Page 76 of The Billionaire's Second Chance
He cut me off right away. “If you’re about to apologize for what you’re going to say, please don’t.”
“You deserve better,” I said softly.
He chuckled. “Licia, I know what I deserve. It’s a shame we didn’t work out. I had my doubts from the start, but I took a chance because you made me believe in love again. The way I love you is intense, and I want to hold on to that. So, please, don’t tarnish the memories we have with apologies or regrets.”
“I feel like I led you on, only to leave you in the lurch.”
“I volunteered to be your rebound guy, remember? I’m still committed to your happiness, even if that doesn’t mean being with me.”
“What kind of man are you?” I asked, a mix of admiration and confusion in my voice.
“A rare breed, I’d say,” he replied with a smile. Finally, he was smiling.
The way he kept finding ways to make this easier on me, even as I was ending things, was heartwarming. If I hadn’t already been in love with someone else, Avery might have been the one for me.
“You truly are one of a kind,” I said.
“Since you’ve gone to the trouble of coming all the way here, would you at least do me the honor of sharing a last supper?”
I nodded, smiling wistfully. “I’d be happy to.”
He studied me for a moment with an intensity that made me feel both curious and a little self-conscious.
“You’re staring, Avery,” I said, breaking the silence.
“Yeah… I’m just going to miss you.”
I relaxed, feeling a bittersweet ache. “Same here. I already do.”
Chapter Twenty Four
Kevin
I was finally ready to take the custody arrangement to court. I had reached my breaking point trying to resolve things civilly with Chloe, but the arguments persisted. If she wouldn’t listen to me, then she’d have to hear from the court.
It wasn’t my intention to put Chloe through the stress of deciding how long Noah would stay with each of us, but she was being unreasonably stubborn. I had no choice but to move forward with my decision. I had to think about Noah's future and what was best for him in the long run. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I had a son and not being part of his life.
I wanted to discuss it with Dad first, so we could get our lawyers involved. I found him in his study, reading one of his favorite genres—historical fiction. Dad loved history and was a voracious reader of anything related to it, fiction or not.
Maybe that's what shaped his perspective on life. A deep understanding of the past and how it influenced our present choices. But what did I know? Sports had always been mypassion.A good game and a roaring crowd made sense to me, but history? That was Dad's territory.
“Dad, I’ve made a decision,” I blurted out, adjusting myself on the white leather chair across from him. My voice was steady, but inside, I felt a swirl of conflicting emotions. Was I doing the right thing? Would Noah hate me for dragging this into court? But Chloe was leaving me no choice.
He lifted his eyes from the pages of his book, narrowing them slightly in my direction. “About what, son?” he asked, his tone skeptical as he placed a marker between the pages.
Dad had been busy with his new business venture, so I figured my ongoing issues must have gotten lost in his sea of thoughts. Or maybe he was just tired of hearing about my problems. I couldn’t blame him. I was tired of them myself.
“About Noah’s custody. I want to take it to court and settle it once and for all.”
“Oh… that?” he replied, as if it were some minor inconvenience.
“Yes. I was hoping we could schedule a meeting with Attorney Frazier. He should be able to handle things discreetly, without the usual media circus. Neither of us wants that kind of publicity.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll give him a call right now and see what we can arrange.” Dad’s expression softened a bit. He leaned back in his chair, clearly recognizing the weight of the situation.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Attorney Frazier was quick to answer the call—after all, he and Dad were close friends. After a few minutes of pleasantries and catching up, Dad asked about his availability, and Frazier immediately agreed to meet us at his office that afternoon. I wasn’t surprised. Frazier would adjust his schedule to fit us inwithout hesitation. I was grateful for that. At least something was going smoothly.
