The Surrogate He Discarded

”My granddaughter, you’ve been staring at your grandmother and spacing out.”

Sharon’s gentle voice pulled Kristal back to the present.

Kristal blinked, realizing that Sharon and Richard were looking at her.

”Is something on your mind?”

”It’s nothing, Grandma.” She smiled sheepishly. ”I still can’t wrap my head around how you managed to become so successful here.”

”It’s because Grandma Sharon is an excellent judge of character,” Richard chimed in.

He leaned back in his chair, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

”She knew how to choose not only good people, but loyal ones. That’s probably why her business thrived.”

Sharon laughed softly.

”I suppose that’s one way of putting it.”

She finished her tea and carefully placed the cup on its saucer.

”I learned from my mistakes.”

Kristal raised an eyebrow.

Sharon’s smile turned wry.

”I failed miserably when it came to choosing a husband. After that, I became much more careful about the people I allowed into my life.”

Richard chuckled.

”That’s one lesson you definitely don’t want to learn the hard way.”

Sharon gave him an amused look before suppressing a yawn.

”Enough about an old woman’s past.” She waved a hand dismissively. ”The two of you should catch up. You haven’t seen each other in years.”

Before either of them could respond, Sharon lifted her hand.

Two people emerged from behind the wooden screen partition.

The first was a tall, broad-shouldered man who looked as though he could carry Sharon and the entire table without breaking a sweat. Beside him was a woman in her early fifties, composed and attentive.

”Maria. Johnny.” Sharon nodded toward them. ”Take me home.”

Richard immediately pushed his chair back.

”I’ll take you.”

Sharon shook her head.

”Stay here, Richard. Maria and Johnny can take me home.”

Richard hesitated. He clearly wasn’t convinced.

Sharon noticed and smiled.

”You’ve just as stubborn as ever.”

”I’m just making sure you get home safely.”

”I have a bodyguard and a caregiver standing right here.”

Richard glanced at Johnny.

The man’s expression remained completely impassive.

Then he looked at Maria, who merely smiled.

Kristal couldn’t help laughing.

”We’re finished eating anyway, Grandma.” She stood and slipped her arm through Sharon’s. ”We’ll walk you out. Then Richard can take me somewhere around here. I heard there’s a popular bar nearby.”

Sharon looked from Kristal to Richard.

”A bar?”

Kristal’s smile widened.

”Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he doesn’t get into trouble.”

Richard stared at her.

”You’re supposed to be the one I’m supposed to watch.”

”Exactly.”

Sharon laughed.

”Fine. Then I’ll leave you two to it.”

She allowed Kristal to lead her toward the door, with Maria and Johnny following closely behind.

Richard followed behind, shaking his head.

Somehow, he had a feeling that Kristal was going to be far more trouble tonight than any bar could possibly be.

...

Richard had barely taken a few steps toward the entrance when a feminine voice called from the main hall.

”Richard?” 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

He slowed.

There was something familiar about the voice, but he couldn’t immediately place it.

Then another voice followed, louder and more certain.

”Richard, it really is you!”

He turned.

Near one of the tables by the main hall, two young women were waving at him. The moment he recognized Jackie, his expression relaxed.

”Looks like you’ve run into someone you know,” Sharon said with a knowing smile.

Richard glanced back at her.

”You go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Sharon waved him off.

”Take Kristal with you. You haven’t seen each other in years. Go enjoy yourselves.”

Richard nodded.

”All right. Goodbye, Grandma.”

”Goodbye, dear.”

He gave Sharon a polite nod before turning toward Jackie.

Kristal naturally fell into step beside him.

Neither of them noticed the two women watching their approach with growing curiosity.

Jackie’s eyes immediately settled on Kristal.

So did Sharina’s.

The woman beside Richard was impossible to overlook.

She was clearly a foreigner, with striking features and an effortless elegance that drew attention without seeming to seek it. Even beside Richard’s tall, imposing frame—he stood at 183 centimeters—she was only a little shorter than him.

Jackie raised an eyebrow.

Interesting. When did her cousin get acquainted with a foreign woman?

”Jackie, you’re here too.”

Richard greeted his cousin, then briefly glanced at the woman beside her.

His eyes lingered for a second. He knew he had seen her before. But her name escaped him.

Rather than embarrass himself by pretending otherwise, he simply gave her a polite nod.

Jackie gestured for the two to sit down. She was lazy and did not want to stand up.

”And who is this?”

”She is my friend. Kristal Gabor, from Fiorenza.”

Richard gestured toward Jackie.

”This is my cousin, Jackie. And that’s her friend.”

Kristal smiled and turned toward them.

”Nice to meet you.”

”I’m Jackie,” she said warmly, reaching out her hand.

”I’m Sharina.”

Sharina’s smile was polite.

But beneath the table, her fingers had curled tightly into her palm.

Richard hadn’t remembered her name.

After all this time, after everything she had done to make herself memorable to him, he had looked at her as though she were a complete stranger.

The humiliation burned. Still, she kept her expression composed.

Kristal extended her hand toward her.

A small dimple appeared on her right cheek as she smiled.

For a fleeting moment, Sharina found herself captivated. Even as a woman, she couldn’t deny that Kristal was beautiful. There was something effortlessly charming about her that made it difficult to look away.

Were she and Richard really just friends?

The thought stirred an unfamiliar uneasiness in Sharina’s chest.

Her fingers tightened around Kristal’s hand.

Kristal’s smile faltered.

She tried to withdraw her hand, but Sharina didn’t immediately let go.

The pressure around her fingers became unmistakable.

Kristal’s brows drew together as she looked at Sharina.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Something flickered in Sharina’s gaze—so fleeting that Kristal almost missed it.

If only my eyes were green... just like hers.

The thought came with a strange, bitter pang of envy.

Then she smiled.

But there was no warmth behind it.

”You’re hurting me.”