My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 10: Company

Katherine adjusted the strap of her handbag as she and Irene wandered down the brightly lit aisles of the supermarket. It was her day off, and for once, she had decided to take it slow—no uniform, no customer smiles, no clattering plates. Just her and Irene, spending the afternoon together.

With a baby on the way, Katherine had decided it was finally time to start looking seriously at what she would need. Diapers, baby formulas, clothes, maybe even a stroller if she found something affordable. The reality of it all had begun to settle heavier on her chest, like a new gravity pulling her down.

They stood now in front of a shelf stacked with cans of baby formula. Irene leaned closer, squinting at the price tags with a dramatic gasp.

"Good lord," Irene muttered, pulling a can off the shelf and reading the label. "How does anyone afford to keep a baby alive? This tiny thing costs more than a decent dinner."

Katherine laughed softly, tracing the numbers with her finger. "I guess I better start saving every penny."

Irene snorted. "Start? Girl, you need a full-blown treasure hunt. Maybe find some ancient pirate gold or something."

Katherine grinned and moved to the diaper section, picking up a small pack. She turned it over in her hands, feeling the odd mix of excitement and anxiety coil in her chest.

"It’s not cheap, that’s for sure," she said, almost to herself.

As Katherine compared prices between two brands, Irene nudged her elbow slyly. "Speaking of treasures... how’s Frederick?"

Katherine blinked, confused for a second before realization hit her. She shook her head, laughing under her breath. "You mean Felix."

Irene waved a hand dismissively, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Felix, Frederick, whatever. You know who I mean. Your knight in shining hoodie."

Katherine rolled her eyes fondly. "He’s just a customer, Irene. Like everyone else."

Irene gave her a long, dubious look, one eyebrow raised so high it nearly touched her hairline. "Uh-huh. Sure. Just a customer who conveniently shows up almost every time you’re working."

Katherine bent down to place the diaper pack back on the lower shelf, hiding her smile. "Don’t start getting wild ideas."

But Irene’s face softened a little as she leaned against the cart. "Listen, Kat... I’m happy for you. Really. You deserve someone who treats you right. But just—" She tapped the cart handle for emphasis. "Be careful. You know? Make sure this Felix isn’t just another pretty face. Or worse... a jerk."

Straightening up, Katherine met her friend’s eyes and smiled. A slow, knowing smile that said more than words could. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"I’ll be fine, Irene. Promise."

Still, part of her heart squeezed a little at Irene’s protectiveness. She understood. After all, she had been there when Katherine’s last relationship fell apart. It made sense Irene would be cautious—for both of them.

They moved along to another section of the store, heading toward a small baby goods shop tucked between the supermarket and the electronics store.

Inside, everything was pastel-colored and impossibly tiny. Katherine ran her fingers over soft little onesies, cooing under her breath at how adorable everything looked. Irene tested the sturdiness of a stroller by pushing it back and forth, pretending to race it down the aisle.

"Zoom!" she joked, grinning like a kid.

Katherine chuckled, feeling lighter, grateful for Irene’s antics.

After some time inspecting strollers, cribs, and impossibly small socks, they made their way toward a maternity clothing section. Katherine thumbed through the racks, lifting a few dresses and tops with tentative hands.

Still, she wasn’t quite ready to spend too much yet. She folded a simple cotton dress back on the rack.

"Maybe I’ll have better luck at a thrift shop," Katherine mused aloud. "No point in spending a fortune for clothes I’ll only wear for a few months."

Irene nodded in approval. "Smart thinking."

They were busy chatting and laughing about maternity fashion disasters when the scent of fried food wafted over from the food court nearby, luring them with the promise of a break.

They found a table by the window, arms laden with a few small purchases. Katherine sighed as she sank into the plastic chair, grateful to get off her feet. She adjusted her handbag beside her and pulled out her wallet, scanning the menu above the nearby counter.

"I’ll just grab some water," Katherine said. "I’m starving, but I’m trying to be good."

"I’m getting fries," Irene said decisively, standing up. "And you’re stealing some of them."

Katherine laughed, opening her mouth to respond when a voice—warm, familiar—cut across the background chatter.

"Katherine?"

She turned her head and there he was. Felix.

He looked a little different today, more relaxed. No hoodie. Just a dark green jacket over a plain T-shirt and jeans. His hair was still deliciously messy, his smile a little hesitant but genuine.

"Felix," Katherine said, startled but smiling. "Hi!"

Felix stopped beside their table, hands tucked into his jacket pockets. His gaze flicked briefly to Irene, polite and curious.

Katherine straightened and gestured between them. "This is my friend, Irene. Irene, this is Felix."

Felix offered his hand with an easy, casual smile. "Nice to meet you."

Irene gave him a once-over—thorough enough that Katherine nearly groaned—but eventually shook his hand, her expression cautious.

Felix chuckled lightly. "Mind if I join you guys?"

Katherine hesitated for a fraction of a second, feeling unexpectedly shy, but before she could answer, Irene’s phone buzzed loudly on the table.

Irene picked it up, her eyebrows knitting together as she read the screen.

"Ah, crap," she muttered. She looked up at Katherine, apologetic. "I totally forgot—I promised Mrs. Green I’d help dog-sit for her today. I gotta go."

Katherine waved it off. "It’s fine. We were about to head home anyway."

But before the words could settle, Felix spoke up.

"If you don’t mind," he said, scratching the back of his neck in a slightly nervous gesture, "I could keep Katherine company. If that’s okay."

The words hung between them.

Irene narrowed her eyes slightly, weighing him, then shifted her gaze to Katherine, questioning.

Katherine gave a small, awkward shrug, feeling the heat creep up her neck.

Finally, Irene sighed and grabbed her bag.

"Okay," she said slowly. But then she pointed a finger at Felix, her voice playful but firm. "You try anything funny, and I will hunt you down."

Felix lifted his hands in surrender, laughing. "Understood."

Irene shot Katherine a last look, mouthed be careful exaggeratedly, and then disappeared into the crowd.

As her figure disappeared, Katherine realized she was now, incredibly, completely alone—with Felix.

She looked back at him, feeling a strange, exhilarating mixture of nerves and excitement bubbling up inside her.

She couldn’t quite believe it.

One moment she had been comparing diaper prices, and the next, she was sitting across from the man who made her heart feel less heavy with nothing but a smile.