A Second Chance With My Billionaire Love

For a moment, Cecilia just watched them in silence. Then, notifying Mark of her intention, she ascended the stairs.

Mark’s attention remained fixed on Olivia.

Edwin observed Mark, a thought brewing in his mind.

After a moment, he ventured, “Mom’s not with Mr. Smith anymore. Dad… does that make you happy?”

Mark hesitated.

The complexities of adult relationships weren’t something easily distilled into simple words.

Yet, Mark understood the crux of what Edwin sought.

Turning to him, Mark responded gently, “Your mom’s having a tough time. Try to be there more for her and help look after your sister, okay?”

Edwin nestled up to Mark, pressing his lips together in thought.

The question hanging in the air was whether Edwin would like to spend a few more days with him. Though the boy yearned to stay with his father, he couldn’t bear the thought of parting from his sister, his goodnight kiss to her a cherished ritual.

After wrestling with the idea, Edwin inquired, “Can I bring Olivia along?”

Mark shared the wish to have Olivia over, but her tender age made it impractical. She needed her mother’s presence.

Edwin’s desire to remain with his father was palpable.

Sitting close, he ran his fingers through his sister’s brown locks, his tone mature beyond his years.

“Olivia, I’ll be away for a week.

I’ll come back next week, I promise.”

Bottle in hand, Olivia paused to gaze at her brother with her bright, black eyes.

Overcome with affection, Edwin leaned in for a kiss.

He whispered, “So adorable.”

After Olivia’s feeding, Mark spent some time playing with her before ascending the stairs to hand her over to Cecilia.

Cecilia was propped against the sofa, script in hand.

Beside her stood a treadmill. Mark set Olivia down, allowing her some space to play.

“What’s up?” Cecilia lifted her gaze to inquire.

Taking a seat opposite her, Mark studied Cecilia’s eyes, noticing the slight redness.

He couldn’t tell if it was from lack of sleep or the melancholy of parting ways with Thomas. Although he yearned to know, it wasn’t his place to ask. After a pause, he ventured, “You and he…”

“Wie broke up,” interjected Cecilia, her tone casual.

She then strolled over to the window, reaching for her coffee cup.

Mark’s eyes followed her, noting a touch of solitude in her posture.

She was still in her early 30s, he thought, surely she yearned for companionship. He’d encountered Thomas a few times, and the man seemed to mesh well with Cecilia. Love aside, Mark believed they could have had a fulfilling life post-marriage.

His emotions were a tangle.

It was a blend of relief and self-reproach.

Olivia, in her playful zest, scampered toward Mark, intending to Leap into his embrace, but the treadmill stood in her path.

She stamped her little feet, craning her neck to look up at him.

In response, Mark scooped her up.

Olivia’s arms found their way around Mark’s neck. Admiring how handsome her father was, she planted kisses on his face, leaving a trail of drool on his chin.

Mark didn’t mind.

He ambled slowly behind Cecilia, Olivia secure in his hold.

After what felt like an eternity, he managed to ask, “Did you care for him?”

Eyes downcast, Cecilia offered a smile.

“If I admit I did, would you cease to appear before me, or stop visiting my house?”

A pang of pain shot through Mark’s heart.

They were both acutely aware of her split with Thomas.

Yet, Mark couldn’t make that promise.

He accepted his own selfishness, understanding that when someone craves something deeply, they might just do anything to obtain it.

Cecilia’s demeanor remained even.

“Mark, there’s no hidden message here. I’m simply stating that Edwin and Olivia hold more space in my heart than anyone else… It’s not about you.”

Her words, stark and grounded in reality, stung.

But they were Mark’s to bear.

He grasped her intent. She was signaling her rejection, not just of his advances but of any romantic entanglement.

Though she’d ended things with Thomas, she still didn’t envision a future with Mark.

Mark nodded in acquiescence.

“I understand.”

“What do you understand?”

Cecilia spun around, tears brimming in her eyes, a hint of anger in her voice.

Yet, there Mark stood, Olivia in his arms, the little one busily smearing her saliva on his chin with a look of innocent delight.

Beneath it all, Mark’s gaze held a profound depth.

And in that moment, his allure remained undiminished, even amidst the domestic chaos.

Cecilia held back her rising irritation.

Mark, ever perceptive, sensed it. He playfully tapped Olivia’s backside, remarking, “Your cute little devil.”

Oblivious, Olivia merely wrapped her arms around Mark’s neck and planted a kiss on him.

Mark didn’t beat around the bush.

He handed Olivia to Cecilia, his hand lingering on the child’s soft cheek for a moment.

a bit older, let me look after her for some time. I’m taking Edwin

shifted to

agree to

Edwin emerged upstairs, schoolbag

found herself

attire with one hand, and relayed instructions to

never wavered from

mature allure, a quality that never failed to

sure to listen to your grandma…

Edwin nodded in affirmation.

clasped Edwin’s hand and shared a parting kiss with Olivia, who eagerly

heading out,” Mark murmured, his warm breath grazing Cecilia’s ear, eliciting

lifted to

hand, gently caressing her shoulder and

get

muster a retort, Mark had whisked

stairs,

Mark greeted him politely.

tea with a leisurely air, remarked with a smirk, “Hearing you

now

of Mark, Korbyn harbored

the boy over with a wave, ruffling his hair and planting a kiss

final words carried a laden

over. But just remember, as long as we’re

wasn’t

was free to woo Cecilia, but coercion was

a

“I understand, Dad.”

features, finding Mark’s familiarity brazen. He

are no

response was a

tow, Mark headed back. Midway, his phone rang;

concerned Cecilia,

first question caught him

“Is Rena with you?”

Mark hesitated before replying, “No, she’s not here. I haven’t heard

Concerned, Mark probed further.

was a prelude to a tensed

Angela’s Library

just… we had a bit of

was familiar

maintained a stable relationship, marred only by Waylen’s bouts of possessiveness. Despite Rena scaling back her social interactions, any hint of her mingling with the opposite sex

complex, neither entirely positive

home

nature was well-known in their circle, often fueling

Waylen wore his infamy

Mark reached out to

Mark?” her voice came

inquired, “What’s

at a bar, couldn’t help but

check on me,

Mark offered no denial.

nothing major,”

hiccup. We’ll smooth things over in

Mark’s place to pry into their

call. Vera shot her

plans on heading

glass, showcasing more than half of Duefron’s nighttime skyline. Central to the view was

her eyes,

at a

glasses

the kids?” she

dropped to her shimmering crystal glass, her mind seemingly

not there, he’ll

rift between Waylen and Rena had its roots in the Smith family’s party the other

Rena

post-celebration, he arrived uncharacteristically early to

of Harrison’s ride was fortuitous; otherwise, Waylen’s reaction

their post -nuptial villa, where passion reigned through the night. Amidst

wished she could forget all those unpleasant things he said

Waylen’s routine altered –late departures, early returns, yet constant surveillance on Rena, whether through personal tracking or via a

in his defense was,

thin under Waylen’s intense control, reaching a breaking point when she

of defiance,

the couple

details from

would likely misconstrue the ordeal as a grand

it felt far

aware of the depth of his affection for her, but she knew love

Nobody enjoyed feeling watched.

Rena decided to step

stairs, her form-fitting, elongated

no mind, requesting Ross to

she switched to a taxi, throwing Waylen off

It was Waylen,

She answered this time.

was soft,

“I’m with Vera.”

call, only to blacklist

cradled her

love for you

voice tinged with humor, “Perhaps Waylen’s going through a midlife crisis.” That might explain his fixation on Harrison and the unconscious need to measure

Rena didn’t despise this side of him, but she insisted he amend his invasive

concluded, a male voice drifted in from the

Angela’s Library

“Midlife crisis, am I?”

Rena swiveled.

plant a kiss on her lips, murmuring, “Mrs. Fowler,

an alluring blend

to kiss his wife, creating an enchantingly

couldn’t resist observing the

She watched, utterly fascinated.

the kiss, Rena’s lips parted, whispering,

fingers traced her

Romance saturated the air.

her purse, announcing, “I’ll

offer you a ride home?” Waylen extended the

“No, I’ll manage, thanks.”