Page 27 of Doctor Billionaire's Surprise Baby

"Here's our garden," Hugo said, opening a set of French doors onto a lush outdoor oasis. The setting sun cast the sky in shades of pink and gold, reflecting off the rippling surface of a perfectly manicured pond. Roses bloomed along winding paths, their delicate fragrance filling the air.

"Wow," I whispered, suddenly feeling very small in the grand scheme of things. "It's like something out of a fairy tale. Everything is so perfect."

"Yes." Hugo was hesitant. "It's probably why you and Seth didn't see much of it when we were young. Perfection does not appreciate rowdy children." I gave him a weak and sympathetic smile. I had no clue. As a child, you just don't question these things. He suddenly smiled, regained his spark, and grabbed my hand to lead me down a path. "Come on. I want to show you my favorite spot."

We wandered through the garden until we reached a secluded bench nestled beneath a canopy of fragrant jasmine. Sitting down, I took a deep breath, allowing the serenity of the garden to wash over me. For a moment, I was able to push aside my apprehension about dinner with Hugo's family.

"Thank you for showing me this place," I said quietly, looking up at Hugo. His eyes were filled with a tenderness that made my chest tighten.

"Anything to help you relax," he replied, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "And remember, Simone, no matter what happens tonight, all that matters is what we want to do. I'm really just informing my family as a courtesy." I squeezed his hand back, grateful for his reminder.

As we made our way back inside, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses echoed through the halls, signaling that dinner was about to begin. My heart raced as we approached the dining room. With every step that rung out off the marble floor, I knew that this meal would be a test of my resolve.

Chapter 10

Hugo

The large dining room seemed to shimmer in the dim candlelight, its polished mahogany table reflecting the flickering flames. My family, dressed in their finest formal attire, sat stiffly around it. Simone, captivating as ever with her expressive eyes and that smile that could light up even the darkest of rooms, took her place beside me. I couldn't help but admire her petite frame wrapped in an elegant, deep red dress that complemented her curly brown hair. She looked radiant and, although out of place among my cold aristocratic relatives, she seemed unfazed by their presence.

"Perhaps," Giuliana began, her voice dripping with condescension as she eyed Simone carefully. "You could tell us a little about yourself, Simone. What do you do for a living?"

"Of course," Simone answered graciously, taking a deep breath before speaking. "I work as a medical assistant at Hugo's practice."

"Ah, I see," Giorgia chimed in, smirking slightly. "And where did you go to school?"

I furrowed my brow and clenched my jaw as I observed the thinly veiled contempt in their expressions. It was clear that they were attempting to underscore any perceived inferiority in Simone's background.

"Actually, I attended a local community college," Simone replied, her voice wavering but never losing its polite tone. "It wasn't a prestigious institution like the ones you all attended, but it allowed me to further my education. And I’m going to – “

"Community college?" Giuliana echoed, feigning surprise. "Well, I suppose everyone has to start somewhere."

I felt my muscles tense as I gripped the edge of the table, struggling to contain the anger bubbling beneath the surface. This was not how I imagined our evening together would unfold. Simone deserved better than this; she had been nothing but kind and patient with my family, even when they didn't deserve it. And for all they knew, this was the person I chose to join the family, so they should be nothing but welcoming.

"Indeed," Giorgia added sarcastically. "It must have been quite the... adjustment for you."

"Enough," I muttered under my breath, my voice barely audible over the sound of clinking silverware and stifled laughter.

"Excuse me?" Giorgia asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Enough," I repeated, louder this time. "I can't believe how you have all been treating Simone. I have brought her into this house as a guest, and not just any guest. She's the woman I've chosen to marry and I would appreciate you being more welcoming to her. This hostility is unbelievable."

"Hostility?" my dad scoffed, his eyes narrowing in my direction. "We're simply getting to know her, Hugo."

"By belittling her accomplishments?" I shot back, my voice rising in volume. "This isn't the kind of family I want to be a part of, and it's not the kind of environment I want for Simone."

"Maybe you should have thought of that before bringing her here," Giuliana sneered, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"Or perhaps," I suggested, meeting her gaze with steely determination, "you could all try being welcoming adults for once. Have you all forgotten how to be normal humans relating to other humans?" I demanded. My nostrils flared as I breathed heavily, trying to contain the rising fury inside me. "I take the way you treat Simone very personally."

My sisters exchanged uneasy glances, while my father's face tightened in disapproval. Mother raised an eyebrow, her lips pursed in a thin line.

"Really, Hugo," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I think you're overreacting."

"Overreacting?" I scoffed, my hands balling into fists at my sides. "You're treating her like an outsider, when she deserves to be welcomed as family. What kind of people are we if we can't show kindness to someone who means so much to me?"

"Someone we barely know," my father interjected, leaning back in his chair with a smug expression. "She could be using you, for all we know."

"Dad, that's enough!" The words burst out of me like a dam breaking, and I felt the heat rising in my cheeks. "Simone is not some schemer looking to take advantage of me. Besides," I added, glaring at each of them in turn, "it's none of your damn business. I'm a grown man, and I can make my own decisions about whom I choose to be with. If I make a mistake, it's mine and mine alone. I take the responsibility."

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