I’m waken up by the sun piercing my skin, that’s odd because the sun never reaching my bedroom. This could only mean one thing, its midday. ‘I’m going to be late for work’ I just out of bed. This isn’t my room, I look around and rub my eyes because I might be dreaming. My room can never be this nice, my attention is stolen by the view from the window. No I should focus, I rush to the door and try to open it but it’s locked.

“Help! Somebody help me” I scream, why isn’t anyone coming! It’s been hours or minutes I don’t know, I give up and sit by the window.

This place is beautiful! Focus Bella! I should be looking for a way out not looking at the beautiful view. Where am I? Don’t tell me I got kidnapped? No, that only happens in the movies, I mean why would anyone kidnap me? I’m broke I can’t even pay my parking ticket. Only rich people get kidnaped right? I’m still bombarding myself with questions when the door opens. An old lady walks in with tray of food in her hands.

“Oh you’re awake! Good morning” she smiles

“Hello! Uhm where am I?”

“You don’t know where you are?” she answers

“Are we still in South Africa?”

“You’re funny!” she walks to the door

“No lady I’m serious please help me, I need to get out of here”

“I’m just the maid sorry” she says closing the door, I rush to the door and it’s locked again. I start banging the door but no one is answering.

“Help! Somebody help me!” I scream

“Will you shut up? It’s 7 for Christ’s sake” says a voice, where did he come from? And how many doors does this place have? Shirtless, tall, dark, muscular now that’s a man but who is he? He walks to where the breakfast tray and pours juice. Walks back to me.

“Here!” he hands me the glass, I hesitate to take the glass. He look great, he walks to the couch across the room.

“My eyes are up here!”

“Who are you” I ask

“That doesn’t matter”

“How did I get here? Most importantly why am I here?

“Sit!” he orders

“I want to know where….”

“I said sit Bella!” he says firmly, okay! I slowly walk to the bed and sit. He walks towards me, I swallow hard. Who’s this god of a man that is sending tingles to the goddess between my legs? He hands me the juice, I take it and take a sip.

“How do you know my name” I ask

“I know everything about you”

“Why am I here? Did you kidnap me” I ask

“Yes I did!”

What?

“Why? If it’s about the article I wrote about Mrs Radebe? If it’s about that I’m really sorry” I say

I’m a journalist by the way, Mrs Radebe is the Mister of finance’s wife and was cheating on her husband with a worker. All hail broke loose when the husband caught then red-handed and shot the lover so I covered the story.

“No that’s not it”

Thank God!

“Then why am I here? Why would you kidnap me” I ask

“I did so because I wanted to and I have a business proposal for you”

“Couldn’t you come to me house and asks me like a normal person” I ask

I might own a four roomed flat and drive a Mazda but I’m a person.

“Trust me this way was better”

“Oh so you’re one of those rich people who kidnap people and think it’s cool well you got the wrong girl” I walk to the door and try to open it, I forgot it’s locked. Where is the door he used? Okay so I have no way out. I go and sit back on the bed, pick a slice of bacon from the tray well I’m hungry.

“What’s the proposal?” I take the tray and put it on my lap, he moves closer. Lord have mercy! How can one look and smell so great? He takes the juice and sips it, that’s my juice.

“Eat first!” he walks out where did that door come from? I rush to it but it’s locked again. Great! I eat the fancy breakfast then head to the bathroom, I need to pee so badly.

Wow! There are mirrors everywhere. The things rich people buy, I mean what’s the use of having mirrors around the bathroom? Do you look at yourself bathing or peeing? I hear the door opening and I rush out of the bathroom.

“Toiletries!” say a lady, she looks like she’s in her mid-thirties as she hands me a small bag in her hands. I rush to the door and try to open it but it’s locked. Why do the doors here hate me? I look at the lady and she chuckles

“Bath, then someone will come get you” she says

“It’s not like I have a choice” I take the bag and heard to the bathroom, there are some towels, tooth brush, tooth paste, lotion and underwear. Okay that’s weird, do kidnapped people also get provided with under-wears? I take a shower and walk with a towel wrapped around my body. There’s a red jumpsuit on the bed exactly my size, I’m a large. I dress up and the door opens again this time a man walks in. They don’t knock, what if I’m *****?

“Good morning!” he smiles. He looks younger, more like Mr Good looking’s age

“Hie!”

“Please come with me” he says, I nod and head to the door, try to open it but it won’t. What is up with this place?

“Please let me” he says and I see he’s trying so hard not to laugh, we walk out and take the elevator.

“The house has an elevator?”

“No, this is a hotel and we were at the VIP suite” he answers

I knew that!

“Oh! And where are we going now?”

“My job is just to escort you” he answers

“Escort me? What am I? Royalty”

“No but you’re the guest of a very important man” he answers

“Important” 

“You’ll ask him yourself in the car” he walks out of the elevator, this is it my chance to run. I see the door and I run for my life. Which is hard because I’m in heels, some man holds me just as I was about to reach the door, maybe I should have ran when we were outside.

“Help! Help, I’m being kidnaped” I scream as he throws me on his shoulder like a bag of meal-meal

“Don’t mind her she’s a little co-co” the man I was walking with says. Really people, so they are just going to leave me just like that? I this the freedom we marched for? I’m literally thrown into the car, I’m lady for crying out loud they should at least handle me with care. Mr Handsome is in the car, the doors of the car lock and it starts moving.

‘This is wrong Mr, you could go to jail for this” I say as he straps me to the seat, how many seat belts does this car have?

“Would you hold still?”

“I will not” I say trying to break loose but he’s strong for me, I bite his hand

“Ok that’s it” he taps duck-tape on my mouth

He covers my eyes God what did I do to deserve this, my hands are tied, my mouth shut and eyes covered. The car stops moving, I can feel that I’m being carried again. I’m still fighting, I get thrown on what feels like a couch these people are carrying me and throwing me like I’m a bag of potatoes.

They remove the blind fold or should I say ‘He’ I still don’t know his name. We are in a very fine and clean room, cleaner than my apartment and why does it feel like we are moving?

“Promise you won’t scream if I untie you” he asks and I nod, he slowly peels the duck-tape off my mouth, unties my hands and feet. He walks out of the room, this is my chance to run. I kick off the heels and run. You got to be kidding me, we are in a boat! Great, I walk back into the room, he’s sitting on the couch sipping on alcohol.

“Can I have one of those” I ask

“No, sit down”

“Can I at least have some water” I ask

“So that you can have the strength to run away?”

“I wish but I can’t swim” I sit down, he hands me his glass. He wants me to use the same glass well he looks great can’t say no. I take the glass and gulp it down then hand it back to him.

“Jokes aside! Who are you” I ask

“My name is Michael!”

“Michael who” I asks

“Just Michael!”

“What do you want from me” I ask

“I want you to carry my child for me”

I burst into laughter, carry his child what is this, a movie.

“You want a child? I’ll give you a child do you want a boy or girl” I laugh

“I’m not kidding Bella”

“First of all don’t call me that my name is Isabella and second you don’t go around kidnapping people and asking them to have babies for you” I yell

“Listen little girl I don’t do well with people who yell so if you know what’s good for you lower your voice and I didn’t kidnap people I kidnapped you”

“What’s the difference, I don’t want to be here and I don’t want to carry your child” I answer

“I’m not asking you”

“I don’t even know you” I say

“But I know you, that’s all that matters. Isabella Manzini, 23 years daughter of Leleti and Joshua Manzini born in a family of 3 with you as the first born and you’re a journalist earning peanuts should I continue?”

“Well at least I don’t kidnap people” raise my voice

“I don’t like repeating myself, lower your voice and I just was a surrogate not a wife”

“I don’t want to” I answer

“Not even for a billion euros?”

Ok that’s a lot of money

“No!” I shake my head well 

“Well since you refused the money then you’ll do it for free, thanks Bella you’re so kind”

Two man walk in, in black suits one of them is the one that was ‘escorting me’. 

“She agreed take her to her room” Michael says before walking out. I didn’t agree to anything.

I’m woken up by a loud siren, why do I feel so hungry? I look around and I’m in my apartment. I’m in my pajamas does this mean Michael and the surrogacy thing was all a dream? Thank God because that’s just insane, but I gotta admit it was a great dream. I get out of bed and head straight to the bathroom, my regular sized bathroom not the one with mirrors from my dream. I take a quick shower.

I check the time on my phone and its 7:30am on the 6th of February but how when just yesterday was the 3rd or I’m seeing things. There’s no way one can sleep for 3 days without being on any medication. My phone flashes and its Ethan my best-friend and co-worker.

*** Heard you’re resigning, have you found a better job or its just rumors?

Resigning? Why would I resign I need the job and I definitely need the money. I try to reply but my phone switches off. Why is this happening to me? I get dressed quickly and rush to the kitchen. Someone is cooking in my kitchen, I can only see his back.

“Excuse me!” say but the person completely ignores me

“Excuse me Mr” I tab him on the shoulder, he turns and my heart stops for a second it is him, the man from my dream or maybe I wasn’t dreaming he really exists.

“Michael?”

“You still remember me” he says

“What are you doing here” I ask

“I am making breakfast!”

“I can see what you’re doing but I want to know why and how did you get in here” I ask

“We came here together remember from the boat we came here”

“And when was that” I ask

“Yesterday are you sure you’re ok?”

“So in other words you have been moving me around like a bag of potatoes for the past 3 days” I asks

“Yes!”

“Why, what do you want from me” I ask

“I told you I want you to carry my child for me”

“Why me there are a million beautiful girls out there would kill to carry your child for you” I say

“But I chose you”

“Why” I ask

“Because that’s what I want”

“That is not reason enough!” I say

“Well from the looks of it you need the money”

“What is that supposed to mean” I ask

“Your fridge is empty, you haven’t paid your rent yet and you have a gazillion unpaid parking tickets”

“A gazillion is not a number and so what I’m fine with my life” I fold my hands 

“This isn’t living Bella, this is surviving”

“What do you care” I say

“Well I want something from you, give me child and you’ll live a life where you won’t ever have to lift a finger”

“I’m not interested” I answer

“That wasn’t a question, either way you are going to have a child for me whether you like it or not”

“Are you going to force me to do it” I ask

“If you don’t compromise yes!”

“Who do you think you are? You can’t just force me to surrogate for you. It’s against the law” I say

“I am the law sweetie”

“Look I have to get work” I say walking away

“Already sent your resignation letter”

“What? You can’t do that I need the job ok” I yell

“Lower your voice and like I said you won’t have to work in your life”

“You’re crazy I’m calling the police” I rush to the landline and dial 10111. The phone isn’t even plugged. He unplugged it.

“I won’t stop until I get what I want and trust me I always get what I want” he says “Get ready we are leaving in half an hour”

“Where to?”

“Spain!” he opens the door

“I’m not going anywhere with you”

“Again I’m not asking you” he says

“Go to hell!”

“Well I tried to be nice” he says opening the door “Get her!”

Some man twice my age walks in and throws me on his shoulder kicking and screaming. This isn’t life. The worst part is that people can see me screaming but they are just ignoring me, I can’t go to Spain. What about my family what about my life? So I’m supposed to smile at all this just because someone wants to.

We are now in the car, my hands are tied now, and Mr Michael is sitting next to me with him phone that is buzzing nun-stop.

“I need to pee” I say

“You just want to run away!”

“Please I really need to pee badly” I say

“Then pee on yourself”

“I promise I won’t run away!” the seat belt is too tight it’s squeezing my intestines.

“Nick stop the car at the next gas station or any store you reach first” Michael orders

“Thank you!” I roll my eyes

“Don’t make me tape your mouth”

We reach the Gas station and I head to the bathroom, Nicky or so they call him follows me.

“Really? I can’t even pee in peace now” I ask

“I can’t risk you running away”

“I’m not going to run away, I just need to use the bathroom” I say

“And I will be outside the door, don’t mind me”

“How can I not mind you” I ask

“Do you want to use the bathroom or not?”

Just days ago I was a normal girl living a normal life and now I get followed to the bathroom. We walk back to the car and I sit next to Michael as before but this time they do not strap me up. We reach the airport seem Mr here owns a jet. So I’m really going to Spain leaving my family just like that?

“I know you’re scared of heights but you’ll have to suck it up” Michael says

“What if I die in there?”

“It’s not that bad” Nick says, it’s not like I have a choice anyway I slowly walk into the plane, sit down and put the seat belt on with the hostess’s help of course. Michael is sitting about 5 rows in front of me and I’m sitting with Nick.

“Relax it’s not that scary” Nick says

“What are you, my bodyguard?”

“Yes! I’m supposed to watch you’re every move” he answers

“Couldn’t he get a woman?”

“He prefers working with men plus no woman can handle you, you need man power” he chuckles

“This is kidnaping!”

“Just 10 months and you’ll be free to go” he says

“Why didn’t get someone that’s not me?”

“What Michael wants, Michael gets” he says

“This is madness!”

Oh my I think I’m going to throw up!

We finally reach this so called Spain, there are cars already waiting for us. Michael hasn’t even talked to me. I get shown to my room. This room is huge for one person. What’s the use of having such a large bedroom anyway?

“Get some rest, we have to go get you some clothes” Michael says

“I’m hungry!”

“Nick get her something to eat” he orders

“Do you ever do anything yourself?”

“What’s the use when you have money and people to do it for you” he says

“Can I please have my phone back?”

He took it in the plane.

“Here!” he says 

“That’s not my phone, where’s my phone?”

“I threw it away! You can’t hang around me with that kind of phone” he answers

“Are you crazy? That phone had important files!”

“What did I say about yelling? And everything that was in the old phone was transferred here” he says

“Couldn’t you at least ask me first? Isn’t it enough that you forced me to come here?”

“You’ll get over it!” he says

Nick walks in wheeling a table of food.

“I don’t know what you like so I just choose whatever seemed nice”- Nick

“Eat up and let’s go” Michael walks out

“What is his problem” I ask Nick

“He doesn’t talk much but he’s a great person once you get to know him”

“There’s nothing great about him and I don’t want to know him” I say “So why does he want me to have his baby?”

“I don’t know why he chose you but hey you get the chance to carry a billionaire’s baby” 

“I don’t want to carry anyone’s child” I say

“Too late! Michael chose you and he won’t stop at nothing until he gets what he wants”

“What if I can’t have children” I ask

“Him choosing you means he already did a background and medical check on you”

“Medical?” I gasp

“I have said too much, eat up and let’s get”

“That’s a lot of food for one person” I say

“We wouldn’t want you to say we were starving you”

“Not if you join me” I say

“I’m full!”

“Then you’re going to burst today!” I answer.

“I can’t be seen eating with you”

“Well no one has to know, sit down I say”

I guess I’m stuck with this mountain of a man. Even if I wanted to run away, how do I get home? I don’t want to carry his child either. I’m not ready to be a mother yet, what if this is the only child I get and now I’m giving it to someone. We go shopping and he’s letting me buy anything I want. I wanted to see if he was going to complain about the amount but he’s just paying. He hasn’t even talked to me.

Shopping was great finally got to buy all the clothes I have dreamed of having but couldn’t afford them. I don’t actually need some of the things I bought I mean what do I do with 6inch heels? I don’t even know how to wear them. I’m a journalist and trust me my work does not require wearing any heels because one moment you're typing on your PC the next you’re caught in a cross fire trying to cover a story.

Mr Michael still hasn’t talked to me but I have found a new friend, Nick well I need someone to talk to since Mr here won’t even talk to me. He’s just so rude I mean he didn’t even ask me nicely to surrogate for him. We drive back home, Nick is driving and I’m sitting at the back with Michael who is busy with his phone. Have you noticed that when someone is rude, it makes then less attractive no matter how handsome or pretty they are? That’s how I feel about Michael I’m so over him.

We reach the house and there are some ladies who are wearing what looks like a uniforms but fancy, busy setting up the table. How many times do we eat? And are they having a party or something because that’s a lot of food? There are people running around the house, if they are helpers then that’s a lot of helpers. The shopping bags get taken to my room and we sit at the table.

And by ‘we’ I means Michael and I.

“So I this your house” I ask and he literally ignores me

“Michael I’m talking to you” I tab his arm

“What? What do you want?”

“First of all don’t give me attitude because you’re the one who brought me here, I didn’t want to come here” I say

“Yes it’s my house so what”

It’s a gorgeous house and too big for one person imagine the electricity bill for such a huge house and he doesn’t even use some of the rooms.

“Don’t you think you should introduce yourself, if I’m going to carry your child I hace to know who you are” I say

“My name is all you need to know” 

“Why did you chose me to carry your child for you” I ask “You’re rich you can actually get any girl to carry your child for free”

“I told you I want you to carry my child for me”

“But why Michael you have to give me something tangible here” I say

“Give me what I want and you’re free to go” 

“But I don’t want to have a child, I have a boyfriend back home, I have a family back home” I say

“That is not my concern!”

“What about me? What about my life? You can’t just kidnap me and expect me to cooperate” I say

“You really want to go?”

“Yes!’ I answer

“Fine then go but if you go I’ll make your life a living hell, I’ll destroy your career and make sure no one will ever hire you because I will stop at nothing until” I get what I want”

“Well at least I’ll be free! I don’t want this, you might have all the money but money isn’t everything” I say

“Really name one thing that you can’t buy with money?”

“A surrogate and happiness because from the looks of it you’re miserable” I say

“Listen little girl, I don’t like being disrespected so you better watch it”

“Or what Michael” I ask

“You said you want to go right? Then you’re free to go but don’t say I didn’t warn you” he stands up and leaves the table, minutes after Nick walks in.

“Ready” he asks

“Excuse me?”

“We are taking you back to South Africa!” he answers

“Thank you!”

We head to the car well I came with nothing and I’m going with nothing but I am taking the phone. This time I’m sitting with Nick, someone is driving us.

“I guess this is goodbye!” I say to Nick

“I know it’s none of my business but why didn’t you take the offer? I mean its carrying child then you have your billions then you’re free to go”

“I have a boyfriend ok and this is carrying a child it’s different from hiring a fake wife or fake girlfriend” I answer

“We are going to miss you and all your drama, the last 3 days have been fun with you giving us free entertainment”

“I can’t say the same”

Nick leaves me at the plane, they really do have people for everything. I really don’t care about the money, I don’t want anyone who acts like they own me. But that was a good offer though, the money would have turned my life around.

The last thing I remember is falling sleep in the jet at 11pm the next thing I wake up in my apartment the following day at 10pm. How did I sleep so long? How did I get in bed? I got out of bed, head to the kitchen and prepared myself some cereal, ate then went back to sleep I’m still tired

I sleep and wake up at 6am, showered and got dressed for work I really need my job back since I turned down billions of dollars. I drove to work. The time doors opened I was already there. I went straight to the boss’s office. She seemed surprised to see me.

“Morning ma’am” I say sitting down on a chair opposite Clara (My boss)

“Isabella! You’re here, didn’t you say you were leaving the country?”

“I was but the trip was cancelled and had to come back so I wondering if I can have my job back” I ask

“Didn’t you say you were going to get help mentally?”

“I said that” I ask

“In your resignation letter remember and you also mentioned that the story about Mrs Radebe wasn’t true, sometimes you see things that aren’t there”

“I didn’t write that letter ma’am” I say

“You even signed it!”

See there was this billionaire guy who kidnapped me and asked me to surrogate for him but I turned down the offer, he took me to Spain and offered me billions, he’s the one who wrote the letter. Please believe me I didn’t write it” I say

“You went to Spain and came back? I last saw you 4 days ago”

“I know he owned a jet and I don’t know how they moved me around” I answer

“So in other words you turned down a billion dollars?”

“Yes!” I answer

“Maybe you really need mental help because no one in their right state of mind would turn down a billion dollars”

“You have to believe me ma’am” I plead

“Look Bella you’re a hard worker and you do your job very well but after Mrs Radebe’ article I can’t have some with mental issues working for us. Thank God Mrs Radebe didn’t sue us. I suggest you get help”

I do not need help!” I answer

“You do and you have to treat it before it gets worse”

“I am not crazy” I yell

“I think you should leave!”

“I didn’t mean to yell but I’m not crazy and I have no mental sickness” I say

“Don’t make me call security”

“Please you have to understand” I plead

“Leave Bella or I’ll have you escorted out” she picks up the landline

“Okay I’ll go!”

I drive back home and my car runs out of gas, I don’t even have any cash with me I guess I’ll have to walk back home. When I’m stressed I want to eat but there’s nothing to eat it my house just cereal, milk and eggs. I have to start looking for a job at least the flat has free Wi-Fi.

34 rejections in 5 hours, I’m calling everyone that does newspapers and magazines I’m now known as the girl who has mental issues, no one wants to hire me. I’m all over the internet. I see a letter on the floor near the door and it’s an eviction letter I have 24 hours. God why?

I can’t go to my parents don’t want to stress them out. Who to call? Ethan, we have been friends for years I’m sure he’ll let me crash at his place. He picks up right away.

Ethan: Hey you!

Bella: Hey I need a favor?

Ethan: I’m listening!

Bella: I need a place to stay

Ethan: Aren’t you out of the country for your treatment

Bella: I’m not sick ok, can you help me or not?

Ethan: How can I help?

Bella: I need a place to stay

Ethan: I’d love to help but my girlfriend is moving in with me sorry

Bella: Ethan you don’t have a girlfriend

Ethan: I do, I just never told you about her

Bella: And I thought we were friends

Ethan: I was going to tell you but then you got sick

Bella: I am not sick okay

Ethan: Bella the first step to overcoming a problem admitting that you have a problem

Bella: You of all people should believe me.

I hung up! And tried literally everyone in my contact list and not even one wants to help not even my boyfriend. I guess when days are dark friends are few, I’ll have to swallow my pride and call my sister Loraine. She answers on the third ring

Loraine: Hey little sister

Bella: Sorry to call you at night but I need a place to stay

Loraine: Okay where are you, I’ll come pick you up

Bella: Thank you big sister.

If there’s anyone I can count on to always have my back it’s Lorain but I can’t say the same about Maya, she’s the oldest and she’s married to a very rich man so she acts like she knows it all. I told Lorain about Michael.

“Please tell me you believe me” I ask

“Of course I believe you” 

“You don’t think I’m crazy” I ask

“I believe you ok and you can stay with Mark (Husband) and I as long as you want but you’re going to have to crush on the couch, Mark’s cousin is here and he’s using the spare room”

“Why can’t he use the couch” I ask

“He is here with his wife so let me get you a blanket” she walks out of the room.

2 weeks goes by and still no one wants to hire me, I’m still sleeping on the couch and it’s very uncomfortable. Like Michael said “This isn’t living this is surviving”. My sister has been supportive but I have get my own place.

It’s now 11pm and I can’t sleep, my neck hurts I keep tossing and turning. I message comes through on my phone

*** Ready to give me what I want?

This definitely has to be Michael.