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Chapter 68
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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
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 70
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
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 71
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
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 73
Emily POV Click, click, click. Like a Rubix Cube, all the colors start aligning into perfect symmetry. For the longest time I always felt like I didn’t belong. I felt like an alien, as if my presence was just simply an annoyance. I sensed it mostly with my mom. My dad tried so hard to make up for her shortcomings. And when Liam became part of our unit, I had someone to align myself with—we were both outsiders. But never in a million years would I attribute my emotional isolation to the fact that I was never my parents’ child. The seed was only planted after my first encounter with Thaddeus. Believing the paradox would mean my folks were instrumental in my abduction. I could not allow my thoughts to go there. Thaddeus and Ophelia are watching me intently. I don’t know what to say—I’m still in shock. They sense my bewilderment but don’t press me any further. Instead, they stand to one side and wait for my next move. I can’t stop my hands from shaking, and the sudden urge to start
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 74
Jacob POV I count down the seconds while Emily’s phone rings on and on. Just when I’m about to hang up, her exasperated voice says, “Hello.” I’ve been trying to get hold of her the entire day and all my calls thus far have gone unanswered. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to call the whole day,” I say. She says nothing. “Emily, are you there?” I ask. “Yes, I’m here,” she responds. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you. I just want you back home. Liam misses you… I miss you,” I say, now feeling fragile and alone. “I miss you too. I just can’t come home right now,” she says. Her voice sounds detached. “Why not? Where are you? I’ll come get you,” I say, desperate to know where she is. “Jacob, please, I can’t do this with you now. I have to go,” she says. Holding her delicate engagement ring in the palm of my hand, I ask her, “Why did you leave your ring on the bedside table?” “I must have forgotten it,” she mumbles. I know her well enough by now to tell that she’s lying.
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 75
Jacob POV When I start the car, a love song from the sixties blasts through the speakers. The guy croons on and on about regret and turning back the hands of time. I can’t even laugh at the irony of it. The words hit like a punch in the gut. I turn off the radio and drive in silence all the way to the Hamptons. I used to love taking this road when I was a kid, especially when it was Spring Break. Either we were going to spend the break at my grandmother’s home or with the Mellons. I preferred the latter, knowing that we’d spend hours playing outside in the scrub land, searching for buried treasure or protecting our land from intruders while in the lookout tower. I have so many fond memories of that place. I try to think now why I ever stopped going there after the Jocasta incident. Was being around Thaddeus and Ophelia too overwhelming for me? I was so young, I can’t remember not wanting to be there. Maybe the decision was my father’s. I suspect he felt partly responsible for the a
The Billionaire's Surrogate Chapter 76
Nancy POV 24 hours earlier Karma is one hell of a motherfucker. One minutes she’s cooing softly in your ear, the next she’s holding a gun to your head. This time she has a name and face, and she’s sitting right in front of me. I’ve learnt too late that this woman is not to be trifled with, and now I have to pay the ultimate price. She knows this too, it’s a dance she’s perfected the steps to. Everytime I move in one direction, she’s there moving in the opposite direction. Charlotte Collin owns me, and she will do everything in her power to milk me till I am dead. Inhaling deeply on her cigarette, she has a triumphant smirk on her face. I wish I could wipe it off with a punch to her throat. If Lady Luck was on my side, she’d hopefully choke to death. “So you understand my predicament, Nancy,” she remarks. “I can’t agree to the terms of our deal until the Emily issue is dealt with once and for all.” “Is that why you’ve told your contact not to answer my calls? Charlotte, I don’t t
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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
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
