Chapter summaries The Surrogate Mother Freida McFadden

Chapter 35 Summary: Monica’s Dark Past Revealed

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After visiting Cynthia Holloway, Abby checks her phone and finds frantic messages from Sam. She resists calling him because he would dismiss her suspicions. Instead, she takes a taxi to the apartment of Monica’s parents, the Johnsons. Posing as Monica’s boss, Abby is let in by Monica’s mother, Louise Johnson. Louise immediately assumes Monica has caused trouble again. She reveals that Monica has borderline personality disorder (BPD) and a genius-level IQ. Louise then tells Abby about Monica’s high school friend Sandy, who went missing and was later found dead in the Charles River—Monica was a prime suspect but never charged. Monica’s parents moved from Boston to escape the scandal. Louise also mentions that Monica had an affair with a married math professor named Sam, and that the resulting conflict caused the mother-daughter estrangement. Abby realizes with horror that the professor is her husband, Sam. She suspects Sam and Monica may have orchestrated the surrogacy to be together.

Key Events

  • Abby leaves Sam without explanation and goes to Cynthia Holloway’s apartment.
  • She receives multiple missed calls and texts from Sam but does not reply.
  • Abby travels to the Johnsons’ apartment uptown, claiming to be Monica’s boss.
  • Mrs. Johnson admits Monica has severe borderline personality disorder and was suspected of killing a high school friend, Sandy.
  • Louise reveals that Monica had an affair with a married math professor named Sam.
  • Abby connects the dots: the professor is her husband, Sam.
  • Abby becomes physically ill from the shock and nearly vomits.

Character Development

  • Abby: Her fear and paranoia solidify into concrete evidence. She transitions from suspicion to terror as she learns the depth of Monica’s violent past and Sam’s possible betrayal.
  • Monica: Off‑page, she is painted as dangerously intelligent, manipulative, and possibly a killer who has hidden her violent history and a prior relationship with Sam.
  • Mrs. Johnson: Depicted as worn down and exhausted by Monica’s behaviour. She is candid about her daughter’s disorders and past crimes, showing a parent who has given up.
  • Sam: Though not present, his role is transformed from a concerned husband to a likely collaborator in the surrogacy scheme.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Deception and Masks: Monica presents herself as a normal, competent employee while hiding severe mental illness and a criminal past. Mrs. Johnson notes she is “good at playing the part.”
  • Trust and Betrayal: Abby trusted Sam implicitly; the revelation that he may have been Monica’s lover shatters that trust.
  • Mental Illness and Danger: The chapter links borderline personality disorder directly to potential violence, using the tragic case of Sandy as evidence.
  • Mothers and Daughters: The dysfunctional relationship between Monica and her mother mirrors the lack of open communication Abby has with her own mother figure (Eleanor).

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter delivers a major plot twist that recontextualises the entire surrogacy arrangement. It provides a plausible motive for Monica’s interest in Abby and Sam and raises the stakes dramatically. The revelation that Sam may have been Monica’s lover—and that Monica may have killed before—transforms the story from a domestic suspense into a thriller about hidden identities and premeditated deception.

Study Questions

  1. Why does Abby decide not to call Sam after learning about Monica’s past?
    Answer: She fears Sam will dismiss her suspicions as paranoia, just as he did when she accused Monica of spiking her coffee. She wants solid proof before confronting him.

  2. What does Mrs. Johnson’s account of Sandy’s death suggest about Monica’s capacity for violence?
    Answer: It suggests Monica is capable of murder and has avoided consequences. The fact that she was a teenager when Sandy died implies long‑standing dangerous behaviour.

  3. How does the revelation about the affair change the reader’s understanding of Sam’s role in the pregnancy arrangement?
    Answer: It implies Sam may have orchestrated the surrogacy to reunite with Monica. His professed desire for a child could be a cover for continuing the affair with Monica.

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