The Mafia's Pampered Surrogate

To be A Mafia's Surrogate

Cassandra stood outside the large study with her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She had been standing there for almost a minute, staring at the wooden doors while trying to convince herself not to turn around and run.

She still couldn't understand why a man as powerful as Leonardo Lewis wanted to meet her personally.

Everything about the situation felt suspicious, especially since she had been taken from the street and brought directly to his mansion.

Marcus knocked twice before opening the door. "Mr. Lewis, Miss Hart is here," he said as he stepped inside.

Cassandra slowly followed him into the room, her eyes immediately wandering around the enormous study.

The walls were covered with bookshelves, there was a large desk near the windows, and everything looked so expensive that she suddenly became very aware of her cheap clothes and worn out shoes.

Then she saw him.

Leonardo Lewis sat behind his desk, looking through some documents. The moment he lifted his head, his dark eyes landed on Cassandra.

She stopped walking.

This was not what she had expected.

In her imagination, Leonardo Lewis had looked like some enormous scar covered man who spent his free time threatening people in dark rooms.

She had imagined a scar running across his face, another one across his eyebrow, and muscles so huge that his suit could barely contain them.

Instead, the man sitting in front of her looked completely composed. He was tall, dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit, and had sharp features that made his expression appear even colder.

He wasn't scary because of scars.

He was scary because he didn't need them.

"Cassandra Hart," Leonardo said, looking directly at her.

"Yes, that's me," Cassandra replied, trying not to sound nervous.

Leonardo gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down," he said calmly.

Cassandra hesitated for a moment before walking over and sitting down. Marcus remained near the door, but Cassandra couldn't help glancing at him as if silently asking him to stay.

Marcus noticed and gave her a small shrug.

Cassandra turned back toward Leonardo.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Leonardo continued looking at her, studying her expression as if he were trying to figure her out.

Cassandra eventually became uncomfortable under his gaze. "Are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to tell me why I'm here?" she asked.

Leonardo's eyebrow lifted slightly. "You're quite direct," he said.

"I'm nervous, and when I'm nervous, I talk a lot," Cassandra admitted.

"I noticed," Leonardo replied.

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "Was that supposed to be an insult?"

"No," Leonardo answered.

"Good, because I'm already having a terrible week," Cassandra muttered.

Leonardo leaned back in his chair. "I asked you to come here because I want to make you an offer," he said.

Cassandra's expression immediately became cautious. "Is this about my father's debt?" she asked.

"Partly," Leonardo answered.

Cassandra frowned. "How do you know about it?"

"Your father owed money to people connected to my organization," Leonardo explained.

Cassandra's eyes widened slightly. "So you're the reason those debt collectors have been following me?"

"No," Leonardo said calmly. "But I know who they are."

"Then you can make them stop?" Cassandra asked hopefully.

"Yes."

Cassandra leaned forward immediately. "Then please make them stop," she said.

Leonardo looked at her for a moment. "You're very quick to ask for favors from someone you just met."

"I've been chased around the city for days. I'm desperate," Cassandra replied.

Leonardo nodded slightly before reaching for a folder on his desk.

"I can solve your debt problem," he said.

Cassandra looked at the folder suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

"You become my surrogate."

Cassandra stared at him.

For several seconds, she didn't move.

Then she blinked.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"My surrogate," Leonardo repeated.

Cassandra pointed at herself in disbelief. "You want me to carry your baby?"

"Yes," Leonardo answered.

Cassandra leaned back in the chair and stared at him.

"This is the strangest conversation I've ever had," she said.

Leonardo's expression remained unchanged. "It's a simple arrangement."

"A simple arrangement?" Cassandra repeated, her voice rising slightly. "You brought me to your giant mansion, told me you're connected to my father's debt, and now you're asking me to carry your child."

"That is what I said," Leonardo replied calmly.

Cassandra rubbed her forehead.

She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Why me?" she finally asked.

"You have no connections to my enemies, your background is clean, and you need money," Leonardo explained. "You're also desperate enough to consider an offer that most women would refuse."

Cassandra frowned.

"That's a horrible way to describe me."

"It's the truth."

She couldn't argue with that.

Leonardo pushed the folder toward her. "If you agree, I will clear your father's debt completely. Your college tuition will be paid in full, and your brother's medical expenses will be covered."

Cassandra's expression changed immediately when he mentioned her brother.

"My brother?"

"Yes," Leonardo replied. "I know he's currently in the hospital."

Cassandra looked down at the folder.

She had spent countless nights worrying about how she would pay his medical bills. Every time the hospital called, her heart dropped because she knew she couldn't afford everything he needed.

"And you'll really pay for his treatment?" she asked.

"Yes," Leonardo said.

Cassandra looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because I want an heir."

She stared at him.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Cassandra slowly nodded.

"So basically, you need a baby, and I need money."

"Exactly."

She thought about it for a moment.

"When the baby is born, what happens to me?"

"You return to your normal life," Leonardo answered. "You will receive the agreed compensation, and you will have no further obligations to me."

Cassandra looked relieved.

"So we're strangers again afterward?"

"That is the agreement."

She nodded slowly.

It sounded simple.

Too simple.

Then she remembered something.

"There is something else I need."

Leonardo looked at her. "What?"

"The person who hit my brother."

His expression became serious.

Cassandra tightened her hands together as she remembered the hospital.

"A woman hit him with her car. Her boyfriend is some rich heir, and when I demanded justice, he just threw money around like my brother's life meant nothing. I couldn't afford a lawyer, so they got away with it," she explained.

Leonardo's expression darkened.

"Do you want them punished?" he asked.

Cassandra immediately nodded. "Yes."

"I'll handle it."

Cassandra stared at him.

"Just like that?"

"Yes."

"You can really do that?"

Leonardo's gaze remained cold. "I can make sure the case is investigated properly and that whoever was responsible faces the consequences."

Cassandra couldn't believe it.

For weeks, she had felt completely powerless. She had watched her brother lie in a hospital bed while the people responsible continued living their lives as though nothing had happened.

Now someone was finally offering her a way to fight back.

She looked at Leonardo carefully.

"You really would help him?"

"Yes," he answered.

"And my brother's medical bills?"

"I'll pay them."

"My father's debt?"

"I'll erase it."

"My college tuition?"

"Paid."

Cassandra stared at him.

She slowly looked down at the folder again.

"You're basically solving my entire life."

Leonardo's expression didn't change. "In exchange for carrying my child."

Cassandra swallowed.

She didn't know what to think.

It was a ridiculous offer, but it was also the first real solution she had been given since her life fell apart.

She stood from the chair and picked up the folder.

"I need time to think about this," she said.

"Take the time you need," Leonardo replied.

Cassandra turned toward the door, but after taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped.

She looked back at him.

"One more thing."

Leonardo raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"If I'm going to be your surrogate, I don't want to call you Mr. Lewis the entire time."

Leonardo looked at her for a moment.

"What do you want to call me?"

Cassandra smiled slightly. "Leonardo."

His expression remained unreadable.

Cassandra nodded to herself. "Yeah. Leonardo sounds better."

She turned and walked toward the door.

"Goodbye, Leonardo," she said before leaving the room.

The door closed behind her.

Leonardo remained seated at his desk, staring at the spot where she had disappeared.

He had expected Cassandra Hart to be frightened, desperate, and willing to accept anything he offered.

Instead, she had questioned him, argued with him, demanded answers, and casually decided to call him by his first name.

For some reason, he didn't find it irritating.

If anything, he found it interesting.

Meanwhile, Cassandra walked down the hallway with the folder pressed against her chest.

She had come to the mansion expecting to meet a terrifying mafia boss.

Instead, she had been offered enough money to change her entire life.

She still didn't trust Leonardo.

Not even a little.

But as she thought about her brother lying in that hospital bed, her father's debt, her unpaid tuition, and the people who had escaped justice after hurting her brother, she couldn't deny that Leonardo's offer was tempting.

Very tempting.