Sophia’s POV
I stare at the document in shock, unable to believe what I am seeing. The luxurious mansion in such a high-end area of the city belongs to me? How is that possible? There must be a mistake somewhere.
I am about to stand up and call onto the nurse to question her about it when my phone suddenly rings again, alerting me of a text message. It is a notification from my bank. When I click on it, I nearly double over in shock.
A very huge sum of money has just been deposited into my account, and there is no sender’s name on it for me to determine who it came from. I look at the notification, my eyes scanning my available balance. The number of zeroes behind it makes me feel as though it isn’t mine.
It is then I notice the narration section. It reads a message from the sender informing me that the payment is for my surrogacy. I can’t help feeling flustered and surprised at all that is happening.
The agreement I have with Alexander is to be paid ten million dollars, and more than half of the money has been deposited for my father’s surgery, so how come I am getting so much afterward?
Not to mention the ownership of the mansion, it isn’t part of the agreement.
I lay the paper on the bed, my hand still shaking from the shock. My head is reeling, and probably because I have just gotten a huge amount of stress, it feels really chaotic.
It feels as though all that I have known my life to be six months ago has turned around. I suddenly go from the person I was to a person who will carry a stranger’s child. Then, I begin to get too close to that stranger, and they begin to grow on me. Then, I give birth to his children only to have him disappear on me after birth.
I can’t handle all that is happening to me at once.
I need to know Alexander’s intention for giving me all this and even though it is part of the agreement to not see each other after the surrogacy, I want to ask him why he can’t wait to leave.
I have so many questions…
Remembering what the nurse said, I reach for the bell beside my bed and ring it. Soon, she rushes into the room and strides to my bed.
“Miss, you called for me. Did something happen? ” she asks, looking obviously worried.
I pick up the document and look at her. “Who gave you this?”
She looks at the opened document before hesitating, obviously unwilling to divulge the person’s identity.
I sigh. “I won’t make things difficult for you. How about you, let me guess, and you nod if I’m right?”
She nods gently at this.
“Was this given to you by the man who brought me in here?” I ask.
She immediately nods at this.
“What did he say about it? Why did he give it to me?” I ask, but she doesn’t reply.
She looks lost for a moment before she replies, “I don’t know about that.”
I can tell she really has no idea, so I sigh. But at least I am grateful she is able to confirm it is really from Alexander.
“OK, thank you.”
She nods and turns to leave but seems to recall something, so she turns back to look at me. “Miss, your hospital bills have been paid for a month, so you’re free to rest for the whole month to regain your strength.”
“For a whole month?” He must have been really prepared to ditch me.
She smiles and turns to leave.
After she is gone, I look at the documents in my hand in apprehension, unable to believe what is
Happening to me. Firstly, how can I deserve such an expensive and high-end property? It isn’t part of the plan, and it makes me uncomfortable to accept it.
Secondly, I am aware Alexander lives a regal lifestyle considering how his home is and the car he drives. But the estate has always been known for being a company estate, and most companies give apartments there to their employees. So how can he afford to buy such an expensive mansion?
It makes me feel antsy, and I can’t sit still. I only want what is in the agreement and what I deserve. I can’t accept the situation at all.
Just then, I remembered I had Alexander’s contact saved on my phone. I pull out my phone and dial the number. Before it can ring, however, the female mechanical voice rings out, telling me the number does not exist.
I dial a few more times to no avail, and it is only then I realize the situation. Alexander is really gone.
I turn in my sleep, feeling uncomfortable due to the bundles of clothes I am wearing to avoid catching a cold. Just then, I suddenly jerk awake from the dream I am having, and I sit up. I look around me, slowly coming to my senses and realizing I am in my room.
I sigh, feeling frustrated and relieved at the same time. For the past one month, I keep dreaming about Alexander from time to time, and strangely enough, it feels as though we have built so many memories together that I keep recollecting. It feels odd and strange. At times, it feels as though he has not appeared in my life, and I have never known anyone by that name. But the ownership document and deposit sitting in my bank and the constant dreams about him tell him otherwise.
At first, I can’t get used to his disappearance. Even my roommates, who have not been close to him, notice his disappearance, albeit they are relieved he can’t be seen.
But occasionally, I feel as though he isn’t gone. On countless occasions while I am at the hostel, I feel as though I am being watched by someone, but no matter how much I look, I find no one. Since the past two weeks, when I move back to my family home for a long break this semester, however, I haven’t felt that way, so I conclude I must have just been hallucinating.
I stretch and climb out of bed to get some water from the fridge in the kitchen. There is only one chilled bottle in the fridge, and I take a few mouthfuls in a rush, hoping to relieve my thirst and reduce the heat. However, before I can turn back and return the bottle, I suddenly notice a figure seated on one of the dining chairs.
“Ah..!” I exclaimed in fright, sighting the figure seated in the darkness and the bottle falling on the floor.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” The unknown figure jumps due to my scream too, and it is only then I realize it is my mom sitting there.
I heave a sigh of relief and quickly walk to her, taking a seat. “Why are you sitting in the darkness like that?”
She sighs and stands up to turn on the light before returning to her seat. I can see a picture on the table, and I look at it, only to see it is me and my mom in the picture. It was taken when I was five years old.
Mom sighs and says, “I was just thinking.”
“What happened?”
She smiles. “I just think you’ve grown so much and so quickly. I can’t get used to it at all. It all feels like yesterday when I just had you, and your dad was so hyperactive and always running around to
Make sure all is well with the family.” As she says this, she looks toward the closed door of my dad’s room and adds, “But now, he seems pretty exhausted and not as active anymore. It seems time has taken a toll on him.”
I smile at this, knowing how sentimental my mom is.
“You don’t have to worry. Dad has done his best for the family. It’s my turn now,” I say to her, touching my chest, and she smiles.
“I’m grateful you’re such a thoughtful child,” she responds as she reaches out to hold my hand. She looks into my eyes and adds, “I’m concerned about you though, Sophia.”
“Why?”
“Something about you feels different,” she continues. “It feels as though you’ve changed in the past few months.”
I am taken aback by her words as I know she is right. It is impossible for me not to have changed with all that I have gone through with Alexander.
But I didn’t think she would notice so much.
I smile at her. “Of course, I’ve gotten even more mature.”
She smiles back, shaking her head. “Okay, I’ve heard you. I’m going back to bed. You should go and rest too.”
“Okay, Mom.”
I watch as she stands up and climbs the stairs thoughtfully. Soon she disappears from my sight and I sit down quietly, pursing her words. About ten minutes later, I also get up and return to bed.