The Surrogate He Discarded

Madam Su San’s fingers tightened around the delicate porcelain teacup until a sharp crack echoed through the living room.

A thin fracture spread across the fine china before it shattered in her hand. Fragments fell onto the marble floor, accompanied by droplets of tea that stained the pristine white tiles.

Not a single servant dared move.

Ignoring the sting of the broken porcelain cutting into her palm, she slowly lifted her icy gaze to the butler.

”Continue.”

The butler lowered his head.

”After leaving Saint Marianne’s Orphanage, Sir Richard took Miss Isobel to a restaurant. They remained there for more than two hours before returning.”

He hesitated.

”And this afternoon, a group photograph of Sir Richard and Miss Isobel surfaced online. It has already gone viral.”

Madam Su San’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

”Richard...”

She spoke his name as though it were an accusation.

”So, after all these years...he’s still trying to defy me for the sake of that woman?”

The words stirred memories she had long buried.

Years ago, when Richard had been found and brought home from Saint Marianne’s Orphanage, he had refused to leave.

He had stood at the orphanage gate, clutching a ten year old girl’s hand with all the strength his small body possessed.

”I won’t go without Isobel.”

No amount of persuasion had worked. No promise of wealth. No promise of a better future.

In the end, Su San had smiled warmly and patted Isobel’s head.

”Very well,” she had told him gently. ”We’ll come back for her. She’ll join you soon.”

Only then had Richard loosened his grip. Only then had he climbed into the waiting car.

But the car never returned.

By the time Richard realized he had been deceived, it was already too late. And he was devastated.

The cheerful teenager disappeared.

In his place was a young man consumed by anger.

But he kept his anger within himself. He could not scream. He could not vent.

More than once, he escaped the mansion in a desperate attempt to find his way back to St. Marriam.

Each time, he was caught before he could get far.

Each time, the punishment became harsher.

Still...

He never gave up.

Until the day Su San looked him in the eye and uttered the one threat that finally broke his resistance.

”If you continue disobeying me...”

”I can make Isobel disappear forever.”

The words had drained every trace of color from the young man’s face. He knew that his Aunt meant what she said.

From that day, Richard never ran away again.

Soon afterward, he was sent overseas to study.

Distance, discipline, and time had done what punishment could not.

Or so Su San had believed.

Now...

She looked at the photographs displayed before her.

Richard’s eyes.

The way he looked at Isobel.

It was the same look he had worn all those years ago as he stood at the orphanage gate, refusing to let go of her hand.

”So...” she whispered, her expression turning colder by the second.

”You’ve found your way back to her. And now, you have grown bolder, huh!” Su San said, her eyes narrowed into slits.

...

Unaware that her name had become the center of countless online discussions, Isobel sat quietly in the passenger seat of Richard’s car.

The city lights slipped past the window in streaks of crimson and purple, reflecting faintly in her eyes as she watched the familiar streets roll by. The evening traffic had begun to thin, leaving the roads unusually peaceful.

She rested her chin lightly against the window, allowing herself to enjoy the rare moment of silence.

Behind them, the charity event had ended hours ago.

Yet its aftermath was only beginning.

Across the internet, photographs of her had spread like wildfire. Every smile, every glance, every candid moment had been dissected by strangers who believed they knew her story. Some called her fortunate. Others branded her a gold digger. Conspiracy theories multiplied with every passing minute, while her name climbed steadily through the trending topics.

Ironically, the one person at the center of the storm remained blissfully unaware.

Her phone had been buried inside her handbag since the event ended, its notifications piling up unanswered.

Richard stole a brief glance at her before returning his attention to the road.

”You look exhausted.”

Isobel smiled sheepishly.

”I think today was the busiest day I’ve had in years.”

”You handled it well.”

”I did. Easy.”

That earned a soft laugh from Richard.

”You handled the children remarkably well.”

She let out a small sigh and looked out the window again.

”Thanks,” She laughed quietly. ”I’m still surprised they were all so... approachable.”

Richard smiled to himself.

”How about Kristoff Dalton, did you find him approachable too?”

If only he knew.

”No. He was so serious and very intimidating. He looked like a man ho were accustomed to commanding boardrooms, influencing governments, and making billion-dollar decisions with a single signature.

Yet every one of them had noticed the same woman.

The woman now absentmindedly counting the glowing streetlamps as though nothing extraordinary had happened.

Richard tightened his grip on the steering wheel ever so slightly.

He had watched Kristoff’s eyes follow her throughout the event, while Charlotte looked awful.

Neither of them had escaped his attention.

Neither would be easy to ignore.

Oblivious to the thoughts racing through Richard’s mind, Isobel pointed toward a small roadside bakery.

”Oh! They still have my favorite egg tarts.”

Richard glanced in the direction she was pointing.

The tiny bakery looked almost hidden between two larger buildings, its warm yellow lights glowing invitingly against the darkening sky.

”You like egg tarts?”

”I used to.” Her smile softened with nostalgia. ”After you were gone, whenever the orphanage received extra donations, Sister Agnes would buy a box for all of us. We each got one, and it always felt like a celebration.”

Richard’s heart tightened. He remembered.

The sweet scent of freshly baked pastries.

The little girl who would carefully divide hers in half because she insisted he should have some too.

She had forgotten.

He hadn’t.

Without another word, Richard flicked on the turn signal and guided the car toward the bakery.

”What are you doing?” Isobel asked, blinking in surprise.

”You said you liked them.”

She laughed.

”I was only reminiscing.”

”And I’m buying.”

Before she could protest again, Richard had already parked the car.

For the first time that evening, Isobel’s laughter filled the quiet cabin.

Completely unaware that beyond the warm lights of the little bakery, powerful people were already making plans that would soon turn her peaceful life upside down.