The phone screamed into the silence of the bedroom.
Davina jolted upright, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. The digital clock on the nightstand glowed 2:00 AM in harsh red lines. The ringing didn't stop. It drilled into her skull, pulling her out of a nightmare straight into another one.
She grabbed the phone, her fingers slipping on the cracked screen. The caller ID flashed a name that made her stomach drop: Kash.
She swiped to answer, pressing the cold glass to her ear. "Hello?"
"Davina." His voice was ice. No hello, no preamble. Just the flat, hard tone of a man who bought what he wanted. "It's time to fulfill your end of the bargain."
She swallowed, her throat dry. "Kash, it's two in the morning-"
"I don't care if it's the apocalypse," he cut her off. "The marriage agreement. The heir clause. I need it done. Now."
Her grip tightened on the phone until her knuckles turned white. The plastic creaked under the pressure. "You can't just call and demand-"
"I can, and I am." The line was quiet for a second, save for the sound of his steady breathing. "You took the money, Davina. You signed the contract. I expect compliance."
"I need time," she forced out, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "We discussed a timeline-"
"Timeline's moved up." A hard edge entered his voice. "You have until the end of the month. Don't try my patience."
The line went dead.
Davina lowered the phone. It slipped from her numb fingers and landed on the mattress with a soft thud. She dropped her head into her hands, her chest tight, fighting for air.
Her eyes drifted to the coffee table in the living room, visible through the open doorway. A thick stack of papers sat there, illuminated by the streetlight filtering through the thin blinds. The prenuptial agreement.
She forced herself out of bed, her bare feet cold against the worn floorboards. She walked over to the table and stared down at the document.
Blackwell Industries - Project Director.
That was his title. Kash Daniel Montgomery, a man with a six-figure salary and a stick up his ass. He drove a Ford sedan. He lived in a nice apartment uptown. He was comfortable, well-off, but nothing special. Just another corporate suit.
Yet he looked at her like she was a thief caught red-handed.
Two months ago, she had stood in that sterile office, signing her name on the dotted line. Kash had shown up in that ordinary Ford, looking at her with eyes full of suspicion. The prenup he had handed her was thicker than most novels, every clause designed to protect his precious middle-class assets from the gold-digger he thought she was.
Separate property. No alimony. No claims on future earnings.
She let out a bitter laugh that echoed in the empty room. He was just a project director, but he guarded his money like he was hiding a fortune.
Her phone buzzed again. A video message from Jodie.
Davina hit play. The screen filled with the pale, exhausted face of her niece, Daisy. The little girl was propped up on hospital pillows, dark circles under her eyes.
"Aunt Vina," Daisy whispered, her voice so weak it was barely a breath. "When are you coming to see me?"
Davina's vision blurred. Hot tears spilled over her lashes, tracking down her cheeks. She pressed a hand over her mouth to muffle the sob building in her chest.
Five hundred thousand dollars. That was the price of Daisy's life. The surgery, the hospital stay, the aftercare. It was a mountain of money she could never climb on her own.
For that money, she had sold herself. She had signed the paper, taken the check, and walked down the aisle to a man who despised her. But she had never actually thought she would have to go through with the physical part. She thought she could stall, find a way out, pay him back.
The doorbell rang, a sharp buzz that made her jump.
She quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand, shoving the prenup under a magazine. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, and walked to the door.
She peered through the peephole. Jodie stood in the hallway, holding a brown paper bag and a six-pack of cheap beer.
Davina unlocked the door. "Jodie? What are you doing here?"
"Bringing the essentials." Jodie pushed past her, kicking the door shut with her foot. "Late-night comfort food. You look like hell, by the way."
"Thanks," Davina muttered, following her friend into the tiny kitchen. "I feel like hell."
Jodie set the bag on the counter, pulling out takeout containers of pad thai and spring rolls. She popped the cap off a beer and handed it to Davina. "Talk to me. What's going on?"
Davina took a long swig of the beer, the bitter liquid cooling her throat. "Kash called."
Jodie froze, a spring roll halfway to her mouth. "And?"
"He wants to... consummate the marriage." The word tasted like ash in her mouth. "He gave me a deadline."
Jodie slammed her beer bottle down on the counter. Foam sloshed over the rim. "That son of a bitch! He treats you like a breeding cow he bought at auction."
"It's in the contract," Davina said quietly, staring at the condensation on the bottle. "I agreed to it."
"For Daisy!" Jodie's voice rose, echoing in the small apartment. "You did it to save her life, not to become his personal incubator. He has no right to demand-"
"He has every right," Davina cut in, her voice hollow. "He paid for it."
Jodie stared at her, her eyes flashing with anger and pity. "You're not actually going to do it, are you? Just lie back and think of England?"
"I don't have a choice." Davina's shoulders slumped. "If I breach the contract, he can demand the money back. I don't have it. It's all gone to the hospital."
Jodie walked around the counter and pulled Davina into a tight hug. "I'll help you. I'll get a second job. I'll sell my car. We'll figure something out."
"You can't fix this, Jo." Davina hugged her back, burying her face in her friend's shoulder. "But I'll figure a way out. I'll handle Kash. I won't let him touch me."
Jodie pulled back, her expression skeptical. "How? The man has a key to this place."
"I'll be creative." Davina picked up her beer again, her jaw set. "I didn't survive the foster system by being a doormat."
They moved to the couch, eating takeout straight from the containers and drinking beer. The tension slowly eased as the alcohol kicked in. Jodie finished her third beer and leaned her head back against the cushions.
"Men are trash," Jodie slurred, her eyes half-closed. "Especially the ones I meet. I swear, I have the worst luck."
"Maybe you should stop picking them up in dive bars," Davina said, a faint smile touching her lips.
"Where else am I supposed to meet anyone?" Jodie groaned. "I'm too tired to date. Too tired for any of this."
Davina helped her friend to the door an hour later, watching her stumble down the hallway to the elevator. "Text me when you get home!"
Jodie waved a hand without looking back.
Davina closed the door and leaned against it. The silence of the apartment rushed back in, heavier than before. The fear crept back up her spine, wrapping around her throat.
She walked over to the window and stared out at the New York skyline. The neon signs of bodegas and all-night diners painted the street in harsh colors. She pulled out her phone and opened her banking app.
Available Balance: $84.52.
The hospital bills were a weight on her chest, crushing the air from her lungs. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think.
She closed her eyes, her reflection staring back at her from the dark glass. She had to survive this. She had to protect herself.
"I'll handle it," she whispered to the empty room. "I won't let him break me."
The next evening, the sound of the lock turning made Davina's blood run cold.
She was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for a stir-fry. The knife paused mid-air as the front door swung open.
Kash stepped inside.
He wore a charcoal suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly, the fabric crisp and expensive. In the dim, cramped living room of her cheap apartment, he looked like a shark swimming in a puddle. His cold gaze swept over the mismatched furniture, the peeling wallpaper, before landing on her.
His lip curled slightly when he saw the knife in her hand. "Planning to use that?"
"I was making dinner," Davina said, setting the knife down on the cutting board. "You can't just walk in here."
"I have a key." He pulled a silver key from his pocket and tossed it onto the entryway table. "I own the lease. And I own you."
He reached inside his coat and pulled out a folded document. He walked over to the coffee table and threw it down. The paper slid across the surface, the sound sharp in the quiet room.
"Sign it."
Davina walked over slowly, her legs stiff. She looked down at the document. It was a supplementary agreement to the prenup.
She scanned the first few lines. Her stomach dropped.
Clause 4: The Party of the First Part (Kash Daniel Montgomery) shall retain sole and exclusive custody of any child born of this union.
"You want me to sign over my baby," she said, her voice trembling with rage. "Before I'm even pregnant."
"It's standard procedure." Kash unbuttoned his suit jacket, his posture relaxed, but his eyes were hard. "It's a condition in my grandmother's will. She wants to see the next generation before she goes. The child must be a Montgomery. Fully and legally."
"You're taking my rights as a mother!" Davina snapped, looking up at him. "You can't just buy a child and throw the mother away."
Kash took a step closer, his large frame crowding her space. The scent of his cologne-sandalwood and something sharper-filled her nostrils. "That's exactly what you're here for, isn't it? A womb for hire. A warm body to carry a meal ticket."
"I am not a surrogate!" Davina shouted, her chest heaving. "I'm your wife!"
"On paper," Kash said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You saw an opportunity, and you took it. You got your fifty thousand dollar advance. You'll get the remaining four hundred and fifty thousand at the end. Don't pretend you have morals now."
"I didn't marry you for the money," Davina said, the words spilling out before she could stop them. "I needed-"
"Save it." Kash held up a hand, his face twisting in disgust. "I've heard every excuse in the book. The dying relative, the mounting bills, the sad story. I'm not interested."
He turned away, running a hand through his dark hair. For a split second, the arrogant mask slipped. His shoulders tensed, and he stared out the window at the city lights.
"My grandmother is dying," he said, his voice rough. "She wants to see the next generation before she goes. That's the only reason I'm doing this."
Davina saw the pain in his profile, the tight line of his jaw. He was trapped, just like she was. But the moment of vulnerability vanished as quickly as it appeared.
He turned back to her, his eyes freezing over again. "But don't think for a second that I trust you. I know exactly what you are."
"I'm not what you think," Davina said, her voice barely above a whisper. She bit her lower lip, tasting copper as she bit down too hard.
"You're a gold-digger," Kash said flatly. "And I'm the gold. Sign the paper."
He picked up his coat from the chair, slipping it back on. "You have until Friday."
He walked toward the door without looking back.
Davina stared at the document on the table. Her hands shook as she picked it up. The paper was heavy, the legal jargon blurring before her eyes.
The edge of the paper was sharp. It sliced into her index finger as she gripped it too tight. A drop of dark red blood welled up, falling onto the white page next to the signature line.
Kash paused at the door, his hand on the knob. He didn't turn around.
"Don't try the blood act," he said coldly. "It won't work on me."
The door slammed shut behind him. The sound echoed through the apartment, rattling the thin walls.
Davina sank down onto the couch, the agreement clutched in her hands. The cut on her finger stung, but the pain in her chest was worse. She felt hollowed out, scraped clean.
The phone rang at 6:00 AM, ripping Davina from a fitful sleep.
She fumbled for it, her eyes crusted with exhaustion. "Hello?"
"Davina, it's Dr. Coleman." The doctor's voice was grim, lacking its usual bedside manner. "I'm calling about Daisy."
Davina sat up, the blanket falling to her waist. "What's wrong? Is she okay?"
"She's developed a pre-operative complication," Dr. Coleman said. "An infection. We need to start aggressive treatment immediately, or we lose the window for the surgery."
"How much?" Davina asked, her voice cracking. She already knew the answer.
"Fifty thousand. Upfront. By three o'clock this afternoon." The doctor paused. "I'm sorry, Davina. Hospital policy. Without the payment, we can't proceed."
"I'll get it," she whispered. "Just give me a few hours."
"I'll do what I can, but the board is strict. Three o'clock."
The line went dead.
Davina dropped the phone on the bed. The room spun around her. Fifty thousand dollars. In nine hours.
She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts. She called everyone. Distant cousins, former coworkers, acquaintances from school.
Voicemail. Rejections. Laughter.
She threw the phone across the room. It hit the wall and bounced onto the floor, the screen cracking further.
She buried her face in her hands, her breath coming in short, painful gasps. There was no one. Nothing.
Her eyes fell on the coffee table. The supplementary agreement lay next to a black-and-white photocopy of a credit card. Kash had left it there last night, a reminder of his control.
Sign the paper, and the money is yours.
Her phone buzzed from the floor. A voice message from Daisy.
She crawled over and hit play, pressing the phone to her ear.
"Aunt Vina," the little girl's voice was weak, barely a whisper. "I had a bad dream. Can you come hold my hand? I miss you."
The sound broke something inside Davina. A tear slipped down her cheek, then another. She pressed a hand over her mouth, choking back a sob.
Dignity. Pride. They were luxuries she couldn't afford. Not when Daisy's life was on the line.
She picked up a pen from the table. Her hand was steady now. The fear was gone, replaced by a cold, hard resolve. She would not let Daisy die because of her pride.
She signed her name.
She stood up, her legs shaky. She grabbed her car keys from the counter and ran out the door.
She drove like a maniac, weaving through the morning traffic, running yellow lights. The trip to Manhattan that usually took forty minutes took twenty.
She pulled up to the high-rise apartment building, her heart pounding in her ears. She pressed the buzzer for the top floor, her finger trembling against the button.
A crackle of static. "Yes?" Kash's voice was irritated, rough with sleep.
"It's Davina. Let me up."
A long pause. The buzzer sounded, and the glass doors clicked open.
She rode the elevator up, watching the numbers climb. She caught her reflection in the mirrored walls. Pale face, wild eyes, hair a mess. She looked desperate.
The elevator doors opened onto a quiet, carpeted hallway. She walked to the end of the corridor, stopping at a heavy oak door. It swung open before she could knock. Kash stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He wore a black silk bathrobe, loosely tied. His hair was wet, droplets of water trailing down his neck.
He looked dangerous. And he knew it.
"Change your mind?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
Davina stepped out of the elevator. She reached into her purse and pulled out the signed agreement. She held it out to him, her hand shaking.
He took it, glancing at the signature. The smirk widened into a cold smile. "Smart girl."
He stepped closer, the heat of his body radiating toward her. He reached out, his fingers brushing her jaw, tilting her chin up. "So, you're finally ready to earn your keep."
Davina flinched away from his touch. Her eyes burned, but she forced herself to look at him. She had come here for a reason.
She raised her hands, her fingers trembling, and wrapped them around the back of his neck. She pulled him down.
Kash froze for a second, surprised. Then his eyes darkened, and he took control.
He backed her up against the wall, his hands gripping her waist. He kissed her hard, punishingly, his teeth grazing her lower lip.
Davina closed her eyes. A tear leaked out, sliding down her temple into her hair. She thought of Daisy's pale face, and she let the darkness take her.
