Chapter 3

Teresa POV 

Three years later. 

"Tessa! I need a hand," the resident doctor announced.

Being a junior meant I often tagged along in major operations and this was necessary to gain more experience.

My shift lasted for six more hours and I was completely exhausted when I got back home. This has been my routine for the past two weeks, since I arrived in Dhuran to take the role of a junior medical staff. But thanks to Nicole, my roommate, who had already made dinner. No need for kitchen chores.

About an hour later, Nicole left for a party. She had no need to invite her roommate because she knew I wasn't going to come. Alone in the apartment, I thought it best to check on Kai. I always looked forward to the video calls.

"Mom!" Kai giggled the moment he appeared on the screen. 

"Hey! Sweety!" 

Another head soon popped up on the screen.

Mrs Smith.

"I didn't think you were going to call today," she said.

"Sorry I missed a few days. Work happened."

"Hope it isn't that much stress."

"Well, it is what it is, but I can manage." 

Three years ago, I escaped with Kai, the third of the Surrogate triplets. But Kai soon fell sick and it was later discovered that he suffered from Autism Spectrum Disorder, a medical condition suffered by highly intelligent kids. 

Barely able to make ends meet, I found out that traditional medicine could manage the situation and for the last three years, all I had done was immerse myself in learning whatever portions were necessary to save Kai. And thanks to Mrs Smith who was always ready to put me through.

"So when are you coming to get him?"

I contemplated for a while, doing some maths with the three grand I took home a month. "As soon as I have my own place, about a month or two... but how is he?"

Kai was probably playing with his cat and I could hear his voice in the background. Unlike the other times, he hadn't missed his mother for the last few days.

"He is being.. Kai," she said, trying her best to downplay the situation. 

The diagnosis had shown that Kai required special medication on a daily basis and this medication wasn't cheap. Hence my reason for taking the job at Dhuran. 

The following day at work, I couldn't concentrate because all I thought about was Kai. There was only so much that Mrs Smith, a 70 year old, could do. Yet, she had raised no objections when I offered to leave Kai behind, and I was grateful. 

I had to focus but standing by the reception area, I couldn't help but think about Kai. 

Then Derek's call came but...

"You have been distracted lately and we don't tolerate such." 

For the upteenth time, I couldn't take Derek's call. Mrs Johnson, the hospital supervisor, registered at my side, her expression Steel. 

"I'm sorry. It's just—"

"Save it." 

After much contemplation, she began, "Look, you have a degree, but your experience is unorthodox, which makes you less qualified. So consider this job a blessing because there are a million people willing to take your place," she fumed.

"Apologies."

"None needed. Now go attend to the patients in ward 10. Doctor Brown is on leave so you will have to fill her place, " she ordered. "And one more thing, I must warn you that the patient is a VIP so accord him all respect."

Mrs Johnson was said to be friendly but never joked about her job. That was why she was in charge of supervision and head of the paediatric unit. 

But at ward ten, two cute little faces registered and for a while, I thought they were twins. A male and a female and the resemblance was striking. The male amongst the kids, whose name I later learned was Kasey, narrowed his brows.

"Where's Doctor Brown?" He grumbled.

"And we've been waiting all day," came the female, the one with bruises.

I understood how they felt and trying to justify the delay was needless, so I did what every doctor would do:

Apologise and get it on with the task. 

But then, I noticed they were all by themselves. And alone in the ward. 

Were these the VIPs? 

"Took you long enough," came a sounded

Then I turned to see the man at the doorway. A dark leather jacket that matched his dark curly hair, chiseled jawline and his particularly blue eyes. 

He was gorgeous. 

"Apologies."

He bridged the gap and settled beside the kids. He could easily pass for a model and his cologne scent made him intoxicating.

To the kids, he said, "Is she giving you any trouble?"

They shook their heads, "Except she is not Dr Brown." 

After patting the kids on their heads, the man turned to me and the smile on his face faltered. Then I saw him in deep contemplation. 

A lot was going through his mind. 

"Are you going to keep staring or what?" He said.

With a little dressing, Kylie was up and running but long after they left, I couldn't put my thoughts around the kids. 

The medical records showed Kylie to be four, and Kasey to be three. 

A year of age difference. 

Hence, they could not have been the Surrogate babies I birthed three years ago. However, I had felt a personal connection with the kids during the brief moments. 

Maybe it was Kai's effect, I concluded.

The next day was Saturday, my day off. To keep us busy, Nicole suggested I tag along to an engagement party and she left me no choice, and we arrived at the grand hall after a few minutes' ride.  

Then, just by the entrance, I found a kid, who seemed lost, and was apparently waiting for God knows who. 

And I recognised his face.

Kasey. 

He looked sad for no apparent reason. Just then, a woman registered from a distance, and with some quick strides, she covered the distance and began to bark. 

"I warned you but you always wander off," she barked at the boy whose arms were now folded, obviously unable to withstand her anger. 

Then I saw his eyes go teary.

"Hey! He is just a kid. You should take it easy on him," I suggested. 

"Stay out of this!" a venom look on her face as she took his arm and dragged him into the hall. 

I released a sigh as I couldn't imagine doing that to Kai, or any other kid. Some women are just cruel. 

At the engagement hall, all I thought about was Kasey. 

It was clear that the woman in question wasn't his mother. 

Then, my attention drifted to speakers and everyone turned to the man on stage.

I recognised him. The man from the hospital. Nicole had failed to give the necessary heads-up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming but this is not going to happen."

The entire crowd gasped at the announcement, then followed with murmurs. Our attention soon turned to a woman who came running to the stage.

"Please, don't do this," she pleaded.

The crowd could not but be shocked at the unfolding scene. I was even more surprised because I never knew that an engagement could be cancelled at the very last minute. 

Then the man in the suit wriggled himself from her grip. 

"You can't do this,Timothy, don't do this," she continued to plead.

He cleared his throat, "Thank you all for coming but the engagement has been cancelled." Then he threw the mic and walked off the stage, leaving the crowd with dropped jaws. 

I arrived home and Nicole soon followed, her face grim. 

"Save it," she barked the moment she met my gaze, then hurried off to her room.

Later, I got to know that the lady whose engagement got cancelled was a close friend of Nicole, and that the reason for cancellation was because she never got along with the kids. No, she treated the kids badly and I saw it first hand. 

But I had no intention of judging Nicole, who confined herself to her space, refusing to make conversation. 

A quick shower got me ready for work the next morning. Through the lobby and down the stairs, I was running late but I paused my tracks when a voice echoed.

"I still owe you money and it's time I repaid my debts."

Arms folded and propped against the wall was a man. He looked casual in his blue pair of jeans but then I saw his face. 

Timothy Chase, the man who had cancelled an engagement.

What the hell was he doing here?

"How much is it again?" He grinned.

My jaw dropped as he sauntered to my position. So this was the man for whom I agreed to be a surrogate mother?

"Oh! I remember." He pulled out his cellphone and typed for a few seconds. Then, a notification message popped up on my cellphone. 

Five million dollars credited into my account. 

"Debt settled," he grinned 

Five million dollars. Were the digits real? 

"I don't understand," my words faltered. 

"You don't have to," before I knew what was happening, he bridged the gap and held up my chin, "Where the fuck have you been, Teresa." His lips crashed on mine. 

Someone gasped from behind. 

Nicole.