The Married Billionaire's Surrogate An African American Pregnancy Romance For Adults(23)

Steven dropped Alicia off at home and went to his office, kissing her and reminding her to rest and not to worry.

“I will, Steve. And you, concentrate on the work, we will be great,” she said as she closed the passenger door. Entering the mansion, she realized her temples were throbbing. There was a small white dot in front of her eyes that seemed to beat in sync with her heart. Her head was hurting her as if it was pressed by a stone. She cursed under her breath when a distant high voice rippled her eardrums.

“… Yeah, yeah, sure, Mark,” Elizabeth said. “… Yes, definitely… Oh, really? And… I was thinking the same thing just a while ago…” Apparently she was talking on the phone with some Mark and in the same moment when Alicia decided to grant her some privacy, she heard her name. “Look, Mark, I am telling you… This girl, Alicia, is working at our house… Yes and when she gives birth I will take the baby and come to Europe. Of course, it’s my baby.”

Her body suddenly shook and for a mere second, Alicia thought that she would fall down. Her fingers closed around the cream pillar on her left and she leaned her forehead on the cold marble surface. Breathing in and out, in and out, her fast heartbeat ringing in her ears, she felt like falling in a deep hole. Like she was at the bottom of it, completely alone and no one could give her a hand to get out. Her baby? How could Elizabeth think that the child in Alicia’s stomach was hers? Didn’t Steven tell her about their… relationship?

“… She will sign, don’t worry… Yeah… What do you mean? Steven is always on my side!” Elizabeth was still conversing on the couch.

Alicia’s feet seemed to fail her, but she didn’t let them. Silently, she managed to sneak into the hall and, supporting her body on the walls, got to the bathroom on the first floor. She splashed water on her face three times and then taking a deep breath stared at the mirror. The bags under the eyes popped before her as well as the crease between her brows and the lines on her brown skin. The pregnancy was taking its toll on her youth and innocence. She was a grown woman now, not the na?ve girl thinking that the world was as kind as her. She had to embrace that and behave like it. She wasn’t alone anymore and her decisions didn’t affect only her life.

Inside of her, there was a living being. A heart that was yet to beat and love. Her hand fondled her stomach and she closed her eyes. “They will take you, honey. They will take you like you’re one of their purses or cars. Like you are their property. I can’t let them… I… I mustn’t,” she whispered and sat on the ground before the sink. “What if your daddy forgets me when you are no longer in me? What if he throws me out and hides you from me? No… I-I won’t live through that…” She reached for the second drawer and pulled a small bottle. “But don’t worry, I won’t give you to them! I know you, too, are scared, sweetie. Mommy will take care of you. I would rather take us to the heavens than see you in that woman’s embrace. No. No!” She shook her head madly, lost in her words. Was she losing her mind, as well?

With the bottle opened, she poured its contents on her palm. Small white pills. Tens of them. She couldn’t move her eyes from them, unblinkingly calculating the events. It all seemed unreal to her, sitting like that on the cold bathroom tiles. Steven’s love. Their holiday. His kisses. Her pregnancy. Her life. Everything a daze of shambled letters, words and moments. Then a sentence rose in her mind. That dreadful ‘it’s my baby’. That simple ‘my’ that made her whole body shiver.

“You are mine and you’ll go with me,” she said firmly and threw all the pills in her throat.

Alicia! Alicia, I need you. Who will take care of me? I am alone in this world. You are the only thing I have… It was her mother’s voice echoing in her ears. She opened her eyes to find the bathroom empty and spit the pills on the floor. She choked while throwing up and then the effect subsided leaving her drained and heavily breathing.

Tears came to her eyes and she let them out, sobbing as loud as her throat could handle. “I can’t… I… must… live… for her,” she spoke between sobs. “I am sorry, my baby. I am sorry… But I will not let them have you…”

The decision was made after a long time of weeping, hitting the tiles and pulling her hair. Alicia would get an abortion, quit her job and move back to her childhood home to take care of her ill mother. Condemning her soul to pain for the unborn baby that would leave her too soon, she would never lay foot in the city, never mention Steven’s name and if they would have her, offer herself to the local church.

When she left the bathroom all disheveled, she realized that it was afternoon already and she had to cook some lunch. She caught herself going through the recipes and then it hit her. Nothing of that mattered. In any case, she would never see the mansion after the next day. Sighing, she dialed the hospital’s number and appointed a term for the morning. In the beginning of the new day, she would end the only thing that meant the whole world to her.

She spent the night turning in her bed, crying and cursing her fate. The house was quiet, Elizabeth sleeping upstairs and Steven gone who-knew-where, so she could weep and shout without worry that someone would hear her. Like it mattered anyway.

The sound of owls hooting reminded her of the previous night and she shivered. And then strange thoughts were circling in her head. What would have happened if those men succeeded in their intentions? Who was Alicia Balfe going to be? She was a spiritual person and above all she believed in signs. And now she was asking herself whether Steven had been sent by some other force much grander than the both of them to save her and the baby. Was he her savior and was the baby supposed to be born? Suddenly she found herself tired of so many questions and riddles and signs, making peace with herself. What had to be done, had to be done. That was the end of it.