Alexander’s POV
The room fell silent, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air. Richard and Anne stared at her in disbelief, and I could feel their shock radiating from them. I glanced at Sophia, her eyes filled with a mixture of apprehension and hope.
Anne was the first to find her voice. “You’ve… you’ve given birth? When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us?”
A stunned silence fell upon the room, broken only by the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. Richard’s brows furrowed in disbelief, and he shifted uncomfortably in his armchair. “You’ve given birth? When did this happen?”
Sophia stammered out her explanation. “It… it happened 3 years ago, Dad.”
“What? ! 3 years ago? Sophia, you were just a student three years ago.”
“Yes… Sorry, Dad.”
Her mother, Anne, gasped softly, placing a hand to her chest in shock. “But… but why didn’t you tell us, Sophia? We had no idea.”
I watched Sophia closely, my heart aching for the pain she was experiencing. I knew that revealing the truth had been incredibly difficult for her. I wanted to interrupt their conversation, but before coming, Sophia told me she wanted to explain things to her parents on her own first. She didn’t want me to interfere.
Sophia hesitated before she continued, her voice trembling. “I became a surrogate, Mom, Dad. It was supposed to be an act of kindness, helping a couple who desperately wanted children.”
The room grew even quieter, as if time itself had frozen. Richard’s face turned a shade paler, his eyes widening in disbelief. “A surrogate?” he repeated, his voice heavy with shock.
Sophia nodded, her tears flowing freely now. “Yes, Dad. But… something unexpected happened. I… I found love.”
Richard’s expression shifted from shock to anger, his voice rising with each passing second. “Love? You fell in love while carrying someone else’s child? Sophia, this is not how we raised you! You know our family’s values, and you’ve gone and-”
“Dad!” Sophia interrupted, her voice filled with desperation. “Please, let me explain.”
Her mother, Anne, looked torn between her husband’s anger and her daughter’s distress. “Richard, please, let her explain. There must be a reason.”
I decided to speak up, to take full responsibility for the situation and ease Sophia’s burden. “Mr. Turne, I’m deeply sorry for any pain this has caused. It was my mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.”
Richard turned his gaze toward me, his anger now directed at me. “You’re the man responsible for all of this?”
I nodded, my voice steady but filled with remorse. “Yes, sir. It was my mistake, and I apologize for any harm it may have caused.”
Sophia’s father’s anger began to wane, replaced by a deep sense of disappointment. “Sophia, why didn’t you tell us about this man? Why did you hide it from us?”
Sophia’s voice cracked as she explained, “I didn’t know how to tell you, Dad. I was scared of how you’d react, and I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
The room was heavy with tension as Richard sighed deeply, his anger subsiding but his disappointment lingering. “This is not what I expected from you, Sophia. We had hopes for your future, and now…”
I could see the pain in Sophia’s eyes as she replied, “Dad, I didn’t plan for any of this to happen. It just… it just did. And I can’t change how I feel about Alexander.”
I reached out and placed my hand on Sophia’s, offering her support and solidarity. “Richard, I love your daughter deeply, and I’ll do everything in my power to care for her and our children. I’m truly sorry for any hurt I’ve caused.”
Anne, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, her voice soft but filled with concern. “Richard, let’s hear Sophia out. There must be more to this story.”
Sophia took a shuddering breath and began to explain. “Dad, I did it for you. I became a surrogate to save your life.”
The room fell into another uneasy silence, the weight of Sophia’s revelation hanging heavily in the air. Richard’s eyes widened, his face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. “Save my life? What are you talking about, Sophia?”
Tears streamed down Sophia’s face as she recounted the events that had led to her decision. “Dad, you were seriously ill, and the medical treatment you needed was expensive. We couldn’t afford it, and I couldn’t bear to see you suffer. So, I became a surrogate to raise the money for your treatment.”
Richard’s face contorted with shock, and he sat back in his chair as if physically struck by her words. “You did it for me?”
Sophia nodded, her voice breaking as she replied, “Yes, Dad. I love you, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. I didn’t know any other way to save you.”
Tears welled up in Richard’s eyes, and he began to weep openly, his shoulders shaking with the weight of guilt and remorse. “Oh, Sophia, I never wanted you to bear such a burden for my sake. I should have found a way to provide for your mother and you.”
Sophia rushed to her father’s side, tears of her own streaming down her face. “Dad, it wasn’t your fault. We’re family, and we help each other. Alexander came into our lives when we needed him most, and I fell in love with him because he’s an amazing person.”