Chapter 3

Sophia POV

With what felt like heaven on earth, Ethan’s sudden change of mood came as a complete shock to me. 

For someone who was so gentle and meek a few seconds ago, I didn’t expect what came next.

After catching his breath, he picked up his shorts that lay on the floor, put them on, and walked to his wardrobe across the room. 

He took out some wads of cash from his briefcase and threw them at me. 

“That is the part payment of the deal,” he said.

Once again, I was taken aback by his words.

“You get the rest when you deliver my child to me." He continued. I was dumbfounded, too shocked and surprised by his actions to speak. 

After a few minutes of silence and just watching him, he spoke up again. 

“Well, what are you lying there for? Do you think we would cuddle? Take the money and leave at once; the deed is done.”.

This time, I responded. I had found my words, and I was willing to use them to take back my dignity.

“You arrogant dimwit! I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.” 

“You are so pompous, full of yourself, and think yourself mightier than others.”

“I am not a whore; don’t address me as one,” I retorted, fuming and beginning to feel my eyes swell up with tears. 

He stared at me, an expression of surprise visible on his face. 

And then he laughed.

I was almost going mad with rage.

He laughed!!

He freaking laughed!! I wish I could rip out his tongue and see who would be laughing in the end.

He slowly walked up to me confidently, leaned his face closer to mine, and said, “Don’t look for your dignity in my eyes, Sophia. You would find none.” 

“Now, pick up the money and go save your father.”

He raised his head, stood erect, adjusted his clothes, and walked out of the room. 

Humiliated and defeated, I picked up my clothes and dressed up. I freely let the tears that filled my eyes flow, and I picked up the money he had thrown on the bed. It was bundles of $100 bills—a total of $500,000. 

This was enough to pay the lawyer—enough to finally get my Father a proper hearing. 

The thought of my father finally being free  and coming back home with me gave me hope. It put a smile on my face, and for a second, it was worth all the insults I was getting from that arrogant man. 

My father is all that matters; all of this is for him; he brought peace to my raging, stormy life. 

I put the money in my bag and went back home.

After freshening up, I laid back down to check my phone and saw tons of voicemails from Shankshaw Prison and Mercy Hospital. 

My heart skipped a beat as I quickly listened to the voicemails left. 

My Father had been stabbed and rushed to the hospital!!

“Dear Lord”, I cried in my mind. 

Whatever happened? Stabbed?? How??

I sprang up from the bed, got dressed and found my way to the hospital, silently praying my father was fine.

Getting to the hospital, I stepped into the air-conditioned hospital and frantically looked around. 

Running to the front desk nurse, I asked for my father

“Hi, I’m looking for Mr. Gregory Parker. He was stabbed and brought here

The nurse directed me to go see the doctor.

Why wasn’t I shown to his ward? Why am I being told to see the doctor first?

Probably he was operated on, and the doctor needs to fill me in on everything.

I shrugged, burying the negative thoughts lurking around my mind. 

I walked towards the doctor's office. I knocked and waited for a response before stepping in. 

He was talking to someone on the phone when I walked in. He dropped the handset on the telephone and gestured for me to sit down. 

“My Father was stabbed, the nurse at the reception instructed me to come see you” I stated, leaving no room for pleasantries.

The doctor sighed and said, “Miss Parker, about that, there is something I need to talk to you about.”

“We have been trying to reach you, but it kept taking us to voicemail.” 

“I know, I know,” I interrupted. 

“I got caught up with something, how is he? Were there any casualties?”

“Was he operated on? I can settle the bills, please just tell me how he is and take me to see him" I said fretting, bringing out the money and stacking them up on his desk. 

“Miss Parker,” the doctor said, speaking up with a gloomy look on his face. 

A feeling of dread settled in my chest as I looked into his eyes, desperately searching for answers.

“What is it, doctor?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Parker, but we tried all we could, considering his outstanding health condition, the stab wound was fatal”  

“Your father died a few hours ago. I am sorry. Please accept my condolences.”

I sat there frozen and too shocked to move a muscle. My heart shattered into a million pieces.

My father died??

I must be dreaming. I pinched myself as hard as I could. 

I was numb; my whole world had suddenly collapsed. All of my efforts to bring about his freedom resulted in his death. I blamed myself. 

Why didn’t I get to my phone sooner? I wasn’t there for my father’s last moments. 

I felt a pat on my shoulder and realized I had been in the doctor’s office all along. He muttered his condolences, his eyes filled with pity for me. I couldn’t even fake a smile; I couldn’t feel anything. I slowly turned and put the money back in my bag.

I asked to see my father and was led to the morgue. 

I saw him lying on the cold stainless steel table, lifeless and pale. Life drained from his being. 

There and then, I wept. I wailed, screaming my lungs out. I threw myself to the floor and cried some more. 

It took the help of some nurses to usher me out of the mortuary and into a cab that took me home. 

With a heavy heart and nothing but guilt, we drove back home. In my father’s dying hour, I was having sex! The same action he warned me against. 

I blamed myself for his death.

The cab arrived at my place, and I walked in. I threw whatever was in my path in the opposite direction. 

I flipped tables over, smashing glasses across the wall, and I threw my living room into chaos. 

I got exhausted, breathing heavily in and out. I collapsed into the bed and wailed. 

What should I do?

The reason I agreed to the surrogacy wasn’t alive anymore. There wasn’t a reason to forge ahead with the plan. 

I decide to return the money to Ethan, and if I find out I’m pregnant, I will get rid of it. 

I fell asleep not long after crashing on the bed. 

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It’s been almost a week since my father died, and I haven’t left the four walls of my house. I didn’t even have the energy to clean up the mess I made. 

I have no idea where my phone is or what time it is. 

Suddenly, I heard a loud knock on my door, wondering who could be at my place as no one knew where I lived aside from my late father. 

I walked towards the door; the knock was severe and louder than the first. 

Almost irritated at someone who could knock on a door like a mad person, I opened it and saw a broad figure in front of me.

It was Ethan!!