My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 117: Beneath the Oak of Confessions

Katherine lifted a tender sip of wine and placed the glass down with a satisfied smile. Across from her, Felix studied her expression with a quiet, triumphant pride.

"So... how is everything?" Felix asked in that low, warm baritone of his that always made her heart feel like it was softening in her chest. "Food up to your standards?"

Katherine scanned the plates around them—fontina-stuffed ravioli drizzled with truffle oil, sugar-spun asparagus, gilded scallops. The moonlight, filtered through the rose canopy, painted everything in silver and rose-gold hues. She inhaled deeply, remembering how she had once thought she hated caviar. Tonight, though... "It’s beautiful, Felix," she said softly. "I... I can see why people go so crazy over this place. And the food—fantastic. Service? Way beyond five stars."

Felix chuckled. He leaned forward, placing his hand over hers for a heartbeat. "I’m glad I chose here."

Felix sat back in his chair while Katherine twisted her napkin onto her lap, savoring a lingering taste. He knew he’d been planning nights like this for months—ever since he realized that his role as her boss and best friend wasn’t enough. She deserved more. She deserved the kind of love he’d dreamed of giving her.

Felix watched Katherine as she dipped her fork delicately into the ravioli, her eyes flickering with wonder beneath the soft glow of the lanterns. The sight warmed something deep in his chest. Everything was perfect. Or at least, as perfect as he could make it.

He’d planned this evening down to the smallest detail. The rose-covered pergola had been his idea—hand-picked blush and ivory blooms flown in yesterday. He’d personally overseen the lighting, opting for low-hanging glass orbs filled with flickering candlelight instead of the restaurant’s usual sconces. Even the silverware was changed out for a vintage set he’d remembered she once admired in a catalog.

The staff had been briefed. The playlist, curated. The chef had agreed to his special menu weeks in advance. It hadn’t been easy convincing one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants to bend their routine, but Felix had been determined.

And now—seeing Katherine like this, cheeks flushed, smiling without a trace of formality or guardedness—he felt it was all worth it. Every call, every hour he’d spent imagining how she might react... it had all been for this moment.

For him, tonight was the culmination of those careful plans: the private reservation, the wine pairing, the secluded lakeside walk. But more than anything, tonight was his heart’s open plea—an invitation to let down her guard and let him in.

He was scared of scaring her away. She’d had enough upheaval: ex-husband moving in, dinner with drama, twins caught in emotional crossfires. But he also believed that something real could grow from this chaos, if she let it.

After plates were cleared, Katherine stood first. "Do you mind walking a bit?" she asked.

"Not at all," Felix said, rising with ease.

They ambled past the candlelit table toward a starlit path, the night quiet save for soft lake lapping, a distant owl’s call, and their synergized footsteps. Soon they found themselves under a magnificent oak tree—the famed "Whispering Oak" Cicely magazine had awarded for romance.

Felix paused. "Katherine..."

She looked at him, soft-lipped and hopeful. The world seemed to hold its breath.

The breeze stirred, gentle and teasing, and Felix took off his tailored suit jacket. He stepped behind her, draping it over her shoulders. Her lavender evening dress blended with moonlight; the jacket’s warmth was something soft and protective.

"Your hair should be warm," he murmured. She closed her eyes, leaning back into his chest, the fabric shielding her.

Felix took a deep breath, bracing himself. He slid one hand up the oak’s pillar-like trunk, cupping the space beside Katherine—almost like the iconic kabedon gesture from romance manga.

"Katherine," he began, his tone full of trembling affection. "I—I’ve thought about tonight for a long time. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get the courage to bring you here, under the stars, with everything so perfectly set..." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Katherine turned her head slightly to look at him. His eyes were bright and earnest. "If I say this wrong, just know I’m trying—trying to find the right words."

Her heart thudded, and she swallowed.

"I love you. Truly, completely. Not just as a friend... or as someone to take care of you and the boys. I... I want to be your partner. I want to build a life with you." His voice cracked slightly on partner, but he steadied it, squeezing her hand gently.

Katherine’s eyes welled with emotion. She swallowed again. This was what he’d been working toward, building toward, proposing... not yet, but opening that door. She thought: He’s given me everything—friends, support, love. Does my heart allow me in return?

But her words were cut short by the sudden warble of her phone—it rang, not softly, but insistently. She drew back, startled, fumbling as her phone buzzed with an unknown number.

"Sorry," she said, voice high with sudden alarm. "Just a second, please?"

Felix stepped away gently, scratching his neck, half-covering his reflection in the oak’s bark as he pretended to adjust his cuffs.

Katherine answered it, hands trembling just a bit. She heard Irene’s voice on the line: "Sorry to call you, I don’t want to, but—" The rest was muffled, but her expression changed fast: her shoulders tensed, eyes widened, curiosity and fear written on her face.

She replaced a composed mask over her expression, sliding the phone back to her ear with polite silence. But Felix watched too closely. Her horror made his heart pound. He wasn’t sure whether it was about work. Or... worse.

She turned back to him, lips parted, eyes wide in the moonlight.

Felix took a step forward, voice quiet. "What is it? What’s wrong?"

Katherine’s gaze flickered to the oak trunk, as though considering whether it could shelter her next words. The wind rustled above them, petals drifting down like tears or hope.

She swallowed. "Felix... it’s Irene. She said—she said Maya... Maya... We need to go home now."

Felix frowned. The night suddenly felt colder. The world beyond their bubble of romance felt far more fragile.