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.

taking Edwin back with

shifted to

agree to

as she posed the question, Edwin emerged upstairs,

found herself unable to

approached, smoothing out her son’s attire with one hand, and

gaze never wavered from

allure, a quality

to listen

Edwin nodded in affirmation.

clasped Edwin’s hand and shared a parting kiss

Mark murmured, his warm breath grazing Cecilia’s ear,

lifted

her shoulder and

to get some

muster a retort, Mark

the stairs, they

Mark greeted him politely.

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

better now I

of Mark, Korbyn harbored a

over with a wave, ruffling his hair and planting a

departed, Korbyn’s final words

mother nor I need fret over. But just remember, as long as we’re here, no one’s going

implication wasn’t lost on

woo Cecilia, but coercion

held a trace

“I understand, Dad.”

Korbyn’s features, finding

that. You are

was a simple,

Mark headed back. Midway, his

call concerned Cecilia,

Waylen’s first question caught him

“Is Rena with you?”

steering wheel, Mark hesitated before replying, “No, she’s

Concerned, Mark probed further.

a prelude to a

Angela’s Library

major, just… we had

was familiar with

maintained a stable relationship, marred only by Waylen’s bouts of possessiveness. Despite Rena scaling back

was complex, neither

Rena wouldn’t head home and

nature was well-known in their circle,

Waylen wore

the call, Mark reached out to Rena.

her

Mark inquired, “What’s happening between you

at a

sent you to check

Mark offered no denial.

nothing major,” Rena reassured

smooth things over in a day

place to pry into their

over, Rena ended the call. Vera shot her

on heading back

half of Duefron’s nighttime skyline. Central to the view was Exceed Group’s

glossing her eyes, Rena’s smile

I’ll stay at a hotel

clinked glasses with

the

to her shimmering crystal

there, he’ll surely head

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

night, Rena encountered

him. Yet, post-celebration, he arrived uncharacteristically early to fetch Rena, almost like he suspected there was something going on between Rena and

fortuitous; otherwise, Waylen’s reaction

post -nuptial villa, where passion reigned

things he said in a fit

departures, early returns, yet constant surveillance on Rena,

protective in his defense

patience wore thin under Waylen’s intense control, reaching a breaking point when she discovered her phone was

a fit of defiance,

the

these details from even Vera, too embarrassed to

romantic, would likely misconstrue the ordeal as

it felt far

of the depth of his affection for her, but she knew love wasn’t an

Nobody enjoyed feeling watched.

a breather, Rena decided

elongated dress drew an extra glance from

mind, requesting Ross

to a taxi, throwing

vibrated. It was

She answered this time.

tone was soft,

“I’m with Vera.”

she ended the call, only to blacklist his number

cradled her

these years, his love

tinged with humor, “Perhaps Waylen’s going through a midlife crisis.” That might explain his fixation on

this side of him, but she insisted he

drifted in from the private

Angela’s Library

“Midlife crisis, am I?”

Rena swiveled.

bent down to plant a kiss on her lips, murmuring, “Mrs. Fowler, it seems you value me

prime, Waylen exuded an alluring blend

his wife, creating

observing the

She watched, utterly fascinated.

of the kiss, Rena’s lips

fingers traced

Romance saturated the air.

scene, Vera grabbed her purse, announcing, “I’ll leave you

ride home?” Waylen extended the

“No, I’ll manage, thanks.”