folded arms, and then signaled towards the landline just right beside him. Louisa hesitated. Her eyes moved over to where the landline lay, it was just an inch away from him, and taking any step further would mean her being near him again. She felt her stomach flip. This was purely transactional, she shouldn’t be having s
The moment Louisa disappeared down the hallway, Alessandro’s anger brewed to the surface, he was barely holding himself from lashing out at Vivienne.What the fuck did she think she was doing? She hadn't been home in two days and now she was back trying to play the good wife? She knew how to get on his nerves and it was working.Without sparing her a glance he began walking away, back to his study. Every step he took was long and calculated. His jaws kept clenching and unclenching in frustration.Vivienne? She wasn't done with her tantrums. She tailed after him slipping into his study the moment he also walked in.Alessandro casually strode to the wine wrack, grabbed a bottle of an untouched Sassicaia wine, popped it open, and began pouring the content into a glass of ice.“I wasn't done talking to you yet, don’t walk out on me Alessandro!” Vivienne slapped her palms onto the table the moment she approached him.Alessandro’s eyes darkened in annoyance. She was his wife didn't mean he
“What's going on here?” Alessandro’s voice boomed through the dining hall and the maids all fled in different directions. His eyes darkened on seeing Louisa on the floor, her hair damped and Vivienne crouched right in front of her. “Oh, you poor thing! Why are you still on the floor, I asked that you let me help you up, didn't I?” Vivienne gasped, her bitter tone now sweet on hearing his voice. “Come on darling, you should let me help you” she cooed, holding Louisa’s arms gently. They both stared at each other. Although Vivienne now wore a fake look of concern, Louisa didn't fail to detect the devilish glint that flickered in her eyes. Once Louisa was up to her full height, she instinctively slapped Vivienne’s hand away from her arms. “Thank you, but you didn't have to do that, I could have stood on my own,” she said in one breath, anger evident in her voice. “You see that Alessandro? That's what I get for trying to be nice to your surrogate.” Vivienne shrugged and rolled h
Louisa’s eyelashes fluttered open at the continuous ringing of her phone. She was in a daze for a moment as she tried to make sense of her environment. The sun had begun to set, and all she did all day was sleep like the pregnant woman that she was. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as bile rose to her chest. The sickly feeling she had in her stomach made her nauseous. She lazily got out of bed, wore her flip-flops, and walked out of the room. Maybe tea might help settle the discomfort in her chest, she thought as she walked down the stairs, limping slightly. Strangely, there were no maids in sight for the first time since she arrived. The phone in her hand buzzed with an incoming text, but with the queasy feeling she was having, she didn't bother sparing a glance at it. As she approached the last stairs, she heard faint voices and a wave of laughter from the sitting room. Her legs were meant to take her to the kitchen, but she found herself walking in the direction the voices were comi
Alaric’s car pulled up in front of a high-rise building, with ambient lighting and soft music playing from within. St.Roux was boldly written on a marquee sign with that golden nighttime glow radiating from it.Vivienne and Alaric got down first, then Louisa followed suit in a small flair gown with her hair clipped to the sides. She walked with them into the building, her eyes looking around and taking in the elegance of the restaurant. She'd heard of five-star restaurants, but God help her, she had never dreamed of setting foot in one. The atmosphere smelled soft, flavorful, and appetizing.“Welcome, Mr. Alaric and Mrs.Vivienne. Your reservation is this way.” A hostess approached them, looking poised with a wide smile on her face, and she began directing them up the stairs.Louisa remained quiet as she tagged along, holding her bag like it was her lifeline. When they got to the rooftop and were shown their seats that overlooked the city, a low gasp left her lips. “What do you think
Louisa’s eyelashes fluttered open at the continuous ringing of her phone. She was in a daze for a moment as she tried to make sense of her environment. The sun had begun to set, and all she did all day was sleep like the pregnant woman that she was. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as bile rose to her chest. The sickly feeling she had in her stomach made her nauseous. She lazily got out of bed, wore her flip-flops, and walked out of the room. Maybe tea might help settle the discomfort in her chest, she thought as she walked down the stairs, limping slightly. Strangely, there were no maids in sight for the first time since she arrived. The phone in her hand buzzed with an incoming text, but with the queasy feeling she was having, she didn't bother sparing a glance at it. As she approached the last stairs, she heard faint voices and a wave of laughter from the sitting room. Her legs were meant to take her to the kitchen, but she found herself walking in the direction the voices were comi
“What's going on here?” Alessandro’s voice boomed through the dining hall and the maids all fled in different directions. His eyes darkened on seeing Louisa on the floor, her hair damped and Vivienne crouched right in front of her. “Oh, you poor thing! Why are you still on the floor, I asked that you let me help you up, didn't I?” Vivienne gasped, her bitter tone now sweet on hearing his voice. “Come on darling, you should let me help you” she cooed, holding Louisa’s arms gently. They both stared at each other. Although Vivienne now wore a fake look of concern, Louisa didn't fail to detect the devilish glint that flickered in her eyes. Once Louisa was up to her full height, she instinctively slapped Vivienne’s hand away from her arms. “Thank you, but you didn't have to do that, I could have stood on my own,” she said in one breath, anger evident in her voice. “You see that Alessandro? That's what I get for trying to be nice to your surrogate.” Vivienne shrugged and rolled h
The moment Louisa disappeared down the hallway, Alessandro’s anger brewed to the surface, he was barely holding himself from lashing out at Vivienne.What the fuck did she think she was doing? She hadn't been home in two days and now she was back trying to play the good wife? She knew how to get on his nerves and it was working.Without sparing her a glance he began walking away, back to his study. Every step he took was long and calculated. His jaws kept clenching and unclenching in frustration.Vivienne? She wasn't done with her tantrums. She tailed after him slipping into his study the moment he also walked in.Alessandro casually strode to the wine wrack, grabbed a bottle of an untouched Sassicaia wine, popped it open, and began pouring the content into a glass of ice.“I wasn't done talking to you yet, don’t walk out on me Alessandro!” Vivienne slapped her palms onto the table the moment she approached him.Alessandro’s eyes darkened in annoyance. She was his wife didn't mean he
The moment her signature was written on the contract paper, Louisa watched as the man in suit returned it into the briefcase, whispered into Alessandro’s ears, and walked out. They were now all alone. Thick silence. His eyes were on her not leaving. Louisa pursed her lips shyly as she averted her gaze idly around the study. She didn't know if she was meant to leave or just sit there like a lone puppy while he stripped her with his eyes. This was uncomfortable. “Can I call home?” she suddenly asked, sprawling up to her feet while clenching her sides nervously. “Do what you must, Dolcezza” He moved away from the chair, sat at the edge of the table with folded arms, and then signaled towards the landline just right beside him. Louisa hesitated. Her eyes moved over to where the landline lay, it was just an inch away from him, and taking any step further would mean her being near him again. She felt her stomach flip. This was purely transactional, she shouldn’t be having s
“Congratulations Mrs. Carter, you are pregnant”Louisa almost choked on her saliva the moment those words filtered into her ears. “I– – I am?” She found herself stuttering with a voice barely audible.“Of course! This is great news for Mr.Alessandro” her heart skipped on hearing his name “I’ve sent words out to him. You are four weeks into” the Doctor's cheerful voice came from the other end of the line. Her heart rammed into her ribcage as the words registered in her brain. Was she supposed to be happy? How was she meant to react to this news? This was all new to her and the weight of it pulled her to slump into the bed. “We’ll get back to you on when to schedule your first appointment.” The line disconnected. Louisa subconsciously touched her stomach. Still flat but now carrying a life in it. She was neither happy nor sad. Just, uncertainty and anxiety.Pulling herself up from the couch she walked over to where the roses sat by the window in a vase. Her fingers glided over it,
“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
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