THE BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE BABY

Chapter 6

                         ROME

  Rome nodded absentmindedly, his thoughts consumed by Phoenix. Was she taking proper care of the baby? Was she consuming anything harmful? Was she overly stressed?

Not that he cared about her well-being. He didn't. All he cared about was his baby. He wanted Phoenix to be in optimal health because if she wasn't, then his baby wouldn't be either.

It had been three months since the love of his life, Georgia, passed away. He tried to distract himself with work, but her face kept haunting him. Georgia had been in a fatal car accident, taken from him too soon. They said her car collided with a trailer, claiming her life and that of the driver.

He wished he had cherished their time together a little more. Maybe then she would still be alive, carrying their child. He wouldn't have needed a surrogate mother who seemed to be a constant pain in his ass.

"Mr. Dante," one of his employees called, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"We were asking about where you want the construction to be?" the employee asked. Rome looked at him before sighing.

"Where were you thinking?" he asked.

"Russia," the employee said, making Rome frown. Every time he heard Russia, bad memories flooded in. Georgia was going to Russia when she had that accident.

"Not Russia," he said, his annoyance palpable.

"But sir, Russia brings more..."

"I said not Russia," he exclaimed cutting him short.

"Okay, sir," the meeting continued, and the location for the new construction was set.

He was going to pick Phoenix up today to help her choose the apartment she wanted. He couldn't wait for his child to be born so he could stop seeing her. Just her face alone made his mood sour.

He walked into his office to see Neo sitting in his chair. Okay, Neo was another pain in the ass.

"You were gone for so long," Neo said, making him roll his eyes.

"Well, that's because I am working every day unlike you," he retorted, walking to sit in another chair. He needed to cool his mind.

"Uh, I'm a model, I work too," Neo fired back, but he laughed after Rome said nothing.

"What about your baby mama?" Neo asked, smiling. But it wasn't funny to him at all. Phoenix was not his child's mother and would never be.

"Maybe you should use the term 'surrogate mother'; that is more appropriate and respectful," he said, trying to keep his composure.

"Uhh, no, 'baby mama' is easier," Neo said. Rome just sighed and stood up immediately, walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Neo asked, standing up too. Rome stopped and then turned around.

"To pick an apartment for Phoenix," Rome said.

"I'm coming too," Neo said, following Rome.

Rome arrived at Phoenix's house, unable to hide the scowl on his face. He surveyed the environment, eager to remove her from such conditions.
Sure.

---

"Does she live here?" Neo asked, glancing at the modest apartment building.

"Yeah, not the best for a baby, huh?" Rome replied, eyeing the surroundings skeptically.

Neo shrugged. "Well, could be worse."

They approached the door and knocked, waiting patiently until it swung open to reveal a teenage girl in a uniform.