My Mother Died For My Freedom

I sold three years of my life to a billionaire to save my mother. I was his pretend fiancée, a stand-in for his ex, counting down the days until the contract ended and we could finally be free.

But just as we were about to escape, his real girlfriend returned and publicly accused me of faking a pregnancy to trap him.

My fiancé, Drake, didn't hesitate. He called me a disgusting gold-digger and threatened to pull my mother's medical funding to force me into an abortion.

The shock of his cruelty sent my mother into cardiac arrest. She died right there in the hospital.

They demanded I abort a child that could never exist, a lie built to destroy me.

But they didn't know my secret. After my mother' s death, I finally told him the truth that shattered his world: I was born without a uterus. And with her last letter in my hand, I walked away from him forever.

Chapter 1

Aida POV:

Three years ago, I sold my life to save my mother's. I became a pretend fiancée to a tech billionaire, Drake McDonald, a stand-in for his ex-girlfriend. The contract was clear for $500,000-enough for my mother's kidney transplant. Now, the three years were almost over, and his real girlfriend, Caroline Conley, was back.

I was Aida Townsend, a freelance graphic designer. My mother, Elsa Greer, was my whole world. She fought chronic kidney failure, but always smiled. I worked multiple jobs to cover her medical bills. The transplant was our only hope. The contract with Drake was my only chance. It put me in a world of wealth and pretense. Drake was arrogant, used to getting his way. He saw me as a beautiful asset, nothing more. Caroline, his ex, was a socialite, manipulative and entitled. She saw me as a low-class usurper. My mother, kind and loving, worried about me. She secretly saved money I gave her, wanting me to escape the contract.

The contract finished in two weeks. I had started packing my meager belongings in my small apartment. I planned my escape carefully. I would leave the city. I would find a quiet place to restart my life with my mother.

My mother's pre-op check-up appointment was this afternoon. I walked into the hospital lobby. I clutched my bag. My mother smiled at me, frail but full of hope.

"Aida, you came."

Her voice was weak. I rushed to her side. I held her hand.

"Of course, Mom. I wouldn't miss it."

A sleek black car pulled up to the hospital entrance. Drake stepped out. Caroline followed. She wore a designer dress. Her eyes immediately found me. A smirk twisted on her face. My stomach tightened.

Caroline walked fast, directly towards me. She stopped inches away. Her eyes blazed. She raised her hand. Her voice cut through the quiet lobby.

"You little gold-digger!"

People stopped. Heads turned. My mother squeezed my hand. Her face paled. I stood frozen.

Caroline pointed a trembling finger at my stomach. Her voice rose, filled with false anguish.

"How dare you try to trap Drake with a baby? Is this your plan to secure your future?"

My mind reeled. What was she saying? This accusation made no sense. Drake stood behind her, his face grim. His eyes were cold.

Caroline spun to face Drake. Tears streamed down her face. She pleaded with him.

"Drake, darling, tell her. Tell her there' s nothing between you two! Tell her I' m the only one you love!"

Drake stepped forward. His gaze locked on me. He spoke with a voice devoid of warmth.

"Caroline is right. There is nothing between us. Our relationship is a business arrangement. Nothing more."

His words hit me. They did not surprise me. They still hurt. My mother gasped beside me. Caroline then let out a dramatic sob. She pressed a hand to her chest.

"Oh, Drake, she probably thinks she can trick you. She' s probably planning to fake a pregnancy to keep you!"

The whispers started in the lobby. People stared at me. Their eyes were full of judgment. My face burned. Shame washed over me. I stood there, trapped. I was a spectacle.

My mind raced. Pregnancy? How could I be pregnant? That was impossible. I looked at Caroline' s smug face. Her accusation was a cruel lie.

I shook my head. I spoke, my voice barely a whisper.

"Pregnant? That' s not possible."

My secret, a lifelong burden, pressed down on me. I was born without a uterus. I had MRKH syndrome. Pregnancy was impossible for me. I could never carry a child. This was a private pain I carried. It was now my tragic shield.

"I can' t be pregnant. I was born without a uterus."

My words hung in the air. Caroline' s expression flickered. Drake' s eyes narrowed. The crowd remained silent. I had just revealed my deepest secret. It came out in a moment of public humiliation. I stood exposed. I was vulnerable. I knew the accusation was a lie. I had offered the truth. I just wanted them to believe me.

Aida POV:

Drake' s face hardened. He wrapped an arm around Caroline. He pulled her close. He looked at me with disdain.

"Caroline, don' t listen to her. She means nothing to me. You are the only woman I want."

His words were a punch. They confirmed my disposable status. I felt myself shrink. Caroline leaned into him. She gave me a triumphant look.

"Aida, dear, you must be mistaken. Or perhaps you' re just in denial?"

Her voice was sweet. It masked pure venom. She tried to sound sympathetic. It was a thinly veiled insult.

"You' ve been with Drake for three years. It' s natural to develop feelings. But he never loved you. You were just...convenient."

I forced myself to stay calm. I took a deep breath.

"I am not pregnant. I know my own body."

I turned to leave. I had to protect my mother. The scene was too much for her. I started to walk away. Caroline moved fast. She stepped in front of me. She blocked my path.

"Not so fast, Aida. We' re not done here."

She extended her hand. She grabbed my purse strap. She yanked it hard. My old, worn leather purse flew open. Its contents spilled across the polished hospital floor. Papers, my wallet, a small tube of lip balm-they scattered everywhere.

My heart pounded. I saw the folded paper. It was tucked between my mother's lab results and my appointment reminder. The paper was still mostly hidden. I felt a surge of relief. It was my MRKH diagnosis. I could not let anyone see it. Not now.

Caroline bent down. She moved quickly. She picked up a single sheet of paper from the scattered mess. She held it up. Her eyes widened. A gasp escaped her lips. It was theatrical.

"Oh my goodness!"

She looked at the paper. Then she looked at me. Her face contorted into an expression of exaggerated shock. She held the paper high for everyone to see.

"Aida! What is this? A pregnancy test result?"

My blood ran cold. Pregnancy test? It was not mine. I felt a wave of nausea. This was a setup. I had never seen that paper before.

"That' s not mine! I don' t know what that is!"

Caroline began to cry. Her voice was shaky. She held the paper, clutching it like a sacred document.

"How can you deny it? It fell right out of your bag! And look here, the name is blurred, but the date... it fits."

She pointed to a smudged area on the paper. The name was indeed hard to read. The date, however, was clearly visible. It was from two months ago. She looked at Drake.

"She' s trying to hide it, Drake! She knew I was coming back. She tried to hide it from you!"

Caroline thrust the paper into Drake' s hand. He took it. His eyes scanned the document. The blurry name. The clear date. The words "Positive" and "Expected Due Date" stood out. The details looked authentic. The hospital' s logo was visible.

The crowd buzzed. Their glances turned to outright stares. This was public humiliation. This was a calculated attack. I stood there, utterly exposed.

I tried to speak. Words failed me. My voice was a choked whisper.

"It' s a lie! That' s not my report! I didn' t take any test!"

No one believed me. Their faces showed judgment. Drake' s face was stone. He looked from the paper to my face. His jaw was tight. His expression was full of disgust. I was trapped.

Aida POV:

Drake looked at the pregnancy test. His face was a mask of cold fury. He clenched his jaw.

"Aida, I tolerated your presence for three years. I paid for your mother' s treatment. Now you try this?"

His voice was a low growl. It was filled with such contempt. It stung worse than any physical blow.

"You disgust me."

I felt a surge of raw anger. My voice rose. I fought to be heard.

"I am not pregnant! That paper is fake!"

I fumbled in my purse. I needed my medical report. I had just had a full check-up. It would prove I was not pregnant. My fingers trembled.

"I have my actual medical reports right here! I came for my mother' s pre-op check-up."

I pulled out a stack of papers. They were for my mother. But mine were in there too. I found my recent full physical, complete with a gynecological exam.

Drake scoffed. He snatched the papers from my hand. He crumpled them without looking.

"More excuses? Aida, your mother' s check-up is just a convenient cover for your schemes."

He stepped closer. His shadow loomed over me. His presence was intimidating. His eyes bore into mine.

"How did you even manage it? Did you steal a sample? Did you get a doctor to help you with some twisted scheme to get pregnant?"

My chest tightened. A bitter taste filled my mouth. He thought I was that desperate. My anger mixed with a deep sadness.

"Steal a sample? Are you insane?"

The words flew out. I remembered something. He had asked me to do something.

"You asked me to take your sperm samples to the lab for fertility testing a few months ago. You wanted to check your own fertility. I was alone, but the nurse watched me hand them over. They sealed the containers. It was all procedural."

I looked at him, disbelief etched on my face.

"There was no opportunity for me to 'steal' anything! You can check the lab records, the surveillance footage. They log every sample, every person who handles it."

Caroline' s face, which had been smug, briefly faltered. Her eyes darted away. Then she recovered. She put her hand on Drake' s arm. Her voice was soft.

"Drake, darling, she' s just trying to confuse you. She probably bribed the lab technician. Maybe even the doctor for her own check-up."

Drake glared at me. His contempt deepened.

"You would stoop to anything, wouldn' t you? Just to climb up. To secure your place in my life."

My body shook with rage. My voice was strained.

"No! That' s not true! I never wanted to climb anywhere! Our agreement was a contract. For money. For my mother' s life. Nothing more!"

I needed him to understand. I needed him to see the truth.

"You asked me to act as your fiancée. I did. I never pretended to want your love. I never pretended to want to replace Caroline."

My voice cracked. My eyes burned.

"The contract ends in two weeks. Why would I fake a pregnancy now? Why would I try to tie you down when I' m about to be free of you?"

His face remained unmoved. He looked at me as if I were a stranger. A cold, calculating stranger.