It all started when James, my husband of eight years, asked me to join him for a "family meeting" with his mother, Diane, and his younger brother, Matt.

I remember rolling my eyes as we drove to Diane's house. There was always some kind of drama brewing in James's family.

"What is it this time?" I asked James. "Did your mom find another scratch on her precious china and decide I'm to blame?"

James kept his eyes on the road. "It's something important, Jess. Just hear them out, okay?"

When we arrived, Diane greeted me with her typical stiff hug and guided me to her living room. Matt nodded awkwardly from the armchair.

"Jessica," Diane began, her voice taking on that syrupy tone she used when asking for favors. "We have something very special to ask you."

I glanced at James, who was studying his hands.

Matt cleared his throat.

"Jessica," Matt said, his voice wavering slightly. "I'm engaged."

"Congratulations," I replied, genuinely happy for him. "When do we get to meet her?"

Matt and Diane exchanged a look.

"Uh… I'm not sure. She's a wildlife photographer," Matt explained.

"She's in the Ethiopian Highlands right now, trying to get footage of Ethiopian wolves in the wild," he added. "And the cell phone signal is awful in the mountains."

"The thing is," Diane said, leaning forward, "my future daughter-in-law has some health issues. She desperately wants children, but she can't carry them herself."

I felt a creeping dread as three pairs of eyes focused intently on me.

"We were hoping," Matt said, "that you might consider being a surrogate for us."

The request hung in the air. I looked at James, expecting him to be as shocked as I was, but his expression told me he'd known all along.

"You want me to carry your baby?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Think about what it would mean to Matt," James said, squeezing my hand. "And the compensation would help us and our kids so much. We can add a sizeable contribution to both of their college funds and do some of those kitchen renovations you've been wanting."

"But your brother's fiancée..." I started. "Shouldn't I at least talk to her first? This is a huge decision."

"She's completely on board," Matt assured me quickly. "We did the IVF before she left and had the embryos frozen. All we need is a surrogate."

"But I haven't even met her."

"She'll be back in the States soon," Diane said, patting my knee. "You two will get along splendidly, I'm sure."

I felt trapped, surrounded by expectant faces.

James knew exactly what buttons to push: our children's future, our home improvements, things he knew mattered to me.

Despite the nagging feeling in my gut, I nodded slowly. "I'll do it."

The next nine months were a blur of doctor appointments and growing discomfort.

Each trimester brought new challenges: morning sickness that lasted all day, swollen ankles, and backaches that kept me up at night.

Through it all, James remained supportive in his own way, rubbing my feet while reminding me how the money would change our lives.

Yet something felt off.