His Forbidden surrogate

ENTERING HIS WORLD

Sterling Manor looked less like a house and more like something from a magazine. Wren never imagined she would sleep in a place like this, let alone carry a stranger's child under its roof.

The gates took almost a full minute to open. Beyond them was a long stone driveway lined with perfectly trimmed trees. Wren pressed her hand against the car window as the manor grew closer. With every second, she felt smaller.

A housekeeper named Delia led her through wide hallways, past a kitchen big enough to feed a restaurant, and into a bedroom with a view of the entire city.

Wren had only ever seen views like this in pictures.

"Mr Sterling said you should have anything you need," Delia said. "Just ask, and it will be taken care of."

Wren nodded. She felt like a stranger in her own temporary life.

Her single suitcase looked almost embarrassing beside the huge closet Delia had already opened for her. It was filled with so many empty hangers that Wren didn't know what to do with them.

Gideon appeared in the doorway of the sitting room that evening. He was still wearing his suit, with a folder tucked under his arm.

"Rules for the duration of the pregnancy," he said, placing the folder on the table. "No strenuous activity. No alcohol, obviously. Weekly medical checks with Dr Amara. And don't leave the property without informing security first."

Wren looked at him. "I'm not a prisoner, Mr Sterling. I've spent my whole life following other people's rules just to survive."

"You're carrying something extremely valuable to me. I intend to protect that investment."

"I'm not an investment either." Wren stood and crossed her arms.

"I'm a person. I didn't agree to have every move I make watched like I'm some kind of liability."

Gideon's expression didn't change, but his eyes became harder.

"You signed a contract," he said.

"I signed a contract about payment and medical care. Not about giving up my freedom."

They stared at each other.

Neither of them wanted to back down.

Finally, Gideon sighed and pulled the folder back toward him.

"Fine," he said. "Just inform security when you leave. That's the compromise."

It wasn't an apology, but it was something.

Wren remembered that. She was surprised he had given in at all.

Later that night, she lay awake in the unfamiliar bed. She couldn't understand why his small compromise mattered to her so much.

Over the next few days, Wren noticed things about Gideon that didn't match the man she had seen in the tabloids.

There were small things that didn't fit his cold reputation.

Delia mentioned that Gideon secretly funded a children's hospital wing. He had done it under another name so nobody would know.

Wren realised with a shock that it was the same hospital where Milo received his treatment.

One night, she saw Gideon on the phone. His voice was softer than she had ever heard it.

He was talking to a parent about a child's treatment and patiently repeated himself twice.

When he noticed Wren watching him, he immediately became serious.

He put the phone in his pocket almost too quickly.

"It's not a secret because I'm ashamed of it," he said. "It's a secret because attention can ruin good intentions."

"That's surprisingly wise for a man who treats pregnancy like a hostile business deal," Wren said.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Careful, Ms Sutton. You're starting to sound like you don't hate me."

"Don't get used to it."

Something between them had changed.

Neither of them talked about it, but Wren could feel it.

She found herself thinking about that almost-smile long after Gideon had left the room.

That night, she couldn't sleep. She went downstairs to the kitchen for some water.

As she passed Gideon's study, she noticed the door was slightly open.

His voice came from inside. It was low and tense.

Wren almost kept walking.

But something in his voice made her stop.

"I understand the terms of the will," he said. His voice was full of frustration. "But I need more time before this becomes public. If the board announces the pregnancy before the birth is confirmed viable, I lose control of the situation."

Wren's breath caught.

"No," Gideon continued, his voice sharper now. "The agreement was private until the child is born. If legal is telling you otherwise, find me another lawyer."

Wren slowly stepped away from the door.

Fear spread through her chest as she tried to understand what she had just heard.

Private until the child is born.

That wasn't what he had told her.

He had promised privacy and confidentiality. He had made it sound like the arrangement would stay private.

But now she knew there was a deadline.

At some point, her private arrangement could become public, whether she was ready or not.

Wren backed away from the study on silent feet.

Her mind raced.

If Gideon had hidden this from her, what else had he left out of their contract?

And was the man she was starting to fall for really who he seemed to be?