My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 248: When Daddy Stayed Behind

The next morning unfolded with deceptive calm. It should have been an ordinary morning, but that illusion shattered quickly when Nathan stirred with a weak whimper that pulled everyone’s attention to his bed.

Leonard stood near the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water when he heard it, the frail, trembling call of the boy. Katherine was at his side within seconds, her hands pressing against Nathan’s burning forehead, panic immediately etching into her features.

"He’s burning up," she whispered, her voice tight with worry. "Nathan, sweetheart, can you hear me?"

The boy’s eyelids fluttered, his lashes sticking slightly from sweat, his cheeks far too pale for her comfort. "Mom... my head hurts," he murmured, his small voice breaking with exhaustion.

Katherine’s heart lurched. She turned toward the hallway where her work bag still lay by the door. Today wasn’t just another day, she had an important meeting she’d been preparing for all week. Yet looking at Nathan now, pale and feverish, every instinct screamed at her to cancel everything and stay.

"I’m not going anywhere," she said firmly, already reaching for her phone. "Felix, the meeting-"

"No."

Leonard stepped forward, his tall frame shadowing the room. His expression was calm, but his hands clenched briefly at his sides before he forced them to relax. He walked closer, lowering his gaze to the sick child, and then to Katherine.

"I’ll take care of him," Leonard said, voice low but certain.

Katherine blinked, caught off guard. "Leonard, he’s sick. I can’t just leave him-"

"You have a meeting," he interrupted gently, though his tone carried a quiet weight. "I’ll stay with Nathan."

Her lips parted to argue, but the sight of him, his shoulders straighter, his color returned after days of looking unwell, made her pause. He looked steadier, more grounded than he had in weeks. Still, hesitation clouded her eyes.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice wavering. "You’re just recovering yourself. What if-"

"I’m fine," Leonard said. And though he didn’t raise his voice, there was something firm in the way he said it. "I’ll take care of him. Please, trust me with this."

A pang of guilt twisted through his chest as he spoke. He couldn’t shake the thought that Nathan’s illness was somehow tied to him, his absence, his carelessness.

Before Katherine could answer, Maya slipped closer, clutching her mother’s arm. Her big eyes shimmered with worry, her little fingers curling tightly into Katherine’s sleeve.

"I don’t want to go to school," Maya whispered, her voice trembling. "Not if Nathan’s sick. I want to stay with him."

Katherine’s expression softened with fresh worry. She cupped Maya’s cheek, brushing her hair back. "Sweetheart, Nathan will be okay. I promise. Mommy will-"

But Leonard crouched down before Katherine could finish, lowering himself until he was eye level with Maya. His eyes, usually cool and guarded, softened as he looked into hers.

"Maya," he said gently. "Your brother is strong. And I’ll be right here with him the whole time."

Her lip trembled. "But what if he needs me?"

"Then I’ll tell him you love him," Leonard answered without hesitation. "I’ll sit with him until he feels better, and I’ll make sure he knows you’re thinking of him. You can go to school, and when you come back, he’ll be waiting for you."

She studied him for a moment, her small brows furrowed. The earnestness in his tone seemed to soften the fear in her chest. Slowly, reluctantly, she gave a small nod.

"Promise?"

Leonard’s throat tightened, but he forced his voice steady. "I promise."

Katherine exhaled, relief mixing with unease. Watching the way Leonard coaxed Maya unsettled her in ways she couldn’t explain. She brushed Maya’s shoulder and straightened.

"Alright," she said softly. "But call me the moment anything changes. Anything."

"I will," Leonard assured her.

Minutes later, the apartment door closed behind Katherine and Maya, leaving silence in its wake. Leonard turned back toward Nathan, who lay curled weakly under the covers.

The day stretched before them quietly. Leonard brewed tea he never drank, set damp cloths on Nathan’s forehead, and sat at the edge of the bed with a patience he hadn’t known he possessed. Every now and then, Nathan stirred, his small body shifting under the blankets. Leonard stayed close, his hand brushing back damp strands of hair from the boy’s forehead.

"You need to rest," Leonard murmured, his voice low, almost coaxing. "Just sleep. I’ll be here."

Nathan’s fever-bright eyes cracked open, gazing up at him with a hazy confusion. "Why are you here?" he whispered.

Leonard froze, caught in the sharpness of such a simple question. His heart twisted, guilt gnawing at him, but he smoothed his expression and leaned closer.

"Because you need me," he said softly.

The boy blinked, his lashes fluttering closed again, too weak to argue. His breathing slowed, though rest didn’t quite claim him. Leonard sat back, his chest tight.

Hours blurred quietly but Leonard stayed anchored to the bedside, his body hunched slightly, one hand resting gently near Nathan’s.

And then, when the boy’s breaths steadied into the illusion of sleep, the words slipped from Leonard’s mouth before he could stop them.

"Daddy loves you."

His voice cracked on the word. He had never said it aloud, not once. He swallowed hard, staring at the frail child before him, his fingers trembling slightly as he brushed the damp towel aside and smoothed Nathan’s hair.

"You need to get better, for me. Alright?" he whispered, his tone breaking. "I can’t... I can’t lose this chance again."

His throat burned, his chest tight with emotions he had buried for too long. He bent closer, his forehead nearly touching Nathan’s, his voice barely above a breath.

"I should have been here," he confessed. "From the beginning. I should never have left you, or your sister, or her. But I’m here now. And I swear, I won’t leave again. I’ll protect you. Both of you. No matter what it takes."

Leonard shut his eyes, letting the confession spill into the air as though speaking it could bind him to the vow.

"Daddy loves you," he whispered again, softer this time. "Don’t forget that."

Believing Nathan had already drifted into fevered sleep, Leonard finally leaned back. His hand lingered against the boy’s hair, his chest rising and falling unevenly.

But what Leonard didn’t see was the faint tension in Nathan’s small hand, the way his fingers curled slightly under the blanket. His eyes, though closed, were not weighed by sleep. His heart thumped with a mixture of confusion and something he couldn’t yet name.

He had heard every word.