"How is it?" Henry stood up right away after hearing the click from the door of their bathroom. He could not hide the anxiousness and excitement that he was feeling right at the moment. His hands were sweaty and was trembling a little bit. His heart was also pounding fast as he walked towards his wife who just stepped out from the bathroom. "Amelia," he called her softly.

He was just staring at her, patiently waiting for her response. But his bright face became gloomy when he saw his wife's lips in a thin line.

There was nothing on her face but only disappointment.

He knew from seeing her reaction that the result that he was waiting for was just the same as the previous results.

"Is it negative?" he asked her.

Amelia dropped on the floor as she bit her lips tightly. Her grip in the pregnancy test kit that she used a while ago tightened. Her vision started to get blurry because of tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

She could not look up to him. She was sad and was feeling hate for herself.

Why hasn't she gotten pregnant?

It was already their third time trying. But all they got was the same negative results.

Henry, who felt his wife's frustration, immediately made her look at him as he cupped her face. His heart clenched in pain when he saw that she was just suppressing her tears to fall down.

Why was life so cruel to them?

"I love you, Amelia," he whispered to her wholeheartedly. Then he leaned forward and pecked on his forehead. When he pulled away, he stared at her right into her eyes. "I love you so much, Amelia. And that love won't fade even if we won't get pregnant in this lifetime. I promise you that," he tried to comfort her.

But those words from him made her lose it all. The disappointment that she was feeling for herself worsened. She felt pity and sadness for her husband. "Why can't I give you a child?" she sorrowfully cried in his arms.

Henry pulled her for a hug and immediately caressed her hair. "This is not your fault, Amelia. We don't know the reason for this. We don't know if you're really the problem here or I am. Maybe I'm infertile. Don't put all of this on yourself, honey."

Amelia shook her head as her cry went louder. She knew to herself that she was the problem. She did not know what the problem was. But she could feel it. And that made her feel worse.

Henry could not afford to see his wife crying so much because of something that she could not control. So when Amelia finally calmed down, he held her hands, squeezed them lightly, and voiced towards her, "Let's go to the hospital for a check-up. We will also talk to Dr. Hudgins to ask for his suggestion about our case."

***

"I'm really sorry to tell you, Mrs. Thompson. But the reason why it is so hard for you to conceive a child is because you have a PCOS," Dr. Hudgins dropped the bombed that shattered Amelia and Henry's world.

The couple looked at each other with sorrow in their eyes.

Why was this happening to them?

They did not do anything wrong. And they had not wronged any person in their lives. But why was the world throwing them this kind of problem?

They were multi-billionaire businessmen. But what was the purpose of this if they were not able to bear an heir or heiress of their empire?

Their hard work would all become meaningless if they could not have an heir or heiress. But what was worse was that, they would not be able to feel and experience being parents.

Their thoughts were interrupted by a sudden ringing of a phone.

“Kindly excuse me. I just need to take this call,” Dr. Hudgins said.

The coule nodded in response.

***

"Amelia..."

Amelia gulped hard as she immediately wiped her tears, then shifted her eyes outside the car's window.

They were already on their way home from the hospital. And it was raining hard. It seemed like even the heavens were mourning with them.

Amelia felt Henry hold her hand and lightly squeezed it.

A few more seconds later, Henry lifted her hand and pulled it towards him. He kissed the back of her palm while his eyes were on the road. “Don't worry about that much, honey. Maybe a child is just not for us,” he blurted out.

Amelia gasped for air as she cried harder. She could not accept that fact. So she faced him with her wet face. “But what about our business? Who will manage it when we’re old?” she asked.

Henry sighed in defeat. Even though he was the one who really wanted more to have a child from the beginning, he was left with no other choice but to accept that maybe this was their fate, to grow old without children.

Both of them were silent in the remaining minutes of their trip. And when they reached their mansion, both of them could not help but to roam their eyes around, then their shoulders dropped in an instant after a realization.

Their mansion was gigantic and wide, but there was no joy that they could feel in it. It was such an ironic thing to have it all and have themselves together, but they suddenly felt alone in this moment.

But all of those thoughts and emotions temporarily went away when they saw one of their maids, Leah, rushing towards them, with tears streaming down her face.

"M-Mr. Thompson... M-Mrs. Thompson..." Leah stuttered because of too much crying.

Both of the couple browse furrowed while staring at their maid.

"What happened, Leah? Why are you crying?" Amelia was the first one to ask.

Leah found it hard to answer her boss because of mixed emotions. She could also feel a lump in her throat. "M-My daughter... L-Lily is in the hospital. I am need of a huge amount of money for her hospital bills--"

Leah stopped her words because of a phone ringing.

It was Amelia's.

She immediately took it out from her bag and wondered when she saw the caller's ID.

Henry peeked out to his wife's phone. "Dr. Hudgins?"

Amelia faced Leah then apologetically smiled at her. She gestured that she would just answer the phone.

Leah nodded her head in response.

"Dr. Hudgins?" Amelia spoke after she answered the call.

[Mrs. Thompson...]

Henry was just watching his wife taking the call. He was also curious with their topic since it was not on loudspeaker. He did not know why he was feeling strange about the call.

"May I ask why did you call, Dr. Hudgins?" Amelia asked.

[Oh, right. About that, I just called to tell you what I forgot to tell you a while ago.]

"What about it?"

[About the child... If you really want to have a child, there is a way for you to have it without risking your health.]

Amelia's eyes widened in shock. She took a few moments for the information to sink in. "W-What? T-Tell me about it, Dr. Hudgins," she eagerly asked.

[You can have a child of your own through surrogacy.]

Amelia frowned at his response. "Surrogacy? How can I have a child of my own that way?"

Was he mocking her?

[Yes. Since we are in the age where innovation is unstoppable, surrogacy also innovated. Before, we only did traditional surrogacy where the surrogate mother will be using her own egg and will just get inseminated with the donor's sperm. But today, we have the surrogacy which is called gestational surrogacy wherein both intended parents will be the ones donating the eggs and sperm to the surrogate woman, which will make her only the carrier and the one who will deliver the baby. Therefore you can still produce a child of your own."

Amelia felt like she was dreaming upon hearing their doctor's explanation. She looked at Henry with trembling hands and teary eyes.

"What happened?" Henry asked in worry.

Amelia gulped hard and smiled at her husband. But she did not answer him. Instead, she faced Leah, then wiped her tears. "Leah..."

"Ma'am?" Leah answered in response.

"Will you do everything I will ask you in exchange of your daughter's payment for yer hospital bills and maintenance?"

Leah unhesitatingly nodded her head. "Y-Yes, ma'am! Everything!" she eagerly exclaimed.

Amelia smiled at her, then took a glance at Henry.

"What are you going to do, Amelia?" Henry asked with his brows furrowed.

Amelia held his hand then intertwined their fingers before returning her gaze at the maid. "Will you be our surrogate?" she asked.

Henry and Leah were shocked at her question.

"What are you talking about, Amelia?!" Henry exclaimed.

"Sshh. Trust me on this, Henry," Amelia calmed him down. Then faced Leah again. "I'll give you everything you need for your daughter's medication. In exchange, you will be our surrogate. You will carry my and Henry's child in your womb."

Leah gulped hard. 'How could that happen?' she mentally asked.

Like Amelia at first, Henry and Leah were only knowledgeable about the traditional surrogacy. That was why they found it insane that Amelia told her that.

Amelia heaved a deep sigh and explained everything that their doctor told her to them. And after she finished, it seemed like both of them understood what gestational surrogacy was.

Even Henry was already convincing Leah to agree with the deal. His hopes rose instantly.

And also, they had nothing to lose since Leah was such a great and kind maid.

“What do you think, Leah?” Henry asked.

Leah fell into a deep thinking. And after a few seconds, she lifted up her gaze to them with determination in her eyes. “Yes. I’ll do it.”

For her only daughter, she would be willing to do everything they would ask, even that meant carrying a baby that would not be biologically hers.

"Take care of yourself while we're away, okay?" Amelia tapped Leah's shoulder as she talked to her.

The Thompson couple was about to have their vacation on an island for their fifth wedding anniversary.

And five months had already passed after they had a talk about the surrogacy thing.

And as of now, Leah was already four months pregnant with Amelia and Henry's child.

Leah was really grateful for the couple, not only for the help that they gave for her daughter. But also for the care that they were giving her.

Amelia and Henry were very hands on towards Leah. They were giving her all the things that she needed during her pregnancy, especially for her first trimester since Leah's pregnancy was a bit sensitive. And they did not also stop helping Leah's daughter after her operation. They also provided everything for Lily's maintenance as promised.

So, in exchange, Leah was being careful with her body also. She was making sure that the baby that she was carrying was safe to show her gratitude towards her bosses.

"Yes, Mrs. Thompson," Leah responded to Amelia's order.

"Good." Amelia smiled at her.

"You don't have to worry because we already told the head maid and the other maids to look after you and provide everything that you will be needing. Just tell them," Henry added.

Leah gave them a curt nod with a warm smile. "Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. This was already too much. And I really appreciate it. I owe Lily's life to you. You don't have to worry about me and the baby that I'm carrying because I will be extra careful now that you'll be away for a while," she promised to them.

"I know you will. Thank you, too, Leah. We also owe you so much. Without you, we won't be able to experience being a mother and a father, " Amelia replied.

Henry nodded his head at Leah as he squeezed his wife's hand lightly.

They had a few more chats before the couple finally decided to bid goodbye.

"Just call us when you need something. And also tell us what do you want for a present when we come back," Amelia said.

Leah blushed in shyness. She scratched her head as she awkwardly smiled. "Take care there, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Enjoy!" That was all that she could say after that.

She even walked them to the gate and waved her hand for goodbye before the couple's car went away.

***

"Mom?"

Leah's attention was shifted from the crochet baby attire that she was making to her only daughter, Lily. She looked at her with concern. She moved towards her side and caressed her hair. "Why, Lily? Do you feel unwell?" she asked worriedly.

Lily weakly smiled at her mother and reached for her cheeks. She carefully caressed it as she stared directly into her eyes. "I love you so much, mom. God knows how grateful I am to have you as my mother," she heartily said. Her eyes easily watered after speaking.

Leah was delighted at what she heard. She felt a warm embrace in her heart as her tears also started to form in her eyes. "Lily... "

"You have already done so much for me. And I don't know what I did to deserve you," Lily added.

Leah's tears already streamed down her face. She sniffed as she reached for her daughter's hands. She pulled those and kissed the back of her palm. "Why are you saying these things, Lily? Of course, I would do everything I can for you. Because you are my daughter. You're all that I have. And willing to do everything for you even if it means sacrificing myself."

"I love you so much, mom. Always remember that."

"And I love you more, sweetheart."

"I'm kinda sleepy, mom. Let's sleep, shall we?" Lily asked her.

Leah chuckled in response, then immediately wiped her tears. "Sure. Sure. Good night, Lily."

"Good night, mom."

Both of them laid down on the bed.

Lily closed her eyes then immediately fell asleep afterwards.

Leah, on the other hand, was still awake, staring at her daughter's face. She smiled when she saw how Lily's body and appearance changed after her operation. It was evident that she had gained weight. Her protruded cheeks were now a bit chubby. She could also see her arms becoming bigger. Although she lost her hair because she was undergoing chemotherapy as of the moment.

She could not help but to tear up once more. She was glad that Lily was starting to heal as days passed by. She was happy to see that her daughter was fighting with her to survive her cancer.

After her operation, Henry and Amelia allowed Lily to live inside their mansion and stay with Leah. And that gesture made Leah feel at ease. At least from then on, she would not need to travel from her work to their small apartment just to check on her daughter.

She would not know what to do if she would lose her. Maybe she would get crazy if that happened.

Suddenly, the baby in her womb came into her mind. She looked down at her baby bump then started to caress it with her right palm. "How are you there? Do you feel comfortable inside?" she asked the baby.

At first, she found it awkward to carry a child that was not biologically hers. She meant, was that really possible?

She was mesmerised with science and technology for it, and wondered what more could it do for the people.

Leah heaved a deep sigh when her eyes went to the wall clock.

It was already 10 o'clock in the evening.

She must sleep now.

Leah closed her eyes. And before she fell into a deep slumber, she prayed that everything would be alright.

***

"M-Mom… Mom…"

Leah was awakened from her sleep when she heard Lily waking her up. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lily. "Why, Lily? Are you thirsty?"she asked.

She could not clearly see Lily's frown because only the bedside lamp was open.

"Sweetie?" Leah called for her when she did not respond.

And before Lily could answer her mom, she started to cough hard.

"Lily!" Leah exclaimed when she saw blood in her daughter's palm.

She was coughing blood!

Lily kept on coughing blood that made Leah hysterical. She started to tremble because she did not know what to do. She was already crying while seeing her daughter's pain.

"Help! Help, please!" she shouted.

***

Leah managed to get Lily to the hospital with the help of the other maids and the family driver of Thompsons.

Lily was now in the emergency room.

"Ms. Gomez?"

Leah lifted her head when she heard someone call her. The other maid, caressing her back to calm her down also lifted up her head.

Leah stood up. "Doctor, how's my child?" she asked right away.

"Ms. Gomez, your daughter is temporarily out of danger. But she needs to undergo an operation as soon as possible. But you will need a large amount before we conduct the operation," the doctor said.

Leah gasped for air and cried once again. "Y-Yes, doctor. P-Please save my daughter. I'll pay. I'll pay, " she pleaded.

The doctor just nodded his head in response.

Right after the doctor went back to the emergency room, Leah looked at her co-worker beside her.

"Can you call, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson?" she asked.

The maid nodded her head and took out the phone from her pocket. She dialled their bosses' number, but they were all unreachable.

She tried many more times, but they were really out of coverage. So she apologetically looked at Leah and said, "Their phones are unreachable, Leah."

Leah was horrored with what she heard. "What? C-Can you try it again?" she asked once more.

That could not happen. She needed to call the Thompsons to ask for help once more. Her daughter would be in danger again if the operation would not take place as soon as possible.

But even after a thousand of trying to reach the couple, there was no progress.

"I'm really sorry, Ms. Gomez, but your daughter did not make it."

That announcement from the doctor shattered Leah's world instantly.

Was that it?

She really lost her daughter just like that?

Leah almost fell down on her knees if not for the maid that supported her.

She cried her heart out while hugging her daughter's cold body. "Lily! Why did you leave?" She shook Lil's body while asking her. She could not believe what happened. And she refused to believe it.

Three days had passed and the couple were still not home. Lily was already buried just this day.

Leah was inside their room, staring at the wall while thinking of how fast everything happened. Anger rose in her heart.

This would not have happened if only the Thompsons answered their calls. They told her that they would help her every time. But they were not there when she needed them the most.

With hatred in her heart, Leah packed all her things and waited for everyone to fall asleep before carefully escaping the mansion.

Now that she already lost her only daughter, she could not afford to lose a baby once more. She would not allow anyone to take the baby in her womb away from her. Even if the baby was not biologically hers.

***

"We're home!" Amelia announced as they reached the living room.

But there was no Leah walking around to meet them. That was why she looked at the head maid, who was looking down the floor, avoiding their gazes.

"Where's Leah?" she asked her.

The head maid gulped hard before answering her boss. "M-Mrs. Thompson, Leah tried to contact you to ask for help for her daughter's urgent operation. But both of you were unreachable. Lily died five days ago. A-And it was already two days since Leah left the mansion.”

The couple's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?!" Both of them exclaimed.

“You never failed to amaze me, Leah. All you create is such a masterpiece. If I were you, I would increase the payment for every piece of clothing that you’re making since the designs are all originally made by yours!” Colette, an assistant of a fashion boutique owner, praised Leah for the new collection that she made.

Leah could not help but just smile at her. She had been friends with her after she became the supplier of the boutique since she was the one who kept on assisting her and insisting that she should sell her designs higher than what she usually sold.

“You know that I just want to sell clothes for my daughter’s needs and for our daily necessities, right?” Leah responded. She handed her the stripe where the clothes were. “And one more thing, I am already content with how I am earning in this job. Luckily, what I get paid for is already more than enough for us both,” she added.

Colette pouted her lips, being problematic of how kind and good person Leah was. If it was really her who had this talent in fashion designing and sewing clothes, she would take that opportunity to get rich.

But Leah was not her. So she was left with no choice but to sigh in defeat. “Fine. Kindly say hello to your Phoebe for me,” she said.

Leah smiled at her as she nodded her head. “Will do. Thank you again, Colette. But I need to go now. I still need to cook for my daughter,” she bid her goodbye.

She left the boutique with a wide smile on her face. She would not need to think about the payment for Phoebe’s tuition fee for this semester now since she managed to sell enough this week.

She roamed her eyes around the road. Seeing the greenery around her also calmed her mind. She could not believe that she managed to live and support Phoebe all these years.

It had already been eighteen years since she ran away from the Thompon’s mansion. She went to a remote place where nobody knew her. She never planned to return Phoebe to her real parents. She was hers now. Even if she knew that she was not biologically related to her, she still treated her well, like her own child.

Phoebe became the light of her life since Lily died. That was why she was doing everything that she could to provide anything that Phoebe would ask for.

Phoebe once asked about her father’s whereabouts. But Leah lied to her. She told her that her father already died before she was born in a place that she did not want to return to.

“Mom, I’m home! Are you there?”

Leah’s lips automatically curved upward after she heard her daughter’s beautiful voice. She just arrived at the right time. She just finished cooking dinner. “I’m in the kitchen, honey,” she shouted in response.

“Coming!” Phoebe cheerfully responded.

A few moments later, Phoebe entered the kitchen. She immediately went behind her mother’s back and hugged her from behind. “Hmm. That smells delicious, mom,” she commented.

Leah chuckled as she turned off the stove and faced Phoebe. She narrowed her eyes at her, but the curve on her lips was irremovable. “Hmp! You’re just fooling me!” she accused her jokingly.

Phoebe laughed at her mother’s childishness. “Of course, not, mom! When did I fool you?” She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at her as she pouted her lips. “Your dishes are the bestest in the world!” she continued.

“Really?” Leah narrowed her eyes more.

“Yes! I promise!” Phoebe exclaimed, then raised her right palm.

Leah surrendered and reached for her daughter’s hair and messed it up. “You go and change your clothes first. I’ll prepare the dinner,” she said.

Phoebe saluted. “Aye, aye, captain!” Then she ran to her room.

Leah was left there, shaking her head.

Her Phoebe was undeniably the sweetest.

***

Phoebe, who just got out of her room, wearing her school uniform, carrying her backpack, gazed at her mother, coughing hard while sewing clothes. Worry started to fill her heart. She rushed towards her mom and knelt down the floor to level with her face.

“Phoebe…” Leah stopped from what she was doing and faced her daughter. There was a knot that was visible on her forehead. “What are you doing there? Stand up,” she instructed her.

But instead of following what her mom said, Phoebe remained kneeling on the floor and held her mother’s hands. “Mom, you’ve not been feeling well these past few days. You kept on hiding it, but I still noticed it. Why don’t we go for a check-up? I’ll go with you,” she tried to convince her.

Leah smiled genuinely at her worried daughter. She felt so lucky having Phoebe by her side. “I’m fine, Phoebe. I already took medicine. You must go to school before you get late,” she responded while tapping her shoulder.

Phoebe shook her head. “But, mom–”

“Sshh.” Leah cupped her face. “I’m fine, honey. I can handle this. This is just a normal cough. And also, didn’t you tell me that you still have a quiz today?” she reminded her.

“Oh, shoot!” Phoebe facepalmed when she remembered that. She looked at her mom apologetically. “I’m so sorry, mom. But I promise to get home early so I can accompany you to the hospital. I promise!” she exclaimed, almost rapping.

Leah nodded her head. “Sure. I’ll wait for you here. Good luck on your quiz, Phoebe. I love you.”

“I love you, too, mom.” She even kissed her mother goodbye before she ran outside their house.

Leah let out the cough that she was suppressing after Phoebe left. She felt her chest aching because of too much coughing. It was like there was something piercing her chest.

It was true that she had been feeling unwell these past few days. And she was trying her best to hide it from her daughter because she did not want her to worry and just focus on her studies. And each day that was passing, her illness was getting worse.

Maybe, Phoebe was right.

She needed a check-up.

So she finished sewing the last piece of clothes that she started to sew, then she prepared and went to the hospital.

“This will be hard to hear, but Ms. Leah, I’m sorry to let you know, but you have stage 4 lung cancer,” the doctor announced after reading the findings.

Leah was dumbfounded at what she just heard.

Did she hear it right?

She had lung cancer?

And it was already on the terminal stage?

“Oh my God!” She covered her mouth using her palms as she gasped. Tears fell down from her eyes upon processing the information.

The doctor looked at her with pity.

She still looked young yet fate was already on the verge of taking her life.

“H-How long do I-I still have?” Leah managed to ask despite breaking down.

The doctor pressed his lips in a thin line before answering. “Two to three months.”

If only she was not sitting on a chair, Leah probably fell down the floor as she felt her knees turn jelly.

Where did it went wrong?

Why did she got the disease that killed her first daughter?

Was this her karma for taking Phoebe away from her real parents?

Leah could not stop crying even when she already got home. She did not know what to do now. Sadness and fear filled her heart. But not for herself, but for her daughter, Phoebe.

She did not want to leave Phoebe this early. She had still not finished her studies. And also, who would take care of her and provide for her needs when she passed away?

Leah massaged her temple because it was already aching for many thoughts that were running in her mind right now.

“Are you okay, mom? I’m sorry that I went home late. We had a practice for our school project after our class dismissal,” Phoebe apologized when she noticed her mother staring at her while they were having dinner. She was thinking that maybe her mother was sulking at her for not fulfilling her promise this morning.

But Leah just smiled at her. Her eyes turned glassy as she reached for her hands. “You’ve grown into a beautiful young lady, Phoebe. I love you so much. Always remember that,” she said in a broken voice.

Phoebe’s eyes furrowed. “Is everything alright, mom? Is there something that happened while I was at school?” She could not help but to worry.

Leah coughed once more as she shook her head. “No. I just realized how fast the years are passing by,” she lied.

Not believing what her mother was saying, Phoebe stood up from her seat and went to hug her mother from behind.

Leah closed her eyes to savor her daughter’s hug.

She would miss this feeling. She would miss everything about Phoebe.

Phoebe sighed. “If you have a problem, mom, please tell me. I am always here for you. You don’t need to own every problem that comes in our family,” she whispered to her.

Leah caressed her arms as she nodded her head.

Tonight, Leah had already made her decision. She would do the right thing to do now.

She would return Phoebe to her real parents, to the place where she really belonged.