My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 20: Ghost in Daylight

It had been a week since Nathan and Maya started kindergarten, and Katherine couldn’t have been more grateful. Every morning had become a little victory—no whining, no clinging, no begging to stay home. The twins woke up with smiles, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.

She sometimes caught herself staring at them, a strange tightness in her chest. Perhaps it was pride. Or maybe it was that bittersweet realization that they were growing up, learning to walk paths without her holding their hands.

Even though they had been placed in different classes, it didn’t seem to bother them. Nathan was a little more independent, confident, quick to adapt. Maya, softer around the edges, took comfort in seeing her brother during recess or at lunch. Katherine often told herself: They’re strong. They’re managing. They’re surviving. Much like her.

The morning sun filtered through the leaves as Katherine pulled into the school parking lot. Birds chirped faintly overhead, and the scent of early autumn hung in the air—dry grass, fallen leaves, and a tinge of something cool and crisp. She turned off the engine, grabbed her handbag, and walked around the car to unbuckle the twins from their seats.

"Come on, my little champions," she said cheerfully, her voice light with warmth.

Nathan hopped out first, his small sneakers hitting the asphalt with a soft thud. Maya followed, clutching her bunny-shaped lunchbox.

Hand in hand, they walked to the kindergarten gate. Parents clustered here and there, chatting or crouching to give last-minute reminders. Katherine crouched down to their level, tucking a loose strand of Maya’s hair behind her ear.

"Okay, you know the drill," she said with a smile. "Be good, finish your lunch, and Jazz will pick you up later, alright?"

"Yes, Mommy," they chorused, Maya leaning in for a kiss while Nathan gave her a quick hug.

"Good luck, my darlings. Make today even better than yesterday," she whispered as she kissed their heads.

They turned, tiny arms waving, backpacks bouncing, and soon disappeared into the sea of uniformed children. Katherine stood there for a moment, her heart tender, her smile lingering. Then she straightened, ready to turn around and head back to her car.

That was when her feet froze.

A familiar silhouette, tall and composed, appeared across the lot. She blinked, once, twice. No. It couldn’t be.

But it was.

Leonard.

He stood just outside another entrance, his profile angled as he held a boy’s hand. The child looked to be around the same age as Nathan and Maya, with soft brown curls and a bright red backpack.

Katherine’s breath hitched in her throat. Panic flared beneath her ribs. Instinctively, she stepped back, veering behind the nearest parked car. Her back pressed against the cold metal, and she gasped softly, clutching her chest.

Why is he here? Her mind spiraled. Is that his son? With Miranda? Is the boy in Maya’s class? Or Nathan’s?

She squinted again, still unable to believe what she was seeing. Leonard... out in public? With a child? In broad daylight? The very idea made her heart twist. He always hated attention, avoided crowds like the plague. And now he’s just—out here? As if none of it matters?

She peeked out cautiously, eyes darting past the windshield of the SUV she’d hidden behind. Leonard bent slightly to speak to the boy, his expression gentle—even affectionate. The child nodded, gripping his hand tighter, and Leonard ruffled his hair.

Katherine slapped her cheek, the sting grounding her.

For God’s sake, Katherine, you need to leave. Now.

She ducked low, heart pounding, and retraced her steps back to her car. Her hands trembled slightly as she unlocked the door, slipped in, and slammed it shut. Her breath came in uneven bursts as she gripped the steering wheel.

You shouldn’t feel like this. You have no reason to feel like this.

But she did. And she hated it.

She hated that she had to run away like a coward, hiding behind cars and ducking like a fugitive in broad daylight. She hated the trembling in her hands, the breath caught in her throat, the flood of memories she had no control over. But most of all, she hated the truth: the only thing—the last thing—she ever needed right now was to see him again.

Because if that happened, if their eyes met, if he spoke to her, she had no idea what she would do.

What could she even say?

Hi, ex-husband. Not happy to see you again. How’s your relationship with the homewrecker a.k.a. Miranda?

Honestly, it would be a miracle if she ever managed to speak to him again without her throat closing up. But if the universe truly wanted to test her, it’d be a bigger miracle if she didn’t finally land that punch she’d long fantasized about—one she should’ve delivered as a parting gift during their divorce proceedings.

God, that’s petty, she told herself with a groan. But some days, petty was all she had left.

She groaned inwardly and rested her forehead against the steering wheel for a moment. The leather was cool, the hum of the car steady beneath her fingertips, but it couldn’t quiet the chaos inside her.

Never—not once—had she imagined running into Leonard in a place like this. Not at a kindergarten drop-off, surrounded by parents and tiny backpacks and juice boxes. It felt so normal, so domestic, so real. Too real.

And yet, there he was. As if the past didn’t weigh a thing.

But the truth whispered otherwise.

She turned the key and the engine hummed to life. Pulling out carefully, she made sure not to look back right away. Only once she reached the end of the parking lot did she glance in the rearview mirror.

Leonard was still there, his back now facing her as he walked toward the school building, the child beside him. Slowly, he grew smaller and smaller in the mirror until he was gone.

Still, the tremor in her chest remained.