Chapter 4

Harper’s POV

I didn’t have time to think or find another option, so I accepted being the surrogate without hesitating.

“Wonderful!” The assistant answered. “You just have to come back with me and sign the contract, then we can get the whole process started.”

I followed the assistant back to a private medical office, not bothering to acknowledge the glares and whispers of the elegant women in the room.

Once away from their angry eyes, I let out a quiet breath of relief—this money mattered too much for me to mess this up.

The assistant brought me into an office to sign the contract, and I couldn’t help but hesitate as I thought of how the boss had treated me.

I read over the contract, it all seemed pretty standard until I got to the payment and expectations section—my jaw immediately dropped to the floor.

I had come into this fully researched, so I knew the minimum payment for surrogacy was typically about $62,000 with a signing bonus or other benefits depending on the surrogate’s agreement.

This contract, however, detailed my payment being more than double that with countless other benefits. My hesitation immediately went out the window.

The payment for this surrogacy was enough to pay off my father’s debt, cover Michelle’s college tuition fees, find us a nicer place in a better neighborhood, and have quite a bit left over.

I was completely stunned as the assistant spoke with me about the details.

Surprisingly, the assistant was kind and patient unlike the way his boss treated me in the interview. He wanted to ensure I understood the situation and reassure me that I would be treated with the proper respect for what I was doing.

His kindness made me almost forget all my doubts about this surrogacy. Only almost, though. Just ‘almost’ wouldn’t take those doubts away. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this whole thing, something odd.

Doubts or not, it didn’t matter. I had no other options and I couldn’t turn this opportunity down. I signed the contract the first chance I had.

Once I signed, the assistant instructed me to return in exactly thirteen days for the injection and implantation.The assistant then sent me home with ovulation-stimulating medication to take until the official procedure.

That night, as I braided Mickey's hair from our couch, I couldn’t stop thinking of her being alone with that banging on the door.

I really wished what I signed today could fix the growing fear in her and she wouldn't have to worry that the next one walking into our house was anyone but me.

“Mickey,” I carefully said, leaning my chin on the tattoo on her shoulder. “Things might be able to change now. I might have found a way to pay off Dad’s debts. It’s a lot and I…if I can do it things might finally get better for us.”

I wanted to tell her about the surrogacy and how it would change everything—she knew about the interview, but she had no idea what it was for. I didn’t want to scare her before the pregnancy really happened.

Thankfully she didn’t ask me too.

Michelle leaned against me with a sigh and I could feel the hopeful smile spreading across her face.

“Maybe, when things are better…” She said with a pause. “Maybe once the debts are paid, maybe dad will change—maybe our family could be whole again.”

I nodded and pulled myself back so she couldn’t see the tears that fell from my eyes.

My feelings toward my father were incredibly complicated, overwhelming, and definitely more negative than positive.

Michelle, however, still loved him deeply. She was too young to understand when everything had happened, she didn’t know the same ache in her chest that I did of a lost mother and a father that didn’t care.

I also never let her feel lost or alone like I did. She had me who she could always trust and turn to.

That was why she still had hope that he could be better, because she never had to learn for herself that he couldn’t.

—

The first embryo transfer was unfortunately scheduled for a Friday.

I didn’t mind the day, but that meant I had to take a day off work.

I took the day off and informed my boss that I wouldn’t be accessible, but my phone was still flooded with messages from the sales team.

It wasn’t easy being the assistant for the whole team, they needed me for every small inconvenience or annoying part of their jobs.

I couldn’t afford to lose this job, so I prayed it wouldn’t become a big deal when I returned to work.

I needed this surrogacy job as much as I needed that one.

In theory, I was supposed to meet the employer during the first transfer.

But, the Young Leone never appeared.

Thinking back to the interview two weeks earlier, I forced myself to suppress my unease and go through with the procedure.

It didn’t matter how I felt about it, I could get myself through it. I kept telling myself that I could do it.

The nurses suggested I take it easy and try to avoid any stress to increase the chances of pregnancy.

When they deemed me ready to return home, I did my best not to think about the situation—I needed to avoid stress afterall.

On the way home when I walked up the street, I had a terrible feeling that someone was following right behind me.

I assumed it was the debt collectors and that thought made me fearfully pick up my pace to a walking run.

I quickly walked to my apartment, hurried inside, and locked the door behind me.

I leaned my back against the door and closed my eyes as I caught my breath. Before I could, however, I heard the unmistakable sound of someone opening and closing drawers.

I opened my eyes as my heartbeat picked up, fearing that I’d see a thief. I prayed my instincts were wrong and it was simply Michelle looking for something she had lost.

Instead, I opened my eyes to find my father—who had been missing for months—rummaging through the apartment, desperately looking for money.

He only stopped his searching when he finally noticed me at the door.

“Harper, thank goodness, you have to help me.” he said frantically, “I need money and I need enough to escape—to stay alive.”

He was rummaging through our apartment like some thieves..for our hard-earned money...to help HIM survive...WITH Michelle probably still in her room. And he expected me to help him?

That thought snapped me right out of being surprised and I immediately stomped toward him angrily.

“Are you serious?” I demanded. “It's been months! How could you just abandon us?”

His face twisted with a mix of embarrassement and anger at his own daughter accusing him of such a thing.

“You wouldn’t understand!” He shouted back. “I left to save myself!”

My hands clenched into fists and I grit my teeth—remembering that Michelle was home, I didn’t want to yell—but that wasn’t going to stop me from dealing with the man who dared to try to defend abandoning us.

When a retort on the tip of my tongue, I was interrupted by a loud bang on the door.

“No more hiding.” A voice called loudly and threateningly from outside. “Open up, we know you're in there, Sinclair.”