The Billionaire's Plus Sized Baby Mama

Chapter 2

The Billionaire Needs an Heir

Alexander's Pov

I sit at the head of the twenty-seat mahogany conference table, my fingers lightly tapping against a stack of financial reports while every executive in the room avoids meeting my eyes. The quarterly figures projected on the screen are impressive by any standard, yet impressive has never been enough for me.

"Explain why our European expansion is three weeks behind schedule."

No one answers immediately. Finally, the regional director clears his throat. "There were unexpected permit delays, Mr. Knight."

I raise an eyebrow. "Did the permits delay themselves, or did someone fail to anticipate the problem?"

His face pales. "We... underestimated the approval process."

"You underestimated your job."

The room falls silent again. I close the report in front of me. "I don't pay people to apologize. I pay them to solve problems. If you cannot distinguish between the two, Human Resources will gladly help you find another career."

The meeting ends ten minutes later with a list of revised deadlines and enough terrified expressions to ensure every task will be completed ahead of schedule. Fear is an effective motivator. Respect is better. Unfortunately, very few people earn the second.

As the executives file out of the boardroom, my assistant, Claire, steps inside. "Mr. Knight, Mr. Harrison is here."

I glance at my watch. "My grandmother's attorney?"

"Yes."

"I wasn't expecting him until next week."

"He said it's urgent."

That earns my attention. "Send him in."

A moment later, Benjamin Harrison walks through the door carrying a thick leather folder. He has represented the Knight family for over thirty years, and I have never known him to waste anyone's time.

"Alexander."

"Mr. Harrison."

He sits across from me and places the folder on the table. "I wish this were a social visit."

"So do I."

He exhales slowly. "Your grandmother instructed me to deliver the final section of her estate plan on your thirty-fifth birthday."

"My birthday was yesterday."

"I know." He slides a sealed document toward me. "She insisted you read it personally."

I break the seal and scan the first page. The document appears ordinary until I reach the final paragraph, and my expression hardens. "What is this?"

"The final inheritance condition."

I keep reading, and every word feels more absurd than the last. According to my grandmother's legally binding trust, I must produce a biological heir within twelve months to retain controlling ownership of Knight Holdings. If I fail, fifty-one percent of the company's voting shares will automatically transfer to my uncle, Richard Knight.

I look up sharply. "Tell me this is a joke."

"I'm afraid it isn't."

I push the document across the table. "My grandmother would never gamble the future of this company."

Mr. Harrison folds his hands together. "She wasn't gambling. She believed the Knight family needed more than financial success. She believed it needed a future."

"A future shouldn't depend on whether I become a father."

"That was her decision."

I lean back in my chair, fighting the irritation building inside me. Marriage. Children. A picture-perfect family. None of those things have interested me since Vanessa taught me exactly how fragile love really is. 

Three years ago, I was weeks away from proposing. Instead, I discovered she had been feeding confidential company information to my biggest competitor while planning a future with another billionaire. She didn't just betray my heart,  she tried to destroy everything my parents built. Since then, I have trusted contracts far more than promises. Contracts don't lie. People do.

The boardroom door opens again without a knock. Only one person in this company ignores basic manners.

"Well," Richard says with a smug smile, "judging by the atmosphere, I assume Benjamin has shared Mother's final surprise."

I meet his gaze. "You knew."

"I knew there was another condition."

"You also knew what it was."

He shrugs. "I had my suspicions."

Richard has spent the last fifteen years pretending to support my leadership while quietly waiting for me to fail. If this clause is enforced, he won't even have to fight for control of Knight Holdings. He'll inherit it.

"I'll excuse the family discussion," Mr. Harrison says, gathering his papers.

Once we're alone, Richard strolls toward the window overlooking the city. "You know," he says casually, "marriage isn't such a terrible idea."

"I'm not discussing my personal life with you."

"You don't have much choice anymore."

"I'll find another solution."

He chuckles. "You have twelve months to find a woman willing to marry the coldest man in the country, produce an heir, and convince the board you've suddenly become a family man."

I stand. "I said I'll find another solution."

For the first time, Richard's smile falters. Good. He leaves without another word.

The moment the door closes, I call Claire through the intercom. "Get me Dr. Olivia Carter."

"The fertility specialist?"

"Immediately."

Less than an hour later, I'm sitting inside the private consultation office of Crescent Fertility Institute. Dr. Olivia Carter reviews several files before looking up. "I understand you're interested in a gestational surrogacy arrangement."

"I need the process started as quickly as possible."

She nods thoughtfully. "We've already reviewed hundreds of potential candidates over the past few months for clients with similar requirements."

"I don't need hundreds."

"I know." She pulls a single file from the stack and places it in front of me. "One candidate stood out above everyone else."

I glance at the closed folder but make no effort to open it. "Tell me about her."

"She's twenty-eight years old, medically exceptional, has an excellent psychological evaluation, and every specialist who interviewed her described her as compassionate, responsible, and remarkably resilient."

"What about her background?"

"She owns a bridal boutique that has recently experienced financial difficulties."

I nod once. "Name."

Dr. Carter smiles faintly. "Harper Bennett."

The name means nothing to me. I push the unopened file back across the desk.

"Arrange the meeting."

"You don't want to see her photograph first?"

"No."

"If everything goes well, she could be carrying your child."

"I care about compatibility." Not appearances.

Dr. Carter studies me for a moment before pressing a button on her desk phone. "Please send Miss Bennett into the consultation room."

Seconds later, the door begins to open. I look up just as the woman who may change my life forever walks inside.