ief illusion of concern vanis

said, his voice a low threat. "You signed a con

my voice shaking slightly but firm. "I' m holdi

ng over me. "We' l

I was left alone in the silence, the

first child I had

stronomical, draining my savings, then plunging me into debt. My stepfather, Richard Sterling, the real estate magnate, offered to help. But his hel

wanted me. Someone they could control. Someone with my mother' s genes, a sick nod to the family they were creating

nt. It was an accident, a brief, detached night with Liam. A moment of weak

ful. Maybe this would change things. Maybe this

s a

was a mask of cold fury.

upposed to happen," he said

lking about? It'

"Chloe is not ready. The timing is

words didn' t even make

accused me of trying to trap Liam, of trying to steal her husband. She worked herself into such a sta

had a miscarriage. Liam stood by my bedside, his expression one of det

d with the surrogacy as if nothing had happened. A few months later, I was pregnant a

e me stand for hours, "to improve circulation." She would have the chef prepare foods that she knew made me nauseous.

le, familiar pain. I bled. They rushed me to the hospital, but it was too

ffocating blanket.

athering the few things that connected me to the life that was lost-an ultrasound picture, a tiny knitted hat I had secretly

llion dollar deal. He gestured for me to wait. I stood there, listening to him tal

he looked at me, a hint o

is it

words were quiet, but they h

te you for your trouble, of course. For the full term.

th. "Try again?" I whispered. "Like it' s

ive. "But we need to be practical. I' ll have my la

will be no more agreements. I' m done. I

s narrowing. He was losi

now," he said. "You' r

my life," I replied. "I' m leaving t

ith an anger he did

ake demands, Ava," he snarled.

into something hard and unyielding. I had lost ev

lked out of the room, leaving him sitting