Jenna POVThe hall became noisy after that. Everyone cheered for us. Even the children joined in the fun even when they did not know what was happening except, of course, the older ones. Riley, Mason, and Brixx clapped their hands and kept chanting my name. Mama Jenna. Mama Jenna. Their acceptance and unbridled love got me on high. Shyness had overtaken me. I don’t know. We were surrounded by family. I was used to their teasing, but this hits differently. I burrowed my face on Charles’ massive chest, making me acutely aware of his familiar scent and feel. “I missed you,” I told him, my heart in my eyes. Charles' eyes darkened. “As I, you.” He responded.And amidst the claps, the hoots, and the shouts that greeted Charle’s proposal and my reply, Charles tipped my head by hooking his index finger on the tip of my chin.He lifted my face while he descended, and he sealed our promise with a hot kiss. Charles gave and took equally in that kiss, pulling me in and scorching m
Jenna POVBecause pregnant women - I was referring to Beth and Briana, and our three other surrogates - shouldn’t stay late, and Flint’s family has jet lag, the party broke up early. Riley kissed my cheeks, surprising me with its spontaneity and sincerity. His two brothers followed suit.“Bye Bye Mama Jenna.” The name they called me stuck, and the little ones mimicked the older ones, calling me with that name. I was in euphoria the whole time.I can’t explain it, but my happiness redoubled that very moment. I kissed each of them on the top of their heads, even the little girls and Mia. Krizzie, who felt left out, also called me Mama Jenna instead of the customary Aunt Jenna, surprising Beth and me.We looked at each other and smiled warmly. “Are you happy?” Charles asked when I was already strapped to the front passenger of his car. I sighed and leaned my head on the backrest. “I am more than happy. I am ecstatic. It’s greedy to want more, Charles.” I told him honestly.Charl
Jenna POVThe next morning, I woke up in Charles's arms.At first, I was disoriented because the place looked strange. Then, my eyes started roaming around the room we were in, and then I realized we were in our new house.Immediately, I was galvanized into action.I wanted to check on Briana.But before I could get off the bed, Charles’ arms tightened around me.“Where do you think you are going?” He asked, pulling me closer and nuzzling my neck.I shrieked at the unexpected move.
Jenna POVI looked at the time and groaned. "Briana must be at the office by now. We are so late." I complained. Charles rose naked from the bed, giving me a full view of his sinewy back and taut b*tt.He looked sinful -like a god who had descended from Mt. Olympus. Truly drool-worthy!He pulled his sweatpants over his legs.He turned around, caught me staring, and winked at me. I giggled and lifted the comforter off my body before swinging my legs off the bed.The skirt of my nightgown fell around my thighs, and I padded barefoot toward the door. "I will be in the kitchen," I informed Charles. Just as I was about to descend the stairs, I heard Charles's footsteps behind me. I felt his arm gently snaking around me as we walked down the stairs side-by-side. When we reached the kitchen, we worked separately but seamlessly. We had practice over the years, that was why.Charles made coffee while I checked the fridge for stocks."You want sausage and egg?" I asked. "Sure." Charl
Jenna POVThe girls, Hanna and Martina, were surprised when they saw Charles entering the wedding planner’s office behind me.“Charles.”They both greeted him.“I will just stay here while you girls discuss what you want for the wedding,” Charles explained, sitting on the couch that the wedding planner’s assistant had shown him.With his legs crossed, Charles sat there like he owned the place, exuding natural dominance in character. Maybe, it was because he had been in charge all his life.“Your husband is one hot man.” O
Jenna POV“Are you here to gloat? Are you here to rub it in my face that you won? That despite your inability to bear him a child, Charles still chose you? You are so naive and inutile.” Gwen lashed out bitterly, head shaking in uncontrollable anger.The extent of her hate was something I could not fathom.“Why do you hate me so much, Gwen?” I asked, clearly not understanding the extreme feeling she displayed toward me.I trusted her.I thought she was a good friend and colleague.It turned out she was a snake out to ruin my marriage and my chan
Jenna POV“Are you alright?” I asked Charles after some time.He had been staring off into space for a while now. His tears had subsided, but he still looked disconnected from the rest of the world.I realized that Charles needed that. Breaking down is not a sign of weakness, even for a man.I always think it was a release from the pain that bonds us.I stared ahead, in front of the windshield, waiting.Then, I felt Charles’s hand reach out to mine. He squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back, telling him without words that I was there and understood what he w
Charles POV“Good morning, sir.” The bodyguards posted outside the suite of our surrogates greeted us.“How is everyone?” I asked, stopping to talk to them.Jenna and Beth were still busy in their own world, talking and catching up.Jenna listened in rapt attention as Beth told her about the hardships of first-trimester pregnancy.A smile never left her face, but in my heart, I would always regret that what happened to Jenna denied her the chance to experience pregnancy and motherhood.Still, her talk about forgiveness hit me hard.
Speechless! This word best describes what I was feeling right now. Do you know that you were amazing readers? Yes, you who stayed with me until this page. When I first started writing this story, I had so many trepidations. I did not think I would be able to pull this through. First, it has a little similarity to my previous novel, Billionaire Ex Wants Me Back, but my editor believed so much in my draft that she encouraged me to consider doing this. (My heartfelt thanks to Lyra Pinter, who had been a constant source of support.)My feeling of uncertainty magnified when I received so many attacks when the story was first published. Too many detractors lashed out at my characters that I had a hard time concentrating.I know what I wanted to do, but the first people who were vocal about the story did not give me enough encouragement. They did not give my characters a chance to redeem themselves as the story progresses. Fear grips me everytime I face the blank screen of my computer.
Briana’s POVThe soul always knows how to heal itself. I had often heard that phrase before but it was never more gratingly obvious til now. After I volunteered to be Charles and Jenna’s surrogate, I had not counted on the pain the act would invariably inflict on me. At the start, it was all too easy. For 40 weeks, I would be carrying their baby in my womb, and that was it. Jenna and Charles will have that baby they desperately wanted. Of course, Noah and I submitted to counseling before I did this, but I never expected that when the time came that I had to turn over baby Amira to her parents, it would hit me so hard. I had not counted on how my self-sacrifice would backfire on me. It hurts so much. I was so heartbroken when I realized that Amira would no longer be a part of my life. Noah took me to several sessions of counseling, and with his support, I was able to get past the hurt and accept that Amira was not mine.The rest of the family helped. My brothers hovered over me
Hello my loves, Jenna and Charles’ story was one of the most painful stories I had written so far. It was because I had to dig up long-forgotten events in my life.But I had to do it for you to be able to understand the motives behind Jenna and Charles’ actions and the pain they invariably inflicted on each other. Jenna and Charles were both non confrontational. They keep things in stride and hope for the best, but sometimes even with the best intentions, our pain could not lay hidden for too long. It needed to be addressed and voiced out, not because you wanted to lash out at your partner or give them the same pain they were giving you.Sometimes, our silence is our cry for help. Or it was a way to protect ourselves. We retreated into the inner recesses of our soul to find solace and comfort because the people we expected to comfort and provide solace for us could not hear our cry for help.But all’s well that ends well. Am glad for those people who had requested me to do a story
Charles POVOne year later…I was standing behind the french windows of the room I was occupying at the Rosewood Hotel, eyes looking outside toward my wife.This past year was a crazy one.Just as Briana predicted, Jenna and I barely had time for ourselves. The kids were growing, and they were beautiful to watch.Jenna’s laugh made its way to where I was.As I watched Jenna play with our children, I could not help comparing her to a rose in bloom.I could not help feeling proud of the changes in her.&nb
Charles POVWe placed our babies in a customized baby carrier that could fit the four of them, and Jenna and I walked out of the suite that had been our temporary home for the past month.At the lobby, we looked like we were on a parade with our nannies in tow and bodyguards, but that’s a small price to pay for the security and safety of my family.“Jenna! Charles!” Beth called out to us.We stopped when we neared her.“Where are your kids?” I asked after she and Jenna hugged each other.I learned this past month that Beth chose to be a stay-at-home m
Charles POVThe next day, our other two babies were born one after the other.Jenna and I were also there to witness everything and become part of our children’s birth.Jenna’s eyes were puffy when she held our two other newborns in her arms. She had been crying nonstop since yesterday because it still had not sunk in that she was a mom of four babies.When we visited Briana, she and Jenna had a long talk.Briana was smiling, but I could see that she was at a loss when it was time to take the baby away from her.I realized that this ordeal put a lot of strain on
Charles POVThe phone in the delivery room rang, and a nurse went to answer it.“Dr. Martin, it’s delivery room 2.” She said from across the room, allowing us to hear.Dr. Martin went to answer it. Her face was serious when she placed the phone back in its cradle.Then, she turned her head back to her medical team.“Are you still up for another delivery?” She asked her team.Their high spirits rubbed off on Jenna and me. We were smiling when they shouted, of course.
Charles POVIt was a crazy day.We were having a meeting when I heard that Briana had been rushed to the hospital.“Brie is having our baby,” I told my brothers and friend after I dropped the call.It was Jenna. She, Noah, and Biana were already in the hospital because Briana's water broke.My face contorted as emotions I could not name assailed.A mix of fear, excitement, nervousness, worry, and happiness barraged me.Briana, my baby sister, was going to deliver my and Jenna's baby right now. 
Jenna POVThe days quickly passed by.Though we did not talk about it, it seemed as if Charles and I were in tacit agreement to take things slow concerning our careers and concentrate more on each other.We go out of town and do things we had never done before as a couple.It was marvelous.“It’s good that you spend more time with each other because I tell you, once the four babies arrive, you won’t get even a wink of sleep,” Briana told me when I came to her house that afternoon to catch up and to check on her.It’s the baby’s