Mysterious CEO's Last Surrogate novel Chapter 55

"What? I didn't add onion to her food," Mabel panicked, fear gripping her. Her endurance deteriorated when her gaze met Loney's. It was obvious that he didn't believe her.

"Then who did? You cooked this food Mabel," Loney's tone was hard and bitter, his eyes emitted fire.

Mabel was on the blade, she froze in silence, not knowing how to defend herself in such a delicate situation. Warm liquid rolled onto her cheeks before she realized she had been crying. Awkward silence dominated the atmosphere

"I will be right back," Paul said, breaking the silence as he rushed to his room.

Loney channelled his gaze to Danica. He would deal with Mabel later. How could she forget a very important detail like this? He felt Danica's pain. She was suffering so much, he couldn't take it any longer. He pulled her close to him, she sat on his lap. He trailed his hands so gently, it was the feel of a feather, over the pale red bumps clouding her face to her neck. "Tell me, how are you feeling?" His voice was so tender, Danica would have been enthralled if not for what she was going through at the moment.  

She wanted to speak but the words wouldn't come out. She couldn't catch her breath, it was suffocating. Her ears itched, her eyes were watery. The pale red bumps on her skin spread like fire. Her lips were swollen and heavy, she couldn't move them.

"I'm taking you to the hospital. Let me get my keys." Loney rushed up the stairs without waiting for her response. Mabel took the opportunity to come closer.

"I didn't put onions in your food," she begged Danica. She discerned she was on one verge of getting fired. Whichever way, Danica wanted to tell her that she believed her but her mouth wouldn't open. She only nodded as tears burned the back of her eyes, she let them fall. Daniella let out a slight smirk. It was so light, it went unnoticed. Her heart twitched when Loney showed her sister concern but it was quickly replaced with excitement, seeing her sister suffer

Paul returned with a box. He opened it eagerly and took out a syringe and a small bottle of Epinephrine. He filled the syringe with the content of the bottle and lifted Danica's dress a little. He was so eager to help her, he forgot to seek her permission. 

"What do you think you are doing, Paul?" Loney growled, his eyes burned with rage, seeing Paul kneeling beside Danica with her thighs exposed. Even when he knew that Paul would never take advantage of Danica and was just trying to help, the sight was unbearable for him.

"I got this Loney," Paul said without lifting his head. He could not discern Loney's main concern at the moment. "It's going to sting a little," Paul warned Danica before emptying the content of the syringe into her veins. 

"Mabel, get some water." He ordered. Within seconds, Mabel was holding a glass of water. Paul brought out a Benadryl blister pack, took out two and gave it to Danica. "It's an antihistamine. It will reduce the itching and swelling," he explained to her. Danica took it, instantly threw it into her mouth, and drank the water.

Paul picked another bottle from the box and poured a white liquid onto his palm, as he began rubbing it onto Danica's skin. "It's calamine lotion. These red bumps will be gone before you wake up tomorrow," he assured her.

"I will do it," Loney caught his hand midway and said. He couldn't withstand seeing Paul's hand on Danica, even when it was with good intentions. He trusted his best friend but when it involved Danica, he was selfish. Paul did not resist. He gave the content to Loney as he applied it onto Danica's skin.

"She will feel better in a few minutes," Paul assured, closing the box. 

Danica's breathing began to even out, and the swell reduced. "Thank you," she murmured. 

"It's nothing. I'm allergic to soy stuff so I keep these medications just in case." Paul explained.

"And it helped me," Danica smiled. Gratitude laced her voice.

"Mabel," Loney growled after he finished applying the content onto Danica's skin. He hadn't forgotten to deal with Mabel and now that Danica was better, it was indeed the best time.

"Her food was separate, Master, I didn't add onions, I swear," the middle-aged woman knelt and begged.

Danica was saddened. She knew that Mabel would never do this to her. The woman loved her as her own therefore, she only suspected one person. Her eyes travelled to her sister. She was the only one who appeared unfazed with everything going on.

"It's not her," Danica's voice was soft but Loney heard her clearly. Before he spoke, she added, "I will speak to my sister in private, if you will permit me please."

Why did she have to put him on the spot? What kind of man will restrict a sister from talking to the other? And even if he didn't want to, how could he say no from how she made her request with so much respect and humility? Loney might have given her so much but her respect for him never dwindled.

"Go ahead. I will wait right here."

"Thank you," she murmured and turned towards her room.

Daniella followed suit to Danica's room. "You were saved on time, sweet sister," Daniella mocked as soon as the door closed.

Danica was upset, having her suspicions confirmed. It was good she called her sister out in private because she would have denied it in front of Loney and caused problems for Mabel. "Why did you do that?" Danica didn't hide the fact that she was upset but she kept her voice calm. She never raised her voice no matter what.

Daniella was unfazed. Her voice high pitched. "Isn't it obvious, you look terrible. Ain't you ashamed going to sleep on his bed in your state?"

Danica forced a smile that did not reach her eyes as she took in her sister's features. They have never really agreed on anything unless it was in Daniella's favour. "You are jealous, aren't you?" Danica nodded her head in confirmation of her own suspicion.

Daniella's face hardened. It was true that she was jealous of her sister but she didn't want it to be that way. She wanted to be the one to be envied. "Why should I be jealous? We knew each other in college. We almost dated. He only fell for you because he thought it was me, which means if you were not in the picture, I would be the one by his side." Her voice was bitter when she spoke.

Danica took a deep breath and rested her butt on the bed she hasn't touched in a few days. "You are wrong, Daniella. When he thought I was you, he punished me every day. He only changed after her realized that I wasn't you. My only mistake was not telling him that you were my sister because he called me by your name," Danica explained when she recalled Loney's mysterious ways back then. He tortured her emotionally and clouded her mind at the same time. She would have gone insane if Loney hadn't changed those ways. She even recalled the times she sent him messages through Paul. His responses were mocking. In fact, he toiled with her emotions.

However, how could Daniella believe it after seeing how Loney took care of her? "That is a lie. He loved me before and he still loves me. He only chose you because you are carrying his child," She ground. She loathed the very sight of her sister. Every word she spoke was coated with raw pain.

"No Daniella, he told me himself that he loved me from the very first day. You hurt him so bad when you disrespected him."

Daniella couldn't accept her sister's words. Loney was meant for her and he would be hers. "You would have done the same thing if you had been in my shoes. How could he ask me out at the time he looked terrible and propose to you when he is looking all sexy? It isn't fair."

Danica tried but couldn't stop the smile from forcing its way to her face. "Well, I still kind of prefer his nerdy look and you know too well that I'm not moved by appearances."

"So easy for you to say because you have him now. Let's see what happens. Don't tell me I didn't warn you."

Danica wasn't a fool. She knew her sister was planning something and was certain that it wouldn't be good. "Don't threaten me, Daniella. If you were smart, you will know that everything you meant for evil for me, God turned for my good. When you drugged me, I woke up in his suite instead of your so-called mafia."

Daniella was stunned at the revelation. Her nerve of jealousy increased in capital letters, knowing she sent her sister carelessly into Loney's arms. Which meant that her sister found love because of her. It stung her deeper than the sting of a scorpion. "He was the same person?" She couldn't believe it.

"Yes, and when you made me take the job of surrogacy, fate united us. You can do whatever you want but God will always turn it around for my good. Even right now, he sent an angel to deliver me from your hands. Paul was that angel. No matter what you do Daniella, it won't succeed because God is with me," Danica stated her belief. Even she was just having the realization that all the evil planned by her sister has brought her nothing but good fortune. Good will always triumph over evil.

Daniella was aggrieved. How can everything turn against her like that? Now, she even has the conviction that her sister found happiness because of her. She had to take it back and she knew the way. A wry smile crept onto her features. "So, if you love God so much, then why do you do what he hates?"

"I beg your pardon?" Danica didn't understand what Daniella was munching at.

"You are fornicating, dear sister. Isn't that a sin?" Danica was directly accused.

She felt washed with shame because, by Biblical standards, her sister was right. However, when she recalled the circumstances surrounding her relationship with Loney, she quickly got over it. Things would have been different if they had met differently at a different time. She wouldn't have lost her moral value. 

"It's a sin but I'm just amazed at how okay it is for you to make me sleep with a man to get you money because I love you. However, when it comes to a man who loves me, you call it fornication. Well, in the contract, the terms weren't by artificial insemination. It was supposed to be by natural means so you sold me out into prostitution but God favoured me and turned things around. Everything I did, I did for you because I love you, Daniella."

Danica's eyes welled with tears and she allowed it to fall. It was sensitive. She wanted her first night to be on her wedding day but her sister took that from her. She can't even remember how her first time was. It ached her to know that after all the sacrifices she made, her sister found solace in biting her with something so delicate. It was true that she didn't want to do this in the beginning but how could she stop now? She also knew that Loney would marry her if she wanted but was it the right thing? Her mind was too cloudy to think straight. Her sister's words hurt like hell. She never wanted to fornicate. She just didn't have a choice but now, she wanted Loney as much as he wanted her so how can she stop him?

Daniella scoffed. She knew she had broken her sister's defences. Shaking her head, she said, "sweet sister, if you love me so much, then why don't you leave Loney for me? I promise I won't ask for anything else. This is the only way you can prove to me that you truly love me and are not faking it." 

Daniella made her demand in her sister's weak state.

Danica was lost with words. Still, when she managed to speak, she shocked her sister. "No, Loney has been through so much already. He deserves to be happy. He will hurt too much if I leave him. I can't. I will never leave him."

Daniella frowned in disappointment. Then, she understood her sister's words. "Come on, sister, I am not asking you to break up with him. I have done it perfectly before and I can do it again. You can be me and I can be like you. Then you request to leave. For as long as he feels you are the one he is with, he won't be hurt right?" Daniella made a smart suggestion when she realized that Danica was only afraid of Loney getting hurt.

"You mean you want us to switch places?" Danica asked as she tried to understand the repercussions of the action she was going to take.

"Exactly. You can go back to church and have a decent life with the kids at the shelter and all. Herty will be there for you and Jones as well."

"But I'm pregnant and you aren't," Danica said bitterly. She couldn't believe she was going to make another consideration for her sister.

"Leave that to me. I will pretend to be pregnant and get the baby from you when it's born. Think sister, Loney is a good man. I will never join a bad company and will be a good wife. So, what do you say?"