CHAPTER ONE - ALEJANDRO'S CHEMISTRY

Valerie woke before sunrise, her palms resting on the soft swell of her stomach. The child inside her shifted gently, almost as if sensing the weight gathering on her chest. She whispered a quiet good morning to the baby, though her voice came out frail. Sleep had not been kind. Her thoughts had worked through the night, stitching fear into every hour.

She knew Isabella had been acting strange for days, colder than usual, quieter in a way that felt rehearsed. Valerie felt the change but had no proof to cling to. She only had a feeling that something had shifted. The house carried a heavy hush that morning, and even the hallways felt tense beneath the early light.

She pushed the blankets aside and forced herself into a white sundress that barely fit her growing body. The mirror reflected a girl who tried to smile but could not hide the exhaustion in her eyes. She wanted this baby delivered. She wanted her one million dollars. She wanted freedom.

When she stepped out of the room, she saw Isabella’s friends arriving through the front entrance. Selena entered first, chin lifted, hips swaying in a way she probably believed held power. Ariana walked behind her, slower, her quiet smile hiding a mind that never slept.

Valerie greeted them politely. Selena ignored her completely. Ariana touched Valerie’s arm gently in greeting, her fingers warm, her face almost too soft.

“Are you alright?” Ariana asked, studying her closely.

“I am fine,” Valerie replied, though her voice betrayed her.

Ariana nodded, her eyes glowing with understanding even though Valerie never explained anything. Ariana always made her feel seen. Valerie did not know that was the exact trap Ariana wanted.

Isabella walked in moments later, dressed in elegant silk that caught the light. Her eyes slid over Valerie without warmth. Her voice cooled further when she said, “Come to the living room. We need to talk.”

Something inside Valerie tightened.

They all sat. The air felt stiff.

Selena crossed her legs aggressively, her gaze landing on Valerie with a sarcastic lift at the corner of her mouth. Ariana sat closer to Isabella, her body angled as if guarding a secret.

Isabella stared at Valerie for several long seconds.

“You look pale,” Isabella finally said.

“I did not sleep well,” Valerie replied.

Selena scoffed before saying, “Maybe she stayed up thinking about your husband.”

The words hit Valerie like a slap.

Isabella’s jaw tensed.

Ariana leaned forward quickly. “Selena, that is unnecessary.”

Selena lifted an eyebrow. “Am I lying?”

“You are stirring trouble,” Ariana said calmly.

“You mean you do not see it?” Selena shot back. “The way she glows because of Alejandro. She acts like she is more than a surrogate.”

Isabella exhaled slowly, and Valerie felt the burn of those eyes resting on her. For a moment she wondered if Isabella truly believed Selena or if she was pretending not to.

Valerie pulled strength from the child growing inside her. “Alejandro barely even looks at me,” she said softly. “And I have never given him a reason to.”

Selena smirked. “Men look even when they should not.”

Ariana touched IsabelIa’s hand. “You know Valerie. She is innocent. You chose her for a reason.”

Isabella nodded a little, but her expression remained stiff. “Yes. I chose her.”

Valerie saw now that Ariana was not defending her. She was winning Isabella’s trust. That trust was Ariana’s weapon.

Ariana turned to Valerie. “Do not let Selena make you uncomfortable. She says things she does not mean.”

Selena laughed loudly. “I always mean what I say.”

The room thickened with tension.

Before anyone could respond, heavy footsteps echoed from the hallway. Alejandro walked in, his presence filling the room the way thunder filled a storm.

He wore a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled back, hair slightly messy from running his fingers through it. His eyes swept the room once before landing on Valerie. The look was brief, but heat crawled across her skin. She looked away quickly.

Alejandro greeted his wife and nodded at the two friends. When he looked at Valerie again, only for a second, his jaw tightened as though he was resisting something he hated admitting.

“I need you in my study, Isabella,” he said quietly.

Selena sat straighter. Ariana narrowed her eyes like she was studying something deeper. Isabella stood and followed him out of the room without a word.

The moment they were gone, Selena stared after Alejandro with open hunger. Ariana noticed.

“You are staring again,” Ariana whispered.

“You would too if he looked at you that way,” Selena muttered.

Ariana chuckled softly. “Please. He does not look at you.”

“He will,” Selena said. “He is a man. He just needs pressure.”

Ariana gave her a pitying smile. “Or maybe he simply does not want you.”

Selena glared. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Ariana leaned back, crossing her arms slowly. “Men like him do not go for women who chase. They go for women who threaten their self-control. Women who make them forget who they are. Women like Valerie.”

Valerie froze. “No. That is not true.”

Ariana smiled sweetly at Valerie. “Of course you do not see it. That is why it works.”

Valerie shook her head. “Alejandro does not even speak to me unless it is necessary.”

Ariana’s eyes glimmered with private knowledge. “And yet he watches you when you are not looking.”

Selena sucked her teeth. “You are making it up.”

“Believe what you want,” Ariana said as she rose. “But Isabella has reasons to worry.”

Valerie’s heart dropped.

Ariana walked away first. Selena followed, lingering long enough to toss Valerie a final glare before leaving the room.

Valerie remained seated, her thoughts trembling. She pressed her hands against her stomach again, grounding herself in the tiny heartbeat she carried.

She needed to finish this pregnancy. She needed her money. She needed to leave.

She rose slowly and walked to the garden for fresh air. The flowers were blooming, filling the space with gentle perfume. She sat beneath the shade of a tall tree and inhaled deeply.

Until she heard footsteps behind her.

Alejandro.

He stopped a few steps away, as if he was forcing distance between them.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

The deep rumble of his voice sank into her bones. She looked up and forced a small smile.

“I am fine.”

“You look tired,” he said. “Isabella said you did not sleep.”

Valerie shook her head. “Please do not worry. I am doing my part.”

“I am not worried about your part,” Alejandro replied. “I am worried about you.”

Her breath caught.

“I am only the surrogate,” she whispered.

Alejandro studied her carefully. “You are a woman carrying a child that relies on you. You should not be stressed.”

Her heart thumped painfully. “I do what I can.”

“And if you need anything,” he said slowly, “you tell me.”

Valerie looked away. “I do not want to cause trouble.”

Alejandro stepped closer. She felt the shift in the air before he spoke again.

“You are not trouble.”

She turned toward him at the same moment he reached for her face then pulled his hand back as if burned. His eyes darkened, and he turned away sharply.

“I should not be here,” he whispered.

She swallowed. “Because of your wife.”

“Because of you,” he corrected.

Silence hummed between them.

Alejandro exhaled deeply, fighting himself. “Rest today. Stay away from stress. If anyone upsets you, tell me.”

He walked away quickly, almost like a man running from a fire.

Valerie watched him disappear into the mansion.

Her heart beat too fast.

Ariana’s words echoed.

Women who make them forget who they are.

Valerie placed her hand over her stomach again.

She needed to leave after the birth.

Because if she stayed any longer, she feared Alejandro Rodriguez would become the one thing she could not resist.