THE BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE BABY

Chapter 32

Fiona watched Neo intently as he ate his lunch, the atmosphere between them tinged with an unspoken tension. They had decided to have lunch together today, but Fiona couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her.

"Neo," she called out, drawing his attention away from his meal. He raised his head, his gaze meeting hers as he awaited her words.

"I have something to say," she began, her voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and concern.

"Okay, I'm all ears," Neo replied, his tone encouraging.

Fiona took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to reveal.

"You didn't tell me that you and Beatrix dated," she finally blurted out, her words hanging heavy in the air between them.

Neo's expression remained unreadable as he processed her revelation, his silence speaking volumes.

"You should have at least told me. She's my best friend's sister, and she's also my friend," Fiona continued, her frustration evident in her tone.

"I thought they would have told you already," Neo replied after a moment's pause, his voice tinged with defensiveness.

"Well, they didn't. But you should have still told me," Fiona insisted, her tone firm.

"Okay, fine. We dated, and we're not dating anymore," Neo finally admitted, his words echoing in the quiet of the room.

"Would you have liked it if Rome dated your ex?" Fiona questioned, her gaze probing as she awaited Neo's response, her own fork forgotten in her hand.

"No," Neo replied firmly, meeting her gaze without hesitation.

Fiona studied him for a moment, her thoughts swirling in her mind before she finally spoke again, her voice tinged with regret.

"I don't think...," she began, pausing briefly before sighing deeply. "I don't think we should continue seeing each other," she admitted, her words hanging heavy in the air between them.

"Wait, what?" Neo exclaimed, his disbelief evident as he processed her sudden declaration.

"I really do like you, but... we can't," Fiona explained, her expression reflecting the turmoil within her.

"Seriously, so we can't see each other because of her?" Neo questioned, his tone a mix of frustration and disappointment as he struggled to comprehend her decision. She nodded looking at him.

"Okay..." he trailed off, his words heavy with resignation as he rose from his chair, his heart weighed down by the turn of events.

"We can still be friends, right?" Fiona asked tentatively, her eyes searching his for reassurance.

"Of course," Neo replied, forcing a small smile despite the ache in his chest, before turning and walking away. Deep down, he couldn't shake the sense of hurt and betrayal that gnawed at him, leaving him to grapple with the fallout of their conversation.

~~

"Stop doing that," I protested, trying to squirm away as Rome peppered kisses along my neck.

"Why?" he asked, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he looked at me.

"We're going to be late for the doctor's appointment," I reminded him, prompting a groan of annoyance from Rome.

Who would've thought that Rome, the epitome of seriousness, could also act like a big baby? Beneath his stoic exterior, he harbored a softer side that only those closest to him knew.

"Which dress should I wear? This one or this one?" I asked, holding up two options—a black and red gown—for his opinion.

"Any dress looks stunning on you," he replied smoothly, earning an eye roll from me in response.