My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 89: Where We Stand

Katherine sat in the passenger seat beside Felix, her hands folded neatly over her lap, the seatbelt crossing her chest in a taut line. Though they were already halfway back to the office, her thoughts lingered somewhere else entirely—back at the restaurant, back at the round table where she had nearly choked under the weight of Veronica’s gaze.

When Felix had returned to the table to answer his call, she had practically screamed in relief—internally, of course. She didn’t remember exactly what excuse he had given when he came back, something about a supplier or a miscommunication, but it didn’t matter. He had come back, and she didn’t have to answer Veronica’s question. That was all that counted.

She swallowed.

Thank god.

The air in the car was quiet for a few beats until Felix glanced at her, a teasing smile tugging the corners of his mouth.

"You look nervous," he said, his voice light, casual, like he was commenting on the weather.

Katherine exhaled slowly, not bothering to hide her flat expression. "Gee, I wonder why."

Felix’s smile widened. "Come on. It wasn’t that bad."

"She’s your mother, Felix," she said, emphasizing the word like it held weight. "I think it’s perfectly normal to be nervous."

"She hugged you," he pointed out.

Katherine let out a soft groan and leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes for a moment. "Don’t remind me."

But she did remember. Too clearly.

Just before they parted ways at the restaurant entrance, Veronica had pulled Felix in for a brief, familiar hug. And then, just when Katherine thought she was in the clear, Veronica turned to her and opened her arms.

The hug had been brief. Soft. Perfumed.

But Katherine had frozen.

She had accepted it, of course—what else could she do? But her posture had been stiff as a board. She hadn’t known whether to pat Veronica’s back or simply endure it in silent panic. And now the memory played on a loop in her mind like some awkward comedy skit.

Felix chuckled beside her. "So... you’re afraid of my mother now?"

Katherine shot him a sharp look. "I didn’t say afraid."

Felix raised an eyebrow.

She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I said nervous. There’s a difference. I just want to be respectful, that’s all. She’s... your mother. You’re my boss. It’s the normal reaction."

Felix laughed again. "If she didn’t like you, trust me, you’d know."

Katherine glanced at him from the corner of her eye. There was an ease in his face, in the curve of his smile, the way his hand rested on the gearshift. He looked relaxed. She wished she could say the same.

Because while she was physically present, her mind was far from calm.

What Veronica had said before Felix returned still echoed in her thoughts.

No matter how much she tried to push it aside, the question gnawed at her. Not because she was offended, but because... she didn’t know how to answer it herself.

What was this between her and Felix?

And more importantly—where was it going?

Once back at the office, she returned to her desk, tried to dive back into work, tried to focus. But the spreadsheets on her monitor blurred together, her mind drifting again and again.

Don’t overthink. Just do your job.

The afternoon slipped by in a blur of shallow breaths and incomplete focus.

Eventually, the office began to quiet as employees started packing up. Light outside shifted toward evening. Katherine gathered her things slowly, the day’s thoughts weighing heavier than her tablet and files.

Just as she was slinging her bag over her shoulder, Felix’s door opened.

He stepped out, running a hand through his hair, his jacket already on.

"There you are," he said, his tone warm. "I’m heading to my parents’ place for dinner."

She blinked, caught off-guard. "Oh. Already?"

He nodded. "Want to come?"

Katherine laughed under her breath, soft and brief. "No, thank you. I’ve met with enough important parents for one day."

Felix smirked. "Fair."

"Tell them I said hello." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Will do," he replied. "Send kisses to the twins for me?"

"Of course," she said, smiling.

The air outside was cooler now. She walked quickly, the sound of her heels muffled by the sidewalk. Down the block, the small daycare center came into view, its windows glowing with soft light and childlike laughter drifting through the open doorway.

But when Katherine stepped inside, what she saw made her freeze.

At the far end of the room Room 4B, sat Leonard.

And not just seated. He was kneeling on the padded play mat, surrounded by toys and books and drawings. But what really stunned her wasn’t his presence.

It was the twins.

Nathan sat pressed against Leonard’s side, quietly flipping through a picture book. Maya was practically in his lap, one hand tangled in his sleeve as she chattered about something involving dinosaurs and sparkles.

They were comfortable.

So comfortable that Katherine’s throat tightened.

Leonard was laughing—soft and warm and genuine. He said something that made Maya giggle, and even Nathan gave a rare, boyish smile.

And then, as if sensing her, Leonard glanced up.

Their eyes met across the room.

For a moment, time paused. Katherine couldn’t breathe.

She didn’t know what hit her first—confusion, anger, fear, or something else entirely. The twins hadn’t mentioned anything. The staff hadn’t called. Leonard had no contact with her. No permission. And yet here he was... like he belonged.

Nathan turned and saw her next.

"Mom!"

He scrambled up, running toward her. "Uncle Leo came! He missed us!"

Katherine forced a smile, placing a hand gently on her son’s head. "I see that."

Maya followed, waving happily. "He built a castle with us! It had a secret door and everything!"

Leonard stood now, dusting imaginary lint from his slacks.

Katherine’s heart pounded in her chest. Her hands were trembling slightly.

This wasn’t what she expected.

She stared at Leonard.

He looked back at her with quiet eyes.

And neither of them said a word.