After my parents died, I nearly lost my home. My cousin offered to save it if I carried his baby. Everything seemed perfect until I overheard a suspicious conversation. So I played along to uncover their secret.
I'm Natalie, 28. A year ago, a car accident took both my parents. One phone call divided my life into before and after.
My cousin Ethan, 33, was practically my brother. We'd grown up together, and my parents treated him like their own son.
At the funeral, Ethan held my hand. "Whatever you need, Nat, I'm here."
"I know. But you don't have to face everything alone."
"Thank you, Ethan. That means so much to me."
"Of course, Nat." He hesitated. "Speaking of which, how's the mortgage?"
"I missed work. My savings are gone."
"Mom and Dad helped me buy this place, Ethan. It's the last thing they gave me."
A few days after the funeral, Ethan and his wife, Claire, visited.
"We've been trying to have a baby for years," she began. "But I can't carry a pregnancy."
Ethan squeezed her hand. "The specialists suggested surrogacy."
"We wouldn't ask if we weren't desperate," Claire whispered.
Ethan leaned forward. "We know about your mortgage. If you carry our baby, we'll pay it off. Every dollar."
I stared at him. "You're serious?"
"That's an enormous amount of money."
"And you'd be giving us something money can't buy."
After the medical consultations, Ethan called.
"I want to help you. But I'm scared."
"Of losing my home if something goes wrong."
"We'll take care of the mortgage, Nat."
After the fertility clinic's procedures, I met with my independent lawyer to sign the agreement.
I've been severely nearsighted since childhood. Grief made reading harder.
And I'd forgotten my glasses on the day I signed.
"Could you walk me through everything?" I asked.
"Of course. The contract covers the surrogacy arrangement and your compensation."
"And Ethan's other promises?"
"Those aren't addressed here. I'd recommend discussing them separately."
"Is that really necessary? We're family."
"Family arrangements can get complicated, Natalie."
I hesitated. "Ethan's practically my brother. We've known each other our whole lives."
"Just make sure you understand what you're signing."
"Everything's handled, Nat."
"Absolutely. You have nothing to worry about."
The pregnancy went smoothly.
Claire brought groceries, attended appointments, and once arrived with four brands of crackers because I'd complained about nausea.
Ethan drove me to appointments and kept reassuring me. "Once she's born, that mortgage disappears."
Claire held up a tiny yellow sweater.
"Already washed it twice," she announced.
"That child will have cleaner clothes than I do."
Claire once glanced around my living room.
"I've always loved this apartment. Three bedrooms, that gorgeous view... Places like this cost a fortune now."
"Mom and Dad helped me buy it," I said.
"You're lucky," she replied. "I understand why paying off the mortgage and keeping this home means so much to you."
For eight months, I thought we were becoming closer than ever.
Then I heard six words that made every promise sound different.
At my eighth-month appointment, everything looked healthy.
Afterward, I realized I'd forgotten my phone in the examination room.
"I'll catch up," I told them.
Walking back down the hallway, I heard Ethan speaking around the corner.
"Once the baby is born, we'll do it."
Claire answered immediately. "She'll never find out."
I froze, my hand moving to my stomach.
What couldn't I find out?
I wanted to confront them, but would they tell me the truth?
Instead, I retrieved my phone and pretended nothing had happened.
That afternoon, I visited Ethan's mother, Diane.
"Nat! Come in, sweetheart. Tea?"
"Apparently practicing karate on my ribs."
Diane laughed. "And Ethan and Claire? Taking good care of you?"
"Good. Have you decided where you'll move after the birth?"
I nearly dropped my cup. "Move? Why?"
"Well, with your mortgage payments... Ethan and Claire can't support you forever."
"Ethan promised to pay off my mortgage."
"The entire balance. Didn't he tell you?"
"Oh! Well, that's wonderful, sweetheart."
"Then why did you think I'd be moving?"
"I just assumed you'd want somewhere smaller."
Diane hadn't sounded surprised that I was struggling. She'd sounded surprised that I expected to stop struggling.
That evening, I called Ethan.
"Hey, Nat! Everything okay?"
"I need to ask about the mortgage. You're still paying it off after the baby's born, right?"
"Where's this coming from?"
"After everything Claire and I have done for you, you're questioning us?"
"I'm asking about our agreement."
"Natalie, you're family. I'd never leave you with nothing. Just trust me."
For years, Ethan had been the person I called whenever something went wrong.
But this time, he was the problem.
I barely slept that night.
Ethan's reaction, Diane's question, those whispers at the clinic...
Or perhaps I didn't want it to.
Ethan was practically my brother. I'd trusted him with my parents' last gift.
Now something felt terribly wrong.
By morning, my shock had turned into anger.
Whatever Ethan and Claire were hiding, I wasn't going to make it easy for them.
I had an idea. A risky one.
For the next few days, I acted as though nothing had changed.
When Claire visited, I still asked about the nursery.
"Did you finish painting?"
"Good. Pink would've been predictable."
Neither of them had any idea what I'd started.
Ethan seemed relieved that I'd stopped bringing up the mortgage.
One afternoon, he glanced around my living room. "Ever think about making a fresh start somewhere else?"
"I don't know. A different neighborhood, maybe. Somewhere without so many memories."
"These are good memories, Ethan."
"I thought you might want a change after everything."
He looked surprised. "Really?"
"Well, it's worth thinking about."
I smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."
He seemed satisfied and quickly changed the subject.
I'd spoken to the right people and uncovered Ethan's plan.
He had no idea I was already one step ahead.
Three weeks later, I delivered a healthy baby girl.
Claire cried when she first held her. "She's perfect."
"She's beautiful," I whispered.
Ethan hugged me. "You've given us everything."
I looked at him. "Then can we finally settle the apartment situation?"
Ethan's smile faded. "Not now, Nat. You've just given birth."
Another promise. This time, I knew better than to believe it.
A week after giving birth, Ethan and Claire drove me home.
Their daughter was staying with Diane, Ethan's mother, for the afternoon.
Claire carried my bag upstairs while Ethan helped me inside.
"Careful, Nat. You need rest."
He noticed the mortgage notice on my counter. "Still getting those?"
He exchanged a glance with Claire. "Actually, we wanted to discuss that."
I'd spent a month preparing. And finally, they were giving me the chance to put my plan into action.
I sat down, hiding my excitement. "Go ahead."
"We've had unexpected expenses," Ethan began. "Medical bills, baby supplies..."
"So you can't pay off my mortgage?"
"Not exactly. We've found another solution."
Claire smiled. "We'll buy your apartment!"
I stared at her. "Buy it?"
"We'll cover your remaining mortgage," Ethan explained. "You'll be completely debt-free."
"And where would I live?"
"Somewhere smaller," Claire suggested. "You don't need three bedrooms."
"How much are you offering?"
"The mortgage balance. About a hundred sixty-five thousand."
"For the entire apartment?"
I glanced at my parents' photograph. "And how long would I have to move?"