eviction notice
1696 Words
IZABELLA
The steady beeping of a heart monitor pulled me from the darkness.
My eyelids felt heavy, my body sluggish as I struggled to blink away the fog clouding my mind. The scent of antiseptic filled my nose, and when I inhaled, my chest ached like I’d been crushed under something heavy.
I knew I was in a hospital.
Memories flooded back in a rush. The accident. The car swerving. The impact. Ignazio shouting my name.
My fingers twitched against the sheets, and I tried to push myself up, but a dull pain spread through my limbs. A quiet rustling caught my attention, and when I turned my head, my breath hitched.
Ignazio was sitting by my bedside.
His suit jacket was gone, his sleeves rolled up, and for the first time in years of knowing him, he looked… tired. His sharp features were tense, his usual unreadable expression replaced by something I couldn’t quite place.
“You’re awake,” a voice said, drawing my attention away.
A middle-aged doctor stood at the foot of my bed, flipping through a chart. He gave me a reassuring smile before walking closer. “How are you feeling, Miss Visconte?”
I swallowed against the dryness in my throat. “Like I got hit by a truck.”
The doctor chuckled softly. “Well, you were in a serious accident, but you’re lucky. No major injuries—just some bruising and a mild concussion.”
I exhaled in relief, but before I could fully relax, the doctor’s expression turned more serious. “There’s something else, Miss Visconte.”
A cold chill ran down my spine. Unconsciously, my hand moved to my stomach.
“I’m sorry to inform you that you lost the pregnancy.”
For a moment, the words didn’t register.
My heart stilled.
I stared at the doctor, my mind blank. “What?”
“The miscarriage happened almost immediately after the accident,” he explained gently. “It was still very early, a high-risk stage. Miscarriages during this time aren’t uncommon.”
I was still trying to process what he was saying, but my body reacted before my mind did. A strange weight settled in my chest.
I had wanted to terminate the pregnancy. I had already made up my mind.
So why did I feel... like I’d lost something?
I blinked hard, my eyes stinging. I glanced at Ignazio, expecting… I didn’t even know what.
Instead, I saw something that took my breath away for a moment.
His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark, filled with something I wasn’t used to seeing on his face.
Loss.
I tore my gaze away, suddenly unable to look at him.
I didn’t know what to say.
The doctor continued speaking, telling me I would be fine, that my body would heal. But I barely heard him. The moment he left the room, silence filled the space between Ignazio and me.
“You stayed,” I finally whispered. It was no wonder how he was unharmed––he was a werewolf, an alpha at that. Some how, it even felt as though my state should have been worse after that crash.
Ignazio shifted back in his seat, resting his head against the wall, “Of course.”
I forced a weak laugh. “You didn’t have to.”
“I know.”
That was it. That was all he said.
But somehow, it made my chest feel even tighter.
I turned my head to the ceiling, pretending the sting behind my eyes wasn’t there.
I had already decided I wasn’t going to keep the baby.
So why did it feel like something had been taken from me?
––*––
Time passed, and I did my best to move on.
I threw myself into work. I blocked my older sister from my mind. I ignored Xavier, the asshole, every time he tried to reach out. They didn’t deserve a second of my energy.
I kept my head down, avoided personal conversations, and tried to forget everything that had happened.
It was easier that way.
But even with all my efforts, one thing... changed forever—Ignazio was always watching me.
Not in an obvious way.
Not in a way that made me uncomfortable.
But I could feel it.
In meetings. At work events. Even when we passed each other in the office halls.
Like he was suddenly... suspicious of something.
And then, one afternoon, he called me to his office.
I knocked once before stepping inside. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
Things had fallen back into their usual state, and Ignazio and I were just as professional with each other as we’d always been.
But i’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard. For me, at the very least.
Ignazio stood by the window, hands in his pockets. He didn’t turn immediately at the sound of my voice, but when he did, his gaze was even more unreadable than usual.
“Sit.”
I hesitated before choosing to listen.
He moved away from where he stood and rested both of his hands on the back of his office chair as he stared down at me.
What was this about?
“I have a proposal for you,” he said.
I frowned. “A proposal?”
He pulled his chair back, and then took a seat right in front of me. His grey eyes leveled on my face as he said, “I want you to be my surrogate.”
Silence.
And then I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I will compensate you well,” he continued as if he hadn’t just asked me to do the most insane thing I’d ever heard. “You won’t have to worry about anything—medical expenses, time off work, financial stability. It will all be taken care of.”
I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking. “You… you want me to carry your baby?”
“Yes.”
He wanted me to get inseminated again?
I shook my head. “No.”
“Izabella–”
“No,” I cut him off, standing from my seat. “I don’t know what kind of arrangement you think this is to you, but I can’t—no, I won’t—carry my boss’ baby. That’s insane. I work for you.”
Ignazio studied me calmly. “I thought you might say that.”
“Then why even ask?”
“Because I hoped you would consider it.”
How was he still maintaining his usual calm in such a situation? Even after finding out the first time, this was how he was.
But he’d shown emotion... once.
When we found out I had the miscarriage three weeks ago.
“I’m really sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Ignazio. But I cant be your surrogate. It goes against my principles. I’ve been your assistant for four years, and I... I can’t carry your child. Not now, not ever.”
Without waiting for another word, I turned and left his office, my hands shaking as I clenched them into fists.
I stormed out of the building, needing fresh air.
––*––
When I finally made it home, I reached for my keys, only to freeze when I saw the piece of paper taped to my door.
EVICTION NOTICE
My stomach dropped.
I ripped it off, my heart pounding as I scanned the words. Rent overdue. Final warning.
No.
No, no, no.
I crumpled the paper in my hand and pushed open the door, barely breathing as I stepped inside.
Then, I heard a familiar voice.
“Iza!”
I turned and barely had time to react before arms wrapped around me.
Violetta.
My little sister pulled back, her brown eyes shining with excitement. “I got home early for the weekend! I wanted to surprise you.”
My heart softened despite the panic still sitting heavy in my stomach. “Violet,” I breathed. “It’s good to see you.”
She grinned, her dark curls bouncing, “You too. I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”
I smiled, pushing the notice to the back of my mind. For now. If she was still this bubbly, then the note had to have been posted after she was already inside the house. “Yeah. We have a lot to catch up on.”
“I stopped by to see Dad,” she tugged me toward the couch, “He seems like he’s got a little more colour to him.” And then she was already launching into a story about school. For a few minutes, I let myself enjoy it.
Let myself pretend everything was okay.
Then, my phone rang when Violet went to get the kettle off the stove for tea.
I glanced at the screen, seeing it was a call from the hospital my father was being treated in.
Frowning, I sat up before I answered. “Hello?”
“Miss Visconte?” The voice was professional.
“Speaking.”
“This is St. Vincent’s Hospital. We’re calling regarding your father’s health plan.”
I sat up straighter. “Is something wrong?”
There was a pause before the person continued. “I’m afraid his payment plan has been terminated. There would be a bulk outstanding bill for the next month, and if it isn’t covered soon, I’m afraid we’ll have no choice but to take him off life support.”
My blood turned ice cold.
The phone nearly slipped from my grip.
They were going to pull the plug if I didn’t pay.
I barely whispered the words. “How much do I owe?”
Hearing her answer made me wish the ground would open up and take me with it.
I didn’t have that kind of money.
But there was one person who did. And I had just turned down his offer for financial support.
I couldn't be his surrogate.
But I couldn’t loose my father either.
I was going to have to make a decision that would go against almost everything I stood for.
- Writer
