Chapter 5 Pain

“So, I trust that the deal is made.”

Walter’s chuckle had no sign of sympathy. To Sherry, it seemed somewhat expected. She peered down at her creased dress and recalled Stark’s uncaring stare as he casually tossed aside the used condom in the trash.

Were billionaires all so cold and cruel? After pounding inside her for two hours straight, he hadn’t even had the initiative to sign the cheque of his own accord. She had begged him on his knees.

“You disgust me. Next time, wear something worth looking at.”

Her body ached all over with pain. Never for once she had thought that the cold billionaire that had offered her the chance to be his surrogate would have used her as a tool to satisfy his own needs.

She had no heart to talk about it with Walter. They were on the same side, after all. But he should at least give her a heads-up that the billionaire would have such needs. She wasn’t prepared for it.

“Yes, it is.” Her knees trembled. She could barely walk after the intense sex that Stark subjected her to. She could have sworn she was swollen down below because of how rough he had taken her.

Walter gestured to Sherry to take a seat on the sofa opposite him. Grabbing the armrest, she gathered all her strength to pull herself onto the sofa. Her eyes were probably still red from crying, and the pain in her heart exceeded that in her body.

“Mrs Lin, there are a few medical tests which you are expected to undergo before we can consider you a suitable candidate for the surrogacy.”

Her fingers shook with panic. So, her entire ordeal which she suffered under the hands of Stark Williams was a joke? But her biggest concern was how she could resolve her financial problems. If she didn’t qualify as a surrogate, did that mean that Anders was doomed?

“Chill, Mrs Lin.” Walter probably read her panic-stricken face. “There’s still many other ways to bear a child for Mr Williams, even if the surrogacy doesn’t play out well.”

“You mean,” She didn’t complete her sentence.

“Do bear in mind, Mrs Lin, that Mr Williams doesn’t play by the rules. If he wants you to be his surrogate, even if you find a thousand reasons not to, it is futile. Mr Williams gets what he wants. Even if the fertility clinic finds you an incompatible surrogate, he will find ways to get you to bear his child.”

“Then, what’s the point of seeking me down?”

Walter stroked the neatly-shaven stump of what was left of his beard. He maintained his jovial attitude, bearing no sympathy towards Sherry.

“Aha, just because he wanted a little game with you. I don’t suppose you have forgotten how you evaded his clutches back in high school, Miss Sherry Summers.”

Another person who knew her secrets. Sherry grimaced at the mention of her former identity. Was Walter also from their high school? He knew just too much about her.

Although she had never spoken about Stark’s bullying to Anders, she knew that part of her would never forget her mistreatment. Stark branded her an idiot, the most worthless girl in the school and a shame to her parents. Only that she had never even had the chance to meet her own parents. Back then, someone she thought to be her mother raised her. If Stark and the others all knew the truth about her, would they have still been so mean?

Sherry had always figured that she was lucky to have escaped him when he trapped her in that empty classroom. If she hadn’t run, goodness knows what would have happened to her. But a sixteen-year-old didn’t know many things then. She had her first time with Anders at twenty-one, and she marvelled at how different it had been with her man.

So, Stark had ravaged her mercilessly just now in the hotel room to get back at her for what he had missed almost a decade ago. She had never thought that one day, she would have to give her body up like that. Or even that Anders would have fallen into a coma. What happened in the room earlier made her feel worse than a prostitute having sex in the streets. How could she even face Anders one day?

It was shameful for her to bring up to Walter what had just happened, so she kept mum. Walter’s eyes just twinkled as if he knew everything.

“What does Mr Williams want with me?”

“Simple. He doesn’t need a woman. In fact, he has one. One who doesn’t care what he does or bothers to get his attention. Plus, she’s a CEO like he is, so she doesn’t even need his money at all. I suppose you remember her. Her name…” he tapped his fingers, “is Yolanda Hash.”

Yolanda Hash! The name seemed to bite back at her in her memory. This was the name of the woman who had thrown herself at Anders so many times in the past that triggered her insecurities. The last she heard of Yolanda was that she was in a committed relationship with Lee Jung, and that the fruit of Anders’ hard work and his grandfather’s legacy, Lin Corporation fell into their hands.

The fact that Yolanda was Stark’s woman appalled Sherry. Never for once she thought she would ever see the woman again. But it was none of her concern. She only needed to bother herself with keeping Anders alive.

Walter’s cell phone buzzed, ending their conversation. After some hurried sentences, Walter just chuckled.

“Mrs Lin, rest assured I will give you a call once everything is arranged for.”

Sherry nodded blankly, observing the man disappear through the automatic glass doors of the high-class hotel. By the time Walter called on her again, she didn’t know what Stark wanted the next time. Neither did she want to think about his fetishes.

She peered down at her legs. The area between her nether regions and her legs stung. The man had such a huge member that she probably wouldn’t be able to walk comfortably for some time. He was so strong that he had ripped her underwear to shreds. She wasn’t used to walking around without any underwear, but at least it wasn’t obvious under her long dress.

There wouldn’t be any buses left at this time. Just how could she reach home in this wretched state? She peered down at her worn-out shoes and let out another sigh.

She would have to take the subway. It was going to be a long walk and her discomfort was just too unbearable. But what other choices did she have?

Perhaps if she walked faster, she could reach the station just before the peak hours hit in. At least she would be able to find a seat. Beggars couldn’t be choosers.

Sherry, you can do this. She focused her mind, creating positive images of her and Anders at the beach with Andrew. Soon, Anders would wake up and they could be a happy family again. And even if she had betrayed her body to help him, she believed his love for her encompassed all. She didn’t have the guts to face him right now.

But if she told him the truth, knowing him, he would forgive her. He had forgiven her after how she intentionally betrayed him out of her own accord and reduced him from a CEO to a working class employee.

Once she reached home, what she would do was cleanse herself from head to toe and purge herself of her filth. She couldn’t help how disgusted she was with herself, but there was no other way. Infuriating Stark Williams was out of the question. Next, she had to face the truth that she was going to carry his child for nine months and go through the pain of childbirth, all for Anders and Andrew.

Fortunately, her son was away on a class trip today and he didn’t have to see how revolting she looked right now.

It will get better, Sherry. It will, she said in her heart silently before laying back on the hard embedded chair in the subway and falling asleep to the sound of her watch ticking.