The Baby Contract

“Can I get you some water or something?” he asked.

“How about a bourbon?” I quipped as I sat on his couch.

“It seems like now is the time to stop drinking alcohol. I can get you juice.”

I rolled my eyes. “Just show me the papers.”

He picked up an envelope from his desk and handed it to me. He sat in a chair opposite me.

I opened the envelope and took out the papers. It was pages and pages of legalese. I suppose much of it seemed fairly standard, but one requirement stood out. A requirement that I couldn’t do.

“I’m not moving in with you.” I tossed the paperwork back at him.

He caught the papers. His eyes narrowed and he studied me for a long time. Finally, he said, “Not even for twenty-five million?”

My stomach turned over at the idea of giving up that sort of money, but I couldn’t live with a man I could barely spend ten minutes with.

“You hate me that much?” He almost seemed hurt by my response. “I’m offering you freedom, Anne. Manage the money well, and you can live quite nicely for the rest of your life. You’ll be able to rub it in your brother and father’s face. You could travel.”

“It’s a lot to ask.”

He arched a brow. “You’ve agreed to carry and give birth to my child, but living in my house is too much?”

What I wanted to avoid was being penned away like he tried to do with Harper. The more we glared at each other, the more I knew I needed to walk away and continue to live in poverty until I could find a new job.

As if he knew it, he said, “I’ve agreed to twenty-five million, Anne. But I’m standing firm on this. What are you going to do?”