Second Chance with the Billionaire

03. Unwaving Support

I FELT LIKE A STATUE standing there in silence and in shock.

The last thing I expect the moment the door of my family home opens is the sight of the man I least expected to see at this time. What is he doing here anyway? Should he be in his company, being the CEO that he is? Why is he still hanging around in his best friend's family’s home?

I watch there as my daughter hugs Ezekiel tightly. They look so close for two people who rarely meet one another. I know that he often talks to her through my brother whenever he calls his niece, but I didn’t expect for them to be this close at all.

“How are you doing, little kiddo?” Ezekiel says, giving Kathleen a gentle pat on the top of her head. “Were you a good girl to your Mom or a bad one?”

“I am a good girl!” She defends herself with a pout. “I promised you that I will be a good girl, so I did.”

Promised?

“What are you doing here?” He looks up to me this time. “Where are my parents? How about my brother?”

He smiles warmly before gazing back down to my child. “Kathy, how about you go inside first while I talk to your Mommy? I’m sure your Mamu and Papu would be happy to know that you are here.” He suggested making my daughter agree right away.

She looks up to me for approval before running off after getting a nod from me. I kept my eyes on her until she was completely out of my sight since this is a huge house. Even if she has been here many times, she could still get lost or accidentally trip and break some of my parent’s antique vases.

“She wouldn’t disappear that easily, Mackenzie.”

I was brought back to reality when I heard his voice once again. I gulp down hard before facing him, letting out a sigh. Why does he have to be here? I tried my best to avoid him for so many years since I married Gael, but he just had to show up at the party and now.

“Aren’t you supposed to be out there, taking care of your company?” I sarcastically questioned, earning a chuckle from him.

“You said you weren’t avoiding me, but based on how you talk just now, it does look like you do. Why?” He comes closer, towering me. “Are you that afraid of seeing me? Am I triggering something I shouldn’t?”

Is he that stupid?

I push him gently away from me, glaring. “Stop messing around, Ezekiel. What are you doing here? And where is my brother?” I avoided his question, like always.

“Your brother is in the office, talking to your brother. And,” He suddenly reached for my hand and gave the top of it a small peck like the night of the party. “I am not messing around.”

I yeet my hand away from him immediately. Whatever this is he is doing, it is not funny.

“I don’t have time to play around with you, Ezekiel. I already have more problems than I should. Stop adding more to it.” I warned, passing by him.

“Like how your husband cheated on you?” I instantly stopped when he said those words and looked back at him. “I’m really hoping you didn’t let him get his free pass. You didn’t, did you?”

I let go of the bag I am holding and walk towards him, covering his mouth right away. I knew he was behind me when I caught Gael’s affair, I didn’t know he would take it personally. Why does he even care anyway? It is not like he was the one affected by it directly.

“Can you do me a favor and shut your damn mouth?” I scolded right away, looking away to make sure none of my parents nor my brother or daughter was around. “Are you planning to shout it out loud for everyone to hear?”

He removes my hand and looks at me in disbelief. “Aren’t you? That bastard had the guts to f**k around while you take care of your child yet you won’t even try to humiliate him? Don’t tell me that you weren’t planning to tell your parents about it?” He pointed out, making me silent. “Gabriela Mackenzie!”

“Shut the f**k up! They might hear you!” I raise my voice just enough to shut him up. “I will tell them, okay? Just not now. I’m still finalizing things and ensuring that Kathleen won’t be affected by it completely. Can you stop overreacting?”

He let out a scoff. “You can’t blame me when I see it with my own eyes! You don’t know how much it haunted me to see that jerk’s d**k that night.” He said dirtily, earning a glare from me.

He wasn’t the only one. It’s been two days since that night but it still left a sting in my chest and the image is still clear in my head. No matter how much I use that image to hate him, I still can't change the fact that I am in deep pain, and it won’t be easy to move on from it.

“What do you plan to do now then?” He questions, worriedly.

I look at him, hesitating. He is supposed to be the last person I should be telling all of my plans to after that night, but he is also the only one who knows about what happened.

“I’m planning to visit a lawyer after the holidays to process the divorce papers. I just need time to figure things out to tell Kathleen that her parents are separating and that she will be staying with me already.” I let out a deep breath. “It will be a huge fight, especially now that the papers are not even sent yet but Gael’s mother is already threatening me about my daughter’s custody.”

“I know a good lawyer. He was the one who helped a friend of mine to divorce her cheating husband as well. I’m sure he can help you with no worries.” He offered.

A small smile forms my lips in return. Maybe I should be grateful. We might not be able to meet one another for long, but at least, he is still willing to help me out. Not to mention the last memory I had with him before I married Gael, it was too much to handle even up until now.

Even if he is the last person I would expect to help me get through this challenge in my life, I am still glad that it is him because I know better that… he will always have my back no matter what.

“How about your parents? When are you going to tell them?” He questions.

“Maybe before the holiday ends. I’m thinking of staying here for the meantime with Kathleen while the divorce is in process. It’s better to leave my child with my parents instead of taking her with me and let her see Gael and his family. The last thing that I want is for them to brainwash her into thinking that it was my fault, not that jerk’s.” I explained, shaking my head in stress. “But for now, you can’t tell my brother yet, okay?”

He raises a brow in return. “As much as I don’t want to butt in your business, I suggest that you tell your brother sooner so that jerk can get his lesson.” He suggested, proud and boastful.

I roll my eyes sarcastically. “And what? He will beat him up like he did when he found out that I am pregnant? Not gonna happen.” I shake my head, disagreeing with him completely. “I will RJ know once I settle everything. But now, just keep it quiet and let me be the one to tell my brother, will you?”

“Tell me what?”