CHAPTER ONE

It was on a Wednesday afternoon.

She had finished her classes for the day. All classes ended at 3pm. She was exhausted from having to make numerous paintings for the school art exhibition day. It was close.

She took a stroll down to the school canteen alongside her best friend. She ordered a small cup of ice-cream and two hot sausages and so did her friend. The thoughts in her head were just too much; they kept replaying like records on repeat. She couldn't pick which one to fix first.

Her Dad's excruciating health conditions was all she could pick out. It was the most important to her. She stared blindly into space barely touching her snack.

Angela! Angela!

She quickly jerked out of her thoughts, tilting head forward to face her friend Rachel who had snapped her fingers twice in the air to get her attention.

"You haven't touched your snack yet,'' Rachel said with concern filling her face.

Uhmmmm! Angela took in a deep breathe

"I don't know what to do Rachy"…she said, placing her right palm over her eyes. They had tears in them and before she knew it the tears rolled down her cheeks. The thought of losing her father over some disease makes her cry even when she doesn't mean it. She is just 21 and she was the first born.

Her father had sacrificed his last penny on his savings account to train her through one of the best art schools since he couldn't do that himself despite the fact that he had a dream to become a full time best artist. She was only a student with no job or money. How would she ever be able to fix this mess she's into? Her father's health was important to her.

Your dad's health right? Rachel asked.

Yeah, Angela responded, wiping off the tears with the back of her palm.

"Dad needs $3000 dollars for medications this week. I don't have a penny on me. I had used my little savings since the illness started. This is so frustrating Rachel", She sighed. Trying hard to stay calm.

"All will be fine, okay?"…Rachel consoled, squeezing her palm tight into Angela's.

Angela nodded her head like a little child.

"How about the billionaire surrogate program you applied for a few weeks ago?" Rachel asked.

" I haven't heard anything from them since the day I went for the rigorous tests. I do not know, maybe I just didn't qualify for the program. She answered faintly.

She had applied for the surrogate program her friend had linked her to a few weeks ago. The interview took place at the agency's small office which was a few miles away from her home. She had answered the few questions she was asked correctly. On the form she filled out, the name of the man whom she would be carrying his child was not mentioned. She had been waiting for their final decision since the day she took those tests.

********

Just then there was a beep in her cell phone. The notification had "Silhouette Surrogate Agency" popping on the lock screen and so she immediately opened it to see the content of the message..

She read through the message. Her face was expressionless. She didn't know if she should be happy or sad.

I just got a notification from the agency. I think I have been selected for the surrogacy program. She said coldly. Her eyes lit.

Her friend snatched the cell from her hand to read the message herself.

"This is good news isn't it?"Rachel said. Looking into Angela's eyes as she spoke.

Is it? Angela asked, confused.

Yeah, Rachel replied.

"Look at it from a positive angle. she continued, you get pregnant for this Billionaire man, you're not having sex with him so your virginity will still be intact or maybe you could…" she cleared her throat and rolled her eyes in a funny way that made Angela giggle shyly.

"Afterwards you get to keep the remaining money for yourself girl….you ain't even gonna spend a dime on the child. Bills on him isn't it?"

Yeah, I guess so, Angela shrugged her shoulders.

She has an appointment with the agency at 10am the following morning.

The opportunity she has been waiting for has finally come.

This was going to be a bit difficult for her, she couldn't possibly stop school, this was her final year.

"It's a really tough one to decide Rachy, I wish the group could just open and swallow me up in it forever"...

"Sssssh! Don't talk like that"Rachael protested, you are strong and you will definitely come out of this, I believe strongly that you will. Trust me.

"This is the opportunity you've been waiting for, to take care of your dad and to give your mother and sibling the best of life. Girl… you can't slack on this one, it's the surest thing to do, babe, Rachael said searching Angela's eyes for approval".

"And before you know it he might just marry you", she said as she smiled and raised one of her shoulders to her neck.

Angela was blushing at this point.

"See, that's it girl and you get to keep that smile when you become a boss's wife".

"Go away, girl you got a really dirty mind",

What? I'm just saying. Rachael put in.

"How do you know he's going to be a rich man? Huh"

"Cus I know that one rich bosses do Surrogate. It's expensive as hell baby ``,'' a poor man can't afford it, you that".

Yeah, you're right…Angela sighed.

She feels relieved at the words her Friend had just poured out to her. Rachael was her only friend. Rachael wasn't as poor as her; she's exposed and brilliant so she wasn't going to argue with her. Coming from a friend like Rachael she would take the advice at least that's the only way can save her family from penury and constant starvation. They were barely struggling to survive and her father's illness is even worsening the situation.

This was it, the perfect advice.