THE BILLIONAIRE SURROGATE'S BABY

Chapter 31

As she locked eyes with the elderly woman, a flicker of defiance sparked within her, fueled by the frustration of their ongoing disagreement.

"You don't tell me what to do with the child," she declared, her voice laced with determination as she stood her ground.

"We have the same privilege, so I get to decide too," she asserted, though her words fell on deaf ears, the elderly woman's frown only deepening in response.

"I have no issue with the woman, but you do. You want to kill her, and I want us to kill the baby," she continued, her frustration mounting with each passing moment.

But the elderly woman remained unmoved, her expression stoic as she listened to the younger woman's tirade.

"The baby is important," she insisted, her voice gentle yet firm.

"And I don't want it," she snapped, her anger bubbling to the surface as she struggled to contain her emotions.

With a resigned sigh, the elderly woman relented, though her resolve remained unshaken. She knew, deep in her heart, that she would never allow harm to come to the innocent child growing within the young woman's womb.

"Fine," she conceded, her voice tinged with sadness at the thought of the conflict that lay ahead. But even as she spoke the word, a silent vow echoed in her mind—a vow to protect the life of the unborn child at all costs.

For she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that some things were worth fighting for. And the life of an innocent child was one of them.

~~

As Fiona chatted excitedly about her time with Neo, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt gnawing at my conscience. She was so genuinely happy, unaware of the tangled web of emotions that surrounded Neo and Beatrix's past.

"So he bought me flowers and we went to this expensive dinner, he is so sweet," Fiona gushed, her smile infectious as she recounted her date with Neo.

"Has he asked you to be his girlfriend yet?" I couldn't help but ask, the words tumbling from my lips before I could stop them.

"Nope, but I know he would very soon," Fiona replied, her eyes shining with hope and anticipation.

I hesitated for a moment, torn between wanting to spare Fiona's feelings and feeling obligated to tell her the truth. But in the end, honesty won out.

"There's something that I have to tell you first," I began, drawing her attention to me. She looked at me curiously, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Okay, go ahead," she said, her tone encouraging.

"Did Neo ever mention to you that him and Beatrix dated?" I asked, bracing myself for her reaction. Fiona's shock was palpable as she shook her head in disbelief.

"No, he didn't mention," she replied, her voice tinged with disbelief.

I sighed, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me at the thought of disrupting Fiona's newfound happiness. But I knew that honesty was the only way forward, even if it meant potentially causing her pain.

"I'm sorry, Fiona. I just thought you should know," I apologized, reaching out to squeeze her hand in a gesture of comfort.

Fiona nodded, her expression thoughtful as she processed the revelation. "Thank you for telling me, Phoenix. But you should have least told me from the start," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

As Fiona turned to me, her eyes filled with uncertainty, I couldn't help but admire her honesty and self-awareness in the face of a challenging situation.