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Chapter 16
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The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 17
Jacob POV “Buddy, are you excited for your party?” I ask as Liam comes bouncing down the stairs. “Yes, I am. Can we go now?” He eyes me impatiently. It’s his fifth birthday, and I’ve planned the ultimate bash at Adventureland in Long Island. Leaving nothing to chance, I had the amusement park closed to outsiders for the day so we could have the lay of the land. Also, I had ulterior motives—I figured Liam would score brownie points with his school friends after another bullying incident. Last week, he returned home, sobbing, saying the other kids were making fun of him once again because he doesn’t have a mom. My little guy, the sensitive soul that he is, didn’t take it too well and ended up spending the rest of the day holed up in his room. Through his closed door, I could hear the occasional sob. When he didn’t come down for dinner, I went up, begging him to eat something. “Buddy, you’re not going to eat? It’s your favourite—mac and cheese,” I said behind the door. “I’m not hun
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 18
Emily POVImagine planting a seed and watching it grow—from the first green shoots fighting to break though the earth, to the colorful flowers popping their buds as the roots become stronger and colonise their place in the dirt.My mom used this analogy once when I asked her what it was like having kids. It was one of the few tender moments we shared as mother and child. Being the nurturing kind wasn’t her strong point. But then again, neither was being a parent.I often think about what she said, knowing I didn’t have the chance to see my own son take his first steps or say his first words. It’s his fifth birthday today. Every year, like clockwork, I make him a cupcake and light a candle. I sing “Happy Birthday” and then send a silent prayer into the heavens, hoping he’s happy, healthy and safe.I often try to picture what he looks like at different stages of his life. Does he have my brother’s goofy grin? Who are his friends? Does he ask about me?Before leaving the apartment, I tak
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 19
Jacob POVAfter the confrontation with Emily, I asked Mason to take the kids home. I took his car and followed her home, keeping a safe distance at all times.She pulled up in front of a tall brownstone building in Brooklyn. Looking dilapidated and manky, I’m sure it’s seen better days.Watching her input the door code, I waited until she was out of sight and in the building before going in after her. I’m not in the business of stalking, but granted, if given the chance, I think I’d make a great detective.I took my imaginary cap off to myself, and once the door buzzed open, I waited to hear her footsteps on the stairs. It sounded like her apartment is on the top floor.I hadn’t thought my plan out this far. Now, standing on the landing, I decide what my next move is. I hear water running and guess she’s probably taking a shower or bath. I go back to the ground floor and patiently wait. Hopefully, she comes back down.Ten minutes into loitering around the lobby, a guy with a Yankees b
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 20
Emily POVIf I could describe holding my son for the very first time, I would call it a cosmic shift. Jacob and I broke into big smiles when Liam called me Princess Aurora, convinced that I was still in character as the princess from the theme park.“Yes, she is, but she’s also your mom,” he says, waiting for a reaction from Liam.Without questioning his dad, he reaches up to me and I oblige by giving him the biggest hug. For that moment, it felt like we’re distant stars colliding into each other, setting off a series of explosions.His embrace feels warm and tender. He smells like cookies, dirt and innocence. If I could bottle it, I would.We stand like that for a long time, neither of us wanting to let go. When we eventually do, he whispers, “You’re so pretty,” and smiles a big, sheepish grin.I take a closer look at him and notice he’s wearing PJs two sizes too small for him.“Dad wants to chuck them, but I really like them,” he says. “Maybe we could get you a pair as well, then we
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 21
Emily POVYears from now, I’ll replay this memory in my head like a movie on repeat, every scene meticulously wrapped in tissue paper and saved for preservation.We play for hours, never mind the fact that it’s the early hours of the morning. Liam speaks with an urgency while regaling me with stories of monsters and princesses, as if he’s afraid I’m going to leave any minute now.“What’s your favorite song?” he asks, his eyes filled with curious excitement.I sit and think before I answer. No one’s ever asked me that before.“Mmmm, that’s a tough one. What’s your favorite song?” I ask in return.“Dad likes Otis Redding. He said he used to play all of his songs when I was little ’cause his voice was the only thing that calmed me down. So if I were to pick one, it would be ‘Dock of the Bay,’” he says.“That’s a really good choice. I quite like Otis too,” I yawn at him.“I really like Ariana and Beyonce as well. Dad says it’s important to have diversity,” he adds. “I don’t know about th
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 22
Emily POVTo say I wasn’t expecting Jacob’s proposition is an understatement. But then again, he’s full of surprises. I was completely floored.He sees the look of astonishment on my face while he patiently waits for an answer.“What about my place? I have six months left on my lease,” I say, still trying to process what he’s said.“No offense, but your place is a dump. I don’t know how you managed to stay there for so long without catching the bubonic plague. And after what happened there, do you really feel safe going back?” he asks, concerned.To be honest with him, I had never really thought that far. In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be given a choice, and I’d be forced to go back. That’s the difference between people who have money and those who don’t.But I have the feeling Jacob is aware of his privilege, so I don’t broach the subject with him.“I don’t know. It’s a big adjustment. All my things are there,” I say, trying to think of all the reasons why I shouldn’t accept his
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 23
Emily POVAfter only three hours of sleep, I feel as light as a dandelion. Now, sitting in the sunlit kitchen, my hunched shoulders start to relax, and I can’t take the smile off my face.Using the most of my time, I make Liam blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs. I wonder if he has any allergies. Also, what’s his blood type? Has he been in any accidents? I’ll need to make a list of questions to ask Jacob when he’s awake.Jacob is the first to come wandering in.“Mmmm, that smells delicious,” he says while wiping the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes. “What is it?”I go over and swat his hand away from the pancakes.“It’s for Liam. Is he awake yet?” I ask, looking behind him.“After the day he’s had, I very much doubt it,” he says and goes over to the counter to make us coffee.The fresh smell of grounded coffee beans invigorates me and I grab myself a cup. Inhaling the aroma, it reminds me of working at the restaurant, a memory that now seems so far away.“Liam says you take him
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 24
Emily POV With Jacob leaving in a rush to Collin Estate, we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye—leaving things up in the air. Charlotte had a mild heart attack and was sent home to Collin Estate to recover. The doctors said she was lucky to make it, considering her age. As a ploy to win Jacob’s affections back, she insisted on having her grandson around to aid her recovery. Jacob texts every day to give us an update on Charlotte’s health, and he video calls Liam before he goes to bed. If you ask me, I think it’s all bullshit. She knows exactly what she’s doing. Boy, would I love to see the look on her face if she knew where I was now. Liam seems unaffected by his great-grandmother’s illness, even confiding in me one night that he doesn’t like her that much. “She smells like dead flowers,” he shared one night while I was waiting for him to finish up the tub. “And shouldn’t she be dead by now?” he asks from the bathroom. I let out a snicker and he hears me, giggling in return. Whi
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The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 99
Hope starts clapping at the sound of her name, getting Charlotte’s attention. “Oh my gosh, she’s beautiful,” she gasps. “What are you doing here, Mother?” asks my dad. His agitation is a sign that he’s done playing a welcoming party. “I’ve missed so much, haven’t I? And I only have myself to blame,” she says. Hope clamors to get out of Jocasta’s arms and she puts her down on the grass. Slowly, she lifts herself up and her chubby legs begin the unsteady walk to Charlotte. Charlotte breaks her fall with outstretched arms as she comes crashing down. “There’s a good girl,” she says. “You’re a feisty one, just like your mother.” “You haven’t answered Matthew’s question, why are you here?” asks my wife. Charlotte looks at her, “I suppose I’ve come to make a mence and ask for your forgiveness.” “Don’t you think you’re a few years too late?” asks Matthew. “You’re right, I am. But I wanted to say sorry for all the horrible things I’ve done to all of you,” she coughs. “I know my words of
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 98
Epilogue (One year later) Jacob POV Jocasta cuts up paper-thin slices of watermelon, Liam’s favorite. “Thanks, Mommy,” he says, grabs the bowl from her and dashes outside. The house is quiet and I take advantage of having her to myself for a few seconds. Switching on the old kitchen radio, a slow song plays across the static. She’s clearing up the watermelon peels on the kitchen counter, and I take her by the hand and give her a twirl. She has a daisy in her long hair - a gift from Hope who insisted on putting it in her mouth instead of giving it to her mama. “What are you doing?” she smiles. “I’m serenading my wife,” I say and hold her close while we slow dance with the song. She giggles, “We’re going to be late.” “They can wait,” I say and inhale her sweet scent; she smells like the ocean and baby powder. While the soft male voice is singing about giving a little love this time, I dip her low and kiss her on the mouth. A moan escapes her lips and she kisses me back. Little
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 97
Jacob is stunned. It’s the first time he’s heard this too. We don’t say anything for a few seconds and wait for the heartbreaking news to settle in. “We have Liam and Hope,” I say. “They’re more than we could wish for.” He takes Hope from my arms and cradles her, whispering into her ear, “Yes, much more than we could wish for.” Liam wants a piece of the action and attaches himself to his dad’s leg, “My turn.” We laugh and Jacob bends down and grabs Liam by the scruff of his T-shirt, “Okay Buddy, your turn.” With both of them in arms, Jacob is finding it hard to balance them, “Yep, I think two are enough.” That night I dream of my mother, the dream as vivid as an oil painting. All my past memories are coming back. It’s as if being given a second lease on life had somehow unlocked a part of my brain I had buried for years. I remember playing in the courtyard garden at Mellon Estate and going on holidays with my folks. And then there’s the memory of that photo - it’s the very first
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 96
Emily/Jocasta POV Imagine a door opening between life and death. Which one would you choose? The answer’s not that simple, is it? Death would finally bring me peace, stilling the chaotic world around me. Life is for the living as Liam once told me. But where would that leave me? My fate has been assigned - I am to die from a disease that will ravage my body. Soon, my limbs won’t obey my commands, and I’ll slowly start to lose my mind. That is no way to live. The incessant wail of a baby is calling me, beckoning me to make a decision. It’s the sound of my little girl telling me time is running out - choose now or forever hold my peace. I’ve made up my mind - I choose love. --- I’m laying on a cold, steel table. There’s a commotion all around me. Someone shouts, “We’re losing her!” and I feel something hard putting pressure on my chest. The shock of an electric current jolts my body back to life. I’ve returned to the land of living. “She’s awake! She’s awake!” When I look around m
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 95
I’m in the conservatory with Liam. Dust motes are floating in the sun’s rays while we sit side by side, both of us with a notebook.He’s making squiggles on a page, round and round until the pencil pierces through to the next page. “Do you think Mom loves us?” he asks.“Why do you ask that?” I glance at him and stop drawing. I’m trying to sketch gladiolus flowers from memory but I keep on getting stuck on the intricate detail of the petals. This is my third attempt. I tear the page from the notebook and throw it onto the heap of pages collecting next to me.“Last night she told me I’m not a good boy after I wet the bed. I can’t help it, Emily. Sometimes, it just comes out,” he grimaces.“It’s not your fault, you do know that?” I add. “Mom just gets upset really fast.”“I know, it’s that when she gets like that, I get scared,” he says.I move closer to him, “Do you know, when I get scared, I just tell myself that soon it will be over. Mom doesn’t stay angry for long. You just have to w
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 94
Emily/Jocasta POVYou know when people describe their near-death experiences as walking towards a bright light? Mine was nothing like that.For me, it was falling into a vat of creamy liquid and being suspended between space and time. The protection of the womb-like state offered me comfort and reassurance that I would be fine.Why would I want to go back to a world of uncertainty and sorrow when everything I want is right here?Memories are flashing through my mind, firing off like sparks from a fire, But they are muddled up and confusing. I can’t tell which ones are Emily’s or Jocasta’s. It’s hard to concentrate on just one at a time.I close my eyes and focus on one in particular; it’s of a beautiful woman cradling a baby in her arms. She’s standing in a nursery, and there’s a quilted blanket in the crib.She starts singing a lullaby, and it’s the same one Ophelia sang months ago when I first discovered my real identity. I gasp in recognition - it’s my mother.She can’t see me, but
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 93
The parking garage is quiet and empty. None of the day shift staff have arrived yet. I stand against the cold wall and gather my skittled thoughts.I was wrong to get angry at Thaddeus. None of this is his fault. If there’s anyone to blame, it has to be me. I’m the only one that’s known about Jocasta’s diagnosis.“Jacob,” shouts Thaddeus from the emergency exit. He jogs towards me and tries to speak but struggles to catch his breath.“Look, I’m sorry. I was so desperate for her to get better, that I may have been too hasty to get her on the treatment,” he breathes. “I honestly thought it was going to work.”“I don’t blame you,” I say. “I was angry and lashed out at you.”“Blame me if you want, because I blame myself,” he says. There’s a dejected look in his eye.“No, I should have told her the truth,” I admit.“The truth about what?” he asks and strands upright.This lie is killing me, I can’t let it destroy my wife and baby as well. Maybe if I confess my sins, my punishment might not
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 92
Jacob POVI am woken up by the buzzing of my phone on the nightstand. When I answer, it’s Dr. Richards on the line, “Mr. Collin, you need to come to the hospital now.”My brain sends signals to my limbs to move into action. Like a robot, I mechanically get dressed in the dark and rush to Liam’s room. He’s fast asleep, but I need to get him into the car. I can’t afford to lose precious time by calling someone over to babysit, so I bundle him up and carry him into the elevator.While we’re on our way down to the parking garage, he opens his eyes, “Dad, what’s going on?”I shush him back to sleep and he’s back in dreamland.The drive to the hospital is excruciating. Dr. wouldn’t have called me at this hour if it wasn’t an emergency. My mind keeps on playing different scenarios, all of them leading to the same end results.Keeping my concentration on the road is proving difficult and I struggle to keep to the speed limit, scared that I may get there too late.When I get there, I leave the
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 91
One evening I got a surprise visitor. There’s a knock behind the door and a wispy brunette peeks her head through the crack; it’s Ophelia.“Helloooo,” she smiles. She’s come bearing gifts, carrying a huge bunch of roses.“Wow, are those for me?” I ask.“Yes, she says. “But if you don’t like them, I can give them to the lady down the hall. I walked into her room by mistake thinking it was yours.”I respond by snatching the flowers from her, and joking, “Give them here!”“I’m glad to see you’re in good spirits,” she adds. “Thaddeus says you’ve been feeling very tired.”I sit upright and say, “That’s an understatement. Let’s just say I may fall asleep while you’re gossiping, so you better make it extra juicy.”Ophelia looks nervously around her, “Then I got nothing for you, I’m afraid.”She takes a seat opposite my bed. I can see something’s bothering her. “Hey, what’s up?” I ask her.“It’s Astrid, I haven’t heard from her for the past few months,” she says. “The last time I spoke to her
