I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father-Chapter 305: To Family

"Turns out Maeve had actually hidden herself in one of the luggage bags and would have been taken straight to the airport," Ken said with a soft laugh before taking a sip from his wineglass. "Luckily, I managed to convince everyone that Maeve would do anything in her power to follow Lord Welhaven wherever he went."

Lyse stared at him in fascination, her fingers wrapped loosely around her own untouched glass.

"It took weeks of sulking and a ridiculous number of sketches before I finally managed to get her to even speak to me," Ken continued, shaking his head at the memory.

Bella laughed softly from beside him. "She made you work for it, didn’t she?"

"Oh, absolutely," Ken replied with a grin. "Your mother was stubborn beyond reason."

"I can’t believe my mom was that rebellious," Lyse said, her eyes bright with amusement. "She always seemed so gentle in the pictures I’ve seen."

Ken smiled wistfully.

"She was gentle," he agreed. "But she was also fearless. Determined. Brilliant. When she wanted something, she went after it with her whole heart."

He paused, his expression softening.

"She was the most magnificent woman I ever knew."

The room fell quiet for a moment as his words settled over them.

Lyse swallowed hard. Hearing stories about her mother, real stories, not vague fragments felt like discovering pieces of herself she had never known were missing.

"She would have loved you," Ken added, his voice thick with emotion.

Lyse felt her chest tighten.

"I’m sure would have loved her too," she whispered.

Bella reached across the table and squeezed her hand gently.

For a few seconds, no one spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, it was thoughtful, heavy with things that could never be changed.

Then Ken’s expression darkened.

"It’s all Ophelia’s fault," he said suddenly, his voice sharp and bitter.

His fingers clenched around the stem of his wineglass so tightly that Lyse half expected it to shatter.

"Ophelia never really loved me," Ken went on quietly. "She only wanted everything Maeve had. I was nothing more than another prize to her. A trophy she could steal from the sister she envied."

Lyse frowned.

"How were you able to prove she was the one who killed her husband?" she asked. "I mean... she seemed to cover her tracks so well."

Ken’s gaze shifted toward Levi.

"For that," he said slowly, "we have your husband to thank."

Lyse turned in surprise.

Levi had been sitting quietly beside her the entire time, listening without interrupting. Now, as all eyes moved to him, he straightened slightly in his chair.

"Without him," Ken continued, "I would probably be dead. And Ophelia would have gone after you next."

A chill ran through Lyse at the thought.

She turned fully to Levi.

He met her gaze calmly, his expression steady and composed as always.

But to Lyse, he looked like something more than calm.

He looked like safety.

Her heart gave a strange, uneven thump.

Since the moment she had been forced back into his life, Levi had been there protecting her, shielding her, making sure she never had to face danger alone. Even when she had tried to push him away, he had stubbornly refused to leave.

He had never once asked for gratitude.

He had simply stayed.

A warm sensation spread through her chest, unsettling and loved.

"How did you even manage it, Levi?" Bella asked curiously, breaking the moment.

Levi shrugged slightly.

"You just have to know the right people and ask the right questions," he replied simply.

Lyse gave him an incredulous look.

"That can’t be all."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I had my men stationed at every major exit out of the city," Levi explained. "Airports, train stations, highways. Ophelia is smart, but she’s also impatient. I figured whoever she hired wouldn’t try to leave immediately. They would wait for the heat to die down first."

He paused.

"And when they finally made a move, we were ready."

Ken nodded approvingly.

"Once Levi’s people caught the man Ophelia hired, everything else fell into place. He gave her up quickly once he realized there was no way out."

"From there," Levi continued, "finding the financial trail connecting him to Ophelia wasn’t difficult." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Bella let out a low whistle.

"Impressive."

Lyse stared at him, wide-eyed.

"So she really killed her own husband?" she whispered.

Levi nodded.

"Yes."

The weight of that truth settled over the table.

Lyse shivered.

If Levi hadn’t intervened... if Ken hadn’t survived...

She might have been next.

The realization made her stomach twist.

"What do we do now?" Bella asked, her earlier lightness fading. "I don’t trust that woman. Not for a second. Who knows what she might try next?"

Ken sighed heavily.

"Ophelia is in police custody," he said. "But she’s resourceful. And dangerous. I wouldn’t put anything past her."

Lyse wrapped her arms around herself.

"I just want this to be over," she murmured.

Levi turned to her immediately.

"It will be," he said firmly.

His voice carried a confidence that made her believe him.

"She won’t be able to touch you," he continued. "Not while I’m here."

Lyse felt that warmth return, stronger this time.

She wasn’t used to someone speaking about her safety with such certainty.

All her life, she had been the one expected to endure, to survive on her own.

Having someone stand between her and the world was... new.

And dangerously comforting.

Ken watched the two of them for a moment, something thoughtful in his eyes.

"I can’t thank you enough, Levi," he said sincerely. "You protected my daughter when I didn’t even know she existed."

Levi shook his head.

"You don’t need to thank me."

"Yes, I do," Ken insisted. "I owe you more than I can ever repay."

Levi glanced at Lyse.

"You don’t owe me anything," he repeated quietly.

Lyse’s throat tightened.

She looked away, suddenly overwhelmed.

Bella clapped her hands together, trying to lighten the mood.

"Well," she said brightly, "now that the immediate danger is handled, we need to focus on the future."

"The future?" Lyse echoed.

"Yes!" Bella smiled. "You’ve found your father. You have family now. Real family."

Lyse blinked.

Family.

The word still felt strange on her tongue.

All her life, she had believed she was alone. Unwanted. A burden.

Now she sat at a table with people who looked at her like she mattered.

It was almost too much to process.

Ken reached across the table and took her hand gently.

"I know this is a lot," he said softly. "And I know I can’t make up for the years we lost. But I want you to know something."

Lyse met his gaze.

"I’m here now," Ken continued. "And I’m not going anywhere."

Her eyes filled with tears.

For so long, she had wanted to hear words like that.

"I’d like that," she whispered.

Ken smiled through his own emotion.

"Good."

Levi watched the exchange silently, something unreadable flickering across his face.

Bella raised her glass.

"To new beginnings," she said.

Ken lifted his in return.

"To family."

Lyse hesitated for a moment before picking up her own glass.

She glanced at Levi.

He gave her a small nod.

Taking a deep breath, Lyse joined them.

"To family," she echoed.

For the first time in her life, the word felt like it might truly belong to her.