My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 14: Between the Lines

Katherine’s car rolled into the office parking lot just as another familiar vehicle pulled into the spot beside hers. The smooth purr of Felix’s silver sedan was unmistakable. As she switched off her engine and stepped out, adjusting the strap of her handbag on her shoulder, her eyes naturally drifted to the man exiting his car.

He had changed.

Gone was the casual denim jacket he wore that morning when they dropped the twins at school. Now, Felix looked sharp in a tailored charcoal jacket, sleek against the navy shirt underneath. The jacket hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, a contrast to the rolled-up sleeves and relaxed demeanor from earlier.

Katherine arched an eyebrow. "You changed your shirt."

Felix locked his car and shrugged as he joined her on the sidewalk. "Didn’t want to stand out too much at kindergarten drop-off."

"Right," she muttered, lips twitching. "Because you standing next to a unicorn backpack and two five-year-olds didn’t already make you look like a catalog dad."

He chuckled under his breath. "Could’ve been worse. I almost wore the tie."

As they walked side by side toward the sleek glass building that housed the headquarters of Lucent & Co., Katherine’s mind drifted. She’d walked this path a hundred times now, but there were days when it still felt surreal.

Felix owned this company—Lucent & Co., a thriving marketing and design firm he built from the ground up. And somehow, through the strange twists of fate, she’d become his secretary. But long before the titles and office walls, they were friends. Felix had come into her life when it was crashing around her. After the divorce, the move—he was the one constant. A lifeline.

Katherine still couldn’t believe it sometimes. She never imagined that the man who used to loiter around the café where she worked, sipping endless cups of black coffee and occasionally offering to take her home, was actually a CEO. He’d always been polite, a little quiet, often scribbling notes into his leather notebook, but never once did he act superior or let on about who he really was. There had been no press about him, no flashy features or interviews—unlike, well... someone she used to know.

Felix had slipped under the radar. Humble. Quiet. Steady.

Five years ago, she’d been terrified. A soon-to-be single mother, just a waitress at a small café, no plan, just a new life with heart full of panic. She remembered the night Felix showed up at her door, back when visits were just occasional and born from friendship.

He’d offered her a job—secretary, assistant, whatever she was comfortable with—at his marketing and design company. She’d been too proud to say yes right away.

But he never pushed. Just waited.

And in the end, she said yes.

Thanks to him, she had a stable job now. Something she could count on. She had even moved out of the cramped apartment that smelled perpetually of old carpet and dust, into a brighter, bigger place with a little balcony where the twins could play. She owed more than she could ever say aloud.

As they walked through the lobby, the clicking of Katherine’s heels echoed alongside Felix’s calm, confident stride. People turned to look at them, subtle murmurs trailing in their wake.

Some smiled politely. Others not so subtly watched them pass.

Katherine kept her chin high. She was used to it by now. There were always whispers about the boss and his secretary. People enjoyed filling in the blanks with juicy narratives: secret lovers, hidden affairs, maybe even a wedding in the works.

Katherine didn’t need to hear to know what they were saying.

She’s so lucky.

Are they a thing?

Isn’t she just his secretary?

But Katherine never corrected them. What was the point? Gossip would always exist, and she had no time to fight shadows.

Once inside the elevator, Felix glanced down at her. "You want me to address the rumor mill someday?"

Katherine pressed the button for their floor. "You’ll just make it worse."

He gave a resigned nod. "Fair point."

The elevator dinged softly, opening to the main office floor. Glass panels, polished wood, and modern decor greeted them as they stepped out. Katherine inhaled deeply. It was going to be a full day.

As they entered Felix’s private office, Katherine followed him in, already tapping on her tablet. Her demeanor shifted as they crossed the threshold from personal to professional.

"Meeting with Hamilton & Lee at nine sharp," she began, scrolling with her index finger. "That’s followed by a team presentation prep at ten-thirty in Conference Room B."

Felix nodded, removing his jacket and draping it over the back of his office chair. "What about the inspection?"

"Noon. The city inspector will arrive around eleven-forty-five, so I scheduled an early lunch for you at eleven."

He chuckled, moving to stand beside her. "You always think two steps ahead."

"It’s part of my job," she replied coolly, still focused on her tablet.

When she leaned closer to show him something on the screen—a graph noting client engagement numbers—he moved slightly, their arms brushing. His hand lingered, fingertips grazing the back of her hand.

It was light. Gentle. Hesitant.

Her breath caught.

Katherine straightened immediately, pulling her hand away, her eyes flicking to his with a polite, restrained smile. "This is the office, Mr. Crawford. Let’s not do something unrelated to work."

He blinked once, taken aback, then nodded slowly. "Of course."

An awkward silence filled the room for half a beat before Katherine turned to gather her tablet and notes. She walked to the door, professional mask firmly back in place.

She turned at the threshold, offering him a soft smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Have a good morning, boss."

Felix returned the smile—smaller, tinged with something almost wistful. "You too, Katherine."

She walked out, heels clicking down the hallway, leaving him in the quiet room with the distant hum of the city below.

He looked down at the spot where her hand had been moments ago, then sighed and moved to sit at his desk.

"Still need time, I see."