Surrogate to the Alpha

Chapter Ten

By 3 a.m. — who needs sleep anyway — I had washed my hair twice, shaved my legs (for no reason), moisturised like I was preparing for a skincare sponsorship, and laid out three outfits that all screamed different levels of “I’m stable, I swear you can trust me with your baby.”

By 7 a.m., I settled on the one that made me look the least like a raccoon who’d lost a custody battle.

The morning air slapped me awake the second I stepped outside. I drove my car — my very much returned car — to the agency, gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing tethering me to reality. The tyres hummed smoothly on the road, which was unsettling considering they were brand new and I had no idea who paid for them.

I arrived at the agency early — EARLY — which was a miracle in itself. The building looked even more beige than I remembered. Beige walls, beige carpet, beige chairs. Beige air. Beige soul. Even the potted plant in the corner looked like it wanted to give up green and turn beige.

I checked in at the front desk.

“Hi,” I said, trying not to sweat through my shirt. “I’m here to see Beth.”

The receptionist smiled. “Of course. First door on the left. Everyone is already here. You can go right in.”

So I’m not early, then.I bet they consider this being late.Okay. I can totally do this.I have to do this.I already spent the money.

I smoothed my shirt, wiped my palms on my trousers, and walked toward the indicated room. The hallway felt too quiet — the kind of quiet that made your footsteps echo like you were entering a courtroom instead of a meeting room.

My heart was pounding so loudly I was convinced the people inside could hear it and mistake it for a knock.

I reached the door.Took a breath.Opened it.

And froze.

Because sitting inside was the last man on earth I ever expected to see again.

Tall. Broad‑shouldered. Dark attire.The kind of presence that filled a room even when he wasn’t trying.

The red sports car man.

The man I hit.The man I ran from.The man whose bumper I may or may not have traumatised.

“Oh shi—” I caught myself before the words fully flew out and pretended to sneeze.

His eyes narrowed just as Beth hurried over with a box of tissues.

I politely took a tissue, apologised, muttered something about allergies, and for a moment let myself think he didn’t recognise me.

Of course he didn’t — I wasn’t wearing my “I just committed vehicular manslaughter lite” panic face.

But then I sat, and his eyes widened.Just a fraction.Just enough.

Oh no.Oh no, no, no.

He knew.

He absolutely knew — and the fact that he was yet to say a word made it worse.

Sitting beside him was a stunning blonde woman who looked at me like she was trying to figure out whether I was a threat, a disappointment, or a smudge on her shoe. She didn’t exactly scream motherly, but who was I to judge?

The room itself didn’t help.It was too bright.Too clean.Too quiet.A rectangular table sat in the centre, polished to a shine that reflected my panic back at me. A pitcher of water and four glasses sat untouched, like props in a play no one wanted to perform.

I kept folding and unfolding my hands in front of me, trying not to die. The man truly terrified me now that I was not running high on adrenaline and desperation — just desperation alone.

I winced inwardly as I remembered the events of our last encounter.

Beth, the agency coordinator, cleared her throat and I sat up a little straighter.

“Since everyone’s here, let’s get started, shall we?”

Everyone’s here.

Everyone except my dignity.

Beth opened her folder. “We have here today Derek Blackwell and Corrine Stone, and Josephine Carter.” She spoke like she was addressing a grand audience. I kept studying the man — Derek — anxiously waiting for him to say something about knowing me.

“So, Josephine, today is just an introductory meeting. A chance for you and the intended parent to get to know each other.”

A little panic washed through me as I realised I had not been paying attention. I nodded as my brain worked hard to recount her last words and make sense of them.

I was fairly certain Beth had said intended parent.Singular.

I glanced at the woman — Corrine — then at him, and nearly reared back.

He was staring at me like he was trying to solve a puzzle he didn’t like the answer to.

“So,” Beth continued, “why don’t we start with introductions? Josephine, tell us a little about yourself.”

Absolutely not.I wanted to tell them nothing.I wanted to evaporate.

But I forced a smile anyway.

“Well,” I said, “I’m Josephine. I work at a diner. I like knitting badly, sleeping even worse, and… um… helping people.”

Corrine blinked slowly, like she was buffering.

Derek’s reaction was a mutter that I may or may not have imagined sounding like, “And stealing and crashing cars.”He covered it with a cough that was as successful as my earlier sneeze.

Beth cleared her throat, blinking rapidly. “Wonderful! Derek, would you like to share?”

He cleared his throat. “I run a construction and development company. I live outside the city. I’m… looking to start a family.”

His voice dipped on the last part.Heavy.Weighted.Like there was a story there — a sad one.

But I didn’t have time to unpack it because Corrine leaned forward, smiling like a shark.

“And we’re very particular about who we let into our lives.”

I swallowed.

Beth clapped her hands. “Great! Let’s talk expectations.”

Great.Let’s talk about how I was going to carry the baby of the man whose car I hit and fled from.

Let’s talk about how I was one wrong word away from spontaneous combustion.

As Beth launched into medical protocols, legal obligations, and communication guidelines, I nodded along, pretending to understand anything.

But all I could think was:

Oh God. I’m having his baby.

And he was looking at me like:

Oh God. She’s having my baby.

I was absolutely, completely, cosmically doomed.

And to support that, Derek abruptly stood up — shocking Beth and Corrine and making my eyes bug out.

Damn, he’s big.Like snap me in two like a twig big.

“No.” he growled.

Beth’s eyebrows shot up while Derek’s companion smiled, relieved.God, I wish I felt relieved too.

“No… to what, exactly?” Beth asked politely, though a hint of panic flashed in her eyes.

Derek sent a glare her way, then seemed to catch himself and answer instead.

“No, as in she will not carry my baby. No, as in this woman will have no involvement in the surrogacy.”He spat the words while looking me dead in the eye.

I gulped.

Beth stammered, shocked, unable to comprehend what happened.But I did — oh God, I did understand.

And while I would have rather run away and never have to face this man again, the fact that I spent all the money — his money — on top of damaging his car and fleeing the scene, kept buzzing in my mind.

“Well, you heard the man.” Corrine stood, linking her arm through Derek’s. “Thank you for your time, we’ll see ourselves out.” She said it with the same perfect smile on her perfect lips.

Beth’s whole colour disappeared from her face. Even her signature red lipstick seemed to pale.

And out of nowhere, for some forsaken reason, I kept Derek’s stare and spoke.

“Wait, just… just hear me out. I can explain.”