ACCIDENTAL SURROGATE FOR THE BILLIONAIRES

~LUNARIA~

I closed my eyes and let out a very deep breath as my bodyguard, sturdy and tall and clad in black and white, circled his hand around the door knob and pushed open the door.

The sound of palms as they hit against each other and cheers of happiness as I was ushered into the hall which was elegantly decorated with colourful clothes dropping low from the ceiling and arranged in an elegant manner.

The people in attendance all wore their fancy beautiful dresses as they welcomed me in, smiles filling their faces.

At the far end of the hall where the stage was, there was a banner where my name, Lunaria Johansson, was written boldly and with an elegant font in sparkly golden ribbon that was fit for the occasion.

For that moment, everything blurred-the fairy lights, the decorations, the smiling faces. My chest tightened, not from fear, but from a swelling emotion so large it nearly stole my breath. It was happiness, pure and overwhelming like a bright light that illuminated all the dark corners of my life that had been weighing me down for the past one month.

A wave of warmth had crashed over me and coursed through my body as soon as I walked in. The sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and the unmistakable chorus of my name being called in surprise and joy brought me to a halt.

I stood at the door, taking it all in.

Every detail, every kind gesture, every loving face reflected how deeply I was valued. My hands trembled slightly, caught between covering her mouth in disbelief and reaching out to hold onto the moment. I had never felt more seen. More loved. More alive.

"Let's welcome our very dear Lunaria, who has been victorious over the clutches of death and has come back to us, radiant, glowing and even more beautiful." The MC announced while my bodyguard held my hand and led me up the stage.

I let them lead me to the velvet armchair set apart for me.

Then my step mother, Sherlyn, walked up to the stage and took a spare microphone from the MC and turned to look at the rest of the crowd who were all seated on elegantly decorated round tables.

She took a deep sigh before she finally placed the microphone directly in front of her mouth as she spoke, "I can't express how happy I am to see that you're here today with us and at this very special moment when we celebrate another new dawn of your life."

Her face was turned to me and I could see the warmth in her gaze as she said those words. That was just Sherlyn, a good woman and a wonderful mother.

"I know that I was not the one to bring you out to this world but I am your mother now and no mother would wish for what had happened to you to happen to their own child which is why-" she paused and turned back around to face the crowd, "-I am standing here today, feeling blessed that she's here with us. My daughter, May."

She stopped for a while and raised her glass to the air, "Happy 20th birthday, my darling daughter and congratulations on finally being discharged from the hospital alive."

A round of applause echoed as soon as she said those words and the open space was filled with golden glittery glasses of champagne as the attendees all raised their glasses just as she had done to celebrate me.

She was right with her announcement and it has touched me to my bones and pushed me to tears. I had just been discharged from the hospital after being in a fatal accident that had taken some of my memories with it a month ago.

Although the doctor had promised that it would all come back to me slowly. But during that one painfully slow month of recovery, my step-mother, Sherlyn, and my step-sister, Emma, were there to support me and they had helped nurse me back to life. I owed them everything.

I used my pinky finger to flick the drop of tears that was about to fall from my eyes away.

Then, Sherlyn walked up to me and engulfed me in a warm hug. Laughing with me as she did so before pulling away and walking down the stage.

It was time for me to give my speech.

I stood up from the velvet armchair, walked to the podium and took the microphone she had inserted back into the stand.

Everyone stopped cheering and looked up at me, ready to listen to what I had to say. It made me feel-special. More than I had in weeks.

"I don't know what to say. . ." I said, my voice cracking from the subtle sob that was mixed with the little chuckle that escaped my lips, ". . .um. . ." I sniffed, "I want to say thank you to everyone who is here with me on this special day."

I fanned my face to keep the tears at bay.

Gosh! I was feeling so emotional.

"It's been an awful one month but I want to thank you all who have stood by me and supported me through that horrible time in my life." I said and blinked yet another round of tears from my eyes.

I raised my glass in the air, "please, cheers to me and to all of us."

They all did as I did and echoed the things I said before a round of applause resounded through the hall.

I stepped down from the stage and mixed with the crowd, weaving through the embodiments of elegance. I greeted each of them as I walked past them and made my way to my step-mother Sherlyn who was nestled between two of her friends laughing and chatting with them.

"Excuse me, please." I said, interrupting their conversation.

I still found it very hard to call her my mom even when she was so nice to me. Somewhere in my heart I still felt very uncomfortable beug next to her or regarding her as my mother.

"We'll talk later." She said politely, dismissing them.

Then she looked at me with her usual warm smile plastered on her face, "yes, dear?"

I scooted close to her and leaned into her ear.

"I can't find Colins anywhere."

She looked around the crowd just as I had done a few minutes back, before turning back to me, "I'm sure he's somewhere or perhaps he's planning a surprise for you."

We chuckled at her little joke.

"Yeah." I replied with a slight nod of my head.

She was about to say something else when the doors to the hall flung open.

"Lunaria! Lunaria!"

Someone yelled my name.

The music stopped and everyone stopped dancing and turned their attention to the door.

My brows creased in confusion as I weaved my body through the crowd and headed to the door to find out what the ruckus was all about.

I got to the clearing to see Colins and Emma standing by the door. His face was red with anger and his chest was rising and falling rapidly.

"Baby." I called out to him and ran over to meet him, "what's wrong?" I asked him with genuine concern, lacing my voice.

I placed my hands on either side of his cheeks as my eyes searched his brown ones earnestly, "why do you look so angry?" I asked him.

He shoved my hands away so violently that I tumbled backwards. I gasped, my eyes were wide with shock at his sudden behaviour and violence. Since all the months we have been dating, this was the first time he reacted in such a way towards me.

Even after I woke up in the hospital, his face was the first one I saw and his name, the first word that left my mouth. Even as I stood there looking at him with shock coursing through my being, those moments when his warm eyes stared back at me with so much love and care, flashed back into my mind.

"Colins." I called his name in immense shock.

My cheeks were beginning to burn with embarrassment.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Do you really want to know why?" He retorted, "then fine."

I wondered what was going through his head. My step-sister, Emma, stood beside him like she was stuck to his side with glue and I really didn't want to deal with her at that moment.

"Tell me who you're cheating on me with." He demanded and it felt like I heard bells ring loudly in my head.

"What?"

What he was asking didn't make sense to me at all.

"We promised each other that we were never going to cheat on each other and that you'd remain a virgin for me so tell, which one of your secret numerous flings got you freaking pregnant, damn it!" He yelled at me.

I wanted to defend myself because it was obviously a lie but then the words were stuck in my throat and even when I tried to open my mouth to speak, no words came out.

"I don't-I don't understand." I stammered.

"Stop lying, May. Just tell the truth." Emma urged from his side where she stood.

I felt my blood grow hot and I felt the urge to slap her across the cheeks but then I had to control all that anger. That wasn't what was important at that time.

"Colins, you know I'd never lie to you." I tried to reason calmly with him.

I could feel the stares of everyone present burn a hole through my head. I just wished none of them were taking any pictures. That would be the death of me. I mean, what would the public say about the prestigious and respectable heir to the prestigious Greenfield Hospital, cheating on her soon to be husband.

Where was the respect and honour in that? What would my father think of me?

"Bullshit!" He exclaimed, then he tossed a paper at me.

It fell to the ground and I picked it up and read the contents.

My world froze, my heart stopped, my breath got caught up in my throat. I could feel my entire body shaking rapidly and I wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

"Do you see it now?" He asked me. "Oh for God's sake!" He said under his breath and stormed out of the hall leaving me to wallow in despair.

It said that I was with child and that the pregnancy is one month old already. But how was that possible when I have never had sex with any man in my entire life.

I was a freaking pregnant virgin. How?