Chapter Three – An Impossible Dilemma

Danielle couldn’t concentrate on anything else for the rest of the day. Knox Cromwell’s strange proposition was all she could think of. It was true she needed the money, but was she ready to take the plunge? Was she ready to bear a child when she was struggling to save her business? Could she do justice to both? 

Of course, she knew the answer to all those questions, but Knox Cromwell hardly gave her a choice. The consequences she would face for declining his proposition were devastating. It would ruin her completely. 

What confused her was why he chose her to bear his heir? It was obvious he nurtured a low opinion of her. She was way below his league, too. Then why was he forcing her when he could choose someone experienced? Why was he paying her so much when he could get a surrogate mother for much less? 

“Hey, girl! What’s got you so worked up?” asked Loretta, walking into the office. Danielle looked up to focus her attention on her friend. For the last few hours, she had been so worked up, she hardly noticed when the time had ticked by. It was evening already and yet she was undecided about Knox Cromwell’s proposal. 

“Everything, Lori. You know it better than I do. All the clients have opted out. We don’t have work or funds to pull the show anymore. Happy Matchmakers aren’t happening at all! I wish mom was alive to guide us. I don’t know what we’re doing wrong. Added to that are Knox Cromwell’s threats.” Loretta pulled a seat and sat down beside her friend, her eyes twinkling with interest. She had been dying to know what the gorgeous billionaire wanted from them. 

“What threats? Is he threatening you because I’ve sent some photographs to his old man?” chuckled Loretta while Danielle glared at her friend. So, she was the culprit behind her predicament! 

“Why did you? I asked you to leave Vincent Cromwell alone, didn’t I? Now, I have to face the consequences of your recklessness.” Loretta’s smile disappeared as she leaned forward with interest. 

“What consequences? I just sent a few photographs to make a client happy. That’s all! Please stop talking in riddles. Tell me what Cromwell said.”

“He threatened to sue us if I didn’t accept his proposal. He’ll ruin our business and bring us down to the streets.” Loretta’s jaws dropped with surprise. 

“What did he propose? Marriage?” she asked with dreamy eyes. “Can I marry him instead?” 

Danielle gave her a look of disgust. “Are you crazy? Why would he want to marry me? He wants me to bear him a male heir in return for thirty million dollars.” 

“What? Is he crazy? Thirty million is a lot, Danielle. I would have jumped at the idea. Can I bear him a child instead? I’d love to sleep with a smoking hot guy like him!” Danielle punched her arm to bring her out of her dream world. 

“Where did that come from? He didn’t offer to sleep with me. It’s just a formal agreement of surrogacy to pacify Vincent Cromwell and get him disinterested in marriage.” Although she tried to look unaffected, Loretta’s obsession with Knox Cromwell made Danielle jealous. After all, there was a time when she used to dream of a happily ever after with the guy. He still was her first and only crush! 

“Whatever! Tell me if you’re disinterested. I would love to bear his children for free if he allows me to sleep with him.” Danielle gave her a disgusted look. 

“He wants me, not you. He didn’t even give me a choice to opt out. I have to be ready to sign the legal documents tomorrow at 11 o’clock when he drops by with his lawyer. It’s a formal agreement which doesn’t involve sleeping with him.” Loretta chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. 

“Are you sure?” asked Loretta, and Danielle nodded. 

“Yes.” Loretta noticed the gloomy look on her face and sighed knowingly. 

“You like him, don’t you?” Danielle sighed and nodded at her friend. What was the use of hiding her feelings from her only friend? She would know eventually. 

“Not anymore. I used to during my teenage years when he was more approachable. Now, he’s changed so much, I can’t even connect to him. He harbours a low opinion of me and doesn’t even recognize me. I’m not sure if I want to do this, Lori.” 

“I’m sure he’ll come around, Dani. Maybe he’ll like you back when he gets to know you.” Danielle shook her head vigorously, knowing how impossible it was. She knew Knox Cromwell too well to hope. If it wasn’t for Happy Matchmakers, she would have escaped far away from the man. This business was her mom’s dream, the result of her hard work. Danielle could give up her life to save the business. It meant the world to her! 

“I don’t think so, Lori.” 

“Then will you let the opportunity slip out of your hands? We need the money to save Happy Matchmakers, Dani. Aren’t you in your senses, girl? He will destroy aunt Meg’s dream company in minutes. Can you sit back and watch it crumble to dust?” Loretta grabbed hold of her arms and shook her to bring her to her senses. 

“But I don’t know how to carry a child. What if I don’t give him a male heir? What if I give birth to a daughter? I’m not sure I can do this, Lori.” She covered her face as helpless tears pricked at her eyes. 

“We’ll see about that. I will always be there to help you, Dani. You aren’t alone in this. So, stop sulking now and sign the agreement already. You’ll be rich after nine months and we would make Happy Matchmakers a success. Aunt Meg will be happy to see we haven’t given up on her dream.” 

Danielle looked up and gazed at her friend with tears in her eyes. She was tired of fighting this battle on her own. If Loretta wanted, she could have left Danielle to join a high-paying job, but she preferred being there for her friend. She had a degree under her cap, but Danielle didn’t. For her, Happy Matchmakers was everything, her career, her dream, her livelihood and her priority. She couldn’t afford to anger Knox Cromwell and have him destroy her business. It would devastate her completely. So, the only way out was to bear his child, to give him what he wanted. She could do this! 

“You’re right. I’ll sign the agreement tomorrow.” Loretta hugged her best friend, glad that she was using the opportunity she got. 

“That’s the spirit! We can do this.” Danielle smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm, although she didn’t share it with her. 

 The two friends locked up their office and left for the day. Danielle waved at Loretta as she drove away. She glanced at her rickety ancient car with dread. Hopefully, it wouldn’t give up on her today. Just as she had expected, it didn’t start at all.  

“Crap!” She emerged and kicked the rickety vehicle with frustration. Maybe she’d buy a car first with the money Knox paid her. When no amount of manipulation would work, she considered taking a cab home. Danielle trudged out of the parking area, but all the time she had an uncanny feeling of being watched. She looked all around her, but there was no one around. If only she had taken a lift home from Loretta. 

Walking briskly towards the main road, she booked herself a cab and waited. Still, the feeling didn’t leave her. Surely, it was a hallucination! Why would someone stalk her? She hardly had money!

The hair at her nape stood up, and she turned to check. Nothing! No one! 

The cab arrived to pick her up, and Danielle breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the excessive stress was taking a toll on her! 

As she got into the cab, her glance fell upon a black Ferrari parked at a distance. Was it Knox Cromwell behind the steering wheel? 

Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, and she checked her phone. The cab sped off towards her house, but Danielle was in a dilemma. Why was Vincent Cromwell calling her? 

No, she wouldn’t entertain him at all. It would infuriate Knox Cromwell, and she couldn’t afford to do that. 

After three attempts, Vincent Cromwell gave up, and she released a breath of relief. The cab stopped in front of her building and she paid the cab driver and alighted. It was a peaceful neighborhood, and the building was decent. Although she didn’t mix up with the rest of the inmates, she loved her tiny apartment here. It was the only place in the world she owned. 

The cab sped away, and she turned to go inside. However, her glance fell upon the same black Ferrari she had seen earlier, near her workplace. It was parked at a distance, almost three buildings away, but Danielle was sure it was the same one. 

A tremor went down her body. Who was stalking her? Was it Knox Cromwell?