Chapter 1

"Have my husband baby, and I'll give you one hundred million dollars."

Abigail froze. She stared at Lily, convinced she'd misheard her.

A baby. One hundred million dollars.

The two ideas collided in her mind, leaving her speechless.

"...What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Abby." Lily met her gaze without wavering. "I want to borrow your womb." She swallowed hard before continuing. "I'll pay you whatever you want. If one hundred million isn't enough, name your price."

"Are you insane?"

"No." Lily shook her head. "I'm not insane, Abby. I'm desperate."

She let out a long, weary breath, her shoulders slumping beneath the weight she'd been carrying. When she finally lifted her head again, tears shimmered in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"...What's really going on?" Abigail stepped closer and crouched in front of her.

"It's about having a child." The words came out in a bitter whisper. "You know Mark and I have been married for five years, and we still haven't been blessed with a baby. Maggie..." Lily paused before correcting herself. "My mother-in-law has been pressuring us more and more. It's gotten so bad that Mark and I fight all the time now."

Her lips trembled.

"She even told me to divorce Mark so he could marry another woman—someone she believes is fertile enough to give her a grandchild."

"That's insane."

Abigail's voice came out sharp with disbelief.

"Who does she think she is? God?"

A faint, miserable smile crossed Lily's face.

"That's why... I need your help." She reached for Abigail's hand and held it tightly. "You can help me, can't you?"

Her fingers tightened around Abigail's. "Please..."

"Lily..." Abigail stood, gently pulling her hand free. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"I'll pay you." Abigail clenched her jaw.

"It's not about the money."

"Then what is it?" Lily demanded, impatience creeping into her voice. "I just want to give Mark a child. I want to save our marriage."

Her eyes pleaded desperately.

"If you were in my shoes, Abby... could you really stand by and watch my marriage fall apart over something like this? Mark and I love each other. We really do. But Maggie..." Her voice cracked. "Please... help me."

"No, Lily." Abigail's answer was firm. "I care about you, but I won't do something this crazy."

Her breathing grew heavier as anger began to rise.

"You want me to get pregnant, give birth to your baby, then hand that child over in exchange for money." She stared straight into Lily's eyes. "What do you think I am?"

"A baby seller?"

No matter how close they had once been... No matter how broke, desperate, or cornered Abigail's own life had become... Selling a child had never crossed her mind.

It violated every moral line she refused to cross.

"It's not like that, Abby." Lily's voice was almost pleading.

"It is."

"No." Lily shook her head desperately. "Look at the bigger picture."

Her expression softened.

"With everything you're going through right now, I know you need money. What I'm offering will benefit both of us."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know your life isn't what it used to be." Lily hesitated before continuing. "Ever since your family went bankrupt and you disappeared, you've changed. You look like you're barely getting by."

She lowered her voice.

"I also heard your parents kicked you out after you got pregnant because you refused to give up the baby." A brief silence settled between them. "How is your child now? How old is your little one? Has she started school yet?"

"That's none of your business." Abigail's expression turned cold. "And what does my daughter have to do with any of this?"

"So it's a girl?" A flicker of curiosity crossed Lily's face. "What's she like? Is she as beautiful as you... or does she look like her father?"

Abigail lowered her eyes.

"...I don't know who her father is."

The confession came out so quietly it was almost inaudible. Shame tightened around her chest. So did guilt.

Her daughter, Amora, had entered this world without a father because of the reckless mistake Abigail had made years ago.

She had never been planned.

Now she was growing up surrounded by hardship, deprived of the life she deserved.

And every bit of it was Abigail's fault.

Her fingers tightened around the hem of her black pencil skirt until the fabric wrinkled beneath her grip.

Anger surged through her.

"Think about it, Abby." Lily spoke more gently this time. "If you help me, your daughter will have a better future." She leaned forward.

" Just imagine everything you could do with the compensation I'd give you." A hopeful smile touched her lips. "If that's not enough, I'll even open an education fund in your daughter's name and pay for her schooling all the way through college."

"Just once, Abby." Lily's voice trembled with desperation. "I only need one child. Just one. I swear you won't regret it."

One hundred million dollars.

It was more than enough to pay off every gambling debt her mother had piled up.

More than enough to move Amora into a safer, better home. More than enough to...

No.

Abigail couldn't do it. Rent out her womb. Carry a baby for nine months.

Give birth...

And then what?

Hand that child over to someone else?

"I'm sorry, Lily." Abigail forced herself to meet her friend's eyes. "You'll have to find someone else."

The disappointment on Lily's face was unmistakable, but Abigail steeled her heart.

No matter what happened... She would never sell a child for money.

"Abby..." Lily reached for her hand one last time, giving it a gentle squeeze.

A knock at the door interrupted them both.

"Lily, sweetheart? Are you in there?"

Lily immediately rose from her seat. She smoothed the wrinkles from her expensive designer dress, checked her makeup in the mirror, and only then answered,

"Yes, honey. I'm here." She walked toward the door before glancing back at Abigail. "Please think about it, Abby."

A sorrowful smile curved across her lips.

"I'm truly out of options."

Then she opened the door.

"There you are, sweetheart." A warm, caring voice filled the room. "I've been looking everywhere for you. What took you so long?"

The man standing outside was strikingly handsome.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Impeccably dressed.

Mark Harrison.

Only recently had Abigail learned that he was the CEO of one of the country's fastest-growing technology companies—and the sole heir to Harrison Corp.

"I'm fine." Lily slipped effortlessly into a softer, almost spoiled tone. "I'm just feeling a little tired."

Before leaving, she looked back at Abigail one last time. The silent plea in her eyes said everything words no longer could.

Then Lily rested her head against her husband's arm, and together they walked away.

The couple walked away with their arms wrapped around each other's waists.

Seeing that warmth, the memories of her own suffering crashed into Abigail with crushing force, leaving her heart in pieces.

Before she realized it, thoughts of the man she had never even had the chance to know drifted back into her mind. If only that night hadn't ended the way it did... would her life have turned out differently? Would Amora have grown up with a father who loved her? Could the three of them have been a family... even if only for a little while?

For years, Abigail had convinced herself that she was strong enough to raise Amora on her own. But watching the way Mark looked at Lily—with such tenderness, such unwavering protectiveness—she finally understood there was one thing she could never give her daughter.

A father who truly loved her.

Regret tightened around her chest until it was almost impossible to breathe. Regret for the single decision that had shattered her entire life. Regret for the future that had slipped through her fingers. And regret for the painful truth that the warmth of a complete family now felt hopelessly beyond her reach.

Should she do it? Should she cast aside the last remnants of her pride for Amora's sake?

And if she really carried that man's child... how could she possibly go on living as though nothing had ever happened?