My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 229: Marks That Shouldn’t Exist

Leonard hadn’t truly expected Katherine to open her door quickly. A part of him had braced himself for waiting, perhaps even leaving if she didn’t answer. But when the door swung wide, the sight that greeted him wasn’t Katherine.

It was Felix.

The man stood there. His eyes flickered with recognition, and almost immediately his mouth curved, not into surprise, not into politeness, but into a sharp smirk that carried mockery in its very shape.

Leonard’s expression darkened at once, shadows deepening the already hard lines of his face. The polite restraint he had worn in preparation for Katherine fell away like broken glass.

His voice came out low, sharp, tightly controlled.

"What are you doing here? It’s late."

Felix didn’t miss a beat. His smirk widened, lazy and taunting, like a predator toying with prey it didn’t even fear. He shifted his weight against the doorframe, shoulders slouching just enough to give the impression of casual arrogance. His lips curled, and the mockery in his eyes deepened.

"Funny," Felix drawled, his tone smooth but barbed, "I was about to ask you the same thing. Or did you get lost? Your apartment’s across the hall."

The jab landed like a blade. Leonard’s jaw tightened, a muscle ticking just beneath his cheekbone. His eyes narrowed to slits, piercing and cold, but he didn’t allow himself to falter. He drew himself straighter, broader, refusing to be diminished by Felix’s posture.

"No, I’m in the right place." His eyes didn’t waver, his voice hard as stone. "This is where I used to live. My home."

Felix’s smirk only deepened. His eyes gleamed with amusement, as though Leonard’s declaration had been exactly what he’d hoped for, a weakness exposed.

The air between them thickened, charged with invisible sparks. Every glance was a knife, every pause a dare. The silence itself seemed to challenge them, filling the hallway with a suffocating tension that neither man intended to break first.

Felix’s shoulder leaned more heavily against the doorframe, his entire body angled as though deliberately barring the way inside. His stance was ownership in its purest form, taunting in its boldness.

And Leonard... Leonard’s hands curled into fists at his sides, knuckles whitening, though his face betrayed nothing but iron calm.

Then-

"Leonard?"

Her voice.

The fragile thread of tension shifted, snapping Leonard’s focus to the source. Katherine’s voice floated out from behind Felix, soft but hesitant, uncertain.

When she appeared, the breath in his lungs stilled.

Katherine stepped into view, the light catching in her hair, casting her in warm tones that made something twist sharply in his chest. She wore an awkward smile, her eyes darting between him and Felix as though unsure of how to bridge the gulf yawning between them.

At once, Leonard’s demeanor shifted. The harsh lines of his face softened, the steel in his eyes dimmed into warmth. His lips moved, forming her name with an ease that contrasted the tension seconds earlier. "Katherine."

The difference in his voice was stark, gentle, even warm. It was as though Felix had ceased to exist the moment she appeared.

Katherine smiled back, but faintly, uncertainly. He could see it in the small crease of her brow, the hesitation lingering in her tone. She was caught between them, and it unsettled her.

That was when Felix moved.

Smoothly, his arm snaked around Katherine’s waist. Not in a hurry, but calculated to draw attention. His hand rested against her hip, pulling her against his side with a boldness that needed no words.

And then Felix’s eyes found Leonard’s again. He didn’t speak, he didn’t need to. The triumphant smirk playing on his lips was enough.

The message was clear: She’s mine.

Leonard’s gaze sharpened instantly, piercing like blades of ice. His entire body went rigid, breath shallow as he forced himself not to react. His eyes flickered down, almost against his will, down to where Felix’s arm held Katherine, down to the delicate line of her neck.

And then he froze.

His breath stalled. His pupils contracted sharply.

There, faint against her skin, was a mark. Small, subtle, but undeniable.

A mark he didn’t want to believe was what it looked like.

His thoughts began to race, wild and disordered. No. No, it can’t be. Maybe she,,, maybe she hurt herself. Maybe it’s a scratch. Or-

The thought slammed into him before he could stop it. Or did they...?

His chest tightened, so suddenly it felt like his ribs might splinter. He shook his head slightly, almost violently, rejecting the idea before it could fully form. His throat went dry, bitter. No, he wouldn’t believe it

And yet the unease clawed at him, refusing to let go.

Katherine must have noticed his shift because she quickly spoke, her voice steady though faintly defensive. "The twins are already asleep." She looked at him directly, her tone soft but edged with something protective, as though bracing herself.

Leonard swallowed down the storm clawing up his chest. His nod was stiff, restrained, his voice carefully polite though edged in coldness. "I only came by to check on you. And the kids." His eyes flickered past Felix, to her. "But since they’re sleeping, there’s no need to disturb them."

The words felt heavy, false even to his own ears, but he forced them out anyway.

Katherine gave a small nod, relief softening her shoulders. She didn’t argue. She didn’t invite him in. That, too, dug deeper than he wanted to admit.

Leonard straightened, his jaw set. "I’ll take my leave then. Good night."

He turned, forcing his pace into calm steadiness. He would not give Felix the satisfaction of seeing him falter.

But just as he reached the midpoint of the hallway, it came-

Bang!

The sharp echo of a door slammed shut behind him.

The sound reverberated through the narrow corridor, harsh and unnecessary, dripping with spite.

Leonard halted mid-step, shoulders locking in place. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, nails biting into his palms. He didn’t need to turn. He didn’t need to see.

He knew.

It was Felix.

The smugness in that slam was loud enough to hear without words.