THE BILLIONAIRE SURROGATE'S BABY

Chapter 38

  We were lounging in my room, laughing and talking, enjoying each other's company. Rome was teasing me about my favorite TV show, and I was playfully defending my obsession. It was a carefree moment, one that I cherished.

But suddenly, Rome's expression changed. He looked serious, his eyes distant. "I'll be right back," he said, standing up. "I need to get something."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it?"

He hesitated, then smiled. "Just something I forgot. I'll be back in a minute."

I nodded, standing up as well. "I'll come with you. I need to get some water anyway."

Rome nodded, and we both exited my room, walking side by side down the hallway. I noticed that Rome seemed lost in thought, his eyes fixed on some point ahead. I wondered what was bothering him, but I didn't press the issue.

As we reached the kitchen, Rome stopped abruptly. "Actually, I'll meet you back in your room. I need to... take care of something."

I frowned, feeling a sense of unease. "Okay... sure."

Rome nodded and turned away, leaving me standing alone in the kitchen. I shrugged, thinking maybe he needed some privacy. I filled a glass with water and headed back to my room, wondering what Rome was up to.

I waited in my room, sipping my water and checking my phone for what felt like the hundredth time. Rome had said he'd be right back, but that was ages ago. I began to feel a nagging sense of unease, wondering what was taking him so long.

At first, I thought maybe he'd gotten caught up in a phone call or was dealing with an emergency. But as the minutes ticked by, I started to feel a growing sense of anxiety. Where was he? Why was he taking so long?

I paced back and forth in my room, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. I told myself I was being silly, that Rome would walk through the door any moment with a smile on his face. But as the silence stretched on, my mind started to wander.

Was he okay? Had something happened to him? And why had he been so secretive about what he needed to take care of?

I tried to push aside the thoughts, focusing on the TV show I'd been watching earlier. But my eyes kept drifting to the clock, my mind calculating the minutes since Rome had left.

Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes. Forty-five minutes.

Where was he?

I felt a knot forming in my stomach, a sense of unease that I couldn't shake. Something didn't feel right.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. Rome had been gone for too long, and my mind was racing with worst-case scenarios. I decided to take matters into my own hands and go looking for him.

I knew he had said he needed to take care of something, but he hadn't specified what or where. But I had a hunch. I remembered the way he had looked, lost in thought, and the way he had hesitated before leaving my room. It was as if he was drawn to something, or someone.

I made my way through the darkened hallways, my heart pounding in my chest. I was trying to push aside the feeling of unease, telling myself I was being silly, but my instincts were screaming at me to keep going.

I turned a corner, and suddenly I knew where I was. This was the part of the house that Rome had avoided, the part that seemed frozen in time. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I approached the door to the room.

It was slightly ajar, and I pushed it open slowly, my eyes adjusting to the dim light inside. And then I saw him. Rome was standing in the center of the room, his eyes closed, his face tilted upwards as if he was savoring a memory.