Death of a Bachelor

#13 Julien's crazy idea

Having Lewis by her side for the past four days had been draining for Simone, but to be truthful, it was also entertaining, even though his presence makes her lost focus on her painting. Simone had been wrong about him. Her first impression of Lewis was that he was arrogant and self-centered. She thought his confidence bordered on cockiness, and his easy-going charm seemed insincere.

She's scared to admit but she realized how mistaken she had been. Lewis was far from arrogant; he was thoughtful, considerate, and genuinely caring. He had a way of lightening the mood, his witty and talkative she appreciated his efforts to help around the house, from organizing her chaotic kitchen to bringing her groceries and preparing meals.

Yet, there were moments when his presence became overwhelming. Lewis was attentive, perhaps too much so, always asking about her well-being and the baby. His concern, though genuine, sometimes felt suffocating. Simone was used to handling things on her own ever since she live alone in Paris and having someone constantly there to support her was a bit uncomfortable but she couldn't help but be amused by him secretly.

One evening, as they sat on the couch, Lewis scrolling through his phone and Simone sketching in her notebook, she glanced at him and sighed. "aren't you busy this week? I heard Formula 1 drivers are busy people"

Lewis glanced at her, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "yes we are" he admitted leaning back into the couch "But I managed to get some time off" she nodded at his answer and continued to sketch "are you getting sick of my presence?"

"yes" she admitted not looking at him

"but I'm sure the baby is not" he chuckled which made Simone rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Simone was a good listener, and as Lewis talked about his life, she found herself genuinely interested in his stories. He has talked about where he started, how his father gifted him a remote control for his birthday gift and how he got interested in the field of racing.

"So, it all started when I was just a kid" Lewis began "My dad got me a remote control car for my birthday. It was the best gift I'd ever received. I remember spending hours racing it around our backyard, trying to make it go faster, handle better"

"thanks to your Dad, he really put you in your right path"

"yeah...also my Dad worked so hard to support me. He had multiple jobs just to keep me in the sport. Seeing his dedication made me want to push myself even harder. I didn't want to let him down."

Simone paused, her pencil hovering above the page as his words triggered a memory. A vivid image of her own father flashed in her mind—his tired face, worn from long hours of work, and the way he always managed to smile for her despite his exhaustion. She remembered how he worked tirelessly, juggling multiple jobs, just to keep her in the hospital when she was sick.

Now that Simone is pregnant, she couldn't shake the fear of how her family, especially her dad, would react. The thought of telling him filled her with anxiety, knowing how much he had sacrificed for her and how disappointed he might be.

"Simone? Are you okay?" Lewis tapped her shoulder gently, snapping her back to reality.

"Y-yeah, of course" she replied "parents are the best aren't they?"

...

After a tiring day, Simone leaned her head against the chains of the swing, feeling the cool metal against her skin as she watched the children play. The school playground was alive with laughter and chatter, as she sat there, lost in her thoughts, Simone felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips as she watched the children wave goodbye to her before climbing into their cars their innocent gestures warmed her heart.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, her hand instinctively reaching for her stomach. As her fingers brushed against the small bump that was beginning to form a cold wind brushes on her face, she quickly opened her eyes when she heard and felt someone sit on the swing beside her. Glancing to her side, she saw Julien, staring at her.

"mind if I join you?"

Simone nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "of course not. It's nice to have some company."

Julien nodded, swinging gently back and forth beside her. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the rhythmic creak of the swing chains filling the air.

"How are you feeling?" Julien asked, his gaze gentle as he looked at her.

She rolled her eyes at him "fine"

"are you sure?" Simone throw him a sharp glare "you look something is bothering you" he added before throwing his attention to group of children playing nearby.

"just thinking about my parents" she answered, finally. "imagining how they will react if they found out i'm pregnant...the worst one was accidentally pregnant by a complete stranger"

Julien was stunned for a moment thinking about what he need to say, he force a reassuring smile on his face and squeezed Simone's hand "your parents love you, Si—yes, of course they will be suprised at first" he began.

"but you tell me, who wouldn't be surprised finding out their daughter got pregnant by a stranger, right? if I am at your parents shoes I will lose my mind!" he looked at her eyes and tapped her shoulder "but no matter what happens, they'll always be there for you. You just have to trust that they'll support you, no matter what"

Simone took a deep breath, he smiled warmly at her squeezing her shoulder gently "I'm scared, Juls. What if they blame themselves? I know my Mom she always blame herself on everything" she closed her eyes and rubbed her face in frustration.

"then don't tell them the truth, don't tell them that it was accident"

"what!?" she stared at him wide eyes her voice tinged with frustration and confusion.

"lie" he whispered and chuckled

"are you crazy Julien!?" her voice trembled with disbelief as she processed Julien's suggestion "lie?" she repeated, her eyes still widening in shock.

Julien leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper "think about it, Si" he urged "if telling them the truth will only bring them pain and disappointment, why burden them with it? It's better to spare them the heartache and disappointment" he explained "Lewis will help you"

"how can he? he's not here!"

"just pretend he's your boyfriend" he clapped his hand making Simone jumped on her sit "tell your Mom and Dad that he's your amazing super loving, very sweet, and gentle boyfriend! It's as easy as that"

Simone's gaze snapped up to meet Julien's, her eyes wide with surprise. "pretend he's my boyfriend?" she repeated, the idea sending a shiver down her spine.

Julien nodded, his expression serious. "Trust me, Simone. It's the best way to protect yourself and your parents from unnecessary pain."

"you're crazy" she whispered while glaring at him

Julien sighed running a hand through his hair. "maybe I am" he conceded. "But I can't stand to see you suffer, Simone. And if telling a lie will spare you and your parents from pain, then maybe it's worth considering, just think about my idea Simone" he winked at her making Simone felt sick.

...

A/N- Trying my best to update while having a break from school works lol I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! have a good day y'all🫶