Chapter Six.

ELOISE POV:

"I took a step forward. "This isn't right, Mr. Romano. You can't take my baby away from me. Isn't there another way out of this?"

"Or... You can just be my pretend wife in front of everyone. Including my own family. That way, you can watch him grow under my roof and your dear friend will be saved." He said, then left the office without looking back, but his scent, his cold dominating aura, and his indifference could still be perceived in the room as Ivy and I exchanged nervous and terrified glances.

Goosebumps pricked on my skin.

I had thought it was going to be only nine months and then I would be free to move out.

The only thing that might be left was maybe the child would have to live with me for some weeks, then move in with its father for a few weeks as well, and it would carry on like that till he has come of age, but I guess my expectations were wrong.

Now, I had to be his pretend wife in front of not only society and the media but also his family to save Ivy's hospital and to remain in the life of my dear unborn child.

This is crazy but I'm going to do it. It's not like I had a choice, do I? Dante definitely has the connections to ruin both of us and bring down this hospital if we don't do it his way.

And if by any chance I try to act smart by going into hiding with his child growing in me then he has the power to fish me out like it meant nothing to him.

After all, he has done it countless times before, according to the history I've read in the magazines and news headlines about him.

****

It's been two days since I signed the contract and moved into the Romano's Residence under the contract clause that I must live with Dante Romano as the Surrogate mother of his child and his wife. That way, he would be able to keep a close eye on whatever I do, go, eat, and wear.

He says he doesn't want his baby to lack potential healthy foods and fruits for his growth, so he assigned a personal maid named Clair, who would show me around the house, meet all my daily necessities by giving me the required amount and types of foods for a first-trimester mother.

Dante also said he didn't want his child to get hurt so he instructed the maid to fill my wardrobe with tons of maternity gowns, which weren't so bad after all but were pretty expensive and stylish.

He did lots more than these that I listed, yet it didn't change the fact that he was always cold and distant. I felt it down to my bones. He was only being a bit nice because I was nurturing his child in me. If it weren't for that little fact then his cold demeanor towards me would have been much worse.

I let out a deep sigh as I turned on my side, rubbing my currently flat tummy in silence while resting on the king-size bed of my bedroom, knowing that soon my tummy would be swollen like that of third-trimester mum...

My eyes stared into the distance as I was lost in thoughts. But sadly, I couldn't even think straight! I felt like crying my eyeballs out of hunger!

How could Claire be so wicked? She gave me grapes and apples as my dinner and expected me to be fine with it. Now I feel I'm dying on the inside out of hunger but I can't go out just yet. I haven't mastered my way around this enormous mansion, and I bet that I'd get lost on my way to sneaking into the kitchen because I've always locked myself up in my bedroom, and I'm regretting why I didn't let Claire show me around the house.

Then I heard my stomach grumble for the umpteenth time and I had to wrap my arms around my tummy as I folded my knees up to my chest and shut my eyes tight.

"Fuck fuck fuck!" I cursed under my breath. "Why did I have to act so stubborn? I could have just let Claire show me around and not be such a pain in the ass because Dante refused to let me wear anything apart from the maternity gowns he got from me. But guess who is suffering from all of it now? Its me, of course!"

I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and checked the time—

"Shit! It’s already 1:22 AM?!"

I was stunned. My stomach had been protesting since 10 PM, and I had ignored it for too long. Wasting no time, I swung my legs off the bed and tiptoed out of my bedroom, trying to find my way around the unfamiliar mansion in search of food.

The place was eerily dark, making it even harder to find my way. Thankfully, I had my phone, but I covered part of the flashlight with my fingers, dimming the glow to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. Slowly, I made my way down the passage and toward the stairs.

Once downstairs, I began opening doors as quietly as possible, trying to locate the kitchen. Each creak sent my pulse racing, the silence of the mansion amplifying every little sound. By the time I reached the last door, I held my breath, gripping the knob nervously.

Please let this be the kitchen.

I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed the door open. Surprisingly, it didn’t make as much noise as the others. When I finally pried my eyes open, I was met with an unexpected sight—

The kitchen lights were already turned on.

And standing in the middle of the room was none other than Dante Romano.

His sharp gaze immediately locked onto me, darkening as he took in my presence. I froze, my stomach twisting—not from hunger, but from pure dread.

"Oh… shit." I muttered, a shiver crawling down my spine.

But as my panic subsided, my eyes flickered past him to the counter. My brain struggled to process what I was seeing.

Was the ruthless, terrifying Dante Romano… struggling to make a sandwich?

For a split second, he looked like a guilty child caught red-handed, and I had to fight the urge to laugh.