My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 159: Into The Deep

The moment the splash echoed across the backyard, time seemed to lurch forward and then freeze.

Leonard’s head snapped in the direction of the pool—he hadn’t even processed the sound fully, but something in his bones knew. It was instinct, pure and raw. A child was in the water.

His child.

"Maya!" Julio’s scream tore through the air, frantic and trembling.

Leonard didn’t wait for anyone else to react.

Claudio hadn’t finished his sentence, a drink in his hand, but Leonard was already sprinting away from him, his hair messy from the sudden burst of speed, his steps loud and fast over the stone tiles. Shoes on, shirt buttoned, phone still in his pocket—none of it mattered.

All that mattered was the tiny body flailing in the deep end of the pool.

"Maya!" Leonard shouted, just before leaping.

The cold water swallowed him whole.

There was a brief second of silence underwater. A single second where everything was muffled and the blue light shimmered above his head. Then he opened his eyes, blinked through the chlorine sting, and saw her—Maya, sinking, arms outstretched and flailing, bubbles escaping her mouth as panic overtook her small body.

Leonard surged forward, heart racing like thunder in his chest. He grabbed her with both arms and pushed upward with all his strength. Maya clung to him the moment she felt his hold, wrapping her small arms around his neck in a tight, terrified grip.

She was crying, choking on sobs and water, but she was breathing. That’s all that mattered.

They broke the surface with a loud splash. A collective gasp rippled from the gathering guests.

"I got her!" Leonard shouted, pushing her toward the edge with one arm while keeping them both afloat.

Claudio and another man were already kneeling by the pool’s edge, arms outstretched. Leonard passed Maya up first—her small body trembling, soaked, and crying.

"Maya!" Katherine’s voice cracked like glass as she pushed through the crowd.

Nathan stood a step behind her, frozen in place, his little hands clenched into fists by his side. His eyes were wide with fear.

As soon as Maya was pulled from the pool, Nathan ran forward and hugged her tightly, his own tears spilling freely. Maya coughed a few more times, wheezing, but she was okay. Breathing. Alive.

Leonard pulled himself up next. His clothes were heavy, water dripping off of him and pooling at his feet. His hair was slicked to his forehead, his shirt clung to his chest, and he could feel his phone buzzing uselessly in his pocket, probably ruined. He didn’t care.

Katherine dropped to her knees beside Maya and pulled her into her arms, rocking her gently.

"Maya, sweetheart, you’re okay. You’re okay. I’ve got you." Her voice shook. She was barely holding it together.

Leonard stood there, still dripping, his chest heaving from the adrenaline. His eyes didn’t leave Maya’s small form. He hadn’t realized how fast his heart had been pounding until the silence after.

Katherine looked up at him slowly.

Her eyes were glassy. Tears clung to her lashes, but they didn’t fall yet. Her lips trembled as she held Maya closer. Her hands were shaking as she checked for any injuries. "Are you hurt anywhere?" she asked Maya.

Maya sniffled, shook her head. "I—I was just running... and the ground was slippery..."

"It’s okay," Katherine whispered again, brushing a wet strand of hair away from Maya’s forehead. "You’re safe now."

The crowd around them began to murmur—some guests stepping back, a few staff bringing towels. Claudio directed someone to bring a dry blanket.

Leonard stepped forward with a towel in hand, still soaked himself, but he only held it out. "She needs to stay warm. The water was cold."

Katherine’s gaze met his again.

For a long, still moment, everything else faded. The background noise, the other guests, even the sound of the pool water gently lapping at the edges.

Her lips parted, and she whispered, "Thank you."

Leonard swallowed hard. Her voice was soft, fragile like porcelain, and it knocked the breath out of him.

"You don’t have to thank me," he said, just as quietly. "I’d do it again. Always."

The towel slipped from his hands to hers. Their fingers brushed, and it was like a small jolt of electricity passed between them. Not because of anything romantic—but because of how close they had come to losing something irreplaceable.

Katherine wrapped Maya in the towel, cradling her gently. Nathan stayed close, still clinging to Maya’s side protectively. Julio hovered nearby, face pale with worry. "I tried to stop her," he said meekly.

"It’s not your fault," Katherine said quickly, mustering a faint smile for him. "Thank you for being with her."

Paula came through the crowd then, along with one of the staff who had a first aid kit. Claudio looked like he was about to say something but held it back, watching the scene unfold.

"Let’s get her inside. We need to get her out of these wet clothes and have her checked—just to be safe."

Katherine nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Of course."

Maya shivered against her chest, the towel already starting to soak through. Her small fingers clutched at Katherine’s blouse, still dazed. Nathan kept a steady hand on his sister’s back, refusing to let go even as they moved.

Leonard ran a hand through his wet hair, water flicking off the ends. He took a steadying breath and exhaled slowly. His heart still hadn’t returned to normal.

Katherine hadn’t either.

She looked shaken, like the fear had sunk into her bones. She wasn’t looking at anyone else. Only her daughter.

And Leonard? He kept looking at them. At the family he’d once walked away from.

No. That wasn’t right.

The family he almost lost again.

"I’ll go change, too," Leonard said quietly, more to himself than anyone.

He turned to walk toward the house, every step squishing from the water in his shoes, his soaked shirt sticking to his skin. The breeze suddenly felt sharper.

As he walked inside, he didn’t hear Katherine call after him—but he didn’t need to.

He could feel her eyes on his back.

And if he had looked over his shoulder... he would’ve seen her watching him go, still hugging Maya, lips pressed into her daughter’s damp hair.

Grateful.

Conflicted.

Just like him.