Arden’s POV:
“Are you really okay?” Muse asked again as soon as we’re inside my room.
“Yes, I am” I replied softly.
Her worry was quite.
.
. endearing.
She breathed out softly.
“Are you okay ” I asked as I stared at her.
She was seated on my bed, her shoulder length hair messy.
Her big pyjamas were slipping off her shoulders to reveal her beautiful skin.
I really need to feed her more.
She looked malnourished.
“I’m fine. . It’s just, I want to discuss something with you” She said softly.
She looked scared.
Was she still scared of me?.
I slowly took her hands in mine.
“You can tell me anything darling, I won’t hurt you. I promise ” I said to her softly.
“Well. . .umm. .Aunty Irene told me more than just about you” She said as she looked down and quickly looked away.
“What else did she tell you?” I asked.
“Well. . she told about how you were looking for a child ” she said softly.
My heart dropped.
“And?” I asked.
“I was wondering if you could. . . consider me carrying your child ” she continued.
Her face red from embarrassment.
My eyes widened in shock.
I had definitely not expected that.
“Did you think this through?” I asked.
Is she aware of what she’s asking of?”.
“Yes, I did and I want to do it. . for you” she replied.
I smiled softly.
“Look Muse, please don’t think that just because I’m taking care of you that you’re obliged to do something for me in return ” I said to her.
“I don’t want you to pay me back for taking care of you”.
She shook her head quickly.
“No, it’s not about that” she replied quickly.
“I just want to make you happy. . . I want to see you happy” she said seriously.
My heart raced.
Her words definitely did things to me.
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“You’re too young ” I said to her.
“No I’m not ” she replied adamantly.
“Muse. . You know nothing about being pregnant ” I tell her softly.
“I don’t. . But I can learn” she replied.
I stared at her for a while.
She stared back.
She was serious.
She really wanted to carry my child.
“Let’s make a deal” I say to her.
She shifted closer.
I breathed in her scent.
Why does she always smell good.
“The deal is. . . If you can go these few months without hurting yourself and heal quickly, then maybe I can think about making you a surrogate for my child ” I said to her.
“So all I need to do is heal properly ” she asked.
“Yes, and also eat properly ” I said to her.
“Deal ” She replied as she brought out her hand for a handshake.
I slowly took hers.
I hope that by then, she must’ve forgotten about this ridiculous request.
Yes I wanted a child, but it couldn’t be at the expense of Muse’s life.
I’m going to make sure she lives her life well.
And not feel obligated to do this.
Muse grinned widely as soon as I shook her hand.
It was as though she had already won.
I couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“Why are you smiling like that?” I asked.
“Because I know I’m going to win,” she replied confidently.
“Oh, is that so?” I said with an amused smile.
“Of course it is.”
I shook my head.
This girl was unbelievable.
“You’ve only just learned about your condition and you’re already making promises.”
Muse puffed out her cheeks.
“I can do it.”
“Muse.”
“I can.”
I raised an eyebrow.
She folded her arms stubbornly.
I sighed dramatically.
“You’re impossible.”
Her smile widened.
“Yet you still like me.” You are reading on g.com, the official source.
I froze.
Muse froze too.
The room suddenly became very quiet.
Her eyes widened as though she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
A blush slowly crept across her cheeks.
I felt strangely warm.
“Well…” I began carefully.
Muse immediately covered her face with her hands.
“Oh my God.”
I laughed.
A genuine laugh.
The kind I hadn’t heard from myself in years.
“Don’t laugh!” she groaned.
“I’m trying not to.”
“You’re failing.”
“I know.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn’t awkward.
It was comfortable.
Safe.
The kind of silence I never seemed to have with anyone else.
Eventually I squeezed her hand gently.
“Muse.”
She looked up.
“Thank you.”
Her expression softened.
“For what?”
“For caring.”
The words came out quieter than I intended.
Muse stared at me for a long moment.
Then she smiled.
A small smile.
But a real one.
“You don’t have to thank me for that, Arden.”
Maybe I didn’t.
But I wanted to.
Because somewhere along the way, this strange girl had become important to me.
Far more important than she realized.
And that terrified me more than I was willing to admit.