Chapter 3

Charlotte's POV 

What a stupid girl to turn down my offer. She clearly has no notion with whom she is dealing. It's absurd that I have to get my hands dirty, but it needs to be done. Jacob will be grateful later. For the time being, I need to get that gal on board.

"Ava!" I yell at the door. "Get in here."

Ava enters the room. I look at her shoes; she hasn't taken them off yet.

"Shoes!" I give the order, and she instantly knocks them off. "Find out who Liam Adams' attending physician is at Saving Grace and call them. Pronto."

She scribbles something on her tablet, and says "Yes, Ma'am," and rushes out the door.

My phone begins to ring. It's Jacob calling.

"My love, it's wonderful to hear from you. What has my grandson been up to recently?" I say into the phone.

"Good day, Gran. I'm sorry for calling at the last minute, but something has come up and I won't be able to make dinner tonight," Jacob apologizes.

"That's just OK, love. Forget about it. Have you given our chat last month any thought?" I charge in, snaring him in my snare.

For a while, he remains mute.

"Yes, I have, and I have decided to honor your wishes. Who am I to deny you your dream for an heir to the Collin throne?" I knew he'd come through at some point. 

"My only concern is, who would be willing to enter into such an agreement?" He appears concerned.

"Don't worry, I think I've found the perfect person," I say excitedly. "All you have to do is show up dressed as your dashing self."

"Okay," he responds, "I trust your judgment." He hangs up the phone.

If she agrees to be a surrogate, she must never learn the truth. That's why I need power over her, and her unfortunate brother is an ideal target. It's time to put my strategy into action.

Emily's POV

My phone rings. It's 8 pm. Oh, no, the hospital is calling.

"Are you Miss Adams?" Nurse Emma from Saving Grace is calling. "You need to come over here quickly," a fatigued voice on the other end says.

I spring out of bed and stub my toe on the bedside table. There's no time to think about the aching agony as I grab clothes and rush to get dressed.

Taking the train at this hour is not a good idea, so I use my last $20 to hail an Uber. 

When I arrive, the hospital corridors are very quiet. I approach the nurses' station and inquire about my brother. The nurse leads me to the intensive care unit.

Liam is in the corner of the room, with tubes connected to a machine. The machine's beeping sounds mechanical, yet it's almost tranquil because I know it's the only thing keeping him alive.

Dr. Brook enters and takes a seat next me. He places his hand on my shoulder but removes it when I squirm. 

"I'm afraid, Miss Adams, your brother has taken a turn for the worse. He urgently requires surgery and a transplant," he says in a fake sincere tone.

I take Liam's hand in mine. It's unusually cold. "How long will it be until you can find a donor?" I inquire as I try to warm his hands.

"We've put him on the transplant list, but the surgery is the priority right now. His kidneys are drowning in fluid as a result of the cysts"

"Fine, do it," I say back, tears flowing down my cheeks.

"You do realize your health insurance doesn't cover it," he says matter-of-factly. 

"That's not your problem is it, just make my brother better." I hiss right back at him. I take my bag and sprint away. I look for a quiet place to sit and pull out my phone. Charlotte Collin's phone number has mysteriously made its way onto my speed dial.

When she answers, the phone hardly rings on the other end. "Good day, Emily. How's your brother doing?"

"I'll do it," I answer, my voice quivering, and hang up.

Three days later, I'm sitting in the back of a limo on my way to the Hamptons. The journey is long and I begin to become agitated. A bottle of champagne on ice is beside me. I take a long swig against my better judgment, and my head begins to spin.

My gown is excessively tight, almost constrictive. Earlier that evening, I was straining to breathe. I asked Olivia for advice on what to wear. Without giving too much away, I informed her that I needed to accompany a businessman to an event and that he would pay me for my company. She didn't probe too much and came to her own conclusions.

Finally, we settled on a long, black satin gown that belonged to her grandmother. The strappy dress fits like a second skin. It has an open back that reveals just enough skin to tempt but not seduce.

The driver comes to a soft stop and unlocks my door. He hands me a mask and instructs me to wear it. It only hides my eyes. I get sex cult vibes right away, and I shudder against the cold. I should have brought along a shawl.

The mansion is located on a big estate. Palm trees with glittering lights line the path to the main entrance. I'm brought through the home to a dark bedroom with pillar candles casting phantom shadows on the walls.

In the center is a king-size four-poster bed with white satin covers. When I see rose petals scattered around the bed, I want to laugh, this isnt pleasure it's business. 

In another section of the house, I hear a door close. Or was it somewhere in the room? I look around, but no one is there. 

I'm about to approach the bed when I feel something or someone touch my shoulder. I turn around, repulsed by the prod. A man is standing in front of me. He's wearing a mask as well.