My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 50: Have A Father?

The school bell rang, not too loud but loud enough that Nathan knew what it meant. Time to go home. He quietly packed his crayons, his little sketchpad, and the bent-up robot drawing he made that day into his small blue backpack. He zipped it all up with a neat tug, hoisted it onto his shoulders, and walked out of his classroom.

His feet automatically took him to the classroom across the courtyard—Maya’s class. He always picked her up. Well, not picked up like grown-ups, just... waited so they could walk out together. It was how they always did things. He peeked through the slightly open door and saw her still talking with a boy in a red hoodie. Julio.

Nathan leaned against the wall next to the door with his arms crossed. He wasn’t annoyed or anything, just waiting. Maya finally came out, smiling like she always did, with Julio trailing behind her like a little duck.

Julio grinned and waved. "Hi, Nathan!"

Nathan gave a little nod, polite but calm. "Hi, Julio."

The three of them started walking together toward the front gate. There were a lot of other kids, and most were already running up to their moms and dads or babysitters. The usual pickup crowd.

Nathan looked around, expecting to see Jazz. She usually stood near the tree with her big sunglasses and phone in hand. But she wasn’t there. His eyes scanned left and right. No Jazz.

Maya, noticing it too, tilted her head. "Where’s Jazz?"

"Maybe she’s late," Nathan answered, still watching the gate. "Let’s wait here."

Maya nodded, taking his hand as they walked over to the stone table near the flower bed. It was still inside the school area, so Nathan felt it was okay. They weren’t supposed to go out without an adult.

Nathan sat beside Maya at the stone table, the rough surface warm from the late afternoon sun. He glanced toward the school gate again, then back at the empty path leading from the building. Still no sign of Jazz.

It’s okay, he told himself. Just wait. That’s what Mom always says—wait where you’re supposed to be.

Nathan could practically hear her voice in his head. "If you ever get out of school and Jazz isn’t there yet, don’t go wandering off. Stay where there are people. Stay inside the gate." She’d said it a dozen times, maybe more. In the car. At the breakfast table. Every chance she got.

He looked around. A few teachers were still nearby, talking at the front steps. A couple of other kids were getting picked up, their parents waving as they hurried over.

Just as they sat, Julio plopped down across from them and sighed. "Guess I got late pick-up too. Can I wait with you?"

Nathan shrugged. "Okay."

Maya clapped her hands. "Yay! We can play while waiting!"

Julio giggled, slinging off his backpack and setting it carefully on the table. "Let’s go to the swings!"

Maya didn’t even wait for a reply. "Race you!" she called, running off toward the swings.

Nathan stood up, calmer but followed behind them at his own pace. The sun was warm, not too hot, and there were dandelions popping up beside the sandbox. Julio and Maya ran straight to the double swings—two seats in one set—and hopped on like they did it every day. Nathan took the swing right next to them, a solo one.

They swung in unison. Well, almost.

Julio pumped his legs hard and shouted, "I’m flying!"

Maya squealed. "No fair, you got a head start!"

Nathan swung just enough to feel the air brush past his face. He wasn’t trying to fly. He was just thinking.

Maya’s smile was the same one he’d seen a hundred times—when she won a game, or found a cool bug, or made a new friend. But now, looking at Julio beside her, Nathan saw that his smile looked just like hers.

Not just in how wide it was, or how their eyes squinted a little when they laughed, but in the way it felt. That same kind of joy, like the world was their playground and they didn’t have to hold anything back.

Then suddenly Julio asked, "Who picks you up?"

"Jazz," Maya replied quickly.

"Our sitter," Nathan added.

"What about you?" Maya asked, looking at Julio.

Julio grinned. "My mom usually picks me up. But today my dad’s coming."

Nathan’s feet stopped swinging.

So did Maya’s. And Julio’s.

"You have a dad?" Nathan asked, eyes squinting a little.

Julio blinked. "Of course! Everyone has a dad."

Nathan’s eyebrows drew down. He turned to Maya. "But... we don’t."

Maya pouted, looking down at her shoes like she was mad at them. "Yeah."

Julio tilted his head. "Really? No dad?"

Nathan nodded, quiet. "Just us and Mom. And sometimes Auntie Irene, when she’s not working."

Julio scratched his head. "I got a dad and a mom. Oh, an uncle, too! He’s fun!"

Nathan didn’t reply. He just looked at the sky, like maybe the answer was hiding up there.

Suddenly, someone shouted from the gate, "Julio!"

All three of them turned.

A tall man stood there. Nathan saw him from across the playground. The man had broad shoulders, wore a black coat, and had shiny shoes. His face was serious, but his smile when he saw Julio was real. Warm, even.

"Uncle Leo!" Julio shouted and jumped down from the swing. He ran fast, like he was going to miss a bus.

Nathan just... stared.

The man knelt down and caught Julio in his arms. The coat folded around the boy like a cape. He looked cool. Not like cartoon cool—but like how grown-ups in movies looked. Like someone important.

Like Uncle Felix.

Nathan narrowed his eyes.

The man stood up, still holding Julio’s hand. He ruffled his hair, and they talked a little, but Nathan couldn’t hear. He was too far away.

But then—then the man looked up.

Their eyes locked.

Nathan didn’t know why, but his little chest felt tight.

The man didn’t blink. He just looked. Like... really looked.

Nathan didn’t turn away. He held the man’s gaze, like he was trying to figure something out, like maybe a puzzle or a secret.