Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

“You would not believe who I just encountered.” Elizabeth was giddy with excitement. She had always had a crush on Lucien Rodrigues and this was ever since he came for a family donation to her high school some years back. He had changed a lot, because she did not recognize him until he said his name. He had offered to drive her home seeing as her clothes were ruined but she politely declined and then he had asked for her number.

It was funny because seeing your crush after a long while and realizing you still have a huge crush on them tends to mess with the head. She had declined giving him her number and watched him drive away, slapping herself mentally.

“What happened to your clothes, did you get in an accident?” Mara asked concerned.

“It is nothing like that Mar, a driver splashed dirt of me.”

“Assholes, they do not look where they are going just because they drive cars.” Mara fumed.

“No, let’s make an exception to this one. You remember Lucien Rodrigues right? Younger brother to Jason, they came to our high school for a family donation and I was so hung over for days on how cute he looked?”

“Yes, I remember. You mooned all week and even planned a mental wedding with the damned guy.”

“Well, he did this and then he apologized and asked to drop me but I refused.”

“You refused!! Are you crazy? Sometimes I wonder if you are indeed my friend at all.”

“You haven’t even heard the worst of it yet, he asked for my number and I refused too.” Elizabeth wailed.

Mara looked at her like she had lost it

“You refused to give him your number? The one man you have had a crush on for ages, you even stalk his Instagram page, Liz. Why did you refuse?”

“I don’t know, I guess it is because I am going to be a surrogate for his brother, remember.”

“Shit, that’s messy. Well, it doesn’t have to be messy because it’s just a job, not like you are in love with his brother or anything.”

“So imagine a girl bears your brother a child, whether they had sex or not and then she wants to make a move on your other brother, would you allow that?”

“I see what you mean now.” Mara said nodding, her face scrunched up as she imagined the scene.

“Anyways, it is past and it is highly unlikely that I would see him again, you know. He stays in another city and maybe just came visiting.”

“Yeah Maybe” Mara replied absently still imagining the scene.

“Darren is still not back?” Elizabeth asked

“No, you should call your brother to order. He has to act his fucking age and be mature about this whole thing. You coddle him too much, now he is acting out just because he has to take care of his sick mother.”

“I am literally all that he has at this point, Mar. I don’t blame him for trying to be free and wanting his own life.” Elizabeth said as she walked into her mother’s room.

“Good afternoon ma” she said not exactly expecting a response.

“I know but he has always had his own life while you struggled to make money, now it is time for him to man up and help out while you did something meaningful. Did you tell him?” Mara asked following her.

“Tell him what?” Although Elizabeth knew exactly what Mara was talking about.

“Come on, you know what I am talking about.”

“I don’t know how to, I only told him I was going away for like a year. I mean; what am I supposed to say, that I have decided to be a surrogate to a billionaire because he promised to help our mother get all the treatment she needs and even us for the next five years after this.”

“Yess, that is exactly what you are supposed to tell him. He has to know how serious this is and that you are not just dropping off the grid for a whole year for the fun of it.”

“I will talk to him tonight, I only have two days to round up everything before I go.”

“You are kidding right? Two days, that soon?” Mara cried

“I told him exactly that and he says that all he can offer, he even just wanted me to stay and begin today but I refused.”

“Oh my God, this is actually happening. I won’t be seeing you for a whole year.”

Mara hugged her friend trying so hard not to cry, she had never not seen her for anything longer than two days and this was going to be new territory for her.

“I will keep a diary to tell you everything when you get back.”

“Mar! We are going to call and text each other, I just cannot see you, that’s all.” Elizabeth said laughing.

“Oh that’s better, we will talk everyday. Do not worry Liz and just do what you have to do, I would hold the fort here till you get back.”

“Thank you, what exactly would I be doing without you.”

“Nothing at all, bitch” Mara laughed and hugged her friend again.

…

“You came back” Jason said to the man sitting across from him, his brother Lucien.

“I did, it’s been a long time. I know about father’s proposal for you, the one were he wants you to father a child in a year. How is that working out?”

“You cannot begin to imagine. I found a girl, she is pretty and a virgin.”

“Oohhh… sounds interesting.” Lucien smiled.

This was the reason he had rejected everything about the company his father built, the stress that came with it was absolutely not worth it. His brother Jason fit the role of company director and soon to be heir perfectly while he was a free spirit.

“You should get out of the office once in a while, you look really stressed.”

“I am stressed and father adding a child issue to my schedule is pretty insane”

“Mother says to say hi to you and that you should make out time to visit one of these days.”

Jason groaned, he had promised his mother for a while that he was going to come over to see her.

“You would not believe me if I told you that a girl declined giving me her number.” Lucien said suddenly.

“You are kidding? Fresh faced, cute prince like you?”

“I was shocked too, she was rather pretty.” He muttered