Amelia started reading the contract on the way to the hospital, she had wanted to back out of this but, the pay was tempting, not to even talk of the amenities that will be provided if she signs the contract.
She gets to live in an isolated apartment in the city with a helper and a private nurse at her aid.
Health check-ups every two weeks from a professional doctor at her beckoning.
Basically, everything she will ever need will be provided for her throughout the fourteen months of her pregnancy and delivery journey as a surrogate.
This was three times better than what the couple offered her.
Amelia turned to steal a stare at him as she was contemplating in her mind on what to do next.
He appeared calm and relaxed, his eyes were still shut, but from his head posture on the headrest one would state that he wasn't sleeping.
Amelia wasn't going to deny the fact that she found him good-looking, even though she knew he wasn't a person for her.
She would definitely want to be his girlfriend, if not for the fact that she hated men like him.
"Why do you want to go to the hospital?". He asked.
Amelia was caught off guard for a second, did he know that she was looking at him?
"I want to read it besides my grandmother and ask her what she thinks…".
"You are not supposed to inform anyone about this, it's in the contract".
"Why? Isn't that illegal?". Amelia asked.
"How so?". Calvin asked as he opened his eyes.
"I am certain that before you came here, you browsed into my background".
"And?"
"You know I don't have a family, I am supposed to inform a family member and a lawyer of this…".
"But, you don't have one". Calvin interrupted.
"I will be labeled missing, if nobody knows about my whereabouts for fourteen months, I will tell my grandmother, you don't have to be scared, she's in a coma". Amelia knew that the reason he honored this meeting was because she didn't have parents, she was an easy prey for people like him, it was obvious from the contract he wanted to keep her and the child a secret.
Calvin was genuinely confused, what was the need of telling her comatose grandmother, he
didn't understand her way of reasoning.
"That's breaching…".
"I have not yet signed it".
"It doesn't matter because you will".
Amelia didn't respond because she didn't have a refute, she hated that he was right, she was definitely going to sign it, there's no way she was going to abort this child.
Although, she would want to keep the child, it will be very stressful for her in the future.
Taking care of her grandmother, a child and herself was undoubtedly an impossible task.
The rest of the ride to the hospital was filled with tranquilness and it went smoothly. Amelia came down from the car with the tablet in her hands, walking into the hospital as fast as she can. She couldn't spare another second in that enclosed space with him.
-----
Amelia was stunned when she got to her grandmother's ward and saw an empty bed, what happened? She was here yesterday, why didn't the hospital inform her of a change in rooms.
"Hello, excuse me please". Amelia called out to a young nurse walking by.
The nurse stopped in her tracks and turned to her, she had a poker face, but that didn't hide her beauty.
Amelia wondered why someone as beautiful as her had that expression on her face even as a nurse.
"Ooh, the patient woke up this morning, she was transferred to the intensive care unit on the third floor, ward twelve". She spoke and returned to her walk.
"Thanks".
Amelia was so excited by the news but, why didn't the hospital inform her immediately, she was puzzled.
She stepped out of the elevator, entered into the intensive care unit and started looking for ward twelve.
The joy she felt when she saw her grandmother being fed by a nurse was enough to make her cry and shout but, she wasn't going to do that, she would suppress her joy for the sake of other patients.
There laid the woman who took care of her more than her mother did, looking thin and frail in the most vulnerable position, her eyes held so many secrets, love, care and showed her weakness.
Her wrinkled face made her look ten times older than her actual age, she had a tired smile on her face as she sighted her beloved daughter at the entrance of the ward.
Amelia wanted to cry badly, remembering all the things that had happened to her while her grandmother was in death arms made her emotional.
"Thank you very much, can I feed her myself?". Amelia asked softly as she approached the nurse.
The nurse nodded with a smile on her face and excused herself.
Immediately Amelia got near her grandmother, tears came out of her eyes, she was never going to let this woman suffer again, seeing her like this broke her heart, all this was definitely going to come to an end, they would live a better life, and she was going to make sure of that.
She stared at the tablet in her hands as she dropped it on a stand, she was going to sign that contract, to get that money, she wouldn't mind putting up with that pyscho that stares at ladies pictures in front of them, for fourteen months.
Amelia took a seat close to her grandmother, she was going to tell her about everything that had happened while she was unconscious.
Her grandmother tried stretching her hands to touch her face as she sat down beside her, but, she stopped her midway.
"Don't stress yourself, Grandma, just relax and chew on your food, I am not going anywhere". Amelia spoke with a soft voice and a warm smile.
"My daughter…, you have emaciated...was it because of me? Did I make you suffer?".
"Ssshh, grandma, don't talk, just eat, I didn't suffer, okay".
"Liam helped you? Oh, what a blessing he is, did he come with you?".
"Grandma, you are asking too many questions, just eat your food and I will tell you everything myself". Amelia said, stroking her grandmother's hair gently.
Her grandmother smiled weakly, Amelia brought the filled-spoon close to her lips for her to eat.
"You promise?". Her grandmother asked before opening her mouth as Amelia nodded in response.
Her grandmother began to munch on the food slowly as she stared at her daughter, waiting for her to start talking.
"Liam and I broke up". Amelia began as she took a scoop with the spoon.
"Why?", her grandmother asked with a surprised face.
"He has been cheating on me with Eve". Amelia continued as she brought the spoon close to her grandmothers mouth.
"I never liked that Eve but, I didn't expect Liam to do such a thing, He…".
"He scammed me, grandma, He's the worst". Amelia would soon lose it if she didn't change the topic, talking about Liam was like opening up an already bandaged wound and pouring salt into it, she would rather not cry in front of her grandmother, she had already done her best in keeping her cool.
Her grandmother stopped chewing on her food and faced Amelia with a shocked expression.
"Liam did that! What if it was Eve's idea? Liam didn't look like the type".
"You can't believe it, right? I couldn't sleep for days because I could not digest the fact that he did such a thing to me, knowing fully well how poor I am, it didn't matter if it was Eve's idea, Liam is a jerk". Amelia let out, she could finally speak to someone she trusted, she could finally say everything that had been on her mind for the past few days, she could finally confide in someone.
"Are you feeling fine? You still look heartbroken".
"I am fine, grandma, you gave me hope to still move on with life, looking for money to pay for your hospital bills distracted me a little from the heartbreak".
Grandma nodded slowly as she swallowed her food.
"How much do you have left? Will it be enough to settle the bills? These treatments must be expensive...".
"Don't worry, grandma, I have gotten that covered". Amelia said as she pointed to her stomach with a sheepish smile.
Her grandmother didn't understand, what has her abdomen got to do with paying for her treatments?
"I am pregnant for a billionaire".
Amelia whispered into her grandmother's ear with a blush on her face.
Grandma's eyes widened.
What was she hearing her daughter say? Pregnant? She must have misheard.
Why would she be pregnant? Did she sleep with these old perverted men for money!
"Amelia, you said what?". Grandma asked, she needed to hear what Amelia said again to confirm if her ears were interpreting a different thing to her, she would ask meet an ENT.
"I am pregnant for a billionaire, you don't believe me?". Amelia asked as she picked up the tablet from the stand to show her grandmother the contract.
Yeah, Grandma confirmed it, she was having severe problems with her ears.
Amelia showed the tablet screen displaying the contents of the contract to her grandmother.
"Grandma, look, can you read that? I am a surrogate mother for Mr. Calvin Riggs, the first son of Mr. Riggs, you know the Riggs family, I am currently carrying a young Riggs in my womb, I know you hate them but, don't worry, I will just be there for a year and a couple of months, I know you will miss me but, I will come back rich, if I sign this contracts I will be able to pay all the bills and still have enough left for us to go on a vacation to all your favorite places, I didn't plan for this initially, it was all an accident but, it was a blessing in disguise…". Amelia kept on chattering with excitement written all over her face about how she wanted to spend the money she will be paid as she scrolled through the words on the screen, oblivious of the fact that her grandmother's face had contoured to a darker shade, fear, and alertness were the expressions that settled on her wrinkled face.