MAFIA'S SURROGATE MISTRESS

Louisa Delaney unbelievably glared at the content of the paper in her hands. Her stomach sank in despair. What had she just read?

She batted her lashes up to catch the unbothered look of her husband and then her eyes roamed over to her mother-in-law who threw her face away almost immediately their eyes met.

Her mother-in-law knew what she was doing. They all knew.

"Colin, what is this?" she asked, returning her gaze to the man she called her husband, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out.

Colin rolled his eyes in displeasure. "Stop being so dramatic Louisa, I'm sure you haven't forgotten how to read" He spat.

"This is surrogacy for crying out loud!" Her hands balled into fists, rumpling the paper in the process.

"I'm your wife! How can you boldly ask me to carry a child for some stranger?"

"We need to pay bills, Louisa! You know I lost my job and this is our only way out from this shack we live in!" He bellowed, the veins in his neck popping out.

Louisa's shoulder slumped in dismay as she watched the man she loved raise his voice at her like she was filth.

They'd been married for two years and within that period, she had done everything she could to please him. It was like she lived her life for him.

Everything she ever did was for him! Now that he lost his job, instead of going out there to find something to do, he chose to turn her into the breadwinner.

She bit her lower lips dejectedly. Where was the man who claimed to love her? Because all she saw in him was a selfish and greedy fellow.

"Colin, we don't have to do this– - we can find other ways to foot our bills, I'll work shifts if I have to." Her voice softened in a desperate bid to persuade.

"You'll work shifts?" He let out a scoff mockingly.

"What will the peanut you earn from that do for us?! It won't even cover our feeding expenses-" "Then why don't you also support me? Look for a job! Ever since you lost your previous job, I've been the one footing every bill of this family!"

She suddenly lost it as she blurted out her mind. He saw red and in seconds he grabbed her left arm violently and surged her forward, his eyes burning with rage.

"I don't hit women, don't push me!" He warned, his voice deadly.

Her body went limp, the fear she had tried to mask earlier, resurfacing.

Louisa couldn't wrap her head around why he was so quick to give her away to be some stranger's baby factory machine when he had refused countlessly to have her carry a child of his own.

"I'm not ready to father children now, those little creatures are a pain in the neck" He always told her each time they made love, and immediately her body would feel dead against his touch.

It felt like she was being tortured so she decided to give the topic a rest until he was fully ready.

Now she wasn't expecting this.

"You'll go over to the De Luca Estate and accept the contract." Another word from him brought her back from her thoughts.

"Wait, what?!" Louisa was taken aback.

It was all clear now as to why Colin was on her neck about signing the contract. The money the De Luca were offering must be huge.

Those people were not some ordinary family. They were the wealthiest in the country and she had heard all kinds of illegal things about them.

"Do you even love me? The De Luca aren't just anybody, I can't take such risk–"

"Love won't pay our bills, darling wife! Quit this nonsense and do as I say!" He instantly shut her up.

"If you want to save this marriage, you won't think twice!" With that, he stormed into their bedroom and Louisa slumped onto a nearby couch, tears streaming down her face.

Her mother-in-law, Hattie who hadn't said a word at all, slowly walked past her, a mischievous smile on her lips. Her silence spoke louder than anything else.

She had surely put her son up to this. She was evil!

By the next day, Louisa was standing outside the gynecologist's office. Sweats broke out everywhere on her body as she clutched her bag strap tightly and held on to the test report she had requested from her doctor.

This was the De Luca family hospital she was in and everything there screamed luxury. It wasn't the kind that even an average family could afford.

"Miss, please come in"

The voice startled her. It was a nurse in scrub who threw her a warm smile.

"Thank you– -" Louisa muttered, following the nurse into the spacious office.

Closing the door behind her, she slowly swirled around and met the smiling face of the gynecologist. Her gaze shifted.

There was a man, he was on a swivel chair, backing her and twirling the chair slightly.

One look at his broad shoulders and she noticed how his muscles tensed. He had one hand on the armrest and a finger tapping away idly.

He raised his left wrist slightly, stared at his wristwatch, and then muttered heavily under his breath.

Louisa threw her eyes away from him, her chest now bubbling with unease.

"Finally, Mrs.Carter you are here" The Doctors announced gleefully. "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting, there was a bit of a delay– -" Louisa trailed off, her face holding an apologetic look as she gripped the sides of her dress.

"You are late." The man's voice, rough and sharp, suddenly cut through the air, giving her chills. He didn't care to spare her a glance, not yet.

"Pardon her Mr. De Luca, at least she's here now" The woman spoke before Louisa could find her voice, her tone sounded like a plea.

There was no response.

"Have your seat please." The woman gestured at the chair just a few distance away from the brooding man and Louisa with a grateful look, lowered herself into the chair. All the while, careful not to draw the man's attention.

She slowly handed over the test report to the Doctor and immediately withdrew her outstretched hands back to her lap.

"Meet the surrogate, Mr. De Luca, I think she's the right fit for this arrangement, her health report looks good." the woman implored after scanning through the test paper, her keen gaze now on the man who had finally stopped tapping his fingers.

He slowly turned to look at her. Louisa's breath caught in her throat. Dark eyes. Chiseled jaws. The way he gazed at her coldly, something else flickered in his eyes. Her pulse raced.

"Oh, my bad! I forgot to introduce you two" the Doctor added, interrupting the heated silence.

"Mrs. Louisa Delaney Carter, this is Mr. Alessandro De Luca," she said to Louisa who managed a small nod.

"That won't be necessary. I don't have all day" he said, eyes never leaving Louisa.

She didn't dare look away. She couldn't.

His facial features were devilishly appealing, it drew her in immensely.

"Get your acts together" she mentally chided herself and threw her eyes away from him. Heart racing.

"I want the perfect surrogate for my child and she– –" he sized her up, enjoying the way she shifted uncomfortably in the chair, now avoiding eye contact with him.

"She's perfect, I like her." He declared, lifting his weight from the seat.

He liked her? Louisa thought. There was something cold and sweet about the way he said it.

Her cheeks heated up uncontrollably.

"Great!" The Doctor sighed in relief.

The door to the office opened. A man stood there, holding out the door. It seemed as if they communicated through some eye signal as Alessandro walked out with calculated steps.

Outside the hospital, she could finally have a breath of fresh air. A smile tugged at her lips that the meeting had gone well and she hadn't messed it up.

She was beginning to think maybe Alessandro wasn't as bad as she'd heard-

Immediately her wrist was grabbed by a cold hand and she felt her body collide into the embrace of something stiff.

A car zoomed off, its driver yelling curse words. She hadn't realized she was standing in the streets. "Are you always this careless?" Louisa suddenly heard and looking up she met that gloomy gaze.

Alessandro.

He had a heavy frown on his face as their eyes held.

She swallowed anxiously and his eyes followed the way her neckline sucked in.

His touch sent an electrifying feeling through her. Her skin suddenly felt hot against the cool evening breeze. He had his large palms wrapped just around her midriff.

They were close. Too close. It was compromising.

"I asked a question, dolcezza." Her body stiffened as the words rolled off his tongue. Dolcezza? It sounded so personal coming from him.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," she whispered and with the way her heart thumped, she feared he could hear it. For some reason, she loved the warmth she felt in his arms-

"Louisa!"

An agitated voice bellowed her name. Cold shivers ran down her spine as she pulled away from Alessandro's hold. Her chest heaving heavily.

"Colin?"

"What the hell was that?!"

Colin's voice boomed as soon as they were in the four walls of their bedroom.

Louisa hadn't responded at first, she moved hastily over to a pile of clothes by her wardrobe and began folding them idly. Her heart pounded so hard against her chest.

"I'm talking to you, Louisa!" He surged towards her and spun her around to look at him within seconds.

Louisa winced at the way he tightly held her arm, his eyes shooting fire.

"That was Alessandro De Luca" she croaked as her chest tightened "I'm going to be a surrogate for him, remember? The date for the insemination has been set, once it's done and successful, the contract comes next"

She explained, turning her face away from his ugly glare.

Wasn't he supposed to be grateful she pulled him away before he could get gang-beaten by those hefty men?

When He showed up at the hospital and shoved Alessandro by the shoulder in a daring way for touching her, It wasn't long until Alessandro's men showed up. They almost created an ugly scene if she hadn't intervened.

"Cut that bullshit! I saw the way he held you like you were his fucking lover!" He violently shook her.

"Oh, now it's bullshit right?" her jaws clenched "You'll have to make a choice Colin, it's either you want this surrogacy or you don't and I'm so ready to back out, just say the word"

"What? How dare you?!–" His face contorted into fury.

"Stop making my life more miserable than it already is, I'm doing this for us okay? For you! For the fucking money! The least you can do is not mount any sort of pressure whatsoever on me!"

She watched as he kissed his teeth in rage and when he lifted his hands mid-air, she thought he would hit her but instead, he drove the hand into his hair in feigned frustration.

"Babe– - I'm so sorry, how should I have reacted seeing you in the arms of another man, I'm your husband!" He stated, breathing heavily.

Louisa scoffed bitterly. This was the stunt he always pulled to cajole her into something for his gain.

"If you are my husband, then act as one– - it's like I don't know who you are anymore!"

Forcefully pulling her arm from his hold, she walked out only to run into his sister, Maria, by the door.

She had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"My brother is trying his best Louisa," she sneered. "why not try being a submissive wife?"

"I hope you marry a man just like him, that's all I can say to you" Louisa spat and the slap that followed suit wasn't expected.

It was so stinging and humiliating. Her face reddened instantly. It was her mother-in-law.

"Shut your hole you whore! Colin is your husband and you should listen to every one of his instructions, I let him marry a filth like you. Be grateful!" Hattie's shrill voice scolded.

"What?" Louisa couldn't believe her ears. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"You'd stop whining like a child and go ahead with the surrogacy! It's the least you can do for my son!"

"The least you say? Carrying a child is risky, I've never done this before– -"

"There's no risk! The De Luca will see to your every need, stop being selfish."

Colin leaned by the bedroom door watching his mother rain insults on his wife, an unbothered look plastered on his face.

Louisa looked towards his direction, hoping he'd say something to defend her from his evil mother but he remained mute and walked lazily to where she stood.

"Mom is right, my love, please don't take her harsh words to heart and just do this– -for me!" He cooed and without warning, pressed a kiss on her lips.

Louisa was in a daze as they all left her standing there, Maria's shoulder nudging hers mockingly.

The next few days spurn into weeks and with each passing day, her heart sank into sadness. The coldness of the place she called home felt quite unbearable and when her sister suddenly called, the conversation ended sourly.

"Leave that jerk, Louisa, dad wants you to get a divorce and come home!"

Lilian's voice carried agitation as she spoke.

"I already signed my consent letter with the hospital, I can't back out now" she replied dryly, the conversation bored her but the thought of her father weighed heavily on her mind.

Her father surely hated her now. He hadn't been in support of her union with Colin but she had gone ahead to defile his words and even shut him out from attending their wedding.

"Of course you can! You don't have to show up on the day of the insemination."

"Lilian, please! I can't just walk away from my marriage, I'm trying to salvage what's left of it, he hasn't given me strong reasons to file for a divorce, marriage has a crisis at some point, you know!"

She defended.

"You know what, Louisa? You are so unbelievable! I'm trying to help you out here. The best you can do for yourself is take my advice" Lilian's voice was sharp at the other end but Louisa wasn't having any of it.

"I don't have anything to say to you anymore, tell dad I'm sorry" she disconnected the call, throwing her phone onto the bed quickly, and then slowly she broke down in tears.

Her body shook as she tried to muffle her crying sounds. She was in distress and Colin, who could have been there to comfort her, was out and about at 11pm.

She had never experienced so much pain as she did now. It seemed as though she was fighting a losing game.

A week passed again and the day of the insemination arrived.

The VIP ward room was silent. Too silent. Louisa lay in bed with her hands on her stomach. Her heart felt hollow and her eyes clouded with uncertainty.

The insemination was done.

Soon, she'd be carrying a child for a man she barely knew.

"Shouldn't your husband be here with you? I mean, since he's in support of this arrangement" The gynecologist said, peeking through the door with a bright smile.

"something came up" she lied, a stiff smile etched across her face. The lie tasted like something bitter on her tongue as they rolled out of her lips. She remembered pleading with Colin that morning to accompany her.

"I'm nervous Colin, if you are by my side, I will feel some relief at least– -"

"For. Fuck.Sake. Louisa! I'm busy today, you aren't going to war! You will be fine" He had shut her down immediately like her feelings didn't matter to him.

"Ouu, it would have been best if he was here but you did just fine"

"Rest well, Mrs. Carter" The gynecologist closed the door gently, and again the room went dead silent.

Louisa blinked away the tears that stung her eyes. She felt so lonely being there all by herself.

"You got flowers!" A nurse announced, walking in and interrupting the drop-dead silence once again.

They were all so nice to her. It calmed her tensed body a bit.

"From Colin?" she asked, beaming eagerly. Maybe he felt bad for not being there with her.

The nurse only smiled without saying a word as she handed the bouquet to her.

"He remembered I love roses" Her face lit up. "They smell so good" she sniffed.

"Where did he get the money to buy this? It looks so expensive and– -"

The rest of her words died on her tongue on seeing a name tag. Her heart skipped a hundred times over and whatever feelings that were now warming up inside her, she deeply felt it. It was unraveling.

Alessandro had sent her flowers. Not Colin. Of course, he wouldn't have done such, she could only dream. "Rest up, dolcezza. We'll be meeting again soon" the ribbon on the flower read.

She was immediately left breathless. Her face flushed red as she stared at the written words.

She felt her stomach flip unexpectedly at the thought of their previous brief encounter and her heart? It was slightly aching. Not from pain, it ached pleasantly, like her heartstrings were being tugged at.

Why had he sent her flowers? She thought. Was it out of kindness? He had only met her once and he didn't seem like the type who'd be this considerate of others.

"Congratulations Mrs. Carter, you are pregnant"

Louisa almost choked on her saliva the moment those words filtered into her ears.

"I– – I am?" She found herself stuttering with a voice barely audible.

"Of course! This is great news for Mr.Alessandro"

her heart skipped on hearing his name "I've sent words out to him. You are four weeks into" the Doctor's cheerful voice came from the other end of the line.

Her heart rammed into her ribcage as the words registered in her brain. Was she supposed to be happy? How was she meant to react to this news? This was all new to her and the weight of it pulled her to slump into the bed.

"We'll get back to you on when to schedule your first appointment."

The line disconnected.

Louisa subconsciously touched her stomach. Still flat but now carrying a life in it. She was neither happy nor sad. Just, uncertainty and anxiety.

Pulling herself up from the couch she walked over to where the roses sat by the window in a vase. Her fingers glided over it, feeling the soft petals against her skin.

A smile slowly formed on her lips.

She hadn't noticed this yet. For some reason, the mere sight of the flowers gave her heart the warmth it needed in that cold place that didn't feel like home.

"Who's that from?" Colin had simply asked a few weeks ago when she had brought it home with eyes full of suspicions.

"It's from the hospital." she had simply lied, not regretting it even for a second. He hadn't probed further and she was glad.

Louisa's eyes caught her reflection in the glass window and her hand slowly flew to her lips where the smile that was on it just a second ago had disappeared.

No, she wasn't thinking about this man and she wasn't just smiling because of him! It was the effect of the flowers, yes it had to be the flowers, not the sender.

She nodded her head in agreement as she hastily moved away and back to the bed while trying to fight off the conflicting emotions that were beginning to swell up in her chest.

The door immediately creaked open, startling her. Colin strolled in looking disheveled and reeking of alcohol. He paused on his track on seeing her there, watching him with scrutinizing eyes.

As they both stared at each other, a feeling of unease washed over her. Perhaps she should spill the news now, she didn't need to hide it a minute too long from him, this was all his idea anyway.

"Colin, I-"

Before the next words were out of her lips, he surged forward to where she was, grabbed her face into his palms, and crashed his lips on hers, his alcohol-reeking breath infiltrating into her nostrils.

Her stomach twisted into dread as a sickening feeling washed over her.

He kissed her forcefully and it took all the strength she could muster to pull his hands away from her face.

"What was that for?!" she queried with a horrid look plastered on her face as they both breathed heavily.

"I'm beginning to have doubts about the surrogacy–"

What? Her breath hitched as he said that.

"I can't lose you, Louisa, it seems that's what's happening already, seeing that he now sends you flowers" He gestured at the rose through clenched teeth.

Her heart sank. He knew all along! She scoffed inwardly and fell into the bed.

"Let's back out of this, we'll think of something else-"

"Are you being serious right now? I'm pregnant! It's been confirmed today!" she blurted.

"Let's abort it, Louisa! I'll find someone else you can be a surrogate for but not Alessandro, that man is dangerous and a devil!"

WHACK!

She was out of the bed as her hands flew fast across his face. She slapped him. With all the anger now riled up in her. Her eyes almost popped out of its socket while glaring at him in disbelief.

"Maybe you are the dangerous one here! You are the devil himself!"

She smacked his chest. Her blood boiling.

"You brought up this whole thing, I tried to talk you out of it and you never listened! Why are you suddenly backing out?!" she cried out.

"I'm not a pushover Colin! How can you say I abort this baby and go for another? Do you think I have a spare life somewhere? You don't even have a heart!"

"I'm sorry baby–" He held her elbows in a fit to coax her.

"Don't! I don't want to hear any of it! We are already deep into this, there's no backing out now" she spat into his face and stormed out of the house.

The night slowly drifted into the morning.

Louisa, still in bed, felt rays of light hit her eyelids which blinked in response. She moaned into the sheets and turned away from the light while murmuring inaudibly under her breath.

A few minutes passed and her eyes finally fluttered open. The first thing she sighted was the silver lamp on the table by the bed. That didn't look familiar, where had it come from? She thought, jolting up from the bed.

She looked around and her body froze for a few seconds. Her eyes quickly fell on her body, she wasn't in her clothes. She was in a silk night dress. Fear began to creep into her heart. Where was this place?

Her gaze fell on the queen-size bed she laid on and then silky and soft sheets covering her waist down to her legs. The floor-to-ceiling window that radiated sunlight into the room, the huge frame resting on the wall just opposite the room, the small but elegant chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the vanity table-

This wasn't the mini bedroom she shared with Colin, how had she gotten here? What happened last night? She held her head in a bid to remember.

She was out in the park–

The double door pushed open, interrupting her thoughts. An elderly-looking woman in a white and black uniform walked in. Rigid face, no smiles.

"You are awake!" The housekeeper exclaimed with a heavy Italian accent. "Who are you?"

"I'm Teresa, the head maid" The woman introduced.

"Signore wants you in his study as soon as you are dressed up," she added.

"Who?"

"Signore Alessandro."

Louisa's heart stopped beating at that moment. She was at the De Luca Estate? Her palms suddenly turned sweaty.

An hour later, as she was led through the stairways of the magnificent mansion, she gazed at the opulence of the interior. She felt out of place and inferior walking across the marble carpets on the floor. The whole place was a sight for eye sore. The mansion was functional.

As they walked through the hallway, the maids went about their duties without sparing her even a curious glance.

Approaching the study, Teresa ushered her in and slipped away before she could ask questions.

Louisa stood there, unable to move. Hands trembling slightly. She could hear her heartbeat thump loudly.

The study was magnificent! Dark even. There were barely any lights. How was he able to see in here?

"Why do you just stand there, dolcezza? I've been waiting for you."

His voice! Gruff and deep, cut through the silence and the lights flickered on, adding a golden glow to the cold atmosphere.

Their eyes met and they held. The tension in the air thickened.

He sipped the last drop of the whiskey in hand and dropped the glass down, eliciting a soft clink.

Then he began approaching her with slow and calculative steps. His eyes, not leaving hers.

She remained glued to her feet, watching his every step draw closer to her.

Alessandro closed the gap between them.

His musk cologne filled her nostrils and with the proximity between them, she could feel his body heat. Cold shivers instantly ran through her. Her eyes caught the tattoo on his chest which was a bit exposed from his unbuttoned shirt. Her gaze stayed on it too long and when he caught her staring she threw her eyes away, her nerves now a mess.

Alessandro's muscles tensed. Not in anger. In restraint.

She was finally here-in his home. Merely standing so close to her intoxicated him, he was barely controlling himself.

He didn't know what to name this yet, but whatever it was, he detested it and didn't fancy it. It was all an aftermath of their little brief encounter.

"You are trembling, do I scare you?" He asked, voice now dipped low and hoarse.

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears, his eyes flickering to her lips, lingering a second too long.

She opened her mouth to speak when a slight knock on the door cut through the tension. A man in a black suit came into view with a briefcase.

Alessandro creased his forehead in irritation at the disruption and then he moved away from her.

Breathe Louisa! Breathe!

She chanted in her head thinking it was over until he gently took her wrist in his palm and led her to the leather couch by the desk.

His touch lingered on her skin and she hated the tingling feeling it gave her.

She didn't say a word. She couldn't, she was speechless.

Was this kindness? She was expecting him to be so cold to her.

"You were found in the cold yesterday, I wouldn't want any harm to come to my child and of course, you, its mother." He started, signaling to the man who placed the briefcase on the desk and fished out a drafted contract.

"I just took a stroll–" she muttered. Lies.

"A stroll in the cold?" He raised a questioning brow at her.

She didn't respond, instead, she bent her head to avoid his scrutinizing gaze. His jaws tightened when she did that.

"Let's get this done with, once we finalize the contract, your husband gets paid handsomely. I'm sure he's been looking forward to this day" He smirked.

Her head snapped up.

"You won't be going back Dolcezza, you'll be here, safe with me." His tone was sharp and final, like even if she objected he had made his decision.

Louisa took the papers from the man standing a few walks away from her.

He handed her a fountain pen.

She read through the clauses, her forehead now gathering sweat.

There was no going back now, she was with his child already-

Without another second thought, she drew her signature on the paper.