The Surrogate Girlfriend

Three

The next day, I left Daniel and Sofia in the care of Mrs. April, our neighbor. My nerves were shot, but I had to do this. The address I’d typed into my phone led me to a massive, flawless building that screamed wealth. My heart pounded harder with each step as I approached the door. I rang the doorbell, and after a moment, a young woman in a skimpy uniform opened the door, barely acknowledging me as she stepped aside to let me in.

I swallowed hard and walked inside. The place was immaculate, almost sterile in its perfection. The floors gleamed like mirrors, reflecting the bright silver walls. The entire house radiated luxury. Every inch of it screamed billionaire.

“Miss Eva, I presume?” A smooth voice broke my awe, and I spun around to face a man. He was younger than I expected, tall, lean, with tan skin and sharp features. He couldn’t have been more than his late twenties. My mind whirled with questions. Why would a guy like him need a surrogate? He could easily get any girl he wanted.

“Miss Eva?” he repeated when I didn’t respond right away.

“Yes, but call me Eva, please,” I managed to say.

“I prefer to keep things strictly professional,” he said, his voice elegant and detached.

“Please, have a seat,” he gestured toward the living room. I hesitated for a moment before sitting on the sparkling white sofa, terrified that my mere presence might ruin it.

“I’ll get straight to the point, Miss Eva,” he said, sitting across from me. My heartbeat quickened as he flicked his fingers, and the woman in the skimpy uniform appeared out of nowhere with a file in hand. She handed it to him before disappearing again.

“If you’re here, you already know the nature of this arrangement, so I won’t waste time explaining.” He handed me the file. “You’ll need to read through this and sign. I’ve already signed my part.”

I took the file from him, flipping through the five pages. My mind was racing. I didn’t need to read it, I couldn’t. If I did, I might change my mind, and I couldn’t afford that.

“If you want time to think about it...” he started.

“No,” I interrupted, surprising both of us. “I don’t need time. Can I have a pen, please?”

“You should read it first,” he insisted, his tone firm.

“No, I’m good,” I replied, forcing myself to stay calm. If I read a single line, I knew I’d back out, and I couldn’t afford to. I needed the money too badly. “I’m sure there’s nothing here I can’t handle, right?” I asked, staring directly at him, waiting for his response.

He tilted his head, studying me for a moment. “That depends on you, Miss Eva.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I smiled nervously and signed all five pages without reading a word. My hands trembled slightly as I handed the file back to him. God, I hope I can handle everything in there, I thought.

“Done,” I said quietly.

“Very well, we’re all set then.” He stood up, and I followed suit.

“One hundred thousand,” I blurted out.

He frowned, looking confused. “Excuse me?”

“One hundred thousand dollars,” I repeated, my voice more confident than I felt. “That’s how much you’ll pay me for this.”

He stared at me, his silence making me second-guess my boldness. Had I gone too far? But I needed to bargain high. This was going to cost me so much; it had to be worth it.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally nodded. “Okay.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. I hadn’t expected him to agree so easily. I swallowed my excitement and pressed further. “I need twenty percent upfront before anything begins.”

His gaze darkened, and I feared I’d pushed too far. “I don’t like being given conditions,” he said coldly, his hand slipping into his pocket, but his eyes remained locked on mine. “But yes.”

I barely contained my relief. Inside, I was screaming with joy. This was my chance, my only chance. A smile crept across my face despite everything.

“It was nice doing business with you, Mr...?” I faltered, realizing I didn’t even know his name.

For the first time, I saw a flicker of a smile, brief and barely there, but it was something.

“Leonard,” he replied.

“Mr. Leonard,” I repeated with a nod. “See you in two weeks.”

Later that evening, I visited my mom at the hospital before heading to Kelvin’s place. The thought of what I had to tell him weighed heavily on my chest. He wouldn’t like it. Hell, he might hate me for it, but I had no choice. I couldn’t back out now.

We ate dinner, watched a movie, and cuddled, but I couldn’t shake the unease. The guilt gnawed at me, and I kept imagining his reaction once I told him. When the movie ended, I could no longer hold it in.

“Kelvin,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“Yeah, babe?” He turned to face me, his eyes soft and warm.

“Please forgive me.” I repositioned myself, sitting up straighter. His entire demeanor shifted, a frown forming on his face.

“For what?” His voice was calm, but I could sense the tension building.

“I…” I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “I signed the contract. I accepted the job. I met with him today and signed everything.”

His eyes squeezed shut, and he took a slow, deliberate breath. The silence was deafening. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold, distant.

“It’s over.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. My heart skipped painfully. “What?”

“It’s over between us,” he repeated, standing up.

“No,” my voice broke, “Kelvin, please. You can’t…”

“I can’t do this, Eva!” His voice rose, and his frustration was palpable. “I can’t date a girl who’s going to carry another man’s child for nine months. I just… I can’t.”

My heart was pounding, my chest tight with panic. “Babe, are you really making me choose?” I pleaded. “My mom is in the hospital. We have no money. We can barely even eat right now.”

“I asked you to wait,” he shot back, his voice raw with emotion. “Just a little more patience.”

“For how long, Kelvin?” I fired back, desperation creeping into my tone.

“If you go through with this, we’re done,” he said flatly. His words pierced straight through me.

“Please, babe, listen to me.” Tears were streaming down my face now, my vision blurred by the heartbreak.

“No,” he said firmly, shaking his head. “I can’t bear the thought of you with someone else.”

“But I’m not with him. I’m just carrying his child.”

“And then what?” he asked bitterly. “You think after nine months you won’t develop feelings? You think you can go through this and not be changed?”

“I won’t. I love you,” I insisted, my voice cracking.

“I’m sorry, Eva.” He turned away, his back to me. “You can leave whenever you’re ready.”

I sat there, heartbroken, my tears falling silently as I realized I’d lost him.