Page 58 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

"I lied. I'm sorry. I was scared and I didn't want to disappoint you."

Dad holds his head in his hand, shutting his eyes. When he opens them, he continues.

"And when you found out, what did you do?"

"I didn't know what to do. I was scared. I hoped I'd meet Jason again and I did, about a month later, when he came to pick up some pet food at the shop. I spoke with him and he came up with an idea to bring me over to his place until I gave birth. He needed an heir."

"And you told us you got a scholarship. Do you realize how embarrassing this is? I went around telling everyone you went to New York for school."

Just then, a tiny whine comes from the lobby. My heart picks up its pace, and I turn to find Moon wagging his tail as he walks toward me.

I smile, my eyes watering. It's already been six months since I left my little buddy. I don't say anything, but I stoop to touch his back. He rests himself on my leg.

"I'm sorry, mom. I didn't know what else to do."

"Fiona, there were a thousand other things to do. But you chose to spite us instead. To lie to our faces. All the phone calls—all lies. And all along, you were pregnant?"

Mom stands, pacing.

The tears prickle my eyes and drop easily. I sniffle, wiping the snot off my nose. Mom looks at me one last time and walks out of the living room.

" No, Mom! Mom, I'm sorry. Please. "

But she doesn't stop. She doesn't even turn back.

"Give her a little more time. It's a lot for her."

Tears spill on my denim dress. I should've told them. Maybe things would've turned out better. Maybe I wouldn't have appeared in one of the most popular gossip articles in the United States.

Dad watches me in silence with his hands clasped. Finally, he stands to his feet and walks toward me. He pulls me to my feet and into his arms. My tummy gets in the way, but he doesn't mind. He holds me gently, rubbing my back.

My sobs are louder at this point.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you and Mom."

"I know, honey."

When he tears away, he sits on the couch next to me, my hand in his.

"We're sorry if we ever made you feel like you couldn't come to us with your mistakes."

"No, Dad. Don't put this on yourself."

I wipe the tears, sniffling again. "It's totally on me. You already have so much to deal with. There's the loans and all."

Dad lowers his head, pressing his lips together.

"About that." He inhales. "We might be losing the Pet shop."

The news hits me like a ton of bricks. It can't be. They've worked so hard to build Pet Star for years, and for what? To have it taken away from them?

"No. This isn't happening."

He says nothing. How much worse can today get? I'm all overThe Tea, and not for good. My parents are disappointed with me while battling the possible loss of their business. I haven't even thought about how I'm going to raise a kid all on my own. And what's going to happen to my dream career now?

"Just in case you're thinking that the loan thing is your fault, it's not. There was no way you could've helped with a sum as large as that."

I sigh. "Maybe if things had turned out differently for me, it wouldn't be happening in the first place."

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