My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 22: The Stirring

Leonard sat behind his grand desk. The city skyline stretched out beyond the glass, but his eyes weren’t on it. He was staring at his screen, motionless. His fingers rested on the keyboard, unmoving, while his mind drifted far from the spreadsheets and reports displayed before him.

This morning had gone smoothly. He had offered to take Julio to kindergarten, a rare offer that both Claudio and Paula hadn’t questioned, only given him a surprised glance. And surprisingly, it had been pleasant. Julio had chattered happily in the car, pointing out clouds shaped like dragons and asking why some buildings had pointy roofs. Leonard had found himself smiling without realizing it.

But then—

There was a moment.

A glimpse.

It might have been his imagination. Maybe he was just losing his mind.

But for a fraction of a second, as he was walking together with Julio to the school gates, he thought he saw—her.

Katherine.

It was only a figure. A woman, walking briskly down the sidewalk, back turned to him. He didn’t even catch her face. Just a silhouette in a tailored black coat, hair swept into a low twist. But his breath had caught all the same.

Could it have been her?

He hadn’t seen Katherine in years. Not since... well. Not since everything ended. And even if it had been her, what would she have been doing there?

There were a few possibilities, he told himself. Maybe she worked nearby. Maybe she’d just dropped off her kid at one of the schools around here. Did she have a kid? Was she even married again? He didn’t know. Truth be told, he hadn’t known anything about Katherine in years.

And not because it was hard to find out. In his world, it would’ve taken all of ten minutes to pull up everything—addresses, job history, social media accounts. But he never tried. Not once.

He liked to think it was out of respect. But if he was being honest, it was fear. Fear of seeing her with someone else. Fear of knowing she was happy without him. Or worse—fear of finding out she wasn’t.

So he kept his distance, tucked her away like an old photo in a drawer he never opened. And yet, one passing silhouette was all it took to bring it rushing back. Maybe it wasn’t her. But maybe it was.

He would know. But something about the way she walked, the speed in her step, the shape of her shoulders—it clawed into his memory with startling clarity.

A sharp knock broke through his thoughts.

Leonard blinked, leaning back as the door opened.

Becca stepped inside, tablet in hand. Her hair was twisted up into a sleek bun, her blazer crisply pressed. Efficient, as always.

"So, Mr. Ford," she began. "You said to bring the quarterly breakdown. I’ve updated the numbers for the new projections."

"Yes. Good."

He cleared his throat and gestured for her to approach. Becca walked up, scrolling on her tablet to show him the graphs. She began explaining, her voice clear, but Leonard found his attention faltering again.

Without looking up, he said, "I’ll go."

"Sorry?" Becca stopped mid-sentence.

Leonard looked up at her. "The anniversary party. The one you mentioned last week. For the Kingswell Holdings. Tell them I’ll be attending."

Becca’s eyes widened slightly. A soft gasp slipped out before she quickly smoothed her face, nodding.

"Was it really so surprising?" he asked, voice even but with a hint of something behind it—curiosity, maybe. Or challenge.

Becca straightened. "No. Absolutely not, sir," she said quickly. Too quickly.

Leonard’s lips quirked, just slightly. "Mm."

Becca hesitated, then busied herself with the tablet in her hand, tapping through calendar entries. He watched her for a moment, then waved a hand dismissively.

"For the gift," he said, "just go with the usual."

"Of course. I’ll confirm with their office and prepare the gift."

"Thank you," he said simply.

She nodded again and turned to leave. The door clicked softly shut behind her.

Leonard leaned back in his chair, exhaling. The invitation had arrived last week. Kingswell Holdings’ fiftieth anniversary. A milestone, certainly, and one they were determined to celebrate with all the grandeur their reputation allowed.

Becca had brought it up when it arrived, casually suggesting he consider attending. He had given his usual reply: "I’ll think about it," which she always knew meant no.

Kingswell had been a steady partner for over a decade. Reliable. Profitable. The kind of relationship that didn’t require hand-holding or constant attention. Still, events like this were expected—a show of goodwill, a nod to the mutual success they’d built over the years.

He never went to these things anymore.

Not since the divorce.

Not since the joy of clinking glasses and smiling for cameras had been soured by old memories and hollow conversations. Parties now were just noise. A blur of polite laughs and empty exchanges.

Normally, he would’ve sent someone in his place with a tasteful gift and the right words to make up for his absence. Becca had likely assumed he would again. So had he.

But something had shifted.

So why was he going now?

He didn’t know.

There was no strategic reason. No sudden shift in business alliances. Just—a tug. A strange, quiet pull that had taken root this morning and hadn’t let go.

Maybe it was the glimpse. Maybe it was the ghost of Katherine’s figure on the sidewalk.

Leonard sighed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. He was a man of logic, not whims. And yet, here he was, accepting party invitations on a gut feeling.

He looked toward the window again, but the skyline offered no answers.

Somewhere in this city, Katherine existed. Maybe she had walked right past him this morning, unaware that he had seen her. Or maybe it really hadn’t been her at all. Maybe he was clinging to shadows. But he couldn’t shake the thought.

He wasn’t ready to see her.

But if fate was playing games, he had a feeling the game had already started.