When Jessica\u2019s husband, James, asks her to be a surrogate for his brother\u2019s fianc\u00e9e, she agrees against her better judgment. Yet, as the pregnancy progresses, her doubts grow. The fianc\u00e9e remains unreachable, the details feel off, and when Jessica finally meets her, the truth shatters everything.
\nIt all started when James, my husband of eight years, asked me to join him for a \u201cfamily meeting\u201d with his mother, Diane, and his younger brother, Matt.
\nI remember rolling my eyes as we drove to Diane\u2019s house. There was always some kind of drama brewing in James\u2019s family.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it this time?\u201d I asked James. \u201cDid your mom find another scratch on her precious china and decide I\u2019m to blame?\u201d<\/p>\n
James kept his eyes on the road. \u201cIt\u2019s something important, Jess. Just hear them out, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
When we arrived, Diane greeted me with her typical stiff hug and guided me to her living room. Matt nodded awkwardly from the armchair.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica,\u201d Diane began, her voice taking on that syrupy tone she used when asking for favors. \u201cWe have something very special to ask you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I glanced at James, who was studying his hands.<\/p>\n
Matt cleared his throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica,\u201d Matt said, his voice wavering slightly. \u201cI\u2019m engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCongratulations,\u201d I replied, genuinely happy for him. \u201cWhen do we get to meet her?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt and Diane exchanged a look.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh\u2026 I\u2019m not sure. She\u2019s a wildlife photographer,\u201d Matt explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s in the Ethiopian Highlands right now, trying to get footage of Ethiopian wolves in the wild,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd the cell phone signal is awful in the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing is,\u201d Diane said, leaning forward, \u201cmy future daughter-in-law has some health issues. She desperately wants children, but she can\u2019t carry them herself.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt a creeping dread as three pairs of eyes focused intently on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were hoping,\u201d Matt said, \u201cthat you might consider being a surrogate for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The request hung in the air. I looked at James, expecting him to be as shocked as I was, but his expression told me he\u2019d known all along.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want me to carry your baby?\u201d I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.<\/p>\n
\u201cThink about what it would mean to Matt,\u201d James said, squeezing my hand. \u201cAnd the compensation would help us and our kids so much. We can add a sizeable contribution to both of their college funds and do some of those kitchen renovations you\u2019ve been wanting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut your brother\u2019s fianc\u00e9e\u2026\u201d I started. \u201cShouldn\u2019t I at least talk to her first? This is a huge decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s completely on board,\u201d Matt assured me quickly. \u201cWe did the IVF before she left and had the embryos frozen. All we need is a surrogate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I haven\u2019t even met her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll be back in the States soon,\u201d Diane said, patting my knee. \u201cYou two will get along splendidly, I\u2019m sure.<\/p>\n
I felt trapped, surrounded by expectant faces.<\/p>\n
James knew exactly what buttons to push: our children\u2019s future, our home improvements, things he knew mattered to me.<\/p>\n
Despite the nagging feeling in my gut, I nodded slowly. \u201cI\u2019ll do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next nine months were a blur of doctor appointments and growing discomfort.<\/p>\n
Each trimester brought new challenges: morning sickness that lasted all day, swollen ankles, and backaches that kept me up at night.<\/p>\n
Through it all, James remained supportive in his own way, rubbing my feet while reminding me how the money would change our lives.<\/p>\n
Yet something felt off.<\/p>\n
Matt visited regularly, bringing vitamins and checking on the baby.<\/p>\n
But his fianc\u00e9e remained a mystery.<\/p>\n
\u201cHas Matt\u2019s fianc\u00e9e called yet?\u201d I asked James one night as we lay in bed, my enormous belly preventing me from finding a comfortable position.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s still traveling,\u201d James mumbled, already half-asleep.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor nine months? Without a single phone call to the woman carrying her child?\u201d<\/p>\n
James sighed and rolled over. \u201cYou\u2019re stressing yourself out for nothing, Jess. It\u2019s not good for the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe baby,\u201d I whispered to myself. \u201cNot me.\u201d<\/p>\n
As my due date approached, my unease grew.<\/p>\n
I tried calling Matt directly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen is your fianc\u00e9e coming back? I\u2019d really like to meet her before the birth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSoon,\u201d he promised. \u201cShe\u2019s still in Ethiopia, trying to get pictures of some incredibly rare bird in the Nechisar Plains.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sighed. It seemed this woman was as impossible to pin down as the animals she photographed.<\/p>\n
The day I went into labor, James drove me to the hospital while I clutched the dashboard, pain ripping through my abdomen.<\/p>\n
At the hospital, James held my hand through the initial examination.<\/p>\n
Matt and Diane arrived shortly after. They rushed into the room, but I threw up my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut, both of you,\u201d I ordered them through clenched teeth. \u201cThis is too personal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSix centimeters,\u201d the nurse announced. \u201cMoving right along.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, James\u2019s phone chimed. He pulled his hand from mine and checked the message.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be right back,\u201d he said, stepping out of the room. \u201cMatt\u2019s fianc\u00e9e is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
He returned moments later with a gorgeous woman.<\/p>\n
I recognized her instantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cRachel?\u201d The name escaped my lips like a curse.<\/p>\n
Rachel was James\u2019s high school sweetheart. The woman whose name I\u2019d banned from our house after finding James drunkenly scrolling through her social media one night, six years into our marriage.<\/p>\n
After he admitted he\u2019d never really gotten over her.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica!\u201d Rachel\u2019s face lit up with genuine joy. \u201cI can\u2019t thank you enough. I know how hard this must have been, but you made our dream come true!\u201d<\/p>\n
The room spun around me.<\/p>\n
I turned to James, my voice trembling with rage. \u201cYou knew exactly who she was all along. And you never told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
James\u2019s expression barely flickered. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t relevant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWasn\u2019t relevant?\u201d I repeated, incredulous. \u201cYou asked me to carry a child for the woman you told me you never got over, and that wasn\u2019t relevant?\u201d<\/p>\n
Diane stepped forward, her voice placating. \u201cSweetheart, don\u2019t overreact. Rachel wanted a baby, and you were the perfect choice!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve successfully carried two children already without complications. Besides, she wants to keep her body.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pieces clicked into place with sickening clarity.<\/p>\n
This wasn\u2019t about helping family. This was about convenience. About keeping Rachel\u2019s perfect body intact while using mine as an incubator.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat to know I\u2019m a good broodmare,\u201d I snapped.<\/p>\n
Rachel\u2019s face flushed with guilt. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cQuiet!\u201d I roared as the pain of another contraction rippled through me. \u201cLiars. Manipulative little\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop being so dramatic.\u201d James sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica, it\u2019s done,\u201d he continued. \u201cThe baby is here. Just let it go.\u201d<\/p>\n
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself despite the contractions coming faster now.<\/p>\n
I turned to the nurse who was checking my vitals, deliberately avoiding eye contact with the family that had betrayed me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need a moment alone with my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel and Diane hesitated, but the nurse quickly ushered everyone but James from the room. The second the door clicked shut, I fixed James with a cold stare.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re done.\u201d<\/p>\n
James blinked, confused. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis marriage. Us. You tricked me into being an incubator for that witch. You disrespected me for the last time.\u201d<\/p>\n
James laughed, actually laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re blowing this way out of proportion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAm I? Then you won\u2019t mind if I take everything I\u2019m legally entitled to in the divorce.\u201d<\/p>\n
The color drained from James\u2019s face as the implications sank in.<\/p>\n
We had built a comfortable life together. Our house was nearly paid off, and we had retirement accounts and college funds for our children. All of it was subject to division.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica\u2014\u201d he started, suddenly panicked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I interrupted, voice firm despite another contraction ripping through me. \u201cYou took away my choice. Now I\u2019m taking back my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
I still had to endure the final stage of labor.<\/p>\n
I went through it alone, not wanting any traitors in the room with me as I pushed through seemingly endless pain.<\/p>\n
When the cries of a newborn finally filled the room, I felt a complicated mix of relief, grief, and resolve.<\/p>\n
The nurse placed the baby in my arms for a brief moment.<\/p>\n
I looked down at the tiny face, so innocent despite the circumstances of its arrival.<\/p>\n
But then I handed the child back to the nurse. \u201cThis baby isn\u2019t mine to keep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within the week, I had met with a lawyer.<\/p>\n
I filed for divorce, secured full custody of my children, and made sure James felt the full weight of what he\u2019d done.<\/p>\n
James tried to make amends, sending flowers, leaving tearful voicemails, and even showing up at my parents\u2019 house where I was staying with the kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, Jessica,\u201d he begged. \u201cIt was a mistake. I should have told you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA mistake?\u201d I replied calmly. \u201cA mistake is forgetting an anniversary. This was a calculated betrayal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three months later, I sat across from my lawyer as she slid the final divorce papers toward me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s agreed to all terms,\u201d she said. \u201cThe house, the accounts, primary custody. You won, Jessica.\u201d<\/p>\n
I signed my name with steady hands. \u201cI didn\u2019t win anything. I just stopped losing.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I walked out of the office, my phone buzzed with a text from James: \u201cRachel had the baby christened yesterday. They want you to know they\u2019re grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n
I deleted the message without responding and stepped into the crisp fall air.<\/p>\n
Rachel got her perfect body and her perfect baby. Matt got his family without having to watch his wife go through pregnancy.<\/p>\n
James got exactly what he deserved.<\/p>\n
And me?<\/p>\n
I got something far more valuable: my freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Jessica\u2019s husband, James, asks her to be a surrogate for his brother\u2019s fianc\u00e9e, she agrees against her better judgment. Yet, as the pregnancy progresses, her doubts… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4279"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4281,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4279\/revisions\/4281"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedailyglow.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}