CEO’s Secret Baby

Chapter Three: Learning to Be Dad

CEO’s Secret Baby

Chapter Three: Learning to Be Dad

The next morning, Damian arrived at the office an hour earlier than usual.

Not because he had meetings.

Because he hadn’t slept.

His desk was covered with reports from investors across three continents, but the only thing he could think about was the crayon drawing folded carefully inside his suit jacket.

FOR THE NICE MAN.

He had read those four words at least twenty times.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

Claire stepped inside carrying a tablet.

“Good morning.”

“It isn’t.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve worked for you for eight years. This is the first time I’ve seen you staring at a dinosaur drawing.”

Damian sighed.

“I only found out yesterday.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

She smiled gently.

“I know you’ve spent the last twelve hours asking Human Resources whether executive health insurance covers family counseling.”

His ears warmed.

“I was researching.”

“Of course you were.”

She placed the tablet on his desk.

“Mr. Reyes is here.”

Damian stood immediately.

“They’re early.”

“You asked them to come at nine.”

“I know.”

He looked around his immaculate office.

For the first time, it felt completely unsuitable for a six-year-old.

“Claire?”

“Yes?”

“Could you… order breakfast?”

She blinked.

“For investors?”

“For Noah.”

“What does he like?”

Damian hesitated.

“I have no idea.”

Claire smiled.

“I’ll take care of it.”

⸻

Noah burst through the office doors with enough energy to power the entire building.

“Mr. Blackwood!”

Damian couldn’t help smiling.

“You can call me Damian.”

The little boy frowned thoughtfully.

“My dad says grown-ups usually use first names if they’re friends.”

Ethan gave an apologetic shrug.

“We’re working on social rules.”

Damian crouched until they were eye level.

“Would you like to be friends?”

Noah’s answer came without hesitation.

“Okay.”

He held out his tiny hand.

Damian shook it solemnly.

“Friends.”

“Friends.”

Ethan watched the exchange with a strange ache in his chest.

It looked so natural.

Too natural.

Claire appeared carrying a tray.

“I brought pancakes.”

Noah’s eyes widened.

“With blueberries!”

“I was informed those were important.”

“They’re my favorite!”

The boy hurried to the table.

Damian glanced at Ethan.

“I guessed wrong.”

“You guessed perfectly.”

“No. Claire saved me.”

“I heard that,” Claire called from the doorway.

“And yes, I absolutely did.”

The office felt lighter than it ever had before.

⸻

After breakfast, Noah wandered toward the massive windows overlooking Manhattan.

“So many buildings.”

“They’re beautiful,” Damian said.

“My dad says you built one.”

Damian nodded.

“Our company’s headquarters.”

“Did you build it with Lego first?”

Damian laughed.

“No.”

“You should have.”

“I probably should have.”

Noah pressed both hands against the glass.

“I want to build things when I grow up.”

“What kind of things?”

“Houses.”

“Why houses?”

“So everybody has somewhere safe.”

Damian looked at Ethan.

The words clearly surprised him too.

Children often said profound things without realizing it.

“That’s a wonderful dream,” Damian said.

Noah smiled.

“My dad says dreams are maps.”

Ethan looked embarrassed.

“I say a lot of strange things.”

“I always liked that about you.”

The words slipped out before Damian could stop them.

Silence settled between them.

Not awkward.

Just full of memories.

⸻

Later that afternoon, Damian suggested they visit the small park behind the office building.

“It’s less crowded during lunch.”

Ethan hesitated.

“You don’t have meetings?”

“I canceled them.”

“You canceled meetings?”

“I have priorities.”

The words surprised Damian almost as much as Ethan.

Noah raced toward the swings.

“Push me!”

Damian looked uncertain.

“I’ve never…”

“You’ve never pushed a child on a swing?”

“No.”

Ethan smiled.

“It’s not complicated.”

“It seems like something I could accidentally do wrong.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Damian stepped behind the swing.

“Ready?”

“Ready!”

He gave the gentlest push imaginable.

Noah barely moved.

“Again!”

A little harder this time.

The boy laughed.

“Higher!”

Again.

Laughter echoed across the park.

For several minutes, Damian forgot about shareholders, stock prices, and billion-dollar negotiations.

He focused on one small boy whose laughter seemed to brighten the entire afternoon.

Ethan stood nearby, watching.

“You look happy.”

Damian kept his eyes on Noah.

“I am.”

“I’ve never seen you smile this much.”

“I’ve never had a reason.”

Ethan looked away before Damian could see the emotion in his eyes.

⸻

That evening, after Noah had fallen asleep in the back seat of Ethan’s car, Damian walked them downstairs.

The city lights shimmered against the darkening sky.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Damian asked.

Ethan nodded.

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

He hesitated.

“I know I can’t make up for six years overnight.”

“No.”

“But I’d like the chance to try.”

Ethan searched his face.

The ambitious young man he had fallen in love with was still there.

But something had changed.

The walls around his heart had begun to crack.

“You’ll have to earn Noah’s trust,” Ethan said softly.

Damian nodded.

“I know.”

“And mine.”

He met Ethan’s gaze.

“I know that too.”

For a long moment, neither of them moved.

The distance between them was barely a step.

Close enough to remember what it had felt like to kiss.

Far enough to remember why they hadn’t.

Then Noah stirred in the back seat.

“Dad…”

Ethan opened the car door and gently adjusted the blanket around his son.

When he looked back, Damian was smiling—not at him, but at the sleeping child.

It was a quiet smile.

The kind that came from hope.

And for the first time in years, Ethan allowed himself to wonder whether broken hearts could learn to beat together again.