A Wrong Surrogate for the CEO-Chapter 82: The truth

Vivian knew she was in trouble.

She stepped back from Lisa, but Curtis’s mother was like a dog on a blood trail. She didn’t back off.

"You lied against Curtis? Why? How could you have done that to him?" Lisa quipped.

Vivian shook her head. "I didn’t say anything. I didn’t do anything to him!"

Lisa scoffed.

"You didn’t? You made us all believe that he was impotent. That he would never be able to have children. When we tracked you down to ask you why you ditched him at the altar, that was what you told us. How fucking dare you!"

Lisa was yelling now, and Lara winced at how loud her voice was. Curtis, who already knew that Vivian’s reason for leaving him had been a lie all along, wasn’t really shaken by the revelation.

He stood a step towards both women.

"Can you please step outside to continue your conversation? You’re making my wife a little bit uncomfortable," he stated firmly.

Neither his mother nor Vivian answered him.

Lisa went on.

"Answer my question, you bitch. What gave you the guts to lie against my son?" she snapped.

Vivian threw her hands in the air.

"Because I hated him! I never loved Curtis, not even for a moment. He was so... annoying. He never smiled. He never played with me. All he cared about was his stupid business and money. The money was a nice perk at first but it got tiring after a while. Your son was a jerk! And I am glad that I left his sorry ass behind!"

Lisa gasped at those words. Curtis’s hands curled into fists, and Lara’s eyes narrowed in anger.

Silence stretched between them all as the words settled around them, and Lisa was the first person to act.

She took two steps towards Vivian, raised her hand, and slapped her.

Vivian’s head reeled back from the force of the hit.

Her expression morphed into anger immediately.

"You slapped me?" she gasped.

"And I will do it again," Lisa snapped.

Vivian shook her head.

"You know what? Fuck this. I do not have to stand here and let you treat me like trash. I am no longer your daughter in law. I have a life and a very happy marriage. Your son is the one still struggling to find purpose in his life, and I don’t blame him. If I was Curtis and I had you as a mother, my life would definitely be difficult too. Good luck ruining his life, you old hag," Vivian spat at Lisa.

Then she turned around and walked out of the hospital room.

Lisa’s jaw hung open for a moment before she ran after Vivian.

"You think you can just speak to me in that manner and leave. I am going to..."

Her voice trailed off as the hospital door closed behind them.

Lara’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Is Vivian allowed to speak to your mother that way?" she asked her husband.

Curtis sighed.

"She invited Vivian here. I don’t care how they speak to each other, as long as none of their drama affects me," he responded.

He looked so tired at that moment that Lara’s heart went out to him.

"Come here," she said, patting the side of her bed.

He sighed and walked over, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"You must be so exhausted," she whispered.

Curtis tried to smile, but for some reason, the muscles in his face refused to work.

"Come on, you can talk to me about anything. I’ll listen," Lara said quietly. Her voice was reassuring, and it loosened something in Curtis’s chest.

"I am so tired, baby. I just...I genuinely do not understand why my parents, my mother especially, are acting this way. I just want a fucking family. I want kids. I want to go home at the end of a long day and have my babies run into my arms. I want to cook for them. I want to watch their favourite shows together and spend the weekend at the park. I want to be happy. That’s all I have ever wanted. And it took me years, but I am so close, so effing close to having the family that has been my dream for so long."

He paused for a bit. Lara said nothing, she was afraid that speaking was going to scare this vulnerable part of Curtis away.

"My parents have always been my biggest supporters. But seeing them crash out over this important life decision is kind of anti epic. I just want them to be happy for me, Lara. Is that too much to ask for?"

Lara reached out to squeeze his hands. His pain was so raw, so visible that she could almost feel it surrounding him.

If only Lisa was here to listen to her son speak. If only she knew how deep the pain ran.

"I am so sorry about that, Curtis. I am truly sorry," Lara whispered.

He smiled at her, and the smile was sad. It pressed down on Lara’s heart.

He gently placed a hand on her stomach.

"You are the only good thing in my life at the moment, Lara. Just you. And I hope nothing happens to mess things up between us," he stated.

The words were said so casually, and Lara knew that he didn’t mean to just drop a bombshell in such a nonchalant manner.

But Lara saw the implications in his words. If she was the only good thing that was in his life, then what would happen after the childbirth?

Would he want her to stay and take care of his kids, extending the fake marriage contract between them?

Or would he want to finally make things legal and official between them?

What if, at the end of the pregnancy term, Curtis wanted her to be a permanent fixture in his life?

The question stayed at the tip of Lara’s tongue, but she said nothing.

What she was thinking about, was the fact that the thought of becoming a permanent fixture in his life didn’t scare her as much as she thought it would.

Which could only mean one thing.

A four letter word. Starts with an L. Ends with an E.

Lara’s heart was starting to finally beat in the direction Curtis wanted it to, and for some reason, Lara didn’t want it to stop.