Five

Kira’s POV

I was sitting alone in my room when I heard a knock on the door.

I looked up from the book in my hands, wondering who it could be. Nikolai had left early that morning, and I had no plans to see anyone.

“Come in,” I called.

The door opened, and Bella walked in carrying a basket of food.

A bitter feeling rose in my chest the moment I saw her.

After everything that had happened, she still had the courage to come here and act as if nothing had happened.

“Hello, Kira,” she greeted with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

I said nothing.

She placed the basket on the table and looked around the room before turning back to me.

“I brought you some food. I thought you might need something healthy.”

I stared at her, finding it difficult to understand how she could pretend to care about me.

“Why are you here, Bella?”

Her smile didn’t disappear.

“Can’t I visit my sister?”

“No, you can’t,” I replied. “Not after what you did.”

She sighed and pulled a chair closer to my bed.

“I know you’re upset, but you need to stop behaving this way. Getting angry won’t change anything.”

I let out a bitter laugh.

“You’re telling me to stop being angry? You slept with my husband, Bella. You lied to me for years, and you expect me to welcome you with a smile?”

She glanced at the door before looking at me again.

“Keep your voice down. We don’t want anyone hearing us.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

She was more worried about someone discovering her secret than the pain she had caused me.

“Why are you really here?” I asked again.

Bella crossed her legs and rested her hands on her lap.

“I came to check on your health. The doctors have made progress with the fertilized embryos, and we need to make sure everything goes well.”

I frowned.

“What embryos?”

She looked at me as if I had asked a foolish question.

“The embryos Nikolai and I prepared. We have already selected the ones we want to use.”

My heart began to pound.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you need to take care of yourself. Eat properly, get enough rest, and avoid unnecessary stress. We don’t want anything to affect the implantation.”

I stared at her in disbelief.

“Why are you suddenly so concerned about my health?”

Bella smiled.

“Because I don’t want anything to happen to the woman who will carry my child.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak.

Carry her child?

Was that all I meant to her now?

I slowly placed the book on the bedside table.

“You’re talking as if I’ve already agreed to this.”

Bella’s smile faded slightly.

“Kira, don’t start again.”

“I never agreed to become your surrogate. I never agreed to carry your child, and I will never agree to it.”

She looked at me for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh.

“You really think you have a choice?”

“Of course I do! It’s my body!”

“Then take it up with Nikolai,” she replied calmly. “He has already made the decision.”

I shook my head.

“I don’t care what he has decided. I won’t do it.”

Bella leaned closer.

“You need to understand something, Kira. Nikolai and I have already gone through everything. The doctors have prepared the embryos, and we are only waiting for the right time. You are the one who will carry the baby, give birth, and hand it over to us. You don’t need to worry about anything else.”

I stared at her, feeling sick.

She wanted me to carry her child for nine months, go through the pain of childbirth, and then hand the baby over as if I were nothing more than a machine.

“And what happens to me after that?” I asked quietly.

Bella shrugged.

“You will continue living your life.”

I laughed, but there was no happiness in it.

“How generous of you.”

Her expression changed.

“Listen, Kira. I didn’t come here to argue with you. I came because I want you to understand what is expected of you.”

“What is expected of me? You mean what you and Nikolai want to force me to do?”

“Watch your mouth.”

“No! I have kept quiet enough!”

I pushed the blanket away and stood up.

“You lied to me about Ellie’s father. You allowed me to comfort you while you were sleeping with my husband. I even encouraged Nikolai to treat your daughter like his own because I believed you were raising her alone. And now you expect me to carry your child?”

Bella stood up too.

“Don’t make me regret being nice to you.”

I stared at her.

“Nice? Is this what you call being nice?”

Her face hardened.

“Let me give you some advice. You should forget about exposing me and Nikolai. Nobody will believe you.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone knows how close we are. You are my sister, and Nikolai is your husband. If you suddenly start accusing us of having an affair, what do you think people will say? They will think you’re jealous, bitter, and trying to destroy your own family.”

I clenched my fists.

She was right about one thing. Nikolai was the Alpha, and Bella was my sister. They both had people who would defend them.

But that didn’t mean I would let them destroy my life.

Bella picked up her bag.

“Take care of yourself, Kira. The implantation will happen soon, and I expect you to cooperate.”

She walked towards the door, but stopped before leaving.

“And please, don’t do anything foolish. You have already lost enough. Don’t make things worse for yourself.”

Then she left.

I stood there, staring at the closed door.

My hands were trembling, and tears slowly filled my eyes.

I had thought discovering their affair was the worst thing they could do to me.

I was wrong.

They wanted to take my body, use me to have their child, and then expect me to return to my life as if nothing had happened.

I placed a trembling hand over my stomach.

There was another child growing inside me.

My child.

And I couldn’t allow Nikolai and Bella to take that child away from me too.

For the first time, I knew I had to find a way out of that marriage before it was too late.