Chapter 3 3.

Chapter Three: Ashley's POV

By my eighth week of pregnancy, I had officially become unbearable.

Even I could admit that. And I really don't like it. I'm loosing my sanity. For real!

I was tired all the time, nauseous over everything, emotionally unstable for no reason, and somehow angry at people for eating food near me while also getting angry when nobody offered me food.

Pregnancy was insanity.

So when Mia forced me out of my apartment for "human interaction before you become a cave woman," I reluctantly agreed.

That was how I ended up sitting at an outdoor café at four in the afternoon wearing sunglasses big enough to hide my exhaustion while my friends argued loudly over brunch cocktails.

"I'm telling you," Troy announced dramatically, "if a man says he 'likes seeing where things go,' he absolutely has another woman."

"Or," Mia replied calmly, "he just doesn't like you enough."

Troy gasped. "You're supposed to support me emotionally."

"I support honesty." I snorted softly into my lemonade.

This. I missed this.

Noise. People. Stupidity.

Life.

The café buzzed with conversation around us while sunlight reflected off nearby windows. Waiters moved between tables carrying drinks and desserts, and somewhere behind us, somebody laughed loud enough to turn heads.

Normal life.

Meanwhile, I sat there secretly growing somebody else's baby.

Honestly, if anyone had told me a year ago this would become my reality, I would've laughed in their face.

"Ashley's smiling," Troy said suddenly. "She's alive."

"I was always alive."

"No, babe," he said, pointing at me with his straw, "you've been haunting your apartment for two months." Mia smirked knowingly from across the table.

Traitor.

The others still didn't know about the pregnancy. Only Mia did.

Not because I was ashamed exactly... okay maybe a little ashamed.

But mostly because I didn't want people looking at me differently.

I didn't want pity. Or judgment. Or curiosity.

Especially curiosity.

"So," Kara said while scrolling through her phone, "there's a yacht party this weekend." I almost answered automatically before stopping myself.

Right.

No yacht parties for pregnant surrogates. I grabbed my drink instead.

Lemonade. God, my life was depressing.

"You're weirdly quiet lately," Kara continued, narrowing her eyes at me. "Did you secretly get a boyfriend?"

Troy immediately looked offended. "If she got a man before me, I'll kill myself."

"I didn't get a boyfriend," I said quickly.

"Then why are you suddenly acting responsible?" Kara asked suspiciously. Mia choked on her drink beside me.

I kicked her under the table.

Hard.

"Ow!"

"Maybe I'm maturing," I replied smoothly. The entire table burst into laughter.

Okay. Fair.

Even I didn't believe that.

The waiter arrived with another round of drinks, placing colorful cocktails in front of everyone before reaching me last.

"And for you, miss, your sparkling water." Troy stared at my glass in horror.

"Ashley Martin voluntarily ordered water?"

"I'm cleansing."

"From what?"

"Bad decisions."

"Impossible," Kara said immediately. "You thrive on bad decisions."

Honestly?

Accurate.

I leaned back in my chair carefully while the conversation drifted around me again. My hand unconsciously moved toward my stomach beneath the table.

Still flat.

Still invisible.

Still surreal.

Sometimes I forgot for a few minutes.

Then suddenly I'd remember there was actually a tiny human growing inside me and nearly choke on air.

Mia caught the movement and gave me a subtle look.

You okay?

I nodded slightly. Physically, yes. Emotionally? Questionable.

A sharp wave of nausea hit me suddenly.

I froze. Oh no. Not here. Not now.

I stood up so quickly my chair scraped loudly against the floor.

"I'll be back," I muttered.

Troy blinked. "Are you dying?"

"Potentially." I hurried toward the café restroom while nausea twisted violently in my stomach.

By the time I reached the sink afterward, my eyes were watering and I looked genuinely miserable.

Pregnancy was humiliating. Mia slipped inside a minute later and handed me tissues.

"You good?"

"No," I said honestly. "I threw up expensive lemonade." She laughed sympathetically before leaning beside the sink.

"You don't have to keep pretending you're okay all the time, you know."nI stared at my reflection.

Pretending. Maybe I was.

Because everyone kept talking about this pregnancy like it was beautiful and meaningful and life-changing.

But nobody talked enough about how lonely it felt. My body didn't even feel like mine anymore. Every decision mattered now. Everything I ate. Everything I drank. Everywhere I went.

Even my emotions felt monitored.

"I just..." I sighed softly. "I miss being normal."

Mia's expression softened instantly.

"You are normal."

"I'm literally carrying my brother-in-law's child."

"...Okay fair point."

That made me laugh despite myself.

When we returned to the table, the others were deep in an argument about celebrities cheating on their partners. I barely listened.

For the first time in weeks, I actually felt lighter.bMaybe Mia was right.nMaybe staying trapped inside my apartment had been making everything worse.

By sunset, everyone finally started leaving. Troy hugged me dramatically near the parking lot.

"If you disappear again, I'm filing a missing persons report."

"I'll text you."

"You said that last time."

"And look," I said proudly, "I survived."

Mia walked me to my car afterward.

"You sure you're okay driving?"

"Yes, Mom."

She rolled her eyes. "Call me if you need anything."

"I know."

I drove home with the windows slightly down, letting cool evening air fill the car.

For once, my mind felt quiet in a good way.bUntil my phone started ringing through the car speakers.

Simone. I smiled automatically before answering.

"Hey—"

"Ashley, where are you?" I immediately frowned. Simone sounded wrong.

Breathless. Panicked.

"I'm driving home," I said slowly. "Why?"

"We need you to come to the manor right now.” Every muscle in my body tightened instantly.

"What happened?"

"We're on our way too," she said quickly, almost talking over me. "Just—just get here… please.." Fear crawled coldly up my spine.

"Simone." A shaky breath echoed through the speaker.

Then quietly—

"Ash, we’re leaving. We need you in the company."