The Interview

Mia stared at the message for a long time. She thought about Danny, about the surgery he needed, about the life he could have if she could just get him the resources he needed. 

She made a decision; she would meet with the lawyer first. She would have him review the contract. 

When she got home that evening, Danny was waiting by the door, his face excited.

"Did you hear back from them?" he asked. "Surrogacy people?"

"Not yet," Mia lied. "Soon."

That night, she called the lawyer from Patricia's card and he agreed to meet with her the following Tuesday. She marked it in her calendar with a red pen.

She was reviewing the contract again, highlighting the most confusing sections, when she noticed something she'd missed before. A single clause, buried on page sixteen, written in slightly smaller font than the rest:

"The Surrogate acknowledges that the nature and purpose of the genetic material provided may differ from standard surrogacy arrangements and agrees to accept the terms of this agreement regardless of any subsequent discoveries regarding said genetic material."

Mia read it three times, trying to get what it meant. The nature of the genetic material. Not the eggs or sperm, the genetic material itself. 

She was still staring at those words when her phone buzzed with another unknown number. She almost didn't answer.

"Mia Chen?" A man's voice, formal and controlled. "This is Damien Cross. I understand you're being considered for our surrogacy arrangement. I'd like to move the interview forward. Can you come to my office tomorrow instead of waiting until Friday?"

Mia's heart was pounding. "I... tomorrow might not"

"Tomorrow at two PM. My assistant will send you the address. 

“Be there.”

He hung up before she could respond.

Mia sat in the dark of her apartment, the contract still open on her lap, and realized she'd just lost her chance to consult the lawyer first.

She looked at her phone and made a choice that would change everything, she texted back the address confirmation, agreeing to the meeting tomorrow.

Then she deleted every trace of her conversations with Patricia Moss.

The Cross mansion sat on a cliff overlooking the city, all glass and carefully cultivated landscaping. 

Mia's hands gripped the steering wheel of her used Honda as she pulled up to the gate. She'd spent the entire drive trying to calm her nerves. 

The security guard didn't even ask her name, apparently she was expected. The gate slid open silently.

The driveway curved through grounds. When the house came fully into view, Mia's breath caught. It was beautiful in an intimidating way, all clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows. This was a house that cost more than she'd make in her entire lifetime.

A woman in a gray uniform was waiting at the entrance. "Ms. Chen? Please come this way."

The interior was even more impressive. Everything was white or cream or soft gray. No clutter, no mistakes. Just perfection.

Dr. Reid was already there, standing in what appeared to be a private study. With him was a couple.

The woman was stunning. Victoria Cross had blonde hair styled in the kind of way that probably required a specific salon. She smiled when Mia entered, and it was the smile of someone who'd never had to worry about money in her life.

The man was harder to read.

Damien Cross stood by the window, hands in his pockets, watching Mia with an intensity that made her want to check if she'd buttoned her shirt correctly. He was in his early thirties, with dark hair.

"Mia," Victoria said warmly, crossing the room to take both of Mia's hands. "I'm Victoria. Thank you for coming."

"Of course," Mia managed. 

"Please, sit." Victoria gestured to a cream-colored sofa. Mia sat, hyper-aware of her jeans and the fact that her shoes were still damp from walking through the morning rain. Damien remained by the window, saying nothing.

"Dr. Reid has told us wonderful things about you," Victoria continued, settling onto the sofa across from Mia. "You're studying nursing?"

"Yes. I'm in my final year of my graduate program."

"How impressive. And your brother?"

The question caught Mia slightly off-guard. Dr. Reid had probably told them. "He was in an accident. He's recovering."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Victoria's expression shifted to something that looked like genuine sympathy. "That must be difficult for you."

Mia felt herself relaxing slightly. Victoria seemed kind. Worried, even there was a fragility to her, a delicate quality that made Mia want to protect her somehow.

"It has been," Mia admitted. "But he's getting better every day."

"Great." Victoria glanced toward Damien, who was still watching them with that unreadable expression. "You know, when Damien and I got married, one of the things we discussed first was having a family. It's all I've ever wanted, really. To be a mother."

"And we've tried everything," Victoria continued, her eyes glistening slightly. "Treatments, surgery, specialists. But my body just... it won't cooperate. Damien has been so patient with me, so supportive, but I know he wants this too. A child. A family."

Mia felt a flutter of sympathy. She couldn't imagine the disappointment, the grief of wanting something so badly and having your own body betray you.

"That's why we're so grateful to you for being willing to help us," Victoria said. "Not everyone would be strong enough to do something like this. To carry a child for someone else. To make a family possible."

It was then that Damien moved. "The contract is straightforward. Nine months, compensation as discussed, complete confidentiality. After delivery, no contact. You'll sign away all parental rights and legal claims to the child."

It wasn't cruel, exactly. It was just... transactional. Like he was discussing a business merger.

"I understand," Mia said.

"Do you?" His eyes met hers directly, and she felt pinned by the intensity of his gaze. "You understand that you'll carry our child for nine months and then have no relationship with that child for the rest of your life?"

"Damien," Victoria said softly, touching his arm. "She understands."

But he didn't look away from Mia. There was something in his expression, something that almost looked like he was testing her, waiting for her to flinch.

"I do," Mia said firmly. "I understand completely."

Damien nodded slowly, then walked back to the window.

Victoria resumed the interview, asking detailed questions about Mia’s health, family, and background, which felt like a comprehensive stability assessment. After an hour, Dr. Reid announced that they wanted to move forward and scheduled Mia to move into the mansion a week later. 

The sudden reality of living in this perfect, imposing house hit Mia. She mentioned needing to arrange her brother's care. Victoria immediately offered to cover a top-tier home health aide. It was a remarkably generous, almost overwhelming, offer that Mia couldn't afford to question.

Victoria walked Mia to the door, placing a hand on her arm. With genuine tears in her eyes, she confessed how much this meant, saying Mia was making an impossible dream come true. Mia’s reply, "I'm happy to help," was heartfelt.

She drove away, she couldn't shake the image of Damien's expression the way he'd looked at her, like he was memorizing her face, like he was trying to decide if she could be trusted.

When she got home, she found another note slipped under her door.

This one simply read: Call me. Please. This is important.