All Chapters of The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Secrets and LiesThrough the hotel window, the Shanghai skyline sparkled, offering a sparkling display of lights that seemed to match the thrum of excitement buzzing in Isabelle's veins. She and Carlos had been in China a week now, fighting their way through endless meetings and tours of facilities, tightrope walking on a high wire that was international business. It was exhilarating, challenging, and utterly exhausting.As she leaned back into the soft couch, her laptop balanced on her thighs, the first signs of a grin began to grow across Isabelle's face. She was good at it—better than she'd thought. All those years running their household and maneuvering through so many social circles had polished her skills as a diplomat, negotiator. Even Carlos had been impressed, deferring to her for counsel at some of the most critical moments of the negotiations.A notification flashed across her screen – a video call from home. She smiled as she hit accept, and her children's faces lighted up

The normally unruffled composure of Carlos Fernandez now replaced with furrowed brows and clenched fists, he paced around his dimly lit office. His mahogany desk was strewn with the latest quarterly reports, each page staring at him like a harsh reminder of the crisis unfolding in front of him. Fernandez Holdings' stock had just plunged 15% in one day after their supposedly top-secret clean energy project found its way to their toughest competitor—GreenTech Industries."How?" Carlos muttered, rubbing a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair. "How did they know about Project Helios?"A soft knock at the door broke into his reverie. Isabelle slipped inside, her expression a mix of worry and purpose. "Carlos, I came as soon as I heard. What can I do?"He turned to his wife; his eyes softened a moment, then hardened with resolution. "Isabelle, I need your help. There is a mole in our organization, and I want you to find him."Isabelle's eyes widened. "Me? But I'm not—""You are the only pe

Uneasy AlliancesTonight's dinner was way much more than just a family dinner; it marked the official welcome for Jack, Carlos's newly discovered son. Her hands could just manage to quiver slightly on the adjustment of the fork. Isabelle rattled her mind with the repercussions that this new addition in their family brought."Mom, do we really have to do this?" Sophia's voice cut into Isabelle's thoughts. The teenager was leaning on the doorframe with her arms crossed, her face a picture of annoyance mixed with apprehension.Isabelle took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "Yes, sweetheart. Jack is part of this family now, and we need to make him feel welcome."Sophia rolled her eyes. "He's not family. He's some guy who just came out of nowhere and said he was Dad's son. How do we know he's telling the truth?""Your father has confirmed it," Isabelle said softly, wincing at the pain in her daughter's voice. "I know this is hard, but we really need to give Jack a chance."Before Sophia cou

Fraying ThreadsSophia stood in front of the ornate mirror of her bedroom, fumbling with the clasp of her necklace. What had been a special piece of jewelry—her birthday gift from her father, Carlos—now felt heavy around her neck. She let out an angry sigh as her eyes fell on the picture frame of the family on her dresser. Those smiling faces seemed to dare her, so far from the tension that now sieved through their household."Need help with that?" Jack's voice seemed to erupt from nowhere as she spun around, dropping to find her new half-brother propping against the doorframe.Sophia's jaw clenched. "I've got it," she snapped, finally closing the clasp with a little too much force.Jack's easy smile faltered for a moment before he recovered. "Of course, sure. I just thought that—""You thought what?" Sophia cut in, her tone sharp. "That you'd ride in and play hero? Well, let me let you in on a little news flash, Jack. We were getting on just fine before you arrived."The hurt which c

The sharp fluorescent lights of the Fernandez Holdings boardroom brought out in sharp relief dark shadows across the face as Carlos stood before his executive team. A place that used to be power, confidence, and reign now sounded more like being smothered by a blanket. Now, pairs of eyes that turned back on him with respect and admiration turned inward, filling themselves with disappointment and barely concealed anger."I understand your concerns," Carlos said wearily; he had not slept a wink the previous night. "But let me assure you, the allegations against me and this company are grossly exaggerated."The chief financial officer, Marcus Reeves, made a face and snapped at Carlos, "Exaggerated or not, Carlos, the damage is done. Our stock has plunged 30% since the market opened. Clients are jumping ship left and right."Vivian Chen, head of marketing, nodded in agreement. "With every minute, we are losing public goodwill. Every news channel is carrying our story. In social media, it'