My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 249: The Question in the Dark

The sunlight stretched long when Jazz’s car pulled up to Katherine’s building. Maya swung her legs as she sat in the booster seat, her tiny shoes kicking against the edge. She had been chattering the entire ride home, telling Jazz about how her teacher had drawn a giant rainbow on the board and how she had shared her crayons with a classmate.

"And then Mrs. Taylor said my ’A’ was the best in the whole class," Maya said proudly, her hand clutched tight around Jazz’s fingers when they stepped out.

Jazz smiled down at her, adjusting her bag over one shoulder. "Best ’A’ in the whole class, huh? I believe it. You’ve got the smartest handwriting."

Maya giggled at the words, leaning her head against Jazz’s arm as they walked toward the familiar door. She always liked Jazz’s company; Jazz listened, always listening, as if every word she said mattered.

When the door opened, Maya’s steps slowed. Leonard stood there.

He looked different today. Not scary different, not the stern man she had first known. His face was still pale, but no longer the pale that made people whisper "sick." It was softer somehow, warmer, as if the sunlight had reached him too.

"Welcome back," Leonard said, his voice calm, low but not heavy. His eyes flicked to Jazz, and then they settled on Maya, holding for a second longer before he bent slightly. "You must’ve had a busy day."

Maya blinked up at him, clutching Jazz’s hand tighter. She wanted to say something but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she gave a tiny nod.

Jazz raised a brow. "You’re... up and moving?"

Leonard inclined his head. "I’m fine now. Thank you for helping with the children. I’ll take it from here."

Something in his tone made Maya peek up again. There wasn’t the usual clipped edge to his words. He almost sounded... grateful.

"You sure?" Jazz studied him closely, crossing her arms. "Handling both of them while Nathan’s still sick isn’t exactly light work."

"I’m sure," Leonard replied, steady. "You’ve done enough. Go home and rest."

For a moment, Jazz just stood there, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were trying to read something beneath his face. Then, slowly, she nodded. "Alright. But if anything happens, you call Katherine. Understood?"

"Yes," Leonard said simply.

Maya squeezed Jazz’s hand before letting go. "Bye-bye, Jazz," she whispered.

Jazz bent down and kissed her cheek. "Bye, bug. Be good." Then she straightened and left, her footsteps fading down the hall.

The apartment door clicked shut. The silence wrapped around them, heavy but not uncomfortable. Leonard straightened, his gaze shifting back to Maya.

"You must be hungry after school," he said after a pause. "Come."

He led her inside.

Maya sat at the table, her small feet dangling as she nibbled at the crackers and apple slices Leonard had set in front of her. He moved differently now. Careful. Like he was paying attention to things he hadn’t noticed before.

When she asked for juice, he poured it without a word. When she dropped a crumb, he brushed it away with a cloth.

Then he checked on Nathan.

Maya slipped off her chair and padded after him, her hair bouncing in little curls. Nathan was in bed, propped up with pillows. His cheeks were still pale, but his eyes weren’t as glassy as this morning.

"Hi, Maya," Nathan said weakly.

"Hi," Maya whispered, crawling up onto the other side of the bed. She touched his arm carefully. "You feel better?"

"A little." Nathan smiled faintly before leaning against the pillow again.

Leonard sat on the edge of the mattress, placing a hand on Nathan’s forehead. His touch was gentle, the kind that made Maya blink in surprise. Usually, adults pressed too hard, or too fast. But Leonard’s hand lingered like he was afraid of hurting him.

"The fever’s gone down," Leonard murmured, more to himself than them. "Good."

He adjusted the blanket over Nathan, tugging it up higher. Maya wriggled closer until her shoulder brushed her brother’s.

"Can you read to us?" she asked suddenly.

Leonard looked up, caught off guard. "Read?"

"Yes," Maya insisted, eyes wide. "Like Mommy does."

For a moment, he hesitated. Then, almost reluctantly, he reached for the book on Nathan’s nightstand, the one Katherine had left behind. His large hands held it carefully as he opened it, his voice low when he began.

Maya listened, rapt. His voice wasn’t like Katherine’s, hers was warm like cookies, but his was deep, like the sound of rain against the window. She liked it. Nathan leaned against Leonard’s arm, his eyes half-closing as he listened too.

Halfway through, Maya giggled.

"What is it?" Leonard asked, pausing mid-sentence.

"You said it wrong," she pointed out, grinning. "It’s not ’hippo-pot-ah-mouse.’ It’s ’hippopotamus!’"

Leonard blinked at the page, then huffed a quiet laugh. The sound was so unexpected Maya stared. She had never really heard him laugh before.

"You’re right," he said, his mouth curving just slightly. "Hippopotamus. My mistake."

Maya leaned against Nathan, still smiling.

Later, when Leonard tried slicing more apples, he nearly dropped the knife because the pieces slipped. Maya clapped her hands over her mouth, giggling again.

"You’re supposed to cut it sideways," she instructed, climbing onto a chair to watch.

"Sideways," Leonard repeated solemnly, as though this were the most serious instruction in the world. He followed her direction, cutting slower this time.

When he handed the slices over, Maya took one and beamed. "See? Better."

Leonard shook his head faintly but said nothing, just watching her chew with quiet amusement.

Evening settled slowly, with Nathan was tucked in bed, Maya curled beside him. Leonard sat close, his long frame leaned against the chair, a book still resting on his knee though he hadn’t turned a page in a while.

The silence was comfortable. Nathan’s breathing had evened out, Maya’s small hand clasped in his. Leonard’s gaze lingered on them both, a faint crease between his brows as if something in the sight both soothed and ached him.

Maya stirred, blinking up at him. "You’re staying here?"

"Yes," Leonard said quietly.

Her lips curved into a sleepy smile. "Good." She burrowed closer to Nathan, tugging the blanket up.

But then Nathan’s voice, soft but clear, broke the calm.

"Are you... our dad?"