The Preparation

The Cross mansion looked different in the morning. Mia sat in her car in the driveway for ten minutes before turning off the engine.

She’d spent the entire weekend in paralysis. After Damien’s phone call, she’d considered going to the police. But what would she say? Instead, she’d done research. She’d tried to find information about previous surrogates, but there was nothing.

The same woman in the gray uniform was waiting at the entrance. “Ms. Chen. Dr. Reid is waiting in the medical suite. Please follow me.”

The medical suite was on the second floor. Dr. Reid was there with Nurse Patterson.

“Good morning, Mia. We’re going to conduct a medical evaluation. It’s standard procedure for our surrogacy arrangements.”

The evaluation lasted three hours. Blood work. Genetic screening. Ultrasounds. Psychological evaluation. Have you ever experienced depression? Have you ever considered harming yourself? Each question felt like a test.

When it was finally over, Dr. Reid walked her to a bedroom suite on the third floor.

“This is where you’ll be staying during your evaluation period,” he said. “We prefer to have our surrogates in-house for at least two weeks before implantation. It allows us to monitor your health, diet, and sleep patterns.”

Mia looked around. The room was beautiful but the windows were shut. There was only one door, which Dr. Reid closed behind them.

“Meals will be brought to you. We have specific nutritional requirements. Nurse Patterson will check on you regularly. If you need anything, there’s an intercom system.”

“I need to go home,” Mia said. “I need to make arrangements for my brother.”

“Victoria has already handled that,” Dr. Reid said. “The home health aide is with your brother now. Everything is taken care of.”

“I need to…”

“You need to rest,” Dr. Reid interrupted. “Sleep will do you good.”

He left before she could protest. She heard the lock click into place.

By day three, Mia was desperate. When Nurse Patterson came with food, Mia demanded answers.

“Why am I locked in? This isn’t what I agreed to.”

“You agreed to a comprehensive evaluation,” Nurse Patterson said calmly. “That includes monitoring your behavior patterns and mental stability in a controlled environment.”

She left, locking the door.

Mia stared at the food. It looked normal - grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, brown rice - but she didn’t know if something was in it. She forced herself to eat anyway. Whatever was happening, she needed strength.

The nights were long. She heard footsteps in the hallway. Someone stood outside her door, listening, then moved away.

When Dr. Reid checked her vitals, she asked when she could leave.

“When your evaluation is complete. Typically three to five days.”

“And if I want to leave before then?”

“There are legal consequences for breaking a surrogacy contract, Mia. Financial penalties. Lawsuits. We could claim fraud, breach of promise. You’d be sued for the cost of the medical procedures we’ve already conducted.”

“You can’t keep me here against my will.”

“No one is keeping you here against your will,” Dr. Reid said. “You’re free to leave whenever you want. But you’ll do so knowing we’ll take every legal action.”

On the third day, Damien visited her room.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, stepping inside in casual clothes - dark jeans and a fitted black shirt. He looked even more intimidating this way.

“Fine. Just tired,” Mia said.

“The evaluations can be exhausting.” He moved to the window. “Are you comfortable? Is there anything you need?”

The way he asked - like he actually cared - caught her off guard.

“No, I’m good,” she said.

He didn’t leave. Instead, he sat on the edge of the chair across from her bed, maintaining careful distance. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”

“A little.”

“Completely normal.” He looked at her directly, genuine concern in his eyes. “But I want you to know that you’re safe here. Whatever happens, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

He stayed for ten minutes, asking about her health, her family, the medication. Each question felt like he was trying to understand her, not just use her. When he finally left, he paused at the door.

“Get some rest. I’ll see you after the procedure tomorrow.”

After he left, Mia felt something shift. Not attraction yet. But awareness that Damien Cross was more complicated than she thought.

That evening, she heard raised voices from somewhere in the mansion.

Victoria’s voice, sharp: “…paying attention to her…”

Damien’s response was too low to hear, but defensive.

“Don’t lie to me,” Victoria cut through. “I saw the way you looked at her. You’re supposed to be cold, detached. That’s the whole point.”

Then Victoria, louder: “Move it up. Tomorrow. 6 AM, not afternoon. Do it.”

The conversation ended.

Victoria came to visit almost immediately.

She sat on the edge of the bed, taking Mia’s hand, and smiled.

“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Dr. says your vitals are excellent.”

“I want to go home,” Mia said. “To my brother.”

“Of course you do. And you will. But not yet. We’re almost ready for implantation. Just a few more days.”

There was something in Victoria’s eyes. Not kindness. Something possessive.

“I want to leave. Right now. I’m done.”

“You can’t leave,” Victoria said, not unkindly. “Not because of locks or legal consequences. You can’t leave because of your brother.”

Victoria led her to a study Mia hadn’t seen before. A large screen displayed a live video feed.

It was Kevin. In his bed at home, unconscious. Beside him sat a woman monitoring his vitals.

“What have you done?” Mia breathed.

“Nothing harmful. Yet,” Victoria assured her. “Kevin’s been given a mild sedative. He’ll wake up in a few hours. But I wanted you to understand something, Mia. Your brother’s care is now completely under our control.”

“You can’t…”

“We can,” Victoria interrupted. “The surrogacy contract includes a clause allowing us to assume guardianship over dependents during the surrogacy period. You signed it.”

Mia hadn’t read that clause. She’d skipped it, assuming it was standard legal language.

“If you try to leave, if you go to authorities, or do anything, Kevin’s surgical intervention will be permanently canceled.”

Mia felt her knees weaken. She sank into a nearby chair.

Victoria stood, smoothing her designer dress. She looked every bit the elegant society wife again.

“You’ll remain in your room until the implantation procedure tomorrow morning at eight AM,” Victoria said. “Nurse Patterson will bring you a special diet tonight. Nothing by mouth after midnight.”

She left Mia alone with the video feed still playing.

That night, while reviewing the pre-procedure paperwork, Mia discovered something that made her blood run cold. The genetic markers on the documents. They don’t match Victoria’s blood type. One of her own blood sample labels read: “Maternal Genetic Markers - Priority.”

Maternal. Not surrogate. Maternal.

She filed it away, told herself she was being paranoid.

She lay in bed unable to sleep despite the sedatives in her dinner.

At 4 AM, the intercom came on. Dr. Reid’s voice.

“Mia? We need to move the procedure up. The implantation needs to happen in the next two hours.”

She heard running. Multiple people moving with urgency.

Before she could sit up, the door opened.

Nurse Patterson stood in the doorway, holding a medical gown.

“Get dressed,” she said. “Now.”