The night was suffocatingly quiet. Even in a mansion this grand, where the walls seemed to whisper secrets, the silence was heavy.
Nora sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the contract Kay had given her. Seven million dollars, a house, a car, a future. It was everything she had ever wanted, yet something about it felt like she was selling her soul.
Her fingers traced the fine print. The legal jargon blurred before her tired eyes, but the message was clear: She would carry their child, and once the baby was born, she would disappear. No rights. No attachments. Just a womb for rent.
She exhaled sharply. Was this truly her only option?
A soft knock at her door made her jump.
She hesitated before standing, smoothing out her nightgown, and pulling the door open.
Duke Jameson stood there, his presence filling the doorway.
She wasn't sure what startled her more the fact that he was at her room at this hour or the way his gaze lingered on her, unreadable yet intense.
"You shouldn't be awake this late," he said, his voice lower than usual, rougher.
Nora swallowed. "I couldn't sleep."
His eyes flickered toward the contract still resting on her bed. "Second thoughts?"
She folded her arms. "Wouldn't you?"
A smirk ghosted across his lips, but there was no amusement in it. He stepped inside, his movements slow, deliberate. "I don't make decisions based on fear, Nora."
She looked away. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one expected to carry a child and disappear like you never existed."
Duke studied her for a long moment before speaking. "You think I don't know what it's like to be treated as disposable?"
That made her look up. The way he said it, with a hint of something buried deep regret? Resentment? Pain? it caught her off guard.
Before she could respond, he exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. "Look, I came here to tell you that whatever choice you make, it should be your choice. Kay is persuasive, and I won't lie—the deal is good. But if you don't want this, you don't have to do it."
Her breath hitched. Was this a test? A trap? Or was he being genuine?
"Then why offer me so much?" she asked.
Duke's jaw clenched slightly. "Because Kay doesn't take no for an answer."
There was something in his tone, something unspoken. As if he, too, had been pulled into something he hadn't fully agreed to.
Nora took a step closer. "Why do I feel like this deal benefits her more than it benefits you?"
He chuckled, low and bitter. "Because you're smart."
Silence stretched between them.
For the first time since she had arrived, Nora saw him not as a billionaire, not as a man in control but as someone trapped.
Just like her.
And that terrified her more than anything.
The next morning, Nora found herself standing in front of Kay's home office, contract in hand. She was ready to sign but Duke's words from the night before kept echoing in her mind.
Kay didn't take no for an answer.
Was this surrogacy really about a child, or was it about control?
Taking a deep breath, she knocked.
"Come in," Kay's voice chimed from the other side.
The room was pristine, decorated in whites and golds, just like its owner—flawless, untouchable. Kay sat behind an ornate desk, sipping her morning tea. She gestured for Nora to sit.
"I assume you've made a decision," Kay said, her lips curving into a knowing smile.
Nora placed the contract in front of her. "I'll do it."
Kay's eyes gleamed with victory. "Good. I knew you'd see reason."
She reached for the contract, but before she could take it, Nora spoke.
"I just have one question."
Kay's smile faltered for half a second before returning. "Go on."
Nora studied her, searching for any crack in the perfect façade. "Why is this so important to you? You have money. You could hire any surrogate in the world someone with experience, someone who's done this before. So why me?"
Kay's fingers tightened around her teacup, but her expression remained composed.
"You're smart, Nora, but you don't need to overthink this." She gave a soft chuckle. "I simply prefer to keep things private. Public surrogacy agencies leave a paper trail. I don't want people knowing my personal business."
It was a reasonable answer. Logical. And yet…
Something felt off.
Nora leaned forward. "And what about Duke?"
Kay's grip on the cup visibly tightened. "What about him?"
Nora hesitated, debating whether to voice her thoughts. But she needed to know. "He doesn't seem as eager about this arrangement as you."
Kay's expression turned icy.
"Duke gets what he wants in this marriage, and I get what I want. That's how it works."
Her words sent a shiver down Nora's spine.
"What if he doesn't want this?"
Kay set her cup down with a soft clink, her smile returning, but this time, it didn't reach her eyes.
"Then it's a good thing his opinion doesn't matter."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Nora suddenly felt like she was staring at a woman who wasn't just desperate for a child but a woman desperate to maintain control over her husband.
And now, Nora was right in the middle of it.