Just A Vessel: The Surrogate's Escape

ex

break the

silence the next morning-a heavy c

attend. You will smile. If you embarrass me in front of the Families,

quest. It was

r a long time before I f

ed the

oking like a ghost haunting

was told. I org

s, Iliana's favorite, stark and f

menu. I hired

ced the date on

hday of the Heirs & The B

combini

the same pedestal as his children

transformed into a wonderland of lights and sil

s there. The Russos, the Gambi

neck, long sleeves. It was mourn

the entrance, I

monds dripping from her ears. She look

tchen entrance, making myself smal

nlap?" a waiter ask

" I sai

laughed, touching Gavyn's arm, stroking Kennith's

spered behind

hat t

ck in the

bout th

he's fading awa

hand on

as I

akeside terrace, away from t

wirling her wine. "The flowers are exquisite

it lasts, Iliana

g and sweet. "Gavyn is bored of you. You're too... vanilla

t," I said. "And you

es nar

ever? You're nothing

mond bracelet Gavyn had given me for our first anni

t," I said, m

d, a wicked,

," sh

celet and flung it ov

dark, freezing wate

er voice shrill and theatrical

the lawn stop

econds later, fl

pened?" h

e. "She ripped it off my wrist! She said if she could

dn't defend myself.

eyes were black holes,

ou do

e cameras

running up. "I saw Mommy-I me

nn chimed in. "

n chi

ss against me to pl

sk for the sec

t the lake,

st fifty thousand

I said. "You

corrected icily. "And you jus

ted to

t i

r went

. "It's November. Th

w it. You

ssed h

the guards t