My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 242: Weight of Old Promises

Felix sat on the edge of the sofa, elbows braced against his knees, his hands loosely clasped together. He wasn’t staring at anything in particular but his gaze had fixed on the muted reflection of the window glass, where the faint outline of Katherine moved in and out of view. She was in the kitchen, speaking in low tones, her voice rising just slightly as she urged Leonard to eat something.

Felix’s jaw tightened. He could hear the weariness in her words, the worry she was trying to disguise under the guise of practicality. Every syllable tugged at him with the same irritation he had felt this morning when saw Leonard and Katherine on her bed.

And yet, even now, Leonard managed to sit at Katherine’s table. Felix’s eyes slid toward the dining area. Leonard sat with his back straight, his posture disciplined despite the exhaustion weighing down his shoulders. His features remained calm, the faint curve of his mouth betraying nothing but politeness whenever Katherine fussed over him. It was infuriating, the way he seemed so at ease in this space, her space, their space.

Felix exhaled slowly through his nose, forcing his thoughts back into order. He wouldn’t give voice to his irritation, not when the twins had already picked up on the tension. He had caught Nathan’s wide-eyed glance earlier, Maya’s hesitant whisper to his mother. He wouldn’t add fuel to their unease.

Still, the silence that stretched now was unbearable. Katherine returned from the kitchen with a glass of water, setting it carefully in front of Leonard. Her fingers lingered a moment too long near the rim of the glass, as though reluctant to let go.

Felix’s knuckles whitened.

"Leonard," Katherine began gently, her tone careful, "you should decide what’s best for you. Do you want to stop by the hospital? Or... would you prefer going back to your own house?"

But Leonard only shook his head. "The hospital won’t change anything," he replied. "And my house is just... walls and empty rooms. It’s not where I want to be."

Katherine’s brows knit together, the faintest crease forming between them. "Then where do you want to be?" she asked, her voice soft but insistent.

Leonard’s eyes flickered, and for just a breath, Felix thought he glimpsed something raw there, something he didn’t want to see. "Here," Leonard answered quietly. "With you. With all of you."

The words struck the room like a stone shattering glass. Felix’s pulse kicked up, hot anger spiking behind his ribs. Audacious bastard.

Katherine didn’t respond, only pressed her lips together, her eyes darting toward the twins’ closed bedroom door as though hoping they hadn’t heard. She turned her head, meeting Felix’s gaze for only a moment. His expression was blank, carefully composed, but his hands had curled into fists in his lap.

Leonard let out a quiet chuckle. "But I know you’ve got work, Katherine," he added. "And the twins... they’ve got school. You don’t need me underfoot here." His smile was faint but measured. "I’ll stay at my apartment. It makes more sense."

Yeah. Better like that.

He couldn’t stand the thought of Leonard wandering around Katherine’s apartment while she worked. The very idea made something unpleasant coil hot and tight in his stomach. It had already been bad enough this morning, worse than bad, walking in and finding them on the same bed.

Leonard shifted in his seat, preparing to rise. He placed his palms on the table and pushed himself up. For a moment, he stood upright, his chin lifted with a stubborn pride that irritated Felix all over again. But then, as he took his first step toward the door, his body faltered.

His right hand shot out, bracing against the wall. His shoulders slumped under the sudden weakness, his breath audible in the quiet. Katherine gasped, already moving forward, her hands half-raised as she said, "But you were okay earlier-"

Before she could close the distance, Felix was already there. His arm slipped under Leonard’s with a quick, almost forceful precision, his grip iron around the other man’s forearm. "Let me handle this."

Katherine froze, her eyes widening as if she had only just realized how quickly Felix had moved.

Leonard turned his head slightly, studying Felix with cool detachment. His face gave nothing away, but Felix felt the subtle resistance in the way Leonard kept his back straight, as though unwilling to lean too heavily on him.

"You don’t expect Katherine will help you, right?" Felix muttered under his breath.

Leonard’s lips curved, not quite a smile, but close enough to mock one. "What, afraid she might actually choose to?"

"Don’t flatter yourself. She’s too busy to play nursemaid," Felix snapped back, tightening his grip as he guided him toward the front door.

Katherine followed behind them, her hands twisting together nervously. The air was heavy with tension, every step toward the door dragging like a weight behind them. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Felix’s mind churned, jealousy and anger threading through every thought.

By the time they reached the front door, Leonard’s breathing had grown uneven, but his expression remained composed. He leaned ever so slightly against Felix, but his head was still held high, his gaze fixed ahead as though daring anyone to comment on his weakness.

By the time they stopped in front of Leonard’s apartment, Felix’s patience looked ready to snap. He adjusted his grip on Leonard’s arm with clenched jaw so tightly Katherine worried he might crack a tooth.

Katherine stepped forward quickly, eager to help, though her palms were damp with nerves. She reached for the keypad beside the door, her fingers hovering over the illuminated screen. Then she froze.

Her mind went blank.

She didn’t know the code.

Katherine glanced back, cheeks heating with embarrassment. "Uh... Leonard," she said, her voice hesitant, breaking the silence that had stretched too long. "What’s your passcode?"

For a moment, Leonard didn’t answer. He tilted his head just enough to glance at her, the corners of his lips curving upward into a faint, weary smile. His eyes softened, though the look he gave carried a weight Felix could not ignore.

"The passcode..." Leonard said slowly, his voice dropping lower, "is the date of our wedding anniversary."