The CEO I Left Behind

Chapter 13: The Family I Left Behind

Kathy's POV

I couldn't move.

The woman standing beside my father looked exactly like the kind of person who belonged in his world.

Elegant.

Confident.

Perfectly dressed.

She looked at me with a gentle smile, but something about it made me uncomfortable.

"Kathy," my father said softly. "This is your stepmother, Elena."

Stepmother.

The word felt strange.

I had heard about her.

Of course I had.

Seven years was a long time.

Long enough for my father to rebuild his life.

Long enough for him to create a new family.

I forced a polite smile.

"Nice to meet you."

Elena smiled warmly.

"Finally."

I frowned slightly.

"Finally?"

She laughed softly.

"Your father has talked about you many times. He always wondered how you were doing."

I looked at my father.

He quickly looked away.

I didn't know what hurt more.

The fact that he had been thinking about me...

Or the fact that he still stayed away.

"Are you here to visit Mom?" I asked.

A brief silence filled the hallway.

My father's expression changed.

"I came to see both of you."

Both of us.

My mother and me.

I didn't know how to feel about that.

---

After a long silence, my father suggested having dinner together.

"I know this is sudden," he said, "but I would like to talk."

I almost refused.

Every part of me wanted to walk away.

But when I saw the tiredness in his eyes, I hesitated.

"One dinner."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you."

---

The restaurant my father chose was quiet and luxurious.

The kind of place I would never have entered seven years ago.

I sat across from him while Elena sat beside him.

The conversation started awkwardly.

"How was Canada?"

"It was fine."

"Did you enjoy your studies?"

"Yes."

Short answers.

Careful answers.

Because I didn't know how to talk to someone who was both my father...

And a stranger.

"You studied artificial intelligence?"

I nodded.

"I wanted to create something useful."

A proud expression appeared on his face.

"That's my daughter."

The words surprised me.

My daughter.

I looked down at my glass.

It had been years since I heard him say something like that.

Elena smiled.

"Your father has always been proud of you."

I looked at her.

"Has he?"

"Of course."

She placed her hand gently over his.

"He talked about you often."

Something about her words felt strange.

Not wrong.

Just...

Carefully chosen.

My father cleared his throat.

"Kathy, I know things between us are not easy."

I remained silent.

"I should have handled everything differently."

My fingers tightened around my glass.

"Yes."

The simple agreement seemed to hurt him.

"I know I failed you."

For a moment, I saw the father I remembered.

The man who used to carry me on his shoulders.

The man who promised he would always protect me.

Then I remembered the divorce.

The day my whole family fell apart.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore."

His eyes immediately filled with regret.

"Never."

His voice was firm.

"Never think that."

The restaurant became silent.

---

After dinner, my father walked me outside.

Before I entered the taxi, he stopped me.

"Kathy."

I turned around.

He held out a business card.

"If you need anything..."

I looked at it.

"I already told you. I don't want your money."

He shook his head.

"This isn't about money."

His voice softened.

"It's about knowing you have someone to call."

I didn't answer.

But I took the card.

Maybe because a small part of me still wanted to believe I had a father.

---

Elena's POV

I watched Kathy's taxi disappear into the distance.

The smile on my face slowly faded.

"She's changed."

My husband looked at me.

"She's been through a lot."

I smiled faintly.

"She seems determined."

"She is."

He looked toward the road.

"I want to make things right with her."

My expression remained calm.

"Of course."

A pause.

Then I asked quietly,

"Does that include giving her what belongs to her?"

He turned to me.

"What do you mean?"

I met his eyes.

"The company."

Silence.

For years, I had protected what was mine.

I wasn't going to lose everything because a daughter who had been away for seven years suddenly returned.

My husband looked uncomfortable.

"Elena..."

I smiled.

"Don't worry."

I reached for his hand.

"I only want what's best for this family."

But deep down, I knew one thing.

Kathy's return had changed everything.

And I would not let her take away the life I had built.