Chapter 22 : Distractions

Chapter 22: Distractions

*Ember*

Every morning I woke up and until I fell asleep at night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the embryo trying to nestle inside me like a seed trying to take root, its presence impossible to ignore.

I placed a hand on my belly, anxiety twisting my insides into knots. What if something went wrong with the pregnancy? What if Kieran regretted his decision to have a child with me?

My phone buzzed, startling me from my worries. Rowena's name flashed across the screen. I answered immediately, a spike of panic shooting through me. "Rowena, is everything okay?"

"Just calling to check in on my favorite surrogacy mama," she said brightly. "How are you feeling?"

I exhaled in relief, sinking into the cushions of one of the castle’s window seats where I’d taken up space to read.

"Nervous. Excited and terrified all at once," I admitted as I gazed out at the castle landscape stretching toward the horizon, sunlight dappling it in shades of emerald and go