Page 69 of Doctor Billionaire's Surprise Baby

“You’re such an idiot, Hugo. I wouldn’t have walked away. But now I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to move forward.”

I thought for a moment.

"How about we take things one day at a time and go from there?"

Her lips almost curved into the slightest of smiles, but she stepped away from me. A cool breeze rustled through the surrounding trees, carrying uncertainty with it.

"Simone, please," I begged, my hands trembling as they reached for hers. "I want to be with you and support you throughout your pregnancy. I want us to be a family." My voice cracked with emotion, but I couldn't let myself cry now.

She stared at me with an incredible sadness I had never seen before. It was heartbreaking.

"You've said a lot of wonderful words, Hugo. But at this moment, they are just that. Words." she retorted, her anger palpable. Her disappointment stung like a slap to the face, but I couldn't blame her. I had let her down.

"Let me prove it to you," I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. "I'll show you I'm serious about us and our child. Please, Simone, just give me another chance."

She shook her head slowly, tears welling up in her expressive eyes. "I don't know if I can trust you again, Hugo. You hurt me more than you can even imagine. I have never felt so alone. I loved you. Hell, I probably still love you. The fact that you could do that and you could say that showed me a side to you I didn't know existed. I don't know whether I can trust you again."

Her words felt like a dagger to my heart. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her forever, but I knew I had to respect her wishes.

"If that's what you need, I'll give you all the time and space you want," I whispered hoarsely, fighting back my own tears. "Just please don't shut me out completely."

Simone took a deep breath, her chest heaving with raw emotion.

"I need space, Hugo," she said quietly, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Her vulnerability was striking, a stark contrast to the fierce determination I'd always admired in her. "I need time to think about everything, and right now, I have to prioritize my own well-being and that of our baby."

"Simone," I whispered, clenching my fists at my sides. The idea of being apart from her was agonizing, but I couldn't let my pain get in the way of her needs. "I understand, but please, don't forget how much I love you. It kills me to think I've hurt you like this."

"Love?" she scoffed, her eyes narrowing as she glared at me. "I'm not sure you know what love is. Love isn't walking out on a woman who just told you she is carrying your child." Her voice was laced with bitterness, and it stung like salt in an open wound.

"Damn it, Simone!" I snapped, unable to contain my own frustration. "I know I fucked up, and I won't make excuses for what I did. But I'm here now. If I could turn back time, I would. I was a stupid fucking idiot. Just let me be there for you and our child. That's all I want."

"Your words are empty, Hugo," she replied, shaking her head sadly. "I can't just trust you again because you say so. Actions speak louder than words."

"Then let me show you. Give me the time to be able to show you," I pleaded, taking a step toward her.

Simone looked away, the weight of my words pressing down on her. Her shoulders sagged as she considered my desperate plea. I held my breath, waiting for her response, my heart pounding in my chest like a freight train.

"Trust is one thing, Hugo," Simone said firmly, her expressive eyes piercing into mine. "But at this moment, I don't know how to move past this hurt."

I swallowed hard; my throat was as dry as the parched earth beneath us. Swallowing the lump of fear and regret, I nodded slowly, meeting her unwavering gaze.

"Understood," I said, my heart heavy with the reality of the distance between us. I couldn't help but think back to the times when our love had been effortless and when our bodies had come together in a fiery dance of passion, sweat, and whispered promises. The taste of her lips, the feel of her soft skin against mine... it all seemed like a cruel mirage, shimmering just out of reach in this godforsaken desert.

"Thank you, Hugo," Simone murmured, her voice carrying a fragile note of hope. "It's not going to be easy, for either of us. But I do believe that if we're meant to be together, we'll find our way back to each other."

"I hope so, Simone. I really do."

I walked slowly away from the backyard and the sound of crickets as they filled the air with a mournful song.

"Hugo?" she called out.

I turned in anticipation of her changing her mind and running into my arms.

"I need a few days off work, just to think. Is that okay?"

My shoulders slumped.

"Sure, Simone. Rachel can handle whatever needs handling."

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