The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire

"Let's not waste our time, Isabelle," Morris broke in. "This is not working, you know it. It is over between us. May I break it to you that my sweetheart here is carrying my child? The child you couldn't give me."

***

Isabelle was on her way back home to break the good news to her husband when she suddenly changed her mind asking the cab driver to take the next divert and stop at the second block, along the street.

Allison Riley was her best friend and had been very helpful to her and her husband since they started the hunt for a child. Due to their inability to afford the IVF, Allison had volunteered to help and the process was successfully carried out.

So, before going home, she taught it wise to stop by and thank you her dear friend first. On reaching the house, the entrance door was slightly opened. She hesitantly slid it open as she scanned the room left and right from the door. Seeing no one was worried. How can her friend's house be opened and no one inside?

"Allison!" she called. "Are you in?"

No one answered. She quickly climbed the stairs, hoping she could be sleeping in her bedroom. Along the stairs, male and female cloths were scattered. She guessed maybe her friend had a man in her bedroom and thought of waiting for her in the seating room.

She was already close to the door to bedroom when she turned back to leave. Then, a male familiar voice broke in. she halted, turned and quietly took few steps closer to the door, cupped her ears at the door.

"Don't worry, baby, my relationship with her ended a long time ago," the familiar voice assured with a romantic tone. "I'm just waiting for my lawyer to finish with the divorce papers, and that will be over between us."

"Are you sure," another familiar voice broke in. This time, a female voice she was trying to get her head around with to confirm if it was exactly who she knew.

"Yes, I'm certain, dear," the male voice said. "Imagine 5 years with Isabelle, yet she can't give me a child. I think I have waited for her enough."

For the past five years, Isabelle and her husband, Morris had being trying to have a baby of their own, but all effort dashed to nothing. Despite their predicament, Morris still showered her with love, always assuring her to be patient and that things will soon turn out as they had wished.

Isabelle couldn't wait any longer, seeing no reason to. She suggested that they go for IVF. Though Morris agreed to it, but finance became the constraint. Luckily, her friend, Allison agreed to assist them.

**

At the mention of her name, her heart raced like a wild horse, pounding against her chest as if about to escape its bony cage. Out of curiosity, she held the doorknob and without knocking, turned it and bounced inside to behold the greatest shock of her life.

Her husband, Morris Williams was in bed with her best friend, Allison lying beside her, both naked, and covered with blanket.

Isabelle was raised by her poor grandmother since her both parents died in ghastly car accident when she was 7. At 24, her grandmother was diagnosed of heart disease and died a month later. Allison and Morris had been the only family she had still living.

Betrayed by the sight of the two most important people in her life, she felt a hundred blunt edge daggers piercing her heart.

"Morris!" She screamed, feeling her heart in her mouth. "Why? Why do this to me?"

Morris ignored his wife as he threw his hand beside him to pick up his boxers tossed to the floor. With his boxers on, he moved towards Isabelle.

"Let's not waste our time, Isabelle," Morris broke in. "This is not working, you know it. It is over between us. May I break it to you that my sweetheart here is carrying my child? The child you couldn't give me." He said in finality, pointing at Allison who was still lying on the bed covered with only the blanket.

"What?! A child?" Isabelle screamed, her eyebrows furrowed, she turned to her friend to say something, but lost the words. She stared at instead in anguish.

"I'm sorry, Isabelle, you were not supposed to find out about us this way," Allison pleaded, with the looks that showed no sincerity.

Allison's words prickled Isabelle's heart beyond endurance as she moved fiercely towards her with the expression for attack. But she was quickly stopped by Morris who grabbed her both arms. Tears welled in Isabelle's eyes threatening to drop.

"Enough, woman!" He yelled. Allison was already fidgeting on the bed. She had never seen her friend in such fierce mood before. "Go home now. We will finish this when I get home."

Isabelle stared blankly at the two people who were supposed to be family to her. She shook her head in anguish, bit her lips and turned to face the door as swung off. The welling tears in her eyes started gushing down her cheeks.

**

Back home, Isabelle sat in one of the leather chairs in the seating room, brooding, her eyes already swollen up. She was buried in the thought of her husband's betrayal when the call from Dr. Kimberly threw her back to life.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Williams, there was a mixed up in the samples you were given." The doctor's voice was trembling. Isabelle could attest things were out of place.

"What?"

"Mrs. Williams, the sample you were injected with belongs to another man, and not your husband's."

"This is a very big mistake that has never happened before in our hospital and we're very sorry," Dr. Kim pleaded, enunciating each syllable with grim clarity.

Isabelle had arrived the hospital about an hour later she was called. Seating across Dr. Kim, she listened attentively, yet unable to make meaning from her explanations.

"I can see you're still confused. I'll explain further," Dr. Kim said. Isabelle adjusted to the edge of her seat. "The nurse in charge of the insemination mistakenly took the sperm for another client and mix with the sample eggs retrieved from your ovaries."

"What?!" Isabelle interjected, her voice quaking. The message was now clear. "You mean I'm carrying another man's child?"

A hushed silence filtered across the room. The ringing sounds of the telephone penetrated the hushed silence. "Right away!" Dr. Kim said with hastiness in her voice as quickly stood up. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Williams, there's been an emergency. I need leave right away. Could you wait for some minutes, please?" she swung out of the office without waiting for her respond.

For the past 40 minutes, Isabelle buried herself in thoughts, trying to reminisce all the doctor had said. Could it be that I'm carrying another man's child? Who could that be if that happens to be the case?

"I'm sorry again, Mrs. Williams for keeping you waiting so long," Dr. Kim said as she just returned from the ICU. "You're such a patient woman." She taught of telling Isabelle about the patient but as it was against the hospital's policy to discuss a patient with a non-family member, she waved off the thought. Isabelle too knew, so she didn't ask either.

"So, were you saying this child belongs to another man?" Isabelle asked with narrowed brow, cupping her belly with her hand. She was beginning to lose her patience.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, not just another man. The man is Mr. Carlos Fernandez..."

"The world number one real estate mogul," Isabelle cut in, completing the lines before Dr. Kim could go further. Dr. Kim stared at her with surprise.

"I see you already know him," Dr. Kim said, nodding her head.

"Well, it's a popular name, always intruding every façade of the media," Isabelle replied, giving a wink.

Isabelle was still worried as her face went pale. "What about my husband's sperms, what happened to it?"

Dr. Kim gave out a deep breath before answering; she sat up and cleared her throat. "Yes, I was going to talk about that too before you ask. The nurse mistakenly used your husband's sperms for another sample and discovered that the sperms were not viable enough to initiate fertilization."

"So, what does that mean?" Isabelle asked.

The doctor took few seconds before answering. "It means, the cause of your barrenness is from your husband. Nothing is wrong with you."

"What?" Isabelle almost screamed, her jaw lifted in utter shock. "But he.. Alison is..." pointing blankly towards the door, she immediately held her breath.

"Mrs. Williams, are you okay?" Dr. Kim asked. "Who's Allison?" Dr. Kim noticed from her expression, she didn't want to talk about it, so she waved it off.

"There is another problem, a bigger one at that," the doctor said, widening her brow as she spoke. "We're conflicted on what to tell Mr. Fernandez since the volunteered surrogate was injected with the wrong sample."

Isabelle began to battle with her own conflict too; the fact that her husband had been the cause of her inability to conceive all these years, the fact that he had to betray their love and ran after her friend who was now claiming to be pregnant for him, the fact that now, she was carrying the child of a stranger – a ruthless one at that.

These were issues her brain was subjected to process at the same time.

"We just wanted to let you know of the true father of the child, that was why we called you over," the doctor said, her voice stern and unyielding. "For the case of Mr. Fernandez, we fear we might lose our job."

"Why?" Isabelle cut in, her jaws lifted in surprise.

"Yes, this is a grave mistake on our path. Please, keep this conversation absolutely confidential," she said as Isabelle nodded. "He paid $400,000 for this. He is ruthless and could make sure we don't just lose our jobs, but that our asses rot in jail for not being able to deliver what he paid for."

Isabelle could now see the gravity of the whole mess.

And truly, Fernandez was cruel and ruthless. There had been news where cold-heartedly fired over 40 % of his workers for losing just one client. He once fired all his housemaids for skipping his pet's lunch, and many more to mention.

Before Isabelle was called back to the hospital, the doctor had instructed the nurse who made the mistake to let her handle the case.

Dr. Kim was about to speak when a knock at the door interrupted. The visitor did not wait to be invited in as he swung in, evidence of his nature. The doctor jacked on her feet, almost fidgeting upon the sight of the tall, intimidating figure. She signaled Isabelle to stand too.

Who dare to sit down while the great Fernandez was standing?

He wore a black tailored suit that perfectly accentuated his broad shoulders and commanding presence. His piercing eyes in a frame of chiseled jawline scanned the office with an unmistakable intensity.

"So, yo called," he said with a baritone voice. "What's the progress?"

"Ye...yes, Mr. Fernandez," Dr. Kim stammered, "About that, there's a complication we need to..."

"What complication, woman?" he thundered, losing his patience.

Isabelle was meticulously observing the whole drama and knew it wouldn't end well if didn't intervene. After all, what would she stand to lose when it was obvious she was carrying his child and back home, her husband had threatened to throw her out.

"Sorry, sir, no complications. I'm the surrogate and I'm carrying your child. My name is Isabelle Williams." She said with a smile, stretching her hand for a handshake.

The look on Mr. Fernandez's face was distraught yet satisfying; he was going to be a father after all. But he stared at Isabelle disdainfully as he turned and left the office informing the doctor that his assistant will contact her.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Dr. Kim asked her gaze on Isabelle with narrowed brow.

"This is a big mistake, Mrs. Williams."

"Well, I couldn't just stand and watch you and every other staff lose their jobs for something I know I can take care of," Isabelle replied with an assuring tone.

Dr. Kim was still boiling in worries knowing that the young lady didn't understand the grave consequences of her actions – what she was getting at. However, in her expression, she was grateful for her brave intervention.

"You really did save our jobs. Thank you, Mrs. Williams, but that was a big risk you willing to take," Dr. Kim said. "This contract comes with conditions that may not sit well with you. It's not like the surrogacy you have known of."

This caught Isabelle's attention hanging. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I don't understand, doctor," she said, looking bemused.

"You have to live with him all through your pregnancy period. He believes no one can take care of his child well outside his shelter. You must not develop any form of intimacy with the child, and when born, you'll have no access to it..." the doctor explained.

A hushed silence took over the environment as Isabelle sat motionless with furrowed eyebrows casted steadily on the doctor.

"Yes, this is the problem, and there are more," Dr. Kim added.

The mention of 'more' made Isabelle flutter. She could feel her heart beginning to pound against her chest as if trying to escape its bony cage. She thought about her marriage with Morris, the divorce waiting to be served after which she would be homeless, and the money involved, big enough to start a business for herself after all this was done.

"I will do it!" Isabelle said with no iota of uncertainty.

The doctor stared at her, wondering such courage. "How about your husband?"

"I will take care of him," Isabelle assured. "He won't be a problem at all."

"Alright then. One of the nurses will reach out to you by tomorrow for the contract and to put you through other things you need to know."

**

Isabelle got back home wondering if she was doing the right thing. The conditions highlighted by the doctor came taunting her. The thoughts of those words hung in the air, sharp and cutting.

It was quite a long day.

She removed her phone from her bag and googled the name Carlos Fernandez. She was thrilled by the classy pictures that filled her screen and the interesting news headlines about his achievements.

Feeling exhausted, Isabelle dragged herself to the kitchen. She opened the freezer, it was empty, just water in containers. She sighed and removed bottled water and poured it into a glass she removed from the shelf and drank.

She had been the one footing the bills in the house for the past few days. She understood the funding of the IVF must've drained her husband's account, so she didn't bother. She heard some voices from the seating room as she went to find out who they were. At the wall clock, it was 10 pm.

"As you can see, Alison is moving in with me, "he said authoritatively. "I want you out!"

"What?" You can't be serious, Morris," Isabelle barked. Her screams was trapped in her lungs, her voice stolen by sheer disbelief. Her tear gland was distorted, eyes welled with tears.

Isabelle's widened eyes moved from her husband to her friend who didn't bother stabbing her at the back. She lost words and her whole body numb. The welled tears began to stream down her cheeks.

What did she do to deserve such cruel humiliation? The betrayal from the only two people she took as family.

Isabelle wandered back to how sweet her marriage was with Morris. Though she couldn't conceive these years, husband never showed any form of dissatisfaction of her. He maintained the love and care. He met me when I was still with my grandmother, living a tattered two-bedroom apartment, yet, he never treated me like a tramp, but showered me with love till we got married.

Now, what suddenly changed him?

"Morris, you need to stop this. I'm your wife for crying out loud," Isabelle cried out, her voice trembling.

Alison struck her a disdainful look while Morris chuckled. "Wife you said? The wife that couldn't give a child, just one child," he said, pointing a finger. "For five years, Isabelle, five years. Am I not patient enough?" His blood was beginning to boil beneath his skin.

"But we've been trying....together, and the ivf have just..."

"Enough, woman!" Morris interjected before could complete the sentence. In a blink second, Isabelle was happy complete what she was about say knowing that the child wasn't his after all. "I have my lawyer send you the divorce papers for your signature before the end of tomorrow."

Morris angrily staggered upstairs to their bedroom, dragging her along and ordering her to pack whatever belonged to her to the guest room and leave first thing tomorrow morning.

That said, Morris returned to the seating room to meet his new found love, leaving Isabelle brooding in the bedroom.

Seeing how resolute Morris was and haven had enough, she quickly picked out her phone called the doctor.

"I will like to move in with Mr. Fernandez tonight," she said without flinching.

Dr. Kim was shocked. "At this time of the night? Are you sure you're okay, Mrs. Williams?"

"No, I'm not," Isabelle replied, her voice stern, yet resolute. "And if I don't leave here now, you may be coming for corpse the next day."

The finality in her words prickled the doctor. Truly if anything should happen to Isabelle at that point in time, she may be having her head in a platter. The almighty Fernandez had made sure of that.

"Oh, god!" Dr. Kim shouted. "Just stay where you are. My driver will come pick up in a few minutes."

Isabelle carried few things important to her and climb down to the seating room where Morris was seated with his new fiancée, both in each other's arms, releasing themselves from a deep kiss when Isabelle abruptly showed up carrying a bag outside the house.

"What do you think you're doing, woman? Do you know what time it is now?" Morris asked with furrowed brow.

"Yes, I know what time it is, Morris. It is about time to leave you for good. Isn't that want you want?" she thundered, dashing a cruel look at Alison.

"Here's our divorce papers," Isabelle threw the brown envelope at the center table. "Have it signed. I have done same."

Isabelle had earlier met with her lawyer to prepare the divorce papers haven realized her stand with Morris. It came as a shock to Morris. He was the one that first asked for the divorce, and Isabelle had always being the one pressing for his reconsideration.

What now inspired her change of mind?

Alison stood up and held Morris' hand. "Honey, let her go. We don't need her here after all."

Isabelle turned to Alison. "You'll regret this, Alison.

Alison gave a chuckle, blinking her eyes. "I will regret nothing! She returned.

"Yeah? Okay, let's wait and see when the truth finally gets out. Isabelle said, pointing at her belly. "Nothing is hidden under the heavens."

Morris was stunned, his gaze moved from Isabelle to Alison and then back to Isabelle, wondering what truth she was talking about.

Isabelle swung outside with her box to the car already waiting for her. Morris stared at her till she vanished.

"What truth is she talking about?"