4

“Bestie, this will be your room… and that door over there will be the room for the baby my husband and I will have.”

Theariza’s voice was calm but authoritative as she pointed toward the door inside the spacious room. It was a large bedroom—with a high ceiling, a crystal chandelier, and soft ivory-colored carpets. Every detail clearly showed the time, effort, and love that had been put into the house.

Althea swallowed quietly as she looked around. She couldn’t deny the size and beauty of the house. All of this—wealth, status, respect—belonged to Theariza.

“Wow… this room is beautiful,” she said insincerely, forcing a smile. She didn’t let Theariza see the slight envy that pierced her heart.

“Would you like something to eat?” Theariza asked, still calm and polite despite being the lady of the house.

“I’m already full, bestie. I ate at my parents’ house before I left. I’m going to rest now… isn’t the surrogacy happening tomorrow?”

The surroundings suddenly fell silent. The word surrogacy seemed to carry a heavy weight between them.

“Yes, you’re right. It’s tomorrow,” Theariza replied, trying to remain strong. “So get some rest. You need to feel well.”

“Yes… thank you.”

As soon as the door closed, Althea’s expression slowly changed. Her gentle face was replaced by a cold stare.

“This house is so big… what a beautiful life,” she whispered as she gently touched her stomach.

Unknown to Theariza—Althea was already pregnant.

And Alexander was the father.

They had planned it long ago. There was no longer any need for surrogacy because everything had already happened—in the secret meetings they had at the same hotel where they always met. Every night Alexander claimed to have a meeting, every time he came home exhausted—he had been with Althea.

“It won’t be long…” she whispered, her voice filled with ambition.

“I’ll be known as Mrs. Huston.”

She smiled faintly.

“But for now… I have to pretend. Until that woman is completely out of our lives.”

---

Inside the master bedroom of the house—the room belonging to its rightful owner.

When Theariza entered, she immediately saw Alexander lying sound asleep on the bed. The bed was spacious, covered with soft pillows and a thick comforter. Hanging on the wall was their wedding portrait—both of them smiling, their faces filled with promises.

“For several nights now… he’s always been tired whenever he comes home,” Theariza whispered as she gently placed her bag down.

If only I had been able to give him a child sooner… maybe our family would have been more complete.

There was pain in her eyes.

She was the owner of the house.

She was his legal wife.

But why did she feel as though something was missing?

Slowly, she approached the bed and sat on the edge.

She gazed at Alexander’s face—the man she had loved unconditionally.

Gently, she lay beside him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. It was an embrace filled with longing and love.

“I love you…” she whispered, barely audible.

But Alexander was awake.

His eyes were merely closed as he pretended to be asleep. He could feel the warmth of his wife’s embrace. He could feel the tenderness he could no longer return.

Slowly, he moved as though he were deeply asleep. He gently removed Theariza’s hand from his chest.

Her hand slowly fell onto the bed.

Alexander kept his eyes closed—the darkness hiding his conscience.

Meanwhile, even though Theariza had also closed her eyes, a silent tear slipped onto her pillow.

One hour later…

Alexander quietly stood up, looking at the sleeping Theariza. He didn’t know that she was only pretending to sleep as well so she wouldn’t let him know that she was aware of him leaving.

Slowly, he opened the bedroom door and stepped outside, carrying his cellphone.

He went straight to Althea’s room without hesitation.

As soon as he opened the door, Althea immediately greeted him with an embrace.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. “I thought she might have kissed you again.”

“Don’t think about that,” Alexander replied, placing his cellphone on the table. “I only pretended to be asleep so she wouldn’t bother me anymore.”

Althea smirked.

“The surrogacy is tomorrow.”

“And everything needs to be successful,” Althea said. “Have you already talked to Doc Allan?”

“Of course,” Alexander replied, placing a hand over her stomach. “Our child should be the one to have all of this. Not her.”

“Alexander? Are you here?”

“What are you two talking about?”

“Bestie… why is Alexander here?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“I’m just here to talk to her about tomorrow,” Alexander answered insincerely. “Maybe there are still some details she hasn’t discussed regarding the surrogacy.”

“Is what he’s saying true, bestie? Then what did I hear about your child being the one who should get everything?”

Althea breathed heavily but said nothing.

Alexander stood up and approached his wife.

“Maybe you heard it wrong,” Alexander said calmly.

“Let’s stop pretending, sweetheart. Let’s just tell her the truth.”

“What are you talking about? What truth are you talking about?”

The two smiled at each other before Alexander finally spoke.

“Because you can’t give me a child!” Alexander shouted. “You’re the reason I can’t have what I truly want! Only Althea has been able to give me everything I want!”

“W-what are you saying, Alexander? I don’t understand you!”

“Bestie, what are you saying?! I don’t understand either of you!”

Theariza’s entire body was trembling as she stared at the two of them. She could feel the coldness in the room, but Alexander’s gaze toward her was even colder—there was no tenderness, no trace of the love he once had for her.

“Isn’t it clear to you yet, Theariza?” Althea said coldly and firmly. “You’re no longer my bestie… because I’m the one who will take your place as Mrs. Huston.”

The words felt like a powerful slap across Theariza’s face.

Her eyes widened.

Slowly, tears filled her vision as she struggled to understand what she had just heard.

“How could you do this to me? You’re my best friend!” she shouted, her voice nearly breaking from the pain. Her chest felt as though it were being squeezed, and every breath came with a sharp ache.

She slowly turned toward Althea.

The woman she had once called her friend.

The woman she had trusted enough to bring into her own home.

Her lips trembled as she spoke.

“Do you really think you can have everything through deception? A child alone isn’t enough to get everything you want.”

Silence reigned for a moment.

But it was a heavy silence—filled with anger, envy, and betrayal.

Theariza could no longer bear their presence.

She turned her back on them, desperately trying to hold back the collapse of her emotions.

“I’m calling the police! You two will not succeed!”