Chapter 3 ANYONE ELSE BUT NOT YOU

It was a quiet Friday morning when Nessa received a message. Just a simple, five-word text from Nick.

"Meet me at Cafe Aurelia. 9AM. It's important.."

No emojis. No explanation. Typical Nick.

Intrigued and excitedly, she stared at the screen longer than necessary, her lips curling into a half-smirk to having a little happy dance moment.

"So, he finally wants to talk?" she muttered, her heart doing a soft, stupid skip. She wasn't going to pretend she hadn't thought about him, fantasized about him even. After all, Nick Kings had that annoying, arrogant charm only a woman with bad judgment would fall for. And unfortunately, Nessa was exactly that kind of woman.

With 2 hours to spare, she took extra care with her outfit. She took out something simple from her wardrobe amidst all the others. She flipped those ones to a corner because it didn't match her taste...white silk blouse, fitted jeans, silver heels to match her blouse, red lip, curly long hair. Not too much, not too little. Just enough to keep him guessing.

By 8:59 AM, she was there. The café smelled like roasted coffee beans and sugar. Jazz music hummed low in the background. And there he was...Nick.

Seated by the window, a black mug in hand, eyes glued to his phone. Still cold, Hella gorgeous and dangerous as she loved it.

She approached with her usual confidence. "You're lucky I was free," she teased, sliding into the seat across from him.

He looked up, his eyes flickering briefly with something unreadable. "I knew you'd come."

No greeting. No compliment. Just straight to business.

"Coffee?" he asked.

"No. I'll stick to tea. Too much caffeine makes me say things I regret," she said with a wink.

But he didn't laugh or show any concern...

Nick leaned forward, setting his phone down. "Nessa, I need a surrogate."

She blinked. "Come again?"

"I want a child. And I'm willing to pay. Two hundred million dollars."

She nearly choked. "You're joking, Nick. That's a whole lot of money.."

He didn't flinch. "Do I look like I'm laughing? I am willing to pay any amount.."

Her lips parted in disbelief. "Nick, babies aren't like ordering wine. You don't just pay and pick up. Why the hell do you want one anyway?"

He didn't answer immediately. Just stared at her like the answer was somewhere on her face.

Then he shrugged....

"It's time. I want someone to carry on my legacy. Someone that's mine." He leaned back, relaxed his back to the chair and folded his arms.

She leaned back too, clears throat "Okay... emmm so what, you want me to hook you up with someone? You think I run an egg donor agency?"

"No. I thought you'd help find someone to do it."

She stared. Then laughed hard. Heads turned. She waved them off.

"If you want me to carry your child...Better yet... why not skip the drama and marry me instead? Kill two birds with one stone."

He blinked slowly, lips twitching in the faintest smile. But what he said next sucked the air out of her.

"Anyone else but not you, Nessa. You have to help me get someone to do the job because you owe me your life at some point."

"Huh?"...

She blinked. Her laugh died in her throat. The words slapped her, over and over, ringing in her ears like a cruel joke.

"Anyone else but not you"....

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur. She nodded at the right times. Forced a smile. Faked interest. But inside, something had cracked. She was angry, she was mad at herself.

By the time she got back to the hospital, her hands were shaking. She snapped at a nurse. Forgot a patient's prescription. Locked herself in the break room and stared at the wall.

"You owe me your life."

He was right. Years ago, he'd saved her and pulled her out of a dark place when no one else cared.

But did that mean she had to be his vessel, helping him find a woman to carry his child? Was that really necessary? Why wouldn't he choose me?

I have loved Nick my whole life but he never cared for me or my feelings... Now another woman? Out of the blue?

She sank to the floor, head in her hands.

"Why not me, Nick? What makes me so impossible?"

For a long time in years, Dr. Nessa wept bitterly....

Meanwhile.....

Background sounds..

"Beauty in chaos by Jared Zada"....

Across the other side of the hospital. A nurse handed Haven a brown envelope.

"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am. Are you the patient's relative?"...

"Yes, I am"...

"The finance and accounting department has brought in the bills for your mother. She needs an urgent surgery and to commence chemotherapy immediately. They instructed that it's very urgent. The total cost..it's about fifty million"...

"What?"... her eyes widened. "Fifty what?"...

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I hope she gets better soon"... she said before walking out.

Haven took it with trembling fingers, her mother's name boldly printed on the front in gold.

She walked slowly to the corridor away from everyone before she opened it. Her eyes scanned the bill.

"Urgent chemotherapy, surgery and recovery plan.

Total: $50,000,000".

Her knees buckled, she gripped the wall..

"Oh God!"..

Tears blurred her vision.

"Fifty million?"..

She slid slowly down the wall, gasping, shaking her head.

"No...no..no. This can't be. How am I supposed to get this kind of money? From where? From who?"..

She pressed the envelope to her chest, her sobs silent but sharp

Now, it's evident that the universe hated her.

She is losing her mother slowly and the worst part of everything is she had to watch helplessly because she couldn't afford to save her. She doesn't have anything, not even a single dollar to her name...

This isn't just a hospital bill.. this is a death sentence unless a miracle happened and fast..

That was when it hit her.. "Dr. Vanessa!!"...