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Chapter 64
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The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 65
Jacob POV Emily’s been gone for almost a week. With her not here, it feels like I’ve lost a limb—a part of me can’t function without her. Thaddeus said she needed space, and I’ve respected her wishes thus far, but knowing that there’s a chance I’ll see her today, I can’t promise that anymore. I know that if I can get her alone for a few minutes, we can work all this out. No, scratch that idea. I suppose a wedding isn’t the perfect place to tell someone that they’ve been living a made up life for more than eighteen years. During the drive to Mason’s folks’ place in Carnegie Hill, I mentally prepare myself for the day ahead. I’m happy for Mason, but there’s a part of me that also feels envious. A few weeks ago, this could have been Emily and me. Now, everything hangs in the balance. Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time” starts playing on the radio, and I smile at the irony of it all. ‘Ain’t that the truth, Cher,’ I think while singing along to the song. The Olwens are one of the few
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 66
Emily POV Early the next morning, there’s a knock on the door. I think it’s Thaddeus and shout from the room, “It’s open.” Looking like something the cat dragged in, Olivia lets herself in. “Helloooooo,” she hollers from the foyer, “Anyone home?” I’m surprised to see her considering she just got married the night before. “What are you doing here?” I ask her. “I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by,” she slurs her words. She smells like she just bathed in a vat of whiskey. “Are you still drunk?” I ask. “Maybe just a teeny tiny little,” she smirks. She’s alone. I wonder where Mason has wandered off to. “I thought you were supposed to be in the Bahamas by now?” I ask. “Nope, that’s only in a few days’ time,” she hiccups. “And where is your groom? Or have you already discarded him?” I joke. “He’s probably still fast asleep. I doubt he’ll be up before 2pm,” she laughs. “By the way, what happened to you last night? I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye.” After m
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 67
He stops on the side of the narrow road and I get out. On this part of the estate, the plants are so overgrown that they look like they’re taking over the landscape, reclaiming ground that once belonged to them. There’s an untamed beauty to it. “Emily, are you okay?” he asks from behind me. “I don’t know,” I reply. “I feel like I’ve been here before. I know it sounds crazy, but I feel a connection to this place.” He comes to stand next to me. “No, you don’t sound crazy.” It’s as if he’s about to say something else but he stays quiet. The unexpected tears come like an outpouring of grief I’ve held in for so many years. I can’t explain it. It’s confusing even to me. Instead of stopping them, I let them flow. Thaddeus holds me in his arms and I welcome the comfort of his touch. I laugh quietly. “Look at me. I’m a mess and we haven’t even gotten to your house yet.” I wipe my eyes and my fingers bear the markings of smudged mascara. “That’s fine, you can freshen up when we get th
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 68
Emily POV If life is a series of coincidences, how do I explain meeting Jacob or having Liam back in my life? I’ve come to the conclusion that there are no coincidences, just events that help steer us on our journey to self-discovery. I wouldn’t consider myself someone who believes in the metaphysical side of things, but when Ophelia walked into the room, I felt that it was fate that brought me here to Mellon Estate. It was like looking into a mirror, and I know that she felt it too. If I were to describe it, it felt like I was dangling like a puppet on a string, my thoughts and actions being controlled by some unknown force. Somehow, the universe conspired to bring us together, but that part of the puzzle still hasn’t fit into place. There are so many moving parts that I’m struggling to get a foot in. My thoughts are all over the place. There’s a war going on in my head, and I’m trying hard to keep my internal struggle from spilling over into the real world. Ophelia returns wit
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 69
He comes walking behind us as we head into what I can only describe as a tropical forest. There are different species of birds playing above the canopy and I can’t help but think Matthew would love it here. I wonder if he’s been to Mellon Estate before. “You guys are so lucky to have this place,” I say. “It’s magical.” “When we were kids, we’d pretend we were explorers in search of lost gold. My dad would bury those gold chocolate coins all around every Easter and send us off with a map he’d drawn,” laughs Ophelia. Thaddeus lets out a yelp. “I remember those! One year we stayed out until dusk because the clues on the map were too difficult. He ended up sending a search party to find us.” “We somehow ended up on the other side of the property and got so caught up in finding our gold that we lost track of time,” she says. They both look at each other and smile. One would think the difference in age would be a barrier between them, but their connection is hard to describe. It’s almos
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Thaddeus POV Like a moth to a flame, Emily is intrigued by our family history. But I can’t be certain if it’s curiosity spurring her inquisitiveness. She seems cautious, almost nervous about needling us with more questions. I can see that Ophelia has picked up on it too, but I first need to make certain we’re on the same page. While Emily has gone to the powder room, we work on our strategy. “What do you think?” I ask her. “I think that if we tell her a little at a time, it won’t be an overload of information. I’m scared that if we move too fast, our plan could backfire,” she says. “So, proceed with caution?” I suggest. “Exactly. Also, I’m sensing that she’s really keen to find out about our family, so hit her with that first. Ease her into it slowly and read her body language. If at any time she looks uncomfortable or overwhelmed, pull back,” she adds. “We’ve come this far, I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize our efforts.” In the past, we’ve never shared much abo
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Emily POV The past does not define who you are. My mom always used to say that. I suppose it didn’t really matter to her because she had memories growing up with parents and a sister. When she was in a contemplative mood, she’d regale us with stories of when she was younger. Some stories stayed the same while others gave us some insight into how she was as a kid. I always got the feeling she was wild and rambunctious, the complete opposite of who she was when she became a parent. I wonder when she stopped being a kid and realized being frivolous and fun were character traits only reserved for silly children. One story I remember in particular was when she was about fourteen years old. She and my Aunt Evelyn decided to skip Sunday school and join a bunch of older boys from their church at the corner store, drinking soda and smoking cigarettes. My grandpa caught them and gave them the whipping of their lives in front of their friends. She shared the account as a warning to Liam and
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Ophelia POV If blood is thicker than water, then how come long-lost siblings don’t recognize each other immediately when passing by on the street? It could be a random stranger and you wouldn’t give them a second glance, all the while knowing that someone you love might still be lost out there in the world. I recall reading an article a few years back about how two people were neighbors for several years without realizing that they were brother and sister. When they were still toddlers, their parents divorced, one taking the other. Both went on to remarry and never mentioned to their kids that they each had a sibling. For years, they knew nothing of each other until the one moved in across the road from her brother. Every morning, they’d do the neighborly thing and greet each other out of courtesy. And then their kids became friends. The only reason they found out was because they finally had a formal introduction and realized they both shared the same last name. I need Emily to
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
