The Surrogate He Discarded

Carefully rising to her feet, she carried Alexander toward one of the teepees nearby.

The cozy structure had been thoughtfully designed for mothers.

Inside was a comfortable armchair, a side table stocked with baby supplies, and soft lighting that created a sense of privacy away from the bustle of the hall.

Fortunately, Isobel’s gown had been specially altered for nursing. What had once been a simple one-piece dress had been redesigned into a cropped bodice paired with a high-waisted skirt, allowing her easy access whenever the twins needed feeding.

The moment she sat down, Ella followed her inside.

Without needing instructions, Ella handed her a cotton ball already soaked in distilled water.

It had become part of their routine.

Isobel gently cleaned her breasts as she always did before nursing.

She wasn’t even finished. The cotton ball was still in her hand. Yet Alexander had already found what he wanted.

The instant he gained access, he latched on, firmly and desperately.

As if his tiny life depended on it.

A startled sound escaped Isobel. The baby suckled with astonishing enthusiasm. His little hands pressed against her body while his body visibly relaxed. His cries stopped immediately. Not gradually but immediately.

The transformation was so dramatic that the nannies gathered outside the teepee couldn’t help gasping.

”He really likes her milk.”

”How is that possible?”

One nanny lowered her voice.

”She’s not his mother, is she?”

The women exchanged puzzled looks. None of them could explain what they had just witnessed.

Outside the teepee, Ella glanced at the curious faces surrounding them.

Then she smiled.

”Maybe there’s something comforting about the scent of her milk.”

She pointed toward the twin stroller nearby.

Kristoffer and Kirsten were happily lying side by side, kicking their feet and playing with their hands as though nothing unusual had happened.

”These two only accepted Isobel’s milk too,” Ella explained. ”And she isn’t their mother either.”

The nannies’ expressions immediately softened with understanding.

”So that’s why.”

”Some babies are just like that.”

”She must have a calming scent.”

Satisfied with the explanation, they gradually dispersed. Soon, the hall returned to its cheerful rhythm.

Toddlers resumed chasing bubbles. Mascots wandered among laughing children. Nannies returned to their young charges.

Inside the teepee, however, Isobel remained unaware of the conversations outside.

Her attention was entirely focused on the baby in her arms.

Alexander suckled contentedly, his tiny fingers curled around her dress.

His long lashes rested against his cheeks.

Every now and then, he would make a small satisfied sound before continuing to drink.

A strange warmth spread through Isobel’s chest.

She couldn’t explain it. She had fed babies before...

The Foster twins with her own milk.

Babies at the orphanage with formulas.

Even infants belonging to neighboring families.

Yet holding this child felt different. It felt familiar.

As though a part of her soul recognized him.

And for reasons she could not understand, tears suddenly stung the corners of her eyes.

...

The baby’s gaze remained locked on hers.

Those dark, curious eyes followed her every movement as though he had forgotten about everything else in the world.

Then, for the briefest moment, he released her breast.

Immediately, a thin stream of milk sprayed across his cheek.

The nanny gasped.

”Oh my!” She quickly rummaged through the diaper bag and pulled out a packet of wet wipes.

Before Isobel could react, the nanny was already gently dabbing at the baby’s face.

At the same time, Isobel pressed a finger against her nipple to stop the flow. Her cheeks warmed slightly with embarrassment.

Alexander, however, seemed entirely unconcerned.

”Geeee... ahh... goo... goo... gurrl...”

The baby babbled happily. A wide, gummy smile spread across his face.

The sight struck Isobel straight in the heart. She felt something inside her soften.

”You are such a cute little one, aren’t you?” she murmured.

Unable to resist, she lightly brushed a finger across his soft cheek.

”Just like baby Kristoffer.”

Alexander responded with another delighted smile. His tiny hands waved excitedly in the air as though he understood every word.

The smile on Isobel’s face deepened.

”Your parents are very lucky to have you.”

The words slipped out naturally. Yet the moment she spoke them, something stirred uneasily within her.

Her gaze lingered on the baby.

A strange thought surfaced. One she had been unconsciously avoiding.

Could this child be...?

Her breath caught.

Could he be the baby she had carried for Kristoff? The possibility made her pulse quicken.

Slowly, she studied his features again.

Earlier, she had been so captivated by his eyes that she hadn’t paid attention to the rest of his face.

Now she looked carefully. The shape of his nose. The curve of his jaw. The line of his brows.

The more she looked, the more familiar he become. There was something unmistakably Kristoff in those features.

A resemblance subtle enough to miss at first glance, yet impossible to ignore once noticed.

Her fingers tightened around the blanket draped over her lap.

Her heart began to pound.

Could it really be her baby?

The child she had carried beneath her heart for nine months. The child she had given life to. The child she had never been allowed to hold.

A thousand emotions surged through her all at once but a few stood out.

Hope. Fear. Longing. Disbelief.

Before she could lose herself completely in those thoughts, a happy babble pulled her back.

”Ehhhh... gahhh... ooo... goo goo...”

Alexander was staring at her again. His tiny fingers reached toward her face.

Then he smiled. A bright, trusting smile that revealed his toothless gums.

The sight shattered whatever composure she had left.

Her heart melted all over again.

Without realizing it, tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

Whether this child belonged to her or not, one thing was certain.

Holding him felt inexplicably natural.

As though some invisible bond connected them.

As though, in his own innocent way, the baby recognized her too.

...

”What the hell are you doing? Who allowed you to hold my baby?”