The Surrogate He Discarded

Kristoff’s phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. The faint buzz cut through the easygoing atmosphere.

He reached inside and pulled it out.

One new message.

Morgan:Come to the beach when you’re settled. We need to talk.

Kristoff’s faint smile vanished.

For a moment, he simply stared at the screen.

The warmth in his expression faded, replaced by a quiet alertness.

His eyes lifted toward the beach.

From where he stood, he could see Morgan in the distance, completely absorbed in his taking pictures of the scenery—and, judging by the way he kept turning toward the children, probably taking far more pictures of his family than the beach itself.

He looked very carefree.

Almost like an ordinary father enjoying a weekend getaway.

Which made the message feel even more unsettling.

Kristoff lowered his gaze to the phone again.

We need to talk.

Those four words carried more weight than they should have.

Morgan could have called him.

Instead, he sent a message and asked him to come to the beach privately.

Kristoff slipped the phone back into his pocket, his jaw tightening slightly.

Whatever Morgan wanted to discuss, it clearly had nothing to do with the weather, the resort, or a casual family conversation.

And somehow, Kristoff had the feeling that this weekend was about to become much more complicated than he had expected.

...

Isobel was standing in the shallow water, holding Kat securely in her arms as she playfully bounced the baby against her chest. Then she lowered her so her two chubby feet touched the seawater.

Kat squealed happily, her tiny hands splashing at the water.

Then Isobel heard it.

Another sound. A familiar one.

A baby’s soft babbling came from somewhere behind her.

She froze. Then she slowly turned around.

Her breath caught.

A nanny was approaching with a baby in her arms.

Isobel stared at him. Her heart seemed to stop.

”Is that... Alexander?” she whispered.

As if answering her question, the baby suddenly broke into a bright, bubbling laugh.

There was no mistaking him.

It was Alexander, her baby.

For a second, Isobel could only stare.

She had not expected to see him so soon.

Her face brightened.

She had spent so many nights missing him.

Kristine noticed where Isobel was looking. She followed her gaze and immediately understood.

Without saying a word, Kristine signaled to the nanny beside her.

”Take Kat.”

The nanny carefully took the baby from Isobel’s arms. The moment her hands were free, Isobel stood.

The water was only knee-deep, but she barely seemed to notice it.

She hurried forward, splashing through the water toward the approaching nannies.

Her heart was pounding so hard it seemed to shake her entire body.

”Alexander...”

One of the nannies instinctively pulled the baby closer.

She didn’t recognize Isobel and wasn’t about to hand a child to a stranger simply because the woman was calling his name.

But the second nanny recognized her.

She was at the hospital when Kristoff brought Alexander to visit.

”It’s all right,” she assured the other nanny. ”Boss Kristoff knows her.”

But before either woman could say anything else, Alexander suddenly leaned forward.

His little arms stretched toward Isobel.

”Mama...”

The movement was so sudden that the nanny nearly lost her grip.

Her face went pale.

”Careful!”

But Isobel was already there.

For one terrifying second, her heart seemed to stop.

Then she felt his tiny body settle against her arms.

Warmth spread through her.

He was real.

Alexander was really in her arms.

Isobel hardly dared to breathe, much less blink. She was terrified that if she closed her eyes—even for a second—Alexander would vanish from her arms.

That she would open them and find herself alone again.

That this was nothing more than a beautiful dream her heart had desperately wanted to believe.

She tightened her arms around him, feeling the warmth of his little body against her chest.

His soft baby scent filled her senses.

It was different from the scent of Kit and Kat. But Alex scent was so precious. So real.

Isobel’s eyes immediately filled with tears.

She lowered her face to his hair and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back the sob that rose from somewhere deep inside her chest.

It had been weeks, and she had missed him.

And now, somehow, he was finally back in her arms.

She pressed her cheek against his soft hair and held him as tightly as she dared.

”Alex...” Her voice trembled. ”My baby.”

She kissed his forehead again and again.

”I missed you so much.”

The words came out like a prayer—something between gratitude and relief, as though she were thanking heaven for giving her son back to her.

Alexander stared up at her.

Then his tiny lips moved.

”Mama...”

The sound was barely audible.

To everyone else, it might have been nothing more than an indistinct baby sound.

But to Isobel—

It was thunder.

A beautiful, overwhelming thunder that seemed to echo straight through her heart.

She pulled back slightly and stared at him through her tears.

”You called me Mama again. You have not forgotten me, right?”

Her lips curved into a trembling smile.

She hugged him again before carrying him back toward the others.

”Mama,” Alexander repeated.

This time, several people heard it.

Julian and Leanne turned toward them.

Kristine’s eyes widened.

Even the nanny looked stunned.

Morgan was too far away to hear the tiny voice.

Kristine stared at Isobel as if she had just witnessed something impossible.

”What did he call you?” she asked.

Isobel looked down at the little boy in her arms.

”Mama.”

Alexander babbled happily and reached for Isobel’s face.

”Mama.”

The second time, there was no mistaking it.

Kristine’s mouth fell slightly open.

Julian exchanged a stunned glance with Leanne.

For a moment, nobody said anything.

Then Isobel’s smile slowly grew.

There was something almost radiant in her expression.

Pride... love...

And a happiness she could no longer hide.

She hugged Alexander closer to her chest.

”He called me Mama,” she said softly.

This time, there was no uncertainty in her voice.

Only joy.

”He really called me Mama.”