My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 13: First Bell

The school was buzzing with life. Brightly colored banners reading "Welcome, Kindergartners!" flapped in the morning breeze. Tiny shoes tapped against pavement, squeals of laughter and nervous chatter filled the air, and everywhere Katherine looked, there were parents adjusting backpacks, fixing bows, kneeling for goodbye hugs. It was a scene straight from a children’s book—warm, chaotic, and full of promise.

Katherine’s car pulled into the designated drop-off area, the engine humming softly before she switched it off. She turned to the back seat, where Maya and Nathan sat side-by-side in their car seats, hands clutching their small backpacks.

"Are you two ready?" she asked gently, smoothing a curl from Maya’s forehead.

Maya’s eyes were wide with excitement. "Yes! I want to see if they really have a bunny in the reading corner like the website said!"

Nathan nodded, his grip on the strap of his blue backpack tightening slightly. He wasn’t smiling, but his eyes were calm.

Just then, a second car pulled into the driveway with a smooth hum. Felix’s sleek silver sedan glinted under the morning light. He stepped out, camera hanging from his neck.

"Ready?" he called out, waving as he approached.

Maya ran to him immediately. "Uncle Felix! Look! I wore the clips you gave me!"

He knelt down, clicking his camera quickly. "Perfect. I need a picture of that." He raised his camera and snapped a photo of Maya striking a proud pose, and then turned to Nathan.

"Buddy, give me a serious school face."

Nathan blinked once before furrowing his brow in a pretend serious expression. Felix chuckled and took another photo.

Katherine rolled her eyes fondly. "You’re turning this into a photoshoot."

"It’s their first day of kindergarten," he replied, standing. "It only happens once."

He had his camera up again, snapping a photo of them stepping onto school entrance for the first time.

"Okay, one last photo," Felix said, gathering them in front of the school sign. "Big smile!"

The twins posed with goofy grins, and Katherine joined them briefly at Felix’s insistence. He took a photo of her holding both children close, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You two are going to rock this place. Just remember: be kind, listen to your teacher, and don’t forget to eat your snacks. Especially the apple slices."

"Even the skin part?" Maya wrinkled her nose.

"Especially the skin part. That’s where all the superpowers are," he winked.

Katherine smiled, heart swelling with a strange mixture of pride and bittersweet nostalgia. Her babies. Off to school. Time, that relentless tide, had pushed her gently but surely to this moment.

Felix moved to help Nathan adjust his bag while Katherine knelt to tighten the strap on Maya’s shoe.

Maya tugged on her mother’s arm. "Mama, are you going to cry? Your eyes look shiny."

Katherine laughed softly and kissed her daughter’s cheek. "Only a little. Happy tears."

Nathan stood by Felix, his small hand slipping naturally into the older man’s. Felix looked down in surprise, then squeezed it gently, his smile more tender than usual.

Together, the four of them made their way to the front steps of the building. Other parents were already starting their goodbyes. Some kids clung to legs and refused to let go. Others bolted straight for the door. Maya and Nathan paused at the bottom of the steps.

Katherine knelt between them, placing one hand on each small shoulder.

"You both are going to have a wonderful day. Be brave, be curious, and be kind."

"What if I forget where the bathroom is?" Maya whispered.

"Then ask your teacher. That’s what they’re there for."

"What if Nathan wants to go home?"

Nathan shook his head. "I won’t. I promise."

Felix crouched beside them, offering his signature crooked grin. "And if anything goes wrong, just imagine me with a giant banana hat trying to dance. That should help."

Maya giggled. "That’s so silly, Uncle Felix!"

"Exactly. Works every time."

Katherine hugged them both tightly, breathing in their familiar scent—soap, syrup from breakfast, and something uniquely them. She let go slowly, like peeling off a bandage, not wanting to break the moment.

"Alright," she said finally, voice soft. "Go make some memories."

Hand in hand, Maya and Nathan ascended the steps. Halfway up, Maya turned and waved energetically. Nathan gave a small wave too, his gaze lingering on Felix.

They disappeared through the glass doors.

Silence wrapped around Katherine like a soft blanket. She exhaled deeply.

"Well," she said, brushing her hands against her jeans. "There they go."

Felix nodded. "First of many steps."

They stood in quiet for a moment longer, watching other children filter in. Then, without thinking, Katherine slipped her arm through Felix’s.

"Coffee?" she asked.

He looked down at her. "You read my mind."

As they walked back to the car, their steps slow and unhurried, Katherine found herself glancing at Felix more than once. His presence had become a constant in the last five years, but this morning, something felt...different.

Maybe it was the way he’d knelt to reassure the kids.

Maybe it was how Nathan instinctively reached for him.

Or maybe it was how Felix looked at her—not like a friend or a helper, but something deeper. Something unspoken.

Inside the car, Felix started the engine. The radio played softly. A silence settled again, not uncomfortable but full of unsaid things.

Katherine looked out the window. "Did you ever think it would turn out like this?"

Felix glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"Us. Here. You, me, the twins. This life."

He was quiet for a long moment. Then he replied, "No. But I’m glad it did."

She turned to look at him then, sunlight catching the strands of his hair. "Thank you, Felix. For being here."

He shrugged one shoulder, a little awkward. "Wouldn’t miss it for the world."

Katherine smiled at that, her eyes lingering on him a beat longer before she glanced down at her watch. "We should get going. Got that meeting at nine."

Felix nodded, falling into step beside her. "Right. And the inspection’s at noon."

As they reached the cars, Katherine turned to him, teasing. "Alright, boss. Let’s go to work."