Bound By Fate: The Surrogate's Secret

After her early morning appointment with the doctor, Ariella sat in her dim bedroom, her heart racing as she went over the papers Gabby had given her. The heaviness of the situation made it hard to breathe. She felt like something heavy was placed on her shoulders. Gabby's threats still rang in her ears.

"You have two choices, sweetheart. Walk away with nothing. Or stay and lose everything."

But Ariella was no longer the scared girl she used to be. Gabby thought she had the upper hand, that she could scare her into submission. She didn't realize how much determination Ariella still had.

Ariella refused to walk away. Not without answers. And definitely not without a plan.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She tensed.

Wellington.

Or—Leo.

She couldn't come to think of him as Wellington anymore. That name belonged to the man she didn't know, the one married to Gabby, the one who seemed lost and unable to defend her. But Leo—the boy she had loved, the one who promised to protect her, the one she had dreamed of a future with—that was the man waiting outside the door.

Ariella paused before getting up to open it.

Leo entered, shutting the door behind him. He looked worn out, the burdens of the past and present visible on his face. "You shouldn't be alone right now," he said softly.

Ariella crossed her arms, putting up her defenses. "You should have told me."

"I wanted to," he replied, running a hand through his dark hair. "I just... didn't know how."

Her tone was sharper than she meant. "Gabby knew who I was before I even came into your lives. And you expect me to believe you didn't? you actually expect me to believe you?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

His expression grew serious. "I promise, I didn't know it."

She wanted to trust him. She had to trust him. But the hurt was too intense. "Then just be honest with me," she urged. "Tell me everything."

Leo inhaled deeply before he spoke.

"When we were young, I believed we would always be together," he began, his voice soft and filled with regret. "But then they took me away. I had no say in it."

Ariella felt a knot in her stomach. "Who took you?"

He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Gabby's family."

Ariella gasped. "What?"

Leo's expression hardened. "Her father was a major player in the business world. He had control over everything, including me. I was removed from the foster home and put into one of their 'programs'—trained for the life they envisioned for me. A life of power. Influence. And eventually… a marriage that would bind me to them forever."

Ariella's hands trembled. "So you were forced to marry Gabby?"

Leo let out a dry laugh. "It wasn't exactly forced. But I had no real choice. They made it clear that if I didn't comply, they would erase everything I had left from my past—including you."

Ariella felt sick to her stomach.

"So I did what I had to do," he continued. "I severed ties. I buried my past. I became what they wanted me to be." He breathed out unsteadily. "For a long time, I told myself you were better off without me."

Ariella fought back tears. "And now?"

Leo moved closer, his voice heavy with feeling. "Now, I realize I was wrong."

Ariella turned away, her heart racing. She wanted to yell at him, to blame him for leaving her to face everything alone. But another part of her—a more dangerous part—longed to run into his embrace and never let go.

"This baby," she murmured, placing a hand protectively over her belly. "Gabby thinks she has control over it. But I won't allow that."

Leo reached for her hand, his warmth sending a shiver through her. "Neither will I"

Ariella studied his expression. "Are you serious?"

He held her tighter. "I mean it with all my heart."

She let out a sigh of relief, but it didn't last long. They were facing more than just Gabby. They were up against a whole empire built on lies, power, and secrets.

If they weren't careful, it could ruin them both.

The next morning, Ariella woke to an unsettling quiet. The mansion felt different—more chilling.

Her phone vibrated on the nightstand.

A text from an unknown sender.

"Check the news, sweetheart. Get ready for battle. - G"

Ariella felt a chill run through her.

With trembling hands, she opened the news app. The headline struck her hard.

SURROGATE SCANDAL: SECRET AFFAIR BETWEEN ARMSTRONG HEIR AND SURROGATE EXPOSED!

There was a photo of her and Wellington—together. A moment she barely recalled. But the way it was captured made it seem very intimate.

The article portrayed her as the villain.

A desperate, greedy woman seducing a powerful businessman. A gold-digger trying to claim a life she could never have.

Ariella gasped. "Oh my god." She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Gabby had betrayed her.

She had leaked this to the media—to ruin her name, to turn everyone against her before she could defend herself. Before she had a chance to speak up.

A knock at the door startled her.

It was Leo.

He burst into the room, phone in hand, looking furious. "She did this." "She is the one behind this. No two ways about it"

Ariella felt sick. "She's making me seem like—"

"A mistress. A liar. A homewrecker." His voice was filled with anger.

Ariella's breathing became quick and shallow. "She wants to make me powerless."

Leo's eyes blazed with rage. "Then we must ensure she fails."

She looked at him, her heart racing. "How?"

He gritted his teeth. "We fight back with everything we have."

Ariella's fists clenched. Gabby had underestimated her before. That was a big mistake.

She wouldn't just get through this.

She would triumph!

And she would make Gabby regret ever trying to bring her down. Gabby won't see this coming.

Let the battle begin.