All Chapters of Surrogate for the CEO Alpha: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

MayaThe room felt unusually quiet after Brian left.For a while, I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the world outside. From up here, I could see more of the Silver Moon Estate than I had before.Estate.That was the only word that truly fit.When Brian first mentioned bringing me to the pack house, I'd imagined an old manor surrounded by cottages hidden deep in the woods.I couldn't have been more wrong.Beyond the main residence stretched an entire private community. Tree-lined roads curved between sleek glass-and-stone buildings, luxury townhouses, landscaped gardens, and modern recreational spaces. A few electric carts moved silently along the paths while security vehicles patrolled at an unhurried pace.People came and went dressed in everything from tailored business suits to workout clothes. Some headed toward the administrative building, others toward what looked like a fitness and training complex with floor-to-ceiling glass walls.It looked less like a werewolf

BrianBy the time the SUV turned onto the winding driveway leading to the pack house, the weight that had settled over me since leaving the Council estate had finally begun to ease.The meeting was over.The Council had backed down, at least for now, and every mile that carried me farther from their estate brought me closer to the only place I wanted to be.Home. More specifically… Maya.Knox had been unusually quiet during the drive, a sharp contrast to the constant commentary he'd offered since returning.As soon as the gates came into view, his voice stirred again.We're close."I know."A faint smile found its way onto my face before I could stop it.Just last month, I would have laughed at myself for thinking like this.Now… I couldn't wait to see her.To ask how she was feeling.To hear Roland complain that she wasn't eating enough.Maybe she'd even managed to keep lunch down.The SUV rolled to a stop beneath the covered entrance.Before the driver could open my door, something

BrianIt had been a week.A full week since I'd moved my office back to Silverman Holdings.When I left the pack house that first morning, I'd promised Maya I'd only be gone for a day or two. A week later, I was still buried beneath contracts, acquisition proposals, quarterly reports, board meetings, and enough paperwork to make me question why I'd agreed to expand into three new international markets at the same time.Running a multinational corporation without a secretary turned out to be far more difficult than I'd imagined.I'd always known Maya was efficient.What I hadn't realized was just how much of my life she quietly held together until she was no longer sitting outside my office.Within days my schedule had become a battlefield. Meetings overlapped because no one noticed the conflicts in time. Documents arrived on my desk unsigned because there was no one reminding me they were waiting for approval. Emails piled up faster than I could answer them, and by the time I finally

Maya"How much can one grow overnight?"I smiled at my reflection as I tried, once again, to pull the zipper of my favorite cream-colored dress over my back.It stopped halfway."No... don't do this to me."I tried again, turning sideways in front of the mirror and holding my breath as though that would somehow make a difference.The zipper refused to move.With a defeated sigh, I let go and rested both hands lightly over my stomach."How long are you going to keep doing this?"A soft laugh escaped me."You've only been here for four months and already you're making life difficult for your mother."The room remained quiet, yet somehow it didn't feel empty anymore."I hope you're behaving yourselves in there."My smile widened."Because your father already worries enough for all three of us."I glanced sideways at my reflection.The difference was becoming impossible to ignore."I know you're two in there ," I murmured, "but surely I shouldn't be this big already."Dr. Hayes had warned

MayaThe first thing I noticed when we stepped inside the boutique was how quiet it was.I had expected the usual bustle of a luxury store, customers browsing through racks, sales associates moving from one client to another and the occasional chatter echoing through the showroom.Instead, the receptionist greeted Laura by name before leading us away from the main floor.We walked past rows of elegant displays until she stopped in front of a pair of double doors.The moment they opened, I realized why the rest of the boutique had seemed so empty.This wasn't the boutique.It was a private showroom.Soft music drifted through the spacious room, where gowns, dresses and tailored outfits were displayed on polished mannequins beneath crystal chandeliers. Plush cream sofas sat in one corner, while fresh flowers decorated every table. It felt less like a store and more like the dressing room of someone who lived in luxury.I slowed my steps."...People actually shop like this?"Laura glance