Chapter 180

Chapter 180
Hannah's POV

Sunlight glinted off countless Sterling Group flags lining Manhattan's main streets as our car made its way through the congested traffic. The entire city seemed transformed overnight. Every storefront owned by Sterling Enterprises displayed identical banners with a golden "S" against a royal blue background, accompanied by the words "Welcoming the Sterling Newborn" in elegant script.

"Is this... normal?" I asked, staring through the tinted window at the extravagance unfolding around us.

I had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday. The radio had been playing announcements about traffic diversions due to what they called "the Sterling celebration of the decade."

Finn sat beside me in the backseat of his custom Bentley, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the leather armrest. "The mayor will be attending personally," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Most of Wall Street has requested invitations."

"I didn't realize it would be this... public," I said, watching as workers hung yet another banner across an intersection. "It's almost like a royal birth announcement."

Finn turned toward me, his lips curving into that dangerous half-smile I'd come to recognize. "That's because it is. Did you think I would do anything less for our child?"

"Our child," I repeated softly, the phrase feeling strange on my tongue. The baby wasn't truly mine anymore – not according to the agreement I'd signed.

A realization washed over me like cold water. This lavish display wasn't just about the baby or the Sterling legacy – it was Finn's way of claiming me publicly. By elevating our child to near-royal status, he was ensuring I couldn't simply disappear. Each banner, each celebration, was another chain binding me to him.

"The ceremony will begin at sunset," Finn continued, seemingly oblivious to my internal panic. "Victoria has invited the governor and three senators. The European partners are flying in on private jets."

"Why make it so elaborate?" I asked.

Finn's hand moved to cover mine, his thumb tracing small circles on my wrist. "So you never have to envy anyone again. So the world knows exactly who you are."

I swallowed hard. This was my opening. Every day I stayed made leaving more impossible. William hadn't approached me again about our agreement, but his meaningful glances were reminder enough. I'd delivered what was promised. Now I needed to fulfill the other part of our deal – disappearing from Finn's life.

"About that," I began carefully. "Should I be attending this welcome ceremony at all?"

The car lurched to a sudden stop in the middle of the road. Behind us, luxury vehicles honked in protest. Finn's face changed instantly, all warmth vanishing as he gripped my hand tightly enough to hurt.

"What did you just say?" His voice was dangerously soft.

"Your driver is stopping traffic," I said, nodding toward the windshield.

"I don't give a damn about traffic," Finn snapped, pulling the hand brake himself. "What do you mean, should you attend? Of course you're attending. You're the mother."

"I'm the surrogate," I corrected quietly.

Something flashed in Finn's eyes – panic, maybe. His grip on my hand tightened further. My heart ached seeing his reaction, making what I needed to do even harder. But I knew the longer I waited, the more painful it would become for both of us. Every moment of connection we shared was just digging us deeper into an impossible situation.

"You married me," he said, his voice tight. "After our wedding, you're no longer just a surrogate mother, you're my wife, Hannah."

"What wedding?" I countered, my voice stronger than I felt. "The one you weren't even present for? The marriage certificate you never signed?"

Something like panic flickered across Finn's face. "We can fix that," he said quickly, reaching for my hand. "We'll have another ceremony. A real one. Whatever you want—"

"No," I cut him off, the word like glass in my throat. "I don't want that. I never intended to be your wife, not permanently. That was never part of our arrangement."

Finn's expression shifted, a cold smile spreading across his lips as he released my hand. "So you're saying you lied?" he asked, his voice dangerously soft. "When you said you loved me... that was all a lie?"

I stared at my hands, unable to meet his eyes. "I did love you," I whispered. "I did. But now I... I don't."

"There must be a reason," he pressed, leaning closer. "People don't just stop loving someone overnight. What changed, Hannah? What happened?"

I shook my head, tears threatening to spill. How could I explain an agreement with his father that would destroy what was left of their relationship? How could I tell him I was sacrificing us to save him?

"Please," I whispered, looking up at him finally. "Don't make this harder than it already is. I want to leave. Just... let me go."

A man in a tailored suit stepped out of the car behind us, approaching with an angry expression. One of Finn's security guards intercepted him, whispering something that made the color drain from the man's face. He retreated quickly to his vehicle.

"I was thinking," I continued, gathering my courage, "maybe it would be better if I didn't participate. It might create unnecessary attention, questions about my role."

Finn's jaw clenched. "Your role is clear. You're my—"

I took a deep breath, knowing I needed to say the words directly. William's stern face flashed in my mind – his warning that continuing this relationship would only damage Finn's bond with his father further. I couldn't be responsible for destroying what little family Finn had left.

"I think it's time to end our arrangement. The original agreement has been fulfilled. I delivered a healthy heir for the Sterling family."

The silence that followed was deafening. Outside, more cars had stopped, drivers staring at the black Bentley blocking the road. Finn's security team formed a perimeter, keeping onlookers at bay.

Without a word, Finn released my hand and started the engine. But instead of continuing toward the estate, he made a sharp turn, accelerating toward the small lake that bordered the road. My heart jumped to my throat as we sped directly toward the guardrail separating the road from the water.

The car came to a screeching halt with its front end hanging precariously over the lake, the barrier partially collapsed beneath us. I clutched the door handle, my knuckles white. Through the windshield, I could see the dark water only inches below the car's hood. Staring into that dark, still surface, for one terrible moment, I thought about death.

Perhaps dying wouldn't be worse than separation. The simplicity. No more contracts, no more agreements with William, no more impossible choices. Just darkness and silence. The thought settled over me with surprising calm.

I closed my eyes, unable to deny how deeply Finn had changed me. I understood now his seemingly negative approach, his tendency to view death as a solution to problems. Perhaps it wasn't negativity or avoidance at all. Perhaps, sometimes, when caught between impossible choices and unbearable pain, it was simply the only path left.

Security guards rushed toward us, only to halt at Finn's raised hand.

He lit a cigarette with deliberate slowness, took a single drag, then flicked it out the window into the water below. When he finally turned to me, his smile was cold enough to freeze my blood.

"You mean... separate? Hm?" he asked, his voice terrifyingly gentle.