C1 Unexpected Revelations

Despite her exhaustion, Charlotte forced herself to stand firm as she knew she had to be strong. Her physician's words were a blow to her, "I'm sorry, Charlotte," the doctor said gently, "but you have very few viable eggs remaining. Frankly, you normally see these numbers in women ten or fifteen years your senior."

Disbelief flooded through Charlotte, and she murmured, "What? I've been trying to get pregnant for years. I'm only 30; I should have plenty of eggs left."

However, the physician's reply shattered her hopes, "In terms of fertility, you have very little time left. If you want to conceive, you need to do so before your next cycle begins."

Stunned, she repeated, "My next cycle?" She couldn't believe it. As someone who adores children, becoming a mother was all she wanted in life. She had to rush home and tell her boyfriend this news; there was no time to waste.

Despite her fatigue, she made it home in record time. Bursting through the door, she was about to call out for Fernando, but she froze.

Upon entering the house, her eyes quickly spot a pair of high heels and a handbag at the door. She was certain that they did not belong to her. Straining to listen, she heard moaning sounds emanating from the bedroom, accompanied by the rhythmic thump of the bed hitting the wall. Her heart sank as she realized that Fernando was in there with another woman. But it was even worse than that - she recognized the handbag and shoes as belonging to her best friend, Michelle.

"I can't believe how foolish Charlotte is," Fernando chuckled. "She actually thinks I'm going to have a baby with her."

Mitchell snickered, "She's totally delusional. I have no idea how you managed to put up with her for so long."

"If she weren't so attractive, I wouldn't have given her a second glance," Fernando retorted. "Thankfully, I made sure to give her daily doses of plan B to ensure she never got pregnant."

Mitchell inquired, "How were you able to administer the morning after pill without her noticing?"

"I added it to her morning coffee," Fernando boasted, sounding excessively pleased with himself.

As the pieces fell into place, Charlotte's anger built, and her sight turned red. Finally, the reason for her inability to conceive, despite having unprotected intercourse several times a week for years, became clear.

It also became apparent how she could possess the eggs of a 45-year-old if her contemptible partner had been covertly providing her with emergency contraceptives every day. Who knew what other damage he may have caused to her reproductive system?

Without hesitation, she yanked the smoke alarm on the wall, determined to scare and punish the duo in the bedroom so severely that she was afraid she might attack them when they exited. The sprinkler system installed on the ceiling immediately sprayed water down, accompanied by a piercing siren, causing Logan and Michelle to cry out in surprise.

As they burst out of the bedroom, they froze in their tracks upon spotting her standing in the doorway.

Fernando's eyes bulged out comically, "What are you doing home so early?"

The audacity of the snake to act offended by her surprise visit when he's been sneaking around behind her back for who knows how long.

He seemed to realize how suspicious the situation appeared, with him and Mitchell standing there in their underwear, and rushed to add, "Michelle came over to plan a surprise for your birthday, but we accidentally spilled coffee on ourselves and had to change clothes."

Her blood boiled with fury. He must think she's a fool to swallow such a flimsy excuse.

Their shockingly low opinion of her was evident in how easily they fell for her façade. It was a bitter realization that she had wasted the prime of her life on. Fernando. Now, he may have even jeopardized her future. She couldn't afford to squander any more time on him, and she vowed to seek retribution one way or another.

She hastily excused herself and rushed across town to see Sophia, her sister. They grew up together in an orphanage, and she now worked for the city's most exclusive sperm bank. She had never sought her help before, as she always hoped that she and Fernando would conceive naturally. However, that was no longer an option.

Although she was in a hurry to find a man who was willing to father a child with her, she couldn't trust anyone after Logan's betrayal. It seemed that she'd have to go through this alone, but luckily, she knew that Sophia could assist her.

Despite having limited funds, she had enough saved to cover the insemination costs, knowing that she had only one chance at this.

Upon arriving at Sophia's, her plans to explain her situation to her in a clear and concise manner went awry. Instead, she broke down at the sight of her sister and told her everything while she comforted her with hugs and kisses.

She gradually extracted the details of her story from her, and when she heard about Fernando and Michelle, she swore under her breath.

However, her reaction was nothing compared to her outrage when she disclosed her fertility issues

"Charlotte, your doctor's diagnosis means you have only one opportunity to conceive."

"I'm aware," Charlotte sobbed. "And if this is my only chance, I want to ensure that I have the best donor available."

"Don't worry about that," Sophia assured her. "We have donations from actors, models, scientists - only the crème de la crème come here." She glanced towards the door and whispered. "You didn't hear it from me, but even Collin Andrade sent his samples here for testing."

"Wait, Collin Andrade?" Charlotte repeated, surprised. Although she had seen him around town before, they didn't exactly move in the same social circles.

As a nanny for a wealthy family in his neighborhood, she often encountered him, but his intimidating presence and constant entourage of bodyguards kept her at a distance, giving her goosebumps just thinking about him.

Suddenly, Sophia let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that! I don't know what I was thinking. Apparently, he's had his own fertility issues, and he entrusted us with handling his sperm over any other lab in the country. It's in the other room right now."

Concerned, she pleaded, "But Charlotte, you have to promise not to tell anyone. Confidentiality is crucial here."

"Of course," Charlotte agreed immediately, understanding the importance of maintaining privacy.

"Thank you," Sophia said, handing over the client dossier to her. "You can select a donor from this list, and we'll ensure you get pregnant in no time."

Charlotte spent a while making a decision, finally settling on a good-looking surgeon. Sophia briefly left the room to prepare the sample, and upon returning, conducted the insemination quickly and professionally.

Sophia offered to hold her hand throughout the procedure, reassuring her that it was all taken care of.

"You can come back in ten days to see if it worked," she said, as she left the room.

Ten days to determine her entire future, Charlotte thought to herself, still dazed from the procedure.

However, what she didn't know at that time was that her future would no longer be hers to decide after those ten days, but instead would be determined by none other than Collin Andrade himself.

She woke up the next morning feeling a sense of calm that had eluded her for years. She felt in control of her life and knew that she had made the right decision. Fernando was out of her life, and she was finally taking the steps to become a mother, even if it meant doing it alone.

She went to the sperm bank that Sophia had recommended and was surprised at the amount of information she was able to obtain about the donors. She had always thought that choosing a sperm donor would be a clinical and impersonal process, but she was able to read personal statements, see baby pictures, and even listen to interviews with the donors. It was overwhelming, but it made her feel more connected to the process.

After careful consideration, she chose a donor who seemed to have the characteristics that she was looking for. He was intelligent, athletic, and had a good sense of humor. Most importantly, his family had a history of fertility on both sides, which gave her hope that she would be able to conceive.

The insemination process was quick and relatively painless. Sophia was by her side the entire time, and she felt a sense of gratitude that she had never experienced before. She was grateful for her friendship, her guidance, and her willingness to help her become a mother.

After the insemination, she had to wait two weeks before taking a pregnancy test. It was the longest two weeks of her life. She was anxious, nervous, and excited all at the same time. She had been dreaming of becoming a mother for so long, and it was finally within reach.

When the day finally arrived, she took the test and waited for the results.

It was negative.

She was not pregnant.

"I told you that we had to use Collin Andrade, but you were unwilling," Sophia said to her. "Now, can you see the results of your stubbornness?"

"I am sorry," Charlotte apologized. "I am going to do whatever you say from now on."