5. Overprotective

Sophia’s POV

I turn my gaze to Tyler, who meets my eyes with a mixture of surprise and defensiveness. His face flushes slightly, and I can see his jaw tighten as he prepares to respond. However, before he can say anything, I raise my hand to stop him.

“Wait, hold on a second,” I interject, my voice calm but firm. “Let’s not jump to conclusions here. Tyler, what’s going on?”

Tyler takes a deep breath, his expression softening as he looks at me. “Sophia, I... I didn’t know he was your guest. I saw him snooping around, and I got suspicious. I thought he might be up to something.”

I process his words, understanding his perspective. It’s true that Tyler is naturally protective, and he’s always been cautious about strangers. Moreover, Alexander was wrong for coming over without even as much as a call to inform me. How did he even know my address?

Turning back to Alexander, I look at him with a mix of understanding and curiosity. “And you didn’t tell me you were coming. Why?”

Alexander sighs, his gaze shifting slightly. “I didn’t want to bother you. I wanted to surprise you with something.” He holds up the shopping bag, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

I nod, feeling a hint of a headache as I say to Tyler, “I’m sorry for bringing a guest over out of the blue.”

Tyler seems to want to say something, but instead, he shakes his head and mutters, “No, Sophia, you don’t need to apologize. It’s not your fault.” He then turns and walks towards the apartment, leaving us alone.

I watch him go, a mix of gratitude and sadness washing over me. Tyler has always been protective of me, sometimes to the point of overstepping boundaries. But I appreciate his concern, even if it led to a misunderstanding this time.

Returning my attention to Alexander, I step closer to him. “I’m sorry for the confusion. Tyler can be a bit... overprotective at times.” 

Alexander’s easygoing demeanor has changed, his expression turning cold as he hands me the shopping bag. I notice a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he responds, “Well, I’m sorry for just being concerned about your well-being. Next time, I’ll make sure to call and ask for an appointment to come to your house. Would that be more appropriate?”

His words sting, and I can feel a flicker of annoyance rising within me. But I take a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm and composed. I don’t want this situation to escalate any further.

I meet his gaze, my voice steady but firm. “Alexander, that’s not what I meant. I just wish you had given me a heads up. I could have come to your house instead. It would have saved us all this misunderstanding.”

He raises an eyebrow, his expression still guarded. “And how would I have known that? I found out your address through my own investigation. I thought it would be a pleasant surprise for you,” he replies, his words laced with a touch of bitterness.

His response catches me off guard. “Investigation? What do you mean?” I ask, my curiosity piqued. How did he find out where I live?

Alexander lets out a sigh, his eyes scanning the surroundings as if searching for the right words. “Let’s just say I did some digging. I wanted to know more about the woman who had agreed to carry my child,” he says, his tone distant.

His words hang in the air, leaving me speechless for a moment. I hadn’t expected him to go to such lengths to investigate me. It feels invasive, as if he has invaded my privacy. 

I gather my thoughts, realizing that I need to express how I feel about his actions. I look into his eyes and speak firmly, “Mr. Williams, I appreciate your concern, but I can’t ignore the fact that you conducted an investigation on me without my consent. It feels invasive, and it’s not something I’m comfortable with.”

His face tenses up, and he looks at me, the steely expression on his face not fading a bit. But he seems to realize that I am genuinely unhappy with his actions and for a moment, I almost thought I saw remorse on his face. “I didn’t think you would be unhappy with it. I apologize.”

“It’s alright, Mr. Williams. Let’s move past this,” I say, reassuring him. “Now, about the gift... Did you come here just to give it to me?”

His expression turns guarded once again, and he replies coldly, “There’s no need for that anymore.”

Despite his dismissive response, I don’t let it deter me. I realize that we need to have a proper conversation to clear the air and moreover, he seems to have something to say to me.

“Wait, Mr. Williams. Let’s not end things like this,” I say, resolution resonating in my voice. “There’s a teahouse across the street. Why don’t we go there and talk?”

He hesitates for a moment, seemingly caught off guard by my suggestion. Behind his guarded expression, I can see a flicker of curiosity. Eventually, he nods, agreeing to my proposal.

“Fine. Let’s go,” he says, his voice still cool but with a hint of willingness.

I give him a small smile, relieved that he’s willing to give it a chance. “Great. Wait here for a moment while I change into something more appropriate. I won’t be long.”

Without waiting for his response, I turn and quickly make my way into the house. When I step back outside, I find Alexander standing by his car, his expression still slightly disgruntled. However, he hasn’t left, which makes me feel that despite how cold and guarded he looks, he still seems to be like the easy going man I knew him as.

At the teahouse, we didn't talk much. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, I calmed my emotions. I realized that I had lost control of my emotions earlier and lowered my head,  "I'm sorry, Alexander, I was just a bit scared that my friends found out about the surrogacy thing. And thank you for the gift." His expression softened a bit, "I understand. Thank you for letting me know this."

Alexander sat in front of me, staring intensely. His gaze felt like it could almost burn me, and I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. Had my attitude just hurt him? My hands, which were resting on my lap, tensed and then relaxed, and I started to sweat slightly.

It seemed like he sensed my nervousness, then suddenly Alexander chuckled softly. "Really, what am I arguing about with a young girl like you? I didn't control my tone well earlier, and I apologize if I offended you."

I stammered, "No, no."

"So, if you don't have any classes at school today, shall we start preparing for the fertilization surgery at the hospital?"

"Okay, sure." Alexander was indeed a mature man, quickly getting over his mood. I replied in a daze, feeling like everything was happening very fast, but I needed to adapt as soon as possible.

As we get into the car and start driving toward the hospital, a sense of unease settles within me. I can’t help but feel a little tense about what lies ahead. Thoughts of how my parents would react if they found out I got pregnant with a man I knew nothing about start to weigh heavily on my mind. What would they think of me? Would they be disappointed?

Sensing my anxiety, Alexander reaches over and gently places his hand on mine, offering me a comforting squeeze. “Hey, try not to worry too much. It’s going to be okay,” he says, his voice filled with reassurance.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. “I know, it’s just... I can’t help but think about how my parents would react if they found out,” I admit, my voice tinged with worry.

Alexander gives me a sympathetic look, his eyes filled with understanding. “I can’t guarantee how they’ll react, but what matters most is how we handle this situation together. We’ll figure it out, Sophia. And remember, we did take the compatibility tests, which came out positive. That’s a good sign.”

His words provide some solace, and I nod, acknowledging his point. “You’re right. We did take the tests, and they were positive. That’s something to hold on to.”

As we arrive at the hospital and the car comes to a stop in front of the gates, I take a moment to gather my thoughts. Alexander opens the door for me, and we step out together. I feel a mix of nervousness and anticipation as we make our way inside.

The hospital corridors are bustling with activity, but Alexander leads the way with a determined stride. I follow closely behind, my mind still racing with various scenarios. What if it doesn’t turn out well? What if things just go wrong? 

I feel very tense.

We reach the door of the doctor’s office, and Alexander knocks lightly. The door opens, revealing a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. She smiles warmly at us and invites us inside.

As we enter the doctor’s office, I can’t help but wonder if she knows the full extent of our situation, about our agreement for surrogacy. I try to push those thoughts aside, reminding myself that the doctor is here to provide professional care and guidance.

The doctor gestures for us to take a seat, and we settle into the chairs in front of her desk. She introduces herself as Dr. Reynolds and begins to explain the process to us. She speaks in a calm and reassuring tone, explaining the various stages of pregnancy, the necessary medical check-ups, and the importance of prenatal care.

I listen intently, absorbing the information she provides. This is all new to me since the only time I had been to the hospital previously was for the tests at the lab. Dr. Reynolds assures us that she and her team will be there to support us throughout the journey, answering any questions we may have and monitoring the progress of the pregnancy closely.

As the discussion comes to an end, the doctor informs us that everything is ready for us, and we can proceed with the necessary procedures. Just as she finishes speaking, a nurse enters the office, letting us know that the examination room is prepared.

Alexander stands up and extends his hand towards me, offering support. “Are you ready, Sophia?”

I take a moment to gather my thoughts and muster up the courage. I nod, offering him a small but determined smile. “Yes, let’s do this.”