The Billionaire's Secret Baby

Chapter Four

I was numb the entire time while Riley handled everything from listening to the doctors instructions and calling a ride to take us home. My body was present, but my mind was miles away, and I had no idea what I would have done without her.

Riley hovered behind me as I stepped inside, her keys jingling nervously in her hand.

“Soph…” the worry in her voice made me turn back, my hand trembling slightly as I reached for the door to my room.

I forced myself to meet her gaze, my face blank. I could tell she was worried about me, she had a lot of questions for me too…it's not every time someone finds out that they've been pregnant for seven months and had no idea, but I didn't have it in me to reassure her right now.

Hell, I had no idea what to think or feel myself. I just wanted to curl up in my bed and let the world move on without me.

After a few seconds of silence, Riley sighed. “Get some rest, okay? I’ll call the manager tomorrow and call in sick for you. Soph…” She paused, her lips pressing together. “We’ll figure this out, okay? You’re not alone in this.”

I didn't say anything in reply, I just walked into my room and pushed my door shut behind me, cutting off her worried face and the rest of the world.

I collapsed onto the bed fully dressed, the smell of hospital antiseptic still clinging to my clothes as I stared blankly at the ceiling.

Pregnant. Seven months. Two months left. I turned onto my side, pressing my palm against my stomach as I imagined a child growing in there.

“How…” My voice cracked. “How could I not notice?” How did I not have a single clue? Is this a sign that I'll be a bad mother already? Tears streamed down my face as I thought about my options.

What should I do? I can't take care of a child…hell, I could barely take care of myself. But despite the fact that it was just mere hours of me finding out that I was pregnant, I already knew that I was keeping her. I couldn't give her up and let her go through the things I did in a foster home…I just couldn't do that.

I thought about my foster mother, her screaming and constant reminders about how unwanted we were. I remembered promising myself that I would never bring a child into that kind of life. And now here I was….

My throat tightened as I imagined a heartbeat somewhere beneath my hand.

“What am I supposed to do?” I whispered to the empty room. “I can’t do this, I can barely take care of myself.”

I let out a trembling laugh that quickly turned into another sob as the tears kept coming.

“It’s just going to be me and you now, baby,” I whispered, clutching my stomach tighter. “I’ll figure it out somehow. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I swear it.”

I was starting to fall asleep, but before sleep claimed me, I could’ve sworn I felt something flutter under my palm.

And for the first time since waking up in that hospital bed, I wasn’t completely numb anymore.

By the time I woke up the next morning, something inside me had shifted. I was still scared and confused, but I would do all I can to take care of this baby no matter what.

Two months, that’s all I had to get ready and I would make the most of it.

Riley came back to find me in our tiny living room, hunched over as I made list after list of things that I needed to do to prepare for the baby's arrival. She walked in rubbing her eyes, took one look at me and frowned, disapproval in her voice.

“Aren't you supposed to be resting?”

“I don't have time to rest, Riley. How can I prepare for a baby in two months?”

She stared at me for a moment before walking over and sitting next to me.

“Okay,” she said finally. “Then we’re doing this together.”

I looked up, my throat tightening. “You don’t have to—”

“Stop.” She raised a hand. “You think I’m going to let you go through this alone? Not happening.”

I smiled weakly, trying and failing to stop the tears from streaming down my face.

The next few days was spent going to the hospital for a check up where the doctor confirmed that everything was progressing normally. I was still convinced that it was a mistake until I was staring at the tiny baby on the screen, and suddenly it felt very real.

After that, we went shopping…or at least we tried to.

“Okay, so we can’t afford half this stuff,” Riley muttered as we stared in horror at a price tag. “Who knew babies were so expensive?”

We decided to go to a thrift store instead and bought a cot, a small shelf for baby things, and other important things to set up a mini nursery in one corner of my room.

Over the next two months, Riley became my anchor, and I had no idea how I would have survived without her. She went to doctor’s appointments with me, pitched in some of her savings to buy some things I could not afford, and before we knew it, two months passed and I found myself lying in a hospital bed, drenched in sweat as pain ripped through my body.

“The baby is here!” one of the nurses was saying, and I watched through blurry eyes as they cleaned and wrapped her up before finally placing her on my chest.

I stared at the baby in my hands, tears streaming down my face.

“Hi,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’m your mommy.”

She was so fragile and tiny, and as she blinked up at me, her wide green eyes that looked just like mine staring into mine, I knew that I would sacrifice anything to make sure that she was safe.