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Chapter 20
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The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 21
Emily POVYears from now, I’ll replay this memory in my head like a movie on repeat, every scene meticulously wrapped in tissue paper and saved for preservation.We play for hours, never mind the fact that it’s the early hours of the morning. Liam speaks with an urgency while regaling me with stories of monsters and princesses, as if he’s afraid I’m going to leave any minute now.“What’s your favorite song?” he asks, his eyes filled with curious excitement.I sit and think before I answer. No one’s ever asked me that before.“Mmmm, that’s a tough one. What’s your favorite song?” I ask in return.“Dad likes Otis Redding. He said he used to play all of his songs when I was little ’cause his voice was the only thing that calmed me down. So if I were to pick one, it would be ‘Dock of the Bay,’” he says.“That’s a really good choice. I quite like Otis too,” I yawn at him.“I really like Ariana and Beyonce as well. Dad says it’s important to have diversity,” he adds. “I don’t know about th
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 22
Emily POVTo say I wasn’t expecting Jacob’s proposition is an understatement. But then again, he’s full of surprises. I was completely floored.He sees the look of astonishment on my face while he patiently waits for an answer.“What about my place? I have six months left on my lease,” I say, still trying to process what he’s said.“No offense, but your place is a dump. I don’t know how you managed to stay there for so long without catching the bubonic plague. And after what happened there, do you really feel safe going back?” he asks, concerned.To be honest with him, I had never really thought that far. In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be given a choice, and I’d be forced to go back. That’s the difference between people who have money and those who don’t.But I have the feeling Jacob is aware of his privilege, so I don’t broach the subject with him.“I don’t know. It’s a big adjustment. All my things are there,” I say, trying to think of all the reasons why I shouldn’t accept his
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 23
Emily POVAfter only three hours of sleep, I feel as light as a dandelion. Now, sitting in the sunlit kitchen, my hunched shoulders start to relax, and I can’t take the smile off my face.Using the most of my time, I make Liam blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs. I wonder if he has any allergies. Also, what’s his blood type? Has he been in any accidents? I’ll need to make a list of questions to ask Jacob when he’s awake.Jacob is the first to come wandering in.“Mmmm, that smells delicious,” he says while wiping the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes. “What is it?”I go over and swat his hand away from the pancakes.“It’s for Liam. Is he awake yet?” I ask, looking behind him.“After the day he’s had, I very much doubt it,” he says and goes over to the counter to make us coffee.The fresh smell of grounded coffee beans invigorates me and I grab myself a cup. Inhaling the aroma, it reminds me of working at the restaurant, a memory that now seems so far away.“Liam says you take him
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 24
Emily POV With Jacob leaving in a rush to Collin Estate, we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye—leaving things up in the air. Charlotte had a mild heart attack and was sent home to Collin Estate to recover. The doctors said she was lucky to make it, considering her age. As a ploy to win Jacob’s affections back, she insisted on having her grandson around to aid her recovery. Jacob texts every day to give us an update on Charlotte’s health, and he video calls Liam before he goes to bed. If you ask me, I think it’s all bullshit. She knows exactly what she’s doing. Boy, would I love to see the look on her face if she knew where I was now. Liam seems unaffected by his great-grandmother’s illness, even confiding in me one night that he doesn’t like her that much. “She smells like dead flowers,” he shared one night while I was waiting for him to finish up the tub. “And shouldn’t she be dead by now?” he asks from the bathroom. I let out a snicker and he hears me, giggling in return. Whi
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 25
Emily POV After Charlotte leaves, I curl up into a ball on the sofa. Her words stung like a harpoon, shredding my skin to bits. Coming here, I know now what her game plan was, and she succeeded. With Liam fast asleep upstairs, I allow myself to cry. I’m an emotional wreck, but my feelings are compounded more by my confusion. Why am I so affected by what she said? My feelings for Jacob were purely platonic at first, but these past few days without him here have had me yearning to see his smile and to hear his deep, sexy laugh. I had been so blinded by this fairytale I had illustrated in my mind that I never saw the signs—him retreating to his study at night and being indifferent towards me. But images of that final night in the kitchen flood back into my head. Was that just a ruse to get me into his bed? He had ample opportunity to tell me he was engaged, but he chose not to. The realization hits that I’ve been played and, like a fool, I fell into the trap once again. The thought
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 26
Jacob POV I know the way to Ruth’s house. I could drive there with my eyes closed if need be. I pull up outside, and a sense of dread washes over me. The little two-bedroom cottage is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac among a neat row of other cottages. The home was a gift from my dad to say thank you to Ruth for raising me. Now, standing on her porch, I feel a mixture of emotions wash over me. But before I play devil’s advocate, I have to know Ruth’s side of the story. She opens before I ring the bell. “Jacob, how lovely of you to visit,” she says, genuinely excited to see me. She takes me in a warm embrace, and I smell the scent of potpourri and coffee, bringing back childhood memories. I learnt how to ride my bike in this very lane. There’s a chestnut tree on the sidewalk. Ruth would take a ladder and instruct me to climb to the top so we could get the best nuts. I’m not the passive aggressive type, so I would prefer if we could hash this out like grownups. Knowing Ruth, she wo
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 27
Jacob POV Learning that the person you trusted the most has betrayed you has a different kind of hurt to it—the betrayal cuts deeper. On my way to Collin Estate, I try hard to control my anger, but I can feel it seeping through my skin like last night’s alcohol. No matter how Charlotte spins it, there’s no forgiving what she’s done to Emily. The house is quiet—as if it’s holding its breath. I march up to Charlotte’s room and there she is, with Nancy. If I wasn’t so distracted by my anger, I could swear the two of them were plotting something. The moment I enter, they stop talking. “Grandmother, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you privately,” I say without looking in Nancy’s direction. Without a word, Charlotte motions for her to leave the room. “Yes, dear, now you have my undivided attention,” she says, and inhales deeply from her e-cigarette. “I’ve just returned from Ruth,” I say. She doesn’t look the least bit surprised and keeps on looking at me. “She’s told me everyt
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 28
Chapter 28 Nancy POV While Jacob and Charlotte are having it out, I find myself in a lovely sunny corner on the landing. I can hear their entire argument. It’s not my fault that their voices can be heard throughout the house. From what I can gather, this Emily woman is proving to be a problem. I have to find a way to get rid of her before Jacob calls off the engagement. I will not allow this stupid woman to come between me and what is rightfully mine. I’ve worked too hard for it. Grabbing my bag, I head out and make my way to the city. Nancy needs to play. By the time I make it to Queen’s, a gay bar in the meatpacking district, the sun has already set. I need a drink and meaningless sex with a stranger I’ll never see again. The advantage of Queen’s is that no one knows me here. Like a chameleon, I can slip in and out of character, and then disappear without a trace. It’s a life I’ve been living for the past ten years. The bar is packed with writhing bodies on the dancefloor, sli
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