Chapter 2
854 Words
The next morning.
Mrs. Smith called.
She didn't waste a second. "Is it true about the wedding dress?"
I was queuing outside the lab building to pick up some research materials.
"It's true."
She took a deep breath.
"Nancy, the invitations have already been sent out, and the Grand Plaza Hotel is booked. You know what the Smith family's reputation means."
I slid the materials into my folder.
"Your son wants to get another woman pregnant before the wedding, then make me pretend I'm the one who's infertile. So this is how the Smith family keeps up appearances?"
There were a few seconds of silence on the other end.
Mrs. Smith's voice turned ice-cold.
"Shirley saved Felix's life. The Smith family owes her. If you marry into this family, you inherit that debt too."
I said, "I'm getting married to build a life, not to clear the Smiths' tab."
Mrs. Smith let out a dry laugh.
"Let me ask you something, Nancy, since your parents died, who has been footing the bill all these years? Your grad school funding, your lab resources, the roof over your head—none of it would have been possible without Felix. You need to know your place."
I hung up.
Ten in the morning.
My advisor called me into his office.
A notice lay on his desk. My joint laboratory recommendation had been withdrawn.
My advisor looked at me.
"Nancy, the school received a note from Smith Corporation. They think with the wedding coming up, it's not the right time for you to be doing a long-term overseas placement."
I was gripping that piece of paper tightly.
"Professor, this is my project, not part of Smith Corporation's wedding agenda."
My advisor sighed.
The door was pushed open. Felix walked in, followed by the department head.
The department head gave an oily smile.
"Nancy, Mr. Felix Smith is just looking out for you. It's great for a woman to be driven in her career, but marriage takes work too."
Felix placed an agreement down in front of me.
"Nancy, sign it."
I opened it.
After marriage, I would join Smith Pharmaceuticals R&D Center. Salary, stock options, a whole team—all laid out beautifully.
The last page.
Assisted Reproduction Agreement.
Sperm provider: Felix Smith. Recipient: Shirley Jones.
Proposed adoptive family: Felix Smith and Nancy Sterling.
I stared at the line 'Proposed adoptive family,' my fingertips going numb.
"You even had a contract drawn up."
Felix looked at me.
"Nancy, this is the best solution for everyone. The kid gets a home, Shirley gets something to live for, and you keep your status."
I lifted my head.
"And what do I get out of it?"
He paused.
"You have me."
I let out a bitter laugh.
"The you who planned to make a baby with another woman before tying the knot?"
Felix's eyes darkened.
"Nancy, I told you, I'm not touching her. Going the medical route isn't cheating."
I ripped the agreement apart. Shreds of paper scattered across the desk.
The department head's face went completely pale.
Felix fixed his gaze on me.
"Don't push me into a corner."
I got to my feet.
"This road? You dug the hole yourself from the very beginning."
I walked out of the office.
Shirley was waiting in the hallway. She blocked my path.
"Nancy, do you think I'm disgusting?"
I met her eyes.
"At least you're self-aware."
Her face drained of color. She lifted her wrist. Her sleeve slid back, revealing two old scars.
"Last year, I really couldn't take it anymore. The doctor said if I didn't have a kid, my mental state would spiral. Felix's just scared I'll die."
I shot back, "Then see a doctor—don't come after someone else's fiancé."
Tears streamed down her face.
Felix caught up from behind, spotted her wrist, and immediately stepped in front of her to shield her.
"Nancy. She bared her wounds to you, and you can't even say one decent thing?"
I stared at him.
Years of memories flashed through my mind.
Back in college, when a professor touched the back of my hand, Felix cornered him in the office. He'd said, "Whoever messes with her, I'll make them pay."
Now, he was the one shutting down my project. Shutting me out.
I nodded and turned toward the academic affairs office.
The staff checked the system.
"Miss Sterling, your training grant is sponsored by Smith Corporation. Early termination means you'll have to pay the penalty. It's 1.2 million dollars total."
There was only 8,326 dollars in my bank account.
That evening, I went to pull out some cash.
The ATM flashed 'Account Abnormal'—transaction denied.
I called the bank. Customer service said my account was frozen due to a guarantee hold. The guarantor—Smith Corporation.
I stood in the biting wind, rifling through my bag.
Cash: 276 dollars.
My phone lit up. A message from Felix popped up.
Felix: Come back. Stop fighting a losing battle.
I turned off my phone.
Holding that 276 dollars, I checked into the cheapest short-term rental on the street behind the campus.
- Writer
