Chapter 3 Phoenix

• PHOENIX
• "I told her she was quite strong for an old woman, but I managed to push past and make my escape," I recounted to Fiona, who laughed at my encounter.
• "Three weeks ago, huh?" she remarked, seeking clarification, and I nodded.
• "Damn, I missed you," she exclaimed, enveloping me in another hug.
• Okay, Fiona had been my friend since high school. She had the perfect life – rich parents, a good job, and a romantic boyfriend. Despite our differing backgrounds, she still chose to be my friend. That's what you call a true friend.
• "So, the $5k?" she inquired, smiling.
• "I used it to cover three months' rent, taxes, and prepay Beatrix's school fees," I explained.
• "That's wonderful," she said, though her smile seemed tinged with sadness.
• "What?" I nudged her, pressing for an answer.
• "Is it your boyfriend? If he's the one, tell me, and I'll deal with him," I joked, trying to lighten the mood, earning a giggle from her.
• "No, not Handy," she assured me, but her expression remained somber.
• She sighed, hesitating before speaking. "It's just... every time I see you like this, it pains me. I want you to have the good life you deserve."
• "It's just hard," I admitted, echoing her sentiment.
• "Let's walk," I suggested, standing up from my chair.
• "Okay," she agreed, and together we stepped outside, embracing the fresh air.
• "Feels better," I sighed, and Fiona smiled in agreement.
• "You know, sometimes I just wish my mom hadn't left us," I confided, feeling the weight of my emotions. "I thought she loved us a lot, the way she prioritized my education, the way she was always there for me and my sister. But when my dad suddenly went broke, she left us."
• "I guess she didn't love us enough, because if she did, she would have stuck it out with us, and maybe we'd be in a better place by now. I wouldn't have to resort to stealing just to survive," I added, trying to mask my sadness with a forced smile.
• "I don't know why your mom did that, and I don't think there should ever be a valid reason for abandoning your family. All I want to say is that I'll always be here for you," Fiona reassured me, pulling me into a hug.
• "Thank you, dummy," I replied, feeling a small sense of warmth amidst the pain, and we both chuckled. As we walked together towards the bus stop, I couldn't help but feel grateful for her presence.
• "What do you think if I take you to McDonald's?" I suggested, attempting to lighten the mood.
• "Hell yeah!" Fiona exclaimed happily, her enthusiasm contagious. We settled in to wait for the bus, engaging in light conversation until my gaze landed on a newspaper.
• You know what caught my eye the most? The multitude of zeros I saw on the paper. That's money.
• I hurried over to where it was posted and tore the paper from the wall. Returning to my seat, I eagerly began to read.
• "LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED SURROGATE MOTHER‼️‼️"
• Surrogate mother? Hell no. My eyes zeroed in on the money offered for the job.
• "$10 million dollars?????" I exclaimed in disbelief. Was this real?
• I showed Fiona, who looked as though she had already seen the ad before.
• "Seen this? That Rome guy lost his wife," she explained, leaving me puzzled. Who the heck is Rome?
• "Who is he?" I asked.
• "He's a billionaire, likes to keep his life private, so I don't really know much about him," she replied, which made sense. My attention returned to the paper.
• AGE: 25-30.
• MUST NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A JOB.
• DOESN'T DRINK OR SMOKE.
• DOESN'T DO DRUGS.
• TO FIND OUT MORE, SCAN THIS.....
• I spotted a QR code and quickly grabbed my phone to scan it.
• "Are you stupid? You want to apply?" Fiona questioned, her tone incredulous, but I couldn't help but laugh.
• "Yes, duhhh... I know I'm not going to be picked, Fiona, so what's so bad in having some fun?" I chuckled before scanning the QR code.
• Instantly, I was directed to a website, and my smile widened as I saw the amount again. Whoever this lucky person is, damn! Ten million dollars to carry a baby for nine months. It seemed worth it, especially considering the father is a billionaire who would do anything for his baby mama to stay in a good place.
• Oh, this looks so tempting.
• "MUST NOT BE MARRIED.
• MUST NOT HAVE ANY SEXUAL
• INTERCOURSE WHILE PREGNANT.
• MUST NOT GO TO ANY PARTY WHILE PREGNANT.
• THE FATHER MUST KNOW EVERYWHERE THAT YOU ARE GOING, TO AVOID ANYTHING HAPPENING TO YOU.
• LASTLY, YOU WOULD HAVE TO STAY WITH THE FATHER.
• THIS IS WHY THE FIRST RULE CAME IN, YOU MUST NOT BE MARRIED.
• AGREE OR DECLINE."
• I glanced at the two buttons and then looked at Fiona, who was staring right at me.
• "What?" I asked, smiling.
• "What if you're picked?" Fiona pressed, her expression curious.
• "Probably they were sleeping when they picked me," I joked, and we both laughed. My gaze shifted to the button, and I tapped it.
• AGREE.
• "Thank you for accepting the terms and conditions. Please upload a full photo of you below," the screen prompted.
• I uploaded the photo and provided my ID card as requested. They also inquired about the school I attended and my field of study. All this effort just to potentially be rejected in the end, but hey, the money was worth a shot.
• I clicked "submit" before letting out a laugh.
• "Imagine getting 10 million dollars," I remarked to Fiona, who smiled in agreement.
• "And getting to stay with the billionaire. Imagine the things I could get – houses and lots more," I added, already indulging in daydreams.
• "You might be chosen, though," she pointed out.
• "Even a monkey wouldn't choose me," I retorted, and she laughed.
• "Well... let's see how it goes," she said optimistically.
• "Oh, here's the bus!" she exclaimed as it came into sight.
• We enjoyed some food from McDonald's, and I also got a takeaway for my dad and sister. Today might not have been life-changing yet, but who knows what the future holds?
• ~~~
• "Beep Beep Beep," my phone alarm rang, causing me to groan in frustration. I almost went back to sleep before the realization hit me. What if Darcy had a job for me?
• I jolted up from my bed, grabbing my phone immediately. Opening it, the text wasn't from Darcy, but from an unknown number.
• I opened the text and read: "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE BEEN PICKED TO BE ONE OF THE TOP TEN SURROGATE MOTHERS. KINDLY ACCEPT OR DECLINE."
• "Ahhhhh!" I screamed out loud, startling Beatrix, who was sleeping beside me.
• "What happened?" she asked, yawning loudly.
• "I-I..." I stammered, feeling the weight of the news. How could I have been chosen among the top ten? I knew many people must have applied, so why me?
• "It's a surrogacy thing. They picked me among the top ten," I whispered, my voice barely audible at the end.
• "What? Are you stupid? Do you know what a surrogate mother is?" Beatrix asked, her concern evident.
• "Do you know what the pay is?" I asked her, and she shook her head negatively.
• "Ten million dollars," I exclaimed.
• "Lord Jesus," she exclaimed in response.
• "Imagine if I eventually get chosen. Our lives would never be the same. We'd be rich. I could pay for all your college fees, we could move to a better house, start a business, get Dad a car, and set up a business for him. We'd be rich," I fantasized about the possibilities.
• "That's a lot of money, but... carrying a child isn't easy, let alone giving birth," Beatrix cautioned, injecting a note of realism into my reverie.
• "It's a lot of money, though," I said, trying to maintain my excitement.
• "And I made it to the top ten," I added, a smile creeping onto my face.
• "So, what are you going to do now?" Beatrix asked.
• "Agree, obviously," I replied, tapping on the "agree" button without hesitation.
• "At least you tried," she said, offering her support.
• "Yeah, I did," I murmured, staring at my phone, contemplating the life-altering decision I had just made.
• ROME
• Rome sighed loudly before turning to his sister.
• "It's just one more," he said, scanning the women standing in front of him.
• "Yeah... I think she'll be here soon," Camilla replied, offering a reassuring smile. Rome nodded before excusing himself from the room.
• Two months had passed since Georgia left him, and he had never been the same. Despite his grief, he tried his best to stay active for the sake of their baby. However, finding a surrogate mother wasn't easy at all.
• They received up to a thousand requests, and it took them a month to narrow it down to the top ten candidates.
• Lost in thought, he didn't realize he had bumped into someone until he heard their exclamation.
• "What the fuck?" the person exclaimed. Rome turned to see a girl who appeared annoyed.
• "You're just staring at me. Can't you say sorry?" she demanded, her irritation evident. Rome felt his own irritation rise. Why was she being so confrontational?
• He attempted to walk away, but she called him back.
• "Are you a gentleman at all? You bumped into me; you're supposed to apologize," she continued, her annoyance growing.
• Rolling his eyes, Rome tried to leave again.
• "You're lucky I have somewhere important to be. Otherwise, I'd teach you a lesson, dickhead," she snapped, storming off while hurling curses in his direction.
• Rome scoffed and frowned, still perturbed by the encounter with the earlier woman. He hoped he wouldn't have to deal with her again.
• Meanwhile, Phoenix rushed into the room, apologizing for her lateness as she joined the other women already present.
• "I am so sorry that I am late," she apologized, but the other women didn't even offer a smile in response.
• "Welcome, so you all have been picked to be among the top ten surrogate mothers," one of the ladies in charge announced.
• "First, I will introduce myself," she continued, and everyone nodded attentively.
• "I am Camilla, the aunt to the baby that one of you is going to be carrying," she explained, earning another round of nods.
• "The task is somewhat easy. Your blood tests will be taken to assess your health, and to check for any substance use," Camilla elaborated. Phoenix silently thanked God that she didn't indulge in such habits. She smiled widely, grateful for this unexpected blessing.
• "And I will be introducing the baby daddy to you," Camilla added before excusing herself to fetch him.
• As they waited, Phoenix attempted to engage with the other women.
• "Hi," she greeted one of them with a smile, but the woman completely ignored her. Phoenix sighed, feeling the chill in the room. How rude of them.
• Her smile returned when Camilla reentered the room, but it quickly faded when she saw the man accompanying her. It was the same guy who had bumped into her earlier. OH LORD.
• "This is the father," Camilla introduced, and Phoenix gasped audibly, causing Rome to turn his gaze toward her. Their eyes met, both filled with shock.
• Oh, wow.
• Phoenix was certain now that she would never be the surrogate mother.
• To be continued...