The moment Derek disappeared down the hallway, the silence of the mansion settled around me like a heavy velvet curtain. Not oppressive — just… big. Too big. The kind of silence that made you hyper‑aware of your own breathing. And mine was laboured. But since all the medical tests I’d done for this surrogacy gig came back declaring me in excellent condition, I wasn’t worried about my momentary inability to breathe normally.
Instead, I stood in the doorway of my new room, staring at the bed like it might swallow me whole.
This was my life now. Temporarily. Allegedly.
But I had the strange, creeping feeling I’d be here for at least nine months more.
I dropped my shoulder bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the mattress. It dipped under my weight like a cloud giving way. I bounced onc
