Chapter 1

"What?" Samantha felt as if her heart had been ripped straight out of her chest. She stared in shock at the couple standing before her, the legal parents of the child she had just given birth to. In the husband’s arms was the baby, her little girl, wrapped in a soft pink blanket.

Her lips quivered, her breath hitched, and before she could stop them, tears escaped her eyes.

"I…I m..ean, I just gave birth to her, and… and you're taking her away from me like that…?" Her voice trembled, words barely making it past her throat.

Before she could say anything more, the man's wife cut in, her tone sharp and unwavering.

"Didn't you read the contract?" Gianna’s eyes were cold, her arms folded as she stood rigid beside her husband. "The moment the child was born, you were paid. The baby is ours. You signed the papers, didn't you?"

Samantha's body tensed. She refused to nod. Of course, she had signed. But at the time, all she saw was the enormous sum they were offering her to be their surrogate. She hadn't fully grasped the reality of what it meant, what it would feel like to carry a child for nine months, endure the sickness, the exhaustion, the pain, only to have her taken away the second she was born.

Just like that?

A deep ache settled in her chest. Samantha shook her head and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. Ignoring the pain from childbirth, she pushed herself up from the hospital bed.

"Can I hold her for a second?" she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gianna’s expression darkened, her lips parting as if to refuse, but before she could snap, her husband placed a hand on her arm.

"Easy," Liam said, his voice calm yet firm. "She just gave birth. Don't be so harsh on her."

Gianna huffed, rolling her eyes, but Liam ignored her, turning back to Samantha. With a small reassuring smile, he carefully placed the baby into her arms.

"You can spend some time with her. We’ll be back this evening," he said, his tone gentle.

Samantha nodded, relief washing over her. She barely noticed as Gianna scoffed and stormed out of the hospital room, her heels clicking angrily against the tiled floor. Liam let out a sigh before following his wife.

Alone now, Samantha stared down at the tiny baby nestled in her arms.

My baby.

Tears blurred her vision as she brushed a trembling finger over the infant's soft cheek. The baby yawned, her tiny mouth opening wide, and Samantha’s heart swelled. She kissed the baby’s forehead, feeling a pang of regret so deep it made her chest tighten.

How could I have agreed to this?

She had made a hasty decision, blinded by desperation. But now, looking at the precious little girl in her arms, she knew, she couldn’t just let her go.

As if sensing her warmth, the baby snuggled closer to her chest. Samantha glanced at the door before she instinctively raised her top, guiding her to latch on. The moment the baby began suckling, Samantha chuckled softly, tears still slipping down her face.

"You're so beautiful," she whispered. "So perfect."

She cradled the baby tighter. She couldn't give her up. She wouldn't.

OUTSIDE the hospital, Liam caught up to Gianna as she stormed toward the parking garage. He grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"Her emotions are justified," he said, his jaw tight. "She just gave birth to the baby. You don’t have to be so harsh on her."

“I'm the mother of that child!” She snapped, her tone laced with frustration. She took a step forward, her heels clicking against the pavement.

“Do you think a few hours of labor suddenly makes her the mother?” she bit out. “We planned for this, Liam. We spent months choosing the right surrogate, going through medical procedures, signing legal documents.  I won’t let some emotional outburst change what we agreed on. She has no right to that child, none.”

Liam let out a slow controlled breath, his fingers pressing against the bridge of his nose as he fought the frustration bubbling inside him. After Gianna was done lashing out, he asked;

“And have you canceled the contract?” His voice was lower but it struck like a hammer.

Gianna stiffened. The words hit her harder than she expected. The confidence in her gaze faltered for just a second before she masked it with indifference. She pressed her lips together, her jaw tightening with her arms crossed tighter, pressing them against her chest as if that could shield her from the truth.

Liam’s stomach twisted.

“I'm going to be seriously mad at you if you tell me you haven't, Gia,” he warned her, his gaze intent searching for any sign.

God, he was tired. Tired of the endless push and pull, of the way she always prioritized everything else over their marriage, now their child. His patience was slipping through his fingers.

Gianna had been a model first, a wife second. She had always been focused on her career, refusing to let marriage slow her down. He wanted a child badly but Gianna wasn't ready, her reason was pregnancy will make her go fat and she will lose her shape. She suggested surrogacy.

He had fought against that for years, but after five years of marriage and constant arguments, he finally agreed. He had accepted the fact that his wife would never carry their child, that she would never put anything before her job.

And now, just three days after the baby was born, she was already planning to leave for Toronto that for six months.

Liam clenched his fists, his anger surfacing.

“What in the damn hell are you thinking, Gianna? What about our child? How are you planning to take care of the baby?!” he demanded, his face slightly red from anger.

Gianna shot him a glare. "What’s wrong with you taking care of her until I get back? What a man can do, a woman can do better!" she snapped.

Liam let out a bitter laugh. "I've put up with a lot from you, Gia, but this is the limit. This child needs us, both of us. And you? You’re running off to chase another job." His voice hardened. "You’re going nowhere. And that’s final!” He declared, but his wife's expression twisted with fury.

“You can’t stop me. Is it a crime to have a career? You knew who I was before we got married. I will not ruin my career because I’m married and now a mother!"

Liam's jaw clenched. "A career over your child, huh?" Gianna softened slightly, sighing as she took a step closer.

"Baby, I don’t want to fight with you. I get it, the baby needs us. But this offer could change everything. If this goes well, my animation will be used for a new Disney movie. Just imagine kids knowing my name, my work—”

"Bullshit." Liam scoffed, turning away.

She was choosing her job over their child. Again.

Gianna called his name, but he didn’t stop. Without another word, he got into his car and drove off, leaving her standing in the parking lot.

As he sped through the streets, his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

He had prepared everything for this baby, the nursery, the clothes, the bottles. Gianna had been absent through it all. She had never even cared. And now, after all that, she wanted to leave the baby behind?

Not happening.

Pulling out his phone, Liam dialed his assistant.

"My wife just signed a contract with Dynasty Group," he said coldly. "Make sure they nullify it. I don’t care how you do it, and don’t bother covering your tracks. I want her to know I was behind it."

There was a brief pause before his assistant responded. "Got it, boss."

Liam ended the call, his expression unreadable. If she thought she could just walk away, she was wrong. He was going to force her to be responsible this time.