Mysterious CEO's Last Surrogate

FIVE MONTHS LATER

Danica was heavy. Doctor Jeff had confirmed that they should be expecting a baby boy in two weeks. It was exciting. Her bump was now large but it never prevented Loney from getting intimate with her, especially after Doctor Jeff confirmed that it won't pose any health problems for as long as Danica found it comfortable. Therefore, Loney found better sex positions that were comfortable for both of them. Thus, it helped Danica to be more relaxed and sleep better at night since she developed lower back pains due to the pregnancy, which was normal. Loney found ways of soothing her pains. Not a day passed without a smile on Danica's face because Loney was all over her, with everything he got to spend with her. Once he arrived, Mabel knew her job of taking care of Danica had ended.

Still, Loney remained true to his word, sending Daniella $10.000 every month for her upkeep, even though he felt sure that the child she carried in her womb wasn't his. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to track down whoever was helping Daniella and hadn't been able to gather enough evidence against her as well. Nonetheless, he was determined to be there when the child would be born, unknown to Daniella, and have a paternity test done without her knowledge.

Daniella was running out of cash because she had to prepare her second payment to Ray. Aside from that, she has had to pay more during her antenatal checks which Loney always demanded. It required huge sums of money to fake scans especially when Loney sent Paul to go with her during antenatal. Never for once had he been there himself. This, his absence was hurtful to Daniella, which to her understanding, meant he didn't care about her but it was also a relief since it made it easier for her to carry out her plans.

Now, she was as broke as a church mouse and she dared not go to Loney's office for fear of Loney getting aggressive and perhaps, discovering her fake bump. Rosa never gave her the details and she hadn't seen her again after that day. She only heard a month ago that Rosa had been arrested while she tried to escape since the divorce proceedings weren't going in her favour. This increased Daniella's discomfort but after the money and all the sacrifices she made, she couldn't give up. She didn't know it was going to be this hard to fake being pregnant for someone like Loney.

She had tried to get in touch with Danica but the latter wouldn't give her audience. Oh, Danica had learnt her lesson from the poison ivy treatment and now that she was in her latter days, she was determined to protect herself even if it meant hiding all the time from her sister's eyes.

Therefore, Daniella's only choice was Herty because Herty was the only one who went to visit Danica from time to time and also helped her with shopping. Now, she even had Loney's direct line to call in case of any emergency. Paul had been off for a month to take care of his sick mum. The woman was old and nearing her grave, which was why Loney allowed him to leave but Gideon had been sent to watch over the bodyguards and Danica.

Everything seemed to be going well except for Daniella. She needed to act fast because Danica's date was close which was why she was going to visit Herty in her office.

Herty was expecting Gideon to pick her to see Danica in the mansion, this, she was going to spend the weekend over there since Loney had some loose ends to tie in the office and the field before Danica's due date. He didn't intend to work for at least a month after her delivery. Besides, he was supposed to begin the construction of the safe house for Governor Maxwell.

Herty had an hour before Gideon arrived therefore, she was rounding up at the office when she heard a faint knock on the door. Thinking that perhaps, Gideon had decided to come earlier than expected, he told the person to come in. A fog of shock covered her when Daniella walked in with a long stomach, almost like Danica's. A flash of sadness crossed her face. "Are you alright?" she asked Daniella.

"Do you even care? You don't visit anymore," Daniella pouted.

Herty forced a smile, "that's because you banned me from visiting and you won't even let Jones in when he comes around. Thank God he's been busy these days."

"What has he been up to?" Daniella was curious. She admitted to herself that she missed Jones but she couldn't continue entertaining him or Herty, lest they find out she faked her pregnancy. A fake bump can't be worn all the time and who knows when they might barge in when perhaps she just came out of the shower? It was better to play safe but that also meant loneliness.

"If you must know, Ray is his uncle and he is trying to get him arrested," Gertrude revealed, knowing that Daniella had stopped working for Ray.

"Are you serious? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Daniella was secretly excited. If Ray got arrested, then she wouldn't be forced to cough up his balance for him right? Still, she only prayed that he would help her with the last part of the deal before he got arrested but she seemed to have underestimated Jones. How could he go after Ray by himself? Perhaps, there were things she didn't know about him. "That's why he wanted to help you but you won't let anybody in. Anyway, what brings you here? You have to be snappy because Loney has sent someone to come take me to see Danica," Herty said, arranging some documents on her desk.

Daniella pretended to be offended. "So you can go to the mansion and I can't, even when I'm also carrying Loney's child?"

"Nobody begged you to carry his child. Besides, I'm going to help her to buy items for the baby. Thanks to you, everything purchased earlier had to be discarded months ago."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I've changed," Daniella tried to purchase Herty's sympathy.

"I've heard that before. I have to go now." Herty stood up and headed for the door. Reluctantly, Daniella stood up and left but she also got the information she needed. They were going shopping tomorrow and she didn't have to ask where. She already knew where her sister purchased her stuff.

When she got home, she was amazed to see Jones' car parked in front of her house. He was seated in the car in deep thought, Daniella's heart thumped. She wanted to hide from him. She had successfully hidden from him for months but now, it seemed inevitable.

Jones saw her form, miles away and stepped out of his car. His message was swift and stern when she got closer. "Whatever you plan to do against your sister tomorrow, don't do it. Judgement awaits you, for you have trampled on the mercies of God for so long." Daniella shivered because she had never seen Jones this serious. He was a gentleman, whose face brightened with smiles every time she saw him. Regardless, she was also upset. How could he come here to speak for her sister? Her heart was broken. She thought he came to see how she was faring or perhaps, loved her but it didn't seem so and it hurt. "You still love my sister even when she belongs to another man." It wasn't a question. It was her assumption and conclusion of everything.

Jones held no expressions on his face. He had so much going on in his life for the past few months. "If I still loved her, I wouldn't be here. I would have stopped coming close to you the moment I found out who you were." What was he saying? Did he mean he loved her? How could he love her? He had no idea the things she had done.

Daniella felt a blow to her heart. Did she miss something? "No. You can't love me. You don't even know me."

A line of pain crossed Jones' eyes but he blinked and it was gone. "Yes, I do. Your contacts with Ray, I know. And he is my uncle. Every penny I have made, I have denied myself the reward of my hard work, sacrificing it just for this day. Just so I can bring him to justice and when he falls, you will fall. Stop it now that you have the chance." His words were gentle but held a great form of warning and authority, it made Daniella uneasy.

Perhaps, she might stop if Jones still loved her. "No, you don't know the things I've done. You can't love someone like me." Tears burned in the back of her eyes, she let them fall but Jones didn't try to comfort her. He stood there like a pillar and watched her with an unreadable expression.

"The things you've done? Like allowing him to treat you less than an animal in hotel suite number 1229?" Like the money you gave his second in command to fake this thing you call pregnancy that I'm seeing in front of you?" Jones felt stabbed with every word that left his lips. That video of Daniella and Ray having intercourse broke him. That was when he realized that what he felt for Daniella was more than he expected. If not, he wouldn't have been so hurt.

However, Daniella was horrified and felt ashamed that Jones had seen it. Oh, was she stupid, luxury hotels have cameras everywhere for security sake and even if they didn't, how could she be foolish enough to think that Ray wouldn't have people who wanted him dead and would keep watching him? But now that she knew she had lost Jones, there was nothing more to hold on to. "You have no right. You have no right to stalk me," she let out harshly amidst tears.

Every tear she shed felt like hot lava in Jones' heart. He wanted to hold her. To comfort her but something stopped him. Why would he feel that way? Did he still love her? No one understood Daniella better than him because anyone who has ever lived that life would need a special kind of therapy to be free. If not, they would keep running back as soon as they were faced with any little challenge. Oh, that life was horrible but could also be addictive.

"I wasn't stalking you. You were just caught on camera. I have eyes on Ray. I monitor all his movements. Who he meets, what he eats, when he sleeps? What he does? All are pieces of evidence that I'm going to use to nail him so don't fall into the trap I'm setting for him. If not, you will go down with him." Jones' tone was soft and he was trying to reach out to her. To make her stop. He knew that he couldn't protect he any longer because Loney was getting suspicious.

Still, Daniella was adamant. Once again, evil has taken hold of her. "But, that's impossible. I won't go down with Ray because our ambitions are different."

Seeing her reluctance, Jones thought of explaining more. He still wanted to help her. "I work with Loney, Daniella." Daniella's eyes widened in horror. Jones saw it but continued anyway.

"He doesn't employ just anyone. Whoever works with him, thinks like him. He has eyes on you, just as I have on Ray. I've covered up shreds of evidence against you for all these months or, you would be dead by now. Do you know who you are messing with? The only way to win Loney is with a pure heart which Danica has and has gotten ahead of you. He smells evil miles away and the fact that you tricked him once doesn't make you a genius. The evil inside Loney is as much as yours but unlike you, he only hunts those who step on his toes. He doesn't go about destroying innocent people and that is what makes him a good person."

Daniella let out more tears. Now she knew without a doubt that her plans had failed. Jones knew everything and even if Loney doesn't find out himself, Jones would tell him but no, she can't lose everything. She has already lost so much money.

"How dare you. How dare you say this to me. I was with you for months and you never proposed. No one wants me. why? Perhaps if you had told me how much you loved and needed me, I wouldn't have done this." She tried to pin the blame on him but Jones wasn't ignorant.

"I never knew that you were this dumb. How were you ever able to work with Ray? How could I propose to you when you were faking to be Danika. I had the ring I wanted to give her for years but something kept holding me back. When I heard she had become Loney's surrogate, I understood one thing, that she wasn't mine in the first place. But as for you, you are so blinded by evil that you don't even see the ligh flashed in your face," he let out with a bitter smile.

That said, he stepped in his car and drove off. Daniella stood in confusion. Her mind went blank. But one thing was certain. Jones didn't propose to her because he thought she was Danica. Perhaps if she hadn't faked amnesia and pretended to be Danica, she would have been married to him. Should she beg for his forgiveness? Go ahead with the plan? Or should she give it up and confess? She sat in front of her gate and wailed like a widow.

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