My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 46: Still There

Leonard’s brows furrowed as he leaned forward, eyes glued to the laptop screen in front of him. The cool glow of the monitor cast sharp lines across his sculpted face, accentuating the tense muscle at his jaw. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the sleek surface of his desk—a habit that only emerged when he was annoyed, or worse, frustrated.

And right now, he was both.

The digital file displayed before him was disappointingly underwhelming. A full report on Felix Crawford, delivered exactly as he requested. But instead of anything worthwhile —instead of scandal, hidden skeletons, or damning secrets —all he got was a bland biography: name, date of birth, blood type, school background, a list of work history, and a disturbingly glowing work ethic review. Leonard had already skimmed through it twice, and now, on his third read, he sighed audibly.

Nothing.

He leaned back in his chair with a scowl, crossing one leg over the other. His expensive leather shoes caught the reflection of the soft office light, but he barely noticed. All he could think about was the single paragraph that irritated him the most.

"Known to be professionally respected by his peers. Shares a good working dynamic with his secretary, Ms. Katherine Anderson. Occasionally seen dining or conversing casually outside of office premises. Relationship: reportedly friendly."

That word. "Friendly." What the hell did that mean?

Leonard clenched his jaw and drummed his fingers again. So there was no romantic link between Katherine and Felix —fine. But good friends? What kind of boss and secretary became that chummy unless there was more beneath the surface?

His gaze narrowed.

Felix was a recluse, much like Leonard himself. Very little was known about his personal life, and even this file, which was supposed to be comprehensive, barely scraped the surface. If Katherine had been "close" to him, then there were layers Leonard couldn’t see.

And that made his skin itch.

He snapped the laptop shut with a harsh clack, the sound echoing through the quiet of his office. The wall clock above his bookshelf ticked toward the end of the workday.

Leonard stood up sharply, smoothing out his navy shirt before grabbing his coat off the back of his chair. He slid his phone into his inner jacket pocket, gave his tie one final tug, and strode out of his office.

"Good bye, Mr. Ford!" Becca called from her desk as he passed.

He gave a slight nod. "Good bye, Becca."

Without breaking pace, he took the elevator down to the underground parking garage. His shoes echoed against the cold cement, a stark contrast to the pristine marble of the upper floors. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his car keys as he approached his luxury car.

But just as he was about to unlock the door, a hand suddenly slid over his eyes from behind.

"Guess who?" a sultry voice teased from the darkness.

Leonard’s muscles stiffened instantly, and a flicker of fury sparked behind his eyes. That voice. He knew that voice.

He yanked the hand away with force and turned around, already bracing himself.

Miranda Kingsley stood before him, her long black coat cinched at the waist, heels clicking softly as she stepped back. Her lips were painted a sharp red, and a coy smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Leonard’s face darkened. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Miranda pouted dramatically, rubbing the wrist he had just grabbed. "You’re hurting me," she said softly.

Leonard immediately released her, not out of guilt, but to prevent a scene. He glanced around—thankfully, the basement was empty.

He grabbed her by the arm again, gentler this time but still firm, and dragged her behind the car, away from security cameras and eyes.

Miranda let herself be pulled, laughing softly. "Still so intense, Leo."

"Don’t call me that," he snapped, his voice low and sharp. "I thought I made it clear we’re done. You showing up like this —it’s pathetic."

"Ouch." Miranda smirked, eyes gleaming like she enjoyed his anger. "You used to love it when I surprised you. Especially in dark parking lots."

Leonard’s jaw tightened. "That was before I realized you’re toxic."

"You loved my poison," she said with a chuckle, stepping closer, one hand lifting toward his face. "You used to crave it."

He jerked his head away. "Don’t touch me."

Miranda let her hand fall, but the smile remained. She was enjoying this far too much. "You can pretend all you want. But I know you, Leonard. You can’t just erase me. We were fire together."

"We were a mistake," he corrected coldly.

"Really?" She tilted her head, clearly amused. "But I know you miss me. The way I used to touch you—like I owned you."

"Shut your damn mouth," Leonard said, his voice like gravel.

Miranda raised both hands innocently. "Relax. I’m not here to fight. I’m just... curious. I wanted to see if the man I used to know still existed. The one who used to look at me like I was the only thing he wanted."

"You were a distraction. That’s all."

She leaned in, voice sultry. "You’re lying."

Leonard didn’t respond. He didn’t need to.

Instead, he moved past her, unlocked his car with a beep, and yanked open the door. Before getting in, he glanced at her one final time. "Don’t come to my office again. Don’t contact me. We’re done, Miranda. Respect that."

Without waiting for her reply, he climbed in and slammed the door shut. The engine purred to life, and he backed out swiftly.

But as he shifted into drive, his eyes instinctively flicked to the rearview mirror.

Miranda was still standing there, in the shadows behind his car. Her arms crossed, her head tilted slightly, and a smug smile lingering on her lips.

Leonard cursed under his breath and gripped the wheel tighter.

She wasn’t done.

And now, she’d made it clear—she had no intention of staying out of his life.

Not just yet.