Chapter 131 Bun in the Oven
Hugo hurried to Sophie's apartment, his heartbeat thumping with a mix of nerves and excitement. Sophie had told him to come straight to her place after speaking with Ethan, and he could hardly wait. His mind raced with all the possibilities, but he tried to temper his excitement, pretending to calm himself as he knocked on the door.
When she opened it, he deliberately let a long sigh escape him and dropped into the nearest chair, his expression heavy with faux sadness.
Sophie, who had been in the kitchen tidying up, immediately noticed the dramatic slump in his shoulders and the deep furrow in his brow. She gave him a sharp look, already guessing what his theatrics might signify.
"Don't tell me Ethan said no," she said softly, already starting to encourage him before he spoke. "Hugo... don't worry. Ethan can't stop what we have. He can't take this away from us."
Hugo shook his head slowly, his face keeping the carefully constructed mask of disappointment. "I... I don't think it's going to happen," he said, voice low, drawing out each word as if it hurt him to say it.
Sophie's brows knit together. She reached for her phone, ready to call Ethan herself, but Hugo waved her off casually. "No, no... forget it," he said with a shrug, pretending to lose interest. "Let's just... not talk about it."
Sophie's eyes widened in concern. Something was off. Hugo never acted like this. She hesitated, then walked over to him, gently placing her hands on his arms. "Hugo... please. I need to know." She paused, her voice quivering slightly.
Sophie fumbled with her bag, her fingers brushing against the small plastic stick inside. Her heart was pounding so hard she felt it in her throat. She froze for a moment, staring at Hugo, who sat before her with that exaggeratedly sad expression, pretending to be heartbroken.
A wave of uncertainty swept over her. How is he going to take this? she wondered. She bit her lip, staring down at the test as if it could answer her questions for her. The thought of seeing Hugo's reaction made her stomach twist in knots, watching him recoil, made her hesitate.
"Hugo..." she started, her voice barely above a whisper, and then faltered, unable to continue. She looked up, meeting his eyes, and suddenly felt small under his gaze, unsure of what to say next. "I... I think... I don't even know how to tell you this."
Her hands shook as she held out the pregnancy test, her fingers clutching it like it could protect her from his response. "I... I'm pregnant," she finally admitted, voice quivering.
The silence that followed was thick, but in that pause, Hugo's expression softened, his eyes widening in surprise before a slow, incredulous grin spread across his face.
Hugo's eyes widened in disbelief for a split second before joy overtook him. "Wait... what? Really?" He snatched the test from her hands, staring at the single clear line that confirmed it. His heart leaped, and before Sophie could react, he scooped her up into his arms, spinning her around. "I'm going to be a father! Sophie, we're going to have a baby!"
Sophie gasped, her face a mixture of shock and lingering worry. Despite the excitement in Hugo's voice, she still couldn't shake the thought that Ethan might have refused their relationship. She still imagined his cold, inflexible expression from their last conversation. Hugo noticed the hesitation in her eyes and carefully set her down, his smile fading into concern.
"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her intently. "Why aren't you smiling? We just got... this incredible news!"
Sophie's lips trembled as tears began to fall. "How... how could Ethan refuse?" she sobbed, her hands covering her face. "How could he say no when..."
Hugo's heart clenched. He had been joking before, trying to lighten the tension, but now he realized how much the fear had affected her. Pulling her gently into his arms again, he whispered, "Sophie... I was just joking. Ethan didn't refuse. He's completely okay with this."
Her tears continued for a moment, but as Hugo's words sank in, the tension in her body began to ease. A small smile peeked through her sobs, and Hugo could see the spark of relief spreading across her face. "Really?" she whispered, still unsure but beginning to hope.
"Really," Hugo confirmed, grinning ear to ear. "He's thrilled. He's just... Ethan. He's careful with his words, but this, he's all in. Completely."
Sophie's face broke into a wide, genuine smile, and in an instant, Hugo lifted her again, spinning her around the room. "We're having a baby! We're actually having a baby!" he shouted with glee, laughing and jumping as Sophie clutched at his shoulders, trying to steady herself.
Her laughter joined his, filling the house with a warm, chaotic joy. She reached for his shoulders, gently smacking him playfully. "You scared me half to death, you idiot! How could you joke about Ethan saying no? I thought..." She shook her head, laughing through her sobs.
Hugo finally set her down, still holding her hands, his eyes sparkling with happiness. "I'm sorry! I couldn't resist," he admitted sheepishly, grinning. "But look at us now! We're happy. We're going to be parents!"
Sophie's laughter bubbled into a full, uncontrollable giggle. "You're impossible!" she said, lightly hitting him again, though the hits were more playful than angry. "I can't believe you did that to me!"
"I can believe it!" Hugo said, laughing and pulling her into a hug. "I'm going to be a father! And you're going to be the most amazing mother ever. Can you believe it? Us? Our little family?"
Sophie's eyes shone with tears of happiness now, and she buried her face in his chest, shaking her head. "I can't believe it... I just can't believe it!" she murmured, her voice muffled but full of joy.
They broke apart slightly, faces flushed with laughter and excitement. Hugo grabbed her hands again, spinning her around one last time. "This is real, Sophie! I promise you... Ethan is happy. I'm happy. And soon... soon we'll have our little one. Can you even imagine?"
Sophie's laughter returned, louder this time, unrestrained. "I can't! I can't imagine anything yet! I'm still too shocked... and you, you lying little, " She smacked him again, laughing so hard she had to steady herself.
Hugo caught her in his arms, holding her close, unable to stop laughing himself. "I lied, but it was for a good reason! Look at us! Nothing has ever felt this good before, has it?"
Sophie shook her head, tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. "No... no, it hasn't."
They stood there for a long moment, arms wrapped around each other, hearts pounding, laughter and tears blending into a perfect symphony of joy. Hugo's face was alight with excitement, while Sophie's was filled with relief, disbelief, and overwhelming happiness. The pregnancy test still sat forgotten on the counter, a small, silent witness to the life-changing moment they were living together.