POV: Liora Hayes
The car door shut with a heavy, expensive thud. It was the kind of sound that didn't just block out the noise of the city; it felt like it blocked out the air. Suddenly, it was too quiet. Inside, it was a different world. It smelled like brand-new leather and an expensive, wood-scented cologne. The seats were heated. I could feel the warmth beginning to seep into my frozen bones, but it didn't feel good. It felt like I was being swallowed by a predator….
Xavier sat across from me. The car was huge…big enough that our knees didn't even come close to touching. He pressed a button on the armrest, and a small black partition slid up, hiding the driver from us. He reached into a small refrigerated compartment and pulled out a bottle of sparkling water.
"Drink," he commanded. "You look like you’re about to faint. I can't bring a half-dead girl to see Mr. Volkov. It reflects poorly on my scouting."
I took the bottle. The glass was cold, but my hands were still clutching my father’s broken watch. I could feel the gold-plated metal digging into my palm, a dull ache that reminded me I was still awake. This wasn't a nightmare.
"How do you know my name?" I asked. My voice sounded tiny in the plush interior. "How do you know about the debt?"
Xavier leaned back. He crossed his legs perfectly. His suit didn't even have a wrinkle. "Liora, when a man like Darian Volkov needs something, he doesn't just look. We know everything. We know about the $512,000 debt. We know about your father’s passing. We even know you haven't paid your electricity bill this month."
I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the heater. I felt naked. Exposed. "You’ve been spying on me. That’s disgusting."
"We’ve been evaluating you," he corrected. He didn't look ashamed at all. "Darian Volkov doesn't just hire anyone. He needs someone young. Healthy. And most importantly... someone with no ties. No boyfriend to cause a scene. No powerful family to interfere. Someone... hopeless. Like you. You are remarkably alone in this world, Liora. That makes you the perfect candidate."
I looked out the tinted window. The hospital was fading into the distance. Somewhere in that maze of concrete, my mother was being wheeled toward a basement. My stomach twisted. I thought I might actually throw up.
"You mentioned a service," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "What kind of service is worth half a million dollars?"
Xavier watched me. His eyes scanned my face as if looking for a crack in my resolve. "Mr. Volkov is the head of a multi-billion dollar empire. But empires are fragile without an heir. His father, Sergei, has set an ultimatum. Darian must produce a son to secure his position as CEO."
"So he wants a wife?" I asked.
Xavier laughed. It was a short, dry sound. Like sandpaper. "Darian Volkov does not do 'love,' Liora. He doesn't want a wife who will take half his fortune in a divorce. He wants a biological legacy. A child that carries his blood, but carries none of the emotional baggage of a mother."
My stomach did a somersault. I felt sick. "You want me to be a mother."
"I want you to be a provider," Xavier said, leaning forward. His voice became low and intense. "The deal is simple. You will live in the Volkov estate. You will have the best medical care, the best food, and every luxury. You will carry his child to term. The moment that child is born, you sign away all rights and walk away."
"Walk away to where?"
"To wherever you want. With five hundred thousand dollars in your bank account," he said. He let the number hang there. "That is enough to pay off every cent of your mother’s bills. It’s enough to buy her a house. It’s enough to make sure you never have to pour coffee for a man like Joe ever again."
I thought about the $12.43 in my bank account. I thought about the red paper in my hand. Then I thought about the baby. A baby. My brain couldn't even process it. It felt like a movie script, not my life.
"And if the baby... if I can't let go?" I asked.
Xavier’s face turned stone-cold. "That is not an option. The contract you will sign is ironclad. You will be a shadow in that house. A ghost with a purpose. You are not a mother, Liora. You are a service provider."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. He began typing.
"Who are you texting?" I asked.
"The hospital," Xavier said without looking up. "I’m telling them to stop the transport. I’m telling them the deposit is being wired as we speak."
I felt a rush of relief so strong I almost burst into tears. My mother would stay. She would live. But then Xavier looked up at me, his eyes dark.
"But remember, Liora... I haven't hit 'send' yet."
He held the phone up, his thumb hovering over the screen.
"Before I save your mother’s life, you need to understand one thing. Darian Volkov is not a kind man. He is a king who expects total obedience. If you agree to this, your life is no longer yours. You are his property for the next nine months."
He stared at me, waiting. The car was silent. The only sound was the humming of the engine and the beat of my own terrified heart. What am I doing? I thought. I'm selling a person. I'm selling myself. But then I saw my mom's face in my mind. I saw the rusted gurney.
"Well, Liora?" Xavier asked. "Is your mother’s life worth $500,000, or should I let them keep driving that ambulance?"
I looked at the phone. I looked at the man who was offering me the world and a cage at the same time.
"Hit send," I whispered.
Xavier didn't smile. He just tapped the screen. "Done."
He leaned back and tucked the phone away. "The money is moving. Your mother is safe. Now, let’s go meet your owner."
I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window. I had saved her. I had done it. But as the car sped toward the giant glass towers of the city, I realized I had just traded one prison for another. And I had no idea how to survive this one.
