Nora's first morning in the Jameson mansion felt surreal. The towering chandeliers, the marble floors that reflected her hesitant steps, the scent of fresh roses filling the air—it was nothing like the life she had known. She had spent the night in a room bigger than the entire space she once called home, yet sleep had eluded her.
She was here to work as a maid, but the arrangement came with an unspoken price.
As she made her way downstairs, she was greeted by the staff bustling around, setting up breakfast. A large dining table, long enough to seat at least twenty guests, was elegantly set with fine china and silverware that gleamed under the soft morning light. At the head of the table sat Duke Jameson the man whose wealth and influence shaped this entire empire. He was sipping his coffee, scrolling through his tablet, his strong features unreadable.
Opposite him, Kay Jameson, his wife, sat with effortless poise. She was the very definition of perfection—flawless skin, delicate fingers tracing the rim of her cup, and eyes that held a quiet authority. She glanced up at Nora, a hint of a smile on her lips.
"You're up early," Kay said, gesturing for Nora to step forward.
"Yes, ma'am," Nora replied, keeping her voice steady.
"Good," Kay said, setting her cup down. "You'll be expected to be up at this time every morning. There are rules in this house, and I expect you to follow them."
Nora nodded, feeling the weight of Kay's gaze. She knew this wasn't just about being a maid. The Jamesons had chosen her for something much deeper.
To carry their child.
Duke hadn't spoken a word to her since the night before when they had discussed the terms of the surrogacy agreement. His silence made her uneasy, yet his presence was impossible to ignore.
"Have breakfast," Kay instructed. "We have a lot to discuss."
Nora hesitated. She had never sat at a table this grand, let alone eaten with people as wealthy as the Jamesons. But she reminded herself—she had been through worse.
She took a seat at the far end of the table, opposite them. The moment felt unreal, but before she could fully process it, Kay spoke again.
"I assume you've thought about our offer."
Nora's fingers tightened around the napkin on her lap. "I have."
"And?" Kay leaned forward slightly, anticipation flickering in her gaze.
Nora exhaled slowly. "It's a lot to take in," she admitted. "Being a surrogate... it's not just a transaction. It's a life-changing decision."
Duke finally looked up from his tablet. His blue eyes, sharp and calculating, met hers for the first time that morning. "You'll be compensated well," he said, his deep voice carrying an undeniable authority.
Nora swallowed. "It's not about the money."
That caught Duke off guard, his eyebrows slightly raised. Kay, however, smiled knowingly.
"Then what is it about?" Kay asked, tilting her head.
Nora hesitated. "I just... need to be sure I can handle it."
Duke leaned back in his chair, studying her. "You've survived worse," he remarked. "This won't break you."
His words sent a shiver down her spine. There was something in his tone not cold, not unkind, but something that made her feel seen. As if he understood her in a way no one else had.
Kay, unaware of the silent exchange, reached for her coffee. "You have until tomorrow morning to decide," she said. "If you accept, you'll be signing the contract immediately."
Nora nodded. Tomorrow. That was all the time she had left to decide her fate.
But what disturbed her the most wasn't the decision itself.
It was the way Duke Jameson looked at her like she was more than just a maid, more than just a surrogate.
And that was dangerous.