His Charismatic Wife Knows Her

Diana's Pov

"Can you be my surrogate, sis?"

I froze.

For a moment, I wondered if I had heard Vivienne correctly.

My fingers tightened around the glass in my hand as I slowly lifted my eyes.

Vivienne was sitting across from me, looking almost afraid of my answer.

I glanced around the dining table.

My father, Nathaniel, was there. Regina sat beside him, while Ryan, my stepbrother, had stopped eating.

And beside Vivienne sat the one person I had spent six years trying not to think about.

Lewis Ashford.

My former fiancé.

The man who had left me standing alone at the altar.

My fingers loosened around the glass. I placed it on the table before it slipped from my hand.

"I'm sorry?" I whispered, as though I hadn't heard properly.

There was no way Vivienne could be asking me to be her surrogate.

Vivienne swallowed. "I asked if you could be my surrogate."

The words landed harder the second time.

I stared at her.

A surrogate.

Me?

I looked at Lewis again. He didn't seem uncomfortable. That somehow made it worse.

Six years ago, I had been preparing to marry that man. I had spent months choosing flowers, picking out my wedding dress, and planning the life we would have together.

Then he never showed up.

Two days later, he returned to tell me that he had fallen in love with Vivienne.

My own stepsister.

My maid of honor.

The memory came so suddenly that my chest tightened.

I forced myself to breathe. "You aren't serious, are you?"

"Please, I can't carry a baby." Vivienne's eyes filled with tears. "We've tried for years. Doctors, treatments... everything. Nothing worked."

She lowered her gaze to her lap. "They finally told me that I won't be able to carry a pregnancy."

I looked at her.

I should have felt sorry for her, but all I felt was hurt.

Vivienne was a younger sister I had once been very close to. That was until six years ago, when she had stood beside Lewis, pleading with me to let them be together. She had cried and insisted that she and Lewis loved each other. She had even asked me to be happy for them and give them my blessing.

I still remembered the shock of discovering that the two people I trusted most had been together behind my back for months.

And to think I had chosen Vivienne as my maid of honor.

"I know this is a lot to ask," Vivienne whispered. "I wouldn't have asked if I had another choice."

My gaze shifted to Lewis, as if silently asking whether he had heard what his wife had just said.

He was watching me with a calm expression.

"You've always wanted children," he said. "You used to talk about having a family all the time. You wanted children more than anything."

My heart skipped a beat.

I remembered those conversations. I remembered lying beside him and talking about our future. I remembered telling him I wanted a daughter first. He had laughed and said he wanted a son. We had playfully argued about names.

Those memories had once made me smile.

Now they made me want to disappear.

"I want my own child," I managed to say, keeping my voice steady. "I didn't say I wanted to be a surrogate."

Lewis sighed. "There isn't much difference. The child would be mine."

I frowned deeply.

Lewis gently put down his fork.

"You always wanted to have my child," he said. "This would be your opportunity."

My hands trembled beneath the table. My head spun, and for a moment, I struggled to find my voice.

"We aren't trying to hurt you," Vivienne said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "But you're my sister, and I've always looked up to you. Since I can't carry my own child, you should help me."

"Help you? Why should I do that?" I finally asked. "And why are you back?"

"Diana," my father warned softly.

"No, Dad." I shook my head. "Didn't she swear never to return?"

I would never forget how Vivienne had sworn to stay away if I refused to give them my blessing six years ago. Back then, Vivienne had cried and promised never to come into my sight again.

I had refused to forgive them or bless their relationship.

Lewis and Vivienne still got married two months later. Then they left the country, claiming they wanted to give me time to heal from the heartbreak.

But here they were, sitting at the same dining table as me, asking me to be their surrogate.

"It's been six years already, Diana," Regina said. "You can't expect them never to return just because you refuse to accept reality. Vivienne and Lewis love each other deeply, and they're married. You should move on."

I stared at my stepmother. A bitter smile appeared on my face.

"Move on from what exactly?" I asked, my voice low. My heart squeezed painfully. "From the humiliation of watching myself wear that wedding gown, walk down the aisle, and stand at the altar waiting, when all of you knew he wasn't going to show up?"

My voice faltered.

That was the most painful part of the betrayal.

Why hadn't Lewis called off the wedding? Why had they allowed me to spend so much time preparing for a ceremony they knew would never happen? Why had Vivienne worn her bridesmaid dress and stood beside me at the altar, knowing Lewis would never come?

Wasn't it all done to disgrace me?

And now they were telling me to move on simply because six years had passed.

Yes, it had been six years, but the humiliation still followed me everywhere.

I had once been a top socialite, admired for my beauty and humanitarian work. But after that day, my reputation had taken a terrible hit. I became the abandoned bride everyone whispered about.

People stared whenever I appeared in public. Some pitied me, while others seemed entertained by my misfortune.

I had endured enough humiliation to last a lifetime.

"We're talking about you helping your sister become a mother, Diana," Regina said matter-of-factly. "Stop bringing up the past."

I slowly picked up my napkin and wiped my lips.

I had lost my appetite. Not that I had much of one to begin with. I had only agreed to have breakfast because my father had asked me to join them.

"I'll leave first, Dad." I placed the napkin back on the table and stood up.

"Don't leave, sis." Vivienne hurried out of her chair and grabbed my hand, stopping me. "It's okay if you don't want to forgive me or carry my child."

Vivienne sniffed, her voice trembling. "But don't leave without finishing your food," she added. "It's your favorite meal."

I pulled my hand away. "Don't touch me."

Vivienne staggered backward as though I had shoved her with great force.

"Vivi!" Lewis panicked, rushing to her side and catching her before she could fall.

The worry in his voice made a lump form in my throat.

My fists clenched behind my dress.

"What's wrong with you, Diana?" Lewis barked. "If you don't want to agree to our request, just say so. Why push her?"

I let out a silent breath. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. I had no strength left to defend myself.

"No, Lewis. Sis didn't push me." Vivienne placed a hand on his arm, seemingly trying to calm him. "My body is just weak, and when she shoved me, I couldn't keep my balance...."

Her words trailed off, but their meaning was clear enough.

"Can you stop being difficult, Diana?" Ryan snapped as he rose from his chair. "Siblings are supposed to help each other. Don't forget that Vivienne became weak because of you. She saved your life."

I briefly closed my eyes.

I remembered that day too. The attack. The screaming.

The man rushing toward me with a knife.

Vivienne had stepped in front of me and taken the knife wound to her shoulder. It was a memory I would carry for the rest of my life.

"You're right, and I haven't forgotten that either," I said, giving a small nod. "And for that, I'll pretend you didn't make such a ridiculous request."

"What's ridiculous about it?" Regina slammed her hand against the table angrily. "You're single. Save Vivienne from the shame of being called barren."

My stomach knotted.

The word barren cut through my chest.

My breathing grew shallow. All I wanted was to get out of the house before I broke down in front of them.

I took another step toward the door, but Vivienne moved in front of me.

"What can I do to earn your forgiveness, sis?" she cried. "I miss how close we used to be. I've missed you so much."

"Move out of my way," I shouted.

Everyone flinched.

Vivienne immediately stepped back.

"Enough of this nonsense, Diana!" my father, Nathaniel, said loudly.

I turned to face him. "Then tell them to stay away from me."

I couldn't bear to look at any of them again.

With that, I turned and walked away, my steps quick and unsteady.

Outside, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

If I had known Lewis and Vivienne were back, I would never have come. I pressed a hand against my chest, trying to calm myself. My eyes stung, but I refused to cry.

Not here.

Not after everything they had put me through.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out of my bag and glanced at the screen.

It was a message from my best friend, Lily, reminding me about the blind date I was supposed to attend at eleven that morning.

I stared at the notification for a moment.

After the morning I had just endured, the last thing I wanted was to meet a stranger.

But I had already promised Lily.

And I wasn't about to let the events of that breakfast ruin the rest of my day.