Page 5 of Doctor Billionaire's Surprise Baby

"Simone's a practical woman," Dominic persisted. "She understands the benefits and drawbacks of such an arrangement. We've all known her for years since you've brought Seth into our circle." He winked at Seth who seemed to be dying in the corner. "Plus, she cares about you, Hugo. She wouldn't want you to lose everything you've worked so hard for."

My traitorous mind started playing a looping video of domestic bliss with Simone. But fake or not, the mere idea of suggesting something like this to Simone made my stomach churn.

"It couldn’t ever be that simple, Dom," I muttered, my gaze falling to the table. I risked a glance toward Seth, but he just took a sip of wine with a completely unreadable expression. "WTF" was going through my head over and over, and I'm sure it was the same for him.

"Look," Dominic said, leaning forward earnestly. "You're not taking advantage of her. If you did this with Simone, it would be a mutual agreement between two consenting adults."

"Dom," I snapped, my eyes meeting him with a glare. "This isn't some romantic comedy. We're talking about real life here. There's too much at stake."

"Alright, alright," he conceded, holding up his hands defensively. "I just thought it was worth considering. Sometimes, desperate times call for desperate measures."

I couldn't shake the image of Simone: her warm, expressive eyes studying me as she weighed the merits of Dominic's proposition. Would she even entertain such a ridiculous idea?

"But just think about it, Hugo,” Dom pressed. "Simone could benefit from this arrangement, too. You know she wants to start school to become a nurse. Even if it’s not real – or really for love – the financial stability that a marriage with you could provide would be life-changing for her.”

“Simone is taken care of financially,” Seth ground out, still staring off into the distance.

Dom’s words were spinning in my head, but what surprised me the most was that he said Simone wanted to go to nursing school. How the hell did Dominic know about this? I had no idea she was considering school.

“Nursing school isn’t cheap,” Austin chimed in, ignoring Seth. “Even with Seth’s help, she’s likely facing either long hours or a mountain of student loan debt when she graduates.”

“Like I said, Simone is taken care of financially,” Seth repeated forcefully.

“It’s obvious Simone has a little bit of a crush on you,” Logan said, taking a last swig of wine.

Seth slammed his fist on the table.

"Look, I can’t be here for this conversation. Evenknowingabout this plan could get me disbarred. And more importantly, this is my sister we’re talking about. I won’t let you take advantage of her. I can't be part of this scheming. It's not right."

"We’re not suggesting Hugo take advantage of her," Logan responded immediately. “I think we all feel like it’s incredibly important that Simone get something out of this, too. We all care about Simone, Seth. You know that. We’d never want anything bad to happen to her.”

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything as the conversation swirled around me. The thought of Simone, beautiful and strong-willed, working multiple jobs just to stay afloat stirred something within me. She had never told me about it, and how did I not know? I always tried to check in with her because I knew her potential was way above her current role at the office. We certainly prided ourselves on paying fairly, but I knew the medical assistant pay grade – especially at entry level – wasn’t exceptionally high, and Boston was an expensive city.

"Okay, let's say I'm willing to entertain this idea," I said cautiously, my voice barely above a whisper. "What would be the next steps? How does this even work?"

Seth scoffed and slumped back in the booth.

“I really should leave,” he murmured, taking a deep chug of wine.

"First, you'd need to talk to Simone," Dom replied, his brow furrowing with concern as he went into his pretend lawyer-mode. "Make sure she's on board and understands exactly what she's getting into. Then, you'd both need to consult with lawyers – probably not Seth – and draft a prenuptial agreement outlining the terms of your arrangement."

"Of course, you'll have to be careful," he warned, his gaze unwavering. "We don't want anyone suspecting that this is anything other than a genuine marriage. That means living together, occasionally attending events as a couple, and presenting a united front."

As Dominic laid out the details, I couldn't help but feel torn. On one hand, marrying Simone would solve my impending immigration problems and provide her with the financial stability she needed. But on the other hand, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were playing with fire, risking everything we'd both worked so hard to achieve.

"Alright," I finally conceded, my voice hoarse with emotion. "I'll think about it. But if we do this, it has to be airtight. No slip-ups."

"Of course, Hugo," Austin reassured me, his eyes looking supportive. "We'll be there for you every step of the way."

Could I truly marry Simone, knowing the potential risks and consequences?

Swirling the last of my wine around in my glass, I looked out at the city lights that twinkled like stars against the night sky. The restaurant had grown quiet as the dinner crowd dissipated, leaving only a handful of patrons lost in hushed conversations.

"Simone is one of the most genuine people I know," Seth said softly, breaking through my thoughts. "She's been there for me through thick and thin. We have a bond that runs deeper than blood. I will not let her get hurt by any of this."

I nodded slowly, staring down at the untouched dessert on my plate. Simone and I did share a connection, forged during the time we spent together in Italy and again when I came to America to study. And now, she was a huge asset to me at work. I can't lie that I haven't noticed the woman she's become. She has become absolutely stunning, but I never let my thoughts roam that far. She's Seth's sister, after all.

"Think about it, Hugo," Dominic urged, his voice low and steady. "This could be a win-win situation for both of you. Simone gets the financial support she needs to pursue her dreams, and you get to stay in the country and continue your brilliant work."

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