CHAPTER3-ARIA.
1378 Words
ARIA.
It wasn’t the constant shuffling of feet around my chair, nor the bellow of the librarian’s voice
across the hallway at noisy students that woke me.
It was the intense headache ; a sharp, nagging pain at my skull for the past two hours that
jolted me awake.
I groaned softly, clutching the nearest light source beside me, trying to steady myself as I
lifted my head to peer into the empty hallway.
What did I expect after walking all the way from the hospital to the school library in the rain? I
thought to my clumsy self.
I was so drenched you could fill a bottle of water by wringing my clothes.
I tried to remember why I was even here, until the memories from just a few hours ago came
crashing down on me.
Yes. Damien Blackwell. The town’s most notorious billionaire. He had sent me a letter I still
hadn’t opened.
For some reason, I was terrified my father had gone to him for a loan, and now we couldn’t
pay it back.
What else could make him reach out to me?
I’d even offered the letter to my father, but he kept insisting it was meant for me.
How did he know?
I felt a breath on my neck just as I was about to tear the envelope open.
My survival instincts kicked in.
I reached for anything that could serve as a weapon.
Before I could turn fully,
I was blindfolded from behind and wrestled to the ground.
I froze for a moment, ready to strike, when I caught a glimpse of gold-colored hair with dark
roots screaming to be dyed.
Then came the familiar scent of strawberry and lemon, with a trace of heat.
I yelped, yanking her from behind me and pinning her to the ground, knees pressed into her
torso.She tapped out and I released her, pulling her into a hug I didn’t even know I’d been craving.
Clara James.
My best friend since the first day of first grade.
We were opposites, but somehow we’d clicked instantly and held onto each other ever
since.
She was tall, elegant, with a figure men would die for. Her tongue was sharp, some called it
rude , but she didn’t care. She was unapologetically herself.
That’s exactly what had drawn me to her.
She’d been there when my mother died at ten, and she was still here through my father’s
illness.
I pulled her into the chair beside me, and when our eyes met, a tear slid down my cheek
before I could stop it.
“Aria,
” she said softly, pulling me against her generous bosom.
“What is it this time?”
“I don’t know, Clara,
” I whispered, trembling.
anything out.
”
“Everything’s falling apart. I can’t figure
“We’ll get through this, Aria.
” She always said it, and somehow it always helped.
“Hey, what’s that?” she asked, pointing across the table, trying to distract me.
I turned.
The letter.
That damn letter.
I picked it up, thinking maybe I should finally read it. At least now I had Clara here for
support.
“It’s a letter I got this afternoon, from one of the nurses at the hospital,
” I said, my voice
unsteady.
“Then open it, girl. For all you know, it’s a scholarship,
” she teased.
Clara knew everything about my struggle.
She knew how many NGOs I’d applied to just to relieve my tuition burden.
“Hey, give that back!” I shouted as she snatched the letter and bolted across the library.
“Clara! If you don’t come back this instant—
” I panted, chasing her.The librarian snuck an irritated glance at us, but she didn’t say anything.
What was there to say? Her pay couldn’t even provide a three-square meal for her.
Clara was faster.
She played basketball for the college team and never missed a practice.
I collided into her as she stood frozen, eyes wide at the letter, not moving an inch.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, noticing her face had fallen.
“I think this one’s for you,
” she murmured, almost inaudible, handing the letter back with a
regretful look.
I took it from her and felt my stomach drop as I read.
Fear. Surprise. Irritation. Anger. Dread. All at once.
“Read it aloud, Aria,
” Clara urged.
“It’ll make it easier.
”
I cleared my throat.
“From the Desk of Crane’s Law Chambers
Re: Proposal to Enter into a Surrogacy Agreement on Behalf of Mr.
Damien Blackwell
Dear Ms. Lane,
We write to you from Crane’s Law Chambers on behalf of our client, Mr.
Damien Blackwell. This letter is a formal invitation to discuss entering into
a surrogacy arrangement with Mr. Blackwell. Please read this
communication carefully; it sets out the broad terms of the proposed
arrangement and the next steps should you wish to proceed.
This proposal is made by Mr. Damien Blackwell and communicated to you
through this office.
All discussions and any eventual agreement will be handled under the
oversight of this chamber and in accordance with the law.
We have been informed by your father, Mr. Richard Lane, that you are a
virgin.
We note it here only to be transparent about the basis of some of the
considerations Mr. Blackwell wishes to discuss.Mr. Blackwell’s proposal is to enter into a legally binding surrogacy
agreement under which you would carry a pregnancy for Mr. Blackwell
(and/or his partner, as applicable) according to terms to be negotiated and
set out in a formal contract.
The arrangement would include, among other things: medical screening,
counselling, full medical care during pregnancy, compensation for carrying
the pregnancy, and clarity on parental rights and responsibilities consistent
with local law.
If you are willing to discuss this matter further, please contact our office at
the number below.
Upon receiving your call, a representative will arrange a mutually
convenient time and place to meet. If you request it, and after we confirm
your willingness to meet, someone will come to collect you from [your
stated address or other agreed pickup point] and bring you to [designated
meeting location].
We appreciate the gravity of this request and the many considerations it
raises. We will treat any response from you with the utmost care and
confidentiality.
Yours sincerely,
Vivienne Crane
On behalf of Mr. Damien Blackwell”
I shut my eyes for a full minute.
This couldn’t be real.
It had to be a nightmare.
Why would Damien Blackwell, the city’s most powerful man, want me, a broke college
student ,as a surrogate?
Because I’d never been touched?
This wasn’t love. It was selfishness.
And I wouldn’t be a part of it.
I’d work more jobs, save harder, pay for my father’s medication.I wouldn’t let him buy me.
“Aria… Aria!” Clara shook me violently.
“Girl? Get a grip. I’m supposed to be the one spiraling here,
” I joked weakly, forcing a smile.
“So why are you so calm?” Clara asked, raising an eyebrow.
Why was I so calm? I thought too.
“Well, I’m going to act like I never got this letter. Everything will be fine.
”
Clara stared at me, bewildered, but said nothing.
We turned back toward our seats.
Then my phone rang.
An unsaved number.
“Hello, is this Aria?” a female voice asked.
“Erm… yes,
” I stuttered.
“Your father is in critical condition. We are suspending all further treatment until the last bill is
paid,
” she said sharply, each word slicing through me.
Instantly, my hands went cold, sweat slicking the back of my neck.
“But…
” I began.
“No buts, Ms. Lane. Get the payment ready by tomorrow or we’ll be forced to take legal
action,
” she cut in, and the line went dead.
I stumbled outside, desperate for air.
Clara’s voice trailed behind me, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying.
Bending to pick up my fallen hair clip, I was suddenly blinded by glaring headlights.
Before I could even react, my knees buckled. My head struck the pavement with a sickening
thud.
And then.
Nothing.
- Writer
