CHAPTER ONE

Naomi stomped out of the room angrily, the tears and pain was evident in her almond shaped eyes as she grabbed her bag and made her way out of the house. Her house was located in a remote place in Alabama, suitable for people of her low social status.

" How could her parents ask her to become a surrogate for someone she doesn't even know just because they needed money" the thoughts kept lingering in her head as she made her way down the street to her best friend's house. At least she would find some peace and quiet there.

She can agree that things have been quite difficult for her parents for a while now after her dad lost his job at a publishing company and her mum was a full time housewife, but selling her for money was too much. She was just twenty three years old and had her whole life ahead of her, doing what her parents wanted would be like putting a hold on her future. She still wanted to get a job and be able to make a living, she still had to confess to Jayden, the boy she has a crush on that she likes him. Her and her best friend, Evie still had a lot on their bucket list and now she would just leave all that and become something she never imagined she would be just because her parents wanted her to, they must be joking.

When she got to Evie's house,she didn't bother to knock and just entered, the latter was busy typing away on her laptop, too busy to notice her friend had walked in.

" Are you really security conscious Evie?" Naomi asked as she sat close to her friend who had a surprised look on her face.

" When did you get here?I didn't hear you come in" Evie replied as she closed her laptop.

" Long enough for you to know you have zero experience when it comes to matters of security".

Evie sighed, " you only talk like this when something is bothering you, what happened Naomi".

She heaved a sigh, truly her best friend knew her.

" Dad and mum asked me to get into a surrogacy contract with someone,can you believe how ridiculous it sounds?"

" Wait, what?" Evie almost screamed,it sounded cliche.

" That was the same expression I had when they told me," Naomi replied.

" What are Uncle and Aunt thinking? I am sure it is one of their jokes, don't take them too serious".

Naomi scoffed, " I wish it was a joke but I will never do that, they should dream on".

" Wait, but did you get to find out their reason for this? And who is the man?".

" Seriously Evie, I don't know who the man is and you, of all people, should know why my greedy parents would agree to this bizarre request. For Money of course" she replied in a slightly angered voice.

Ever since she was a little girl, she had always seen the love for money in the eyes of her parents. Even now that she is a grown up, they still hadn't changed and wanted to live a high class life even if it means at the detriment of their own child.

" Don't worry Naomi, I will talk to mum and dad about it" Evie said and stroked her hair lovingly. She had known Naomi for a very long time and she knew she was never going to agree to such a thing, not when She still had a lot of things to do.

" I think I will just run away from home" she said after a while as a mischievous smile played across her lips.

" What?" Evie asked in horror as her eyes popped open.

" Yes" Naomi replied sadly, " that might help".

" Don't do anything razz okay, I said I will talk to them okay".

" Hmm" Noami nodded. She was really not in the mood to argue with her friend right now. If the worst comes to worst, she will just leave quietly without anyone knowing it.

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It was past nine in the evening when Naomi came back home, her parents were seated on the couch and they seemed to be in a serious discussion but they kept quiet the moment she entered.

" Young lady, how many times have I warned you not to stay out late?" Her father,  Mr Williams snapped angrily.

" I was just with Evie, I needed to clear my head" she replied.

Her mother scoffed, " you went to meet her so she can give you ideas on how to escape this right?" Mrs Williams asked.

Naomi looked at her mum In disbelief, Evie was someone both her parents knew and they also knew how they started being friends and now her mum was bad-mouthing her just because of this situation on ground.

" You are unbelievable mum, I never thought you would think of Evie in that manner".

" Shut up, you will do as we say Naomi and that is my final decision" her mother retorted.

" Do you want us to die of hunger before you can help? Your younger brother is now out of school. Can't you be a little reasonable here?" It was her father who spoke up.

" I shouldn't have said this dad, but ever since I was a child you and mum have always been thinking about yourselves. Do you even know how Smith graduated from high school last year? You are both selfish and I will not do what you want" saying that she stomped out of the park angrily. Tears were already pouring out of her eyes as she made her way to her room. She had thought her parents were joking earlier that day but she didn't know they were serious.

" What should we do, Williams?" His wife asked the moment she was out of earshot.

" She just has to agree to it,we have already given sir Nahil our words and we can't go back on it. She has too either accept it by hook or by crook" he replied.

Truth be told, he knew he had not been a good father to his kids and forcing Naomi to make this decision was just proving his children right but he had to do it.

" I will have to have a talk with her one on one," Mrs Williams said.

" Don't do that, when the time is right she will be taken" saying that, he walked out of the parlor.