The Billionaire's Son: Pregnant with My Ex's Baby

Chapter 13

[Ava]

The soft clink of crystal and the low hum of conversation filled the air of Le Petit Château, one of New York's most exclusive restaurants. I sat across from James, a handsome investment banker with kind eyes and an easy smile, trying my best to focus on his story about his recent trip to Bali.

"And then, if you can believe it, the monkey just snatched the sunglasses right off my face!" James chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that was undeniably attractive.

I laughed along, the sound only slightly forced. "That's hilarious! I've always wanted to visit Bali. It sounds magical."

As James launched into another anecdote, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. This was my third date in as many weeks, each one carefully orchestrated by my well-meaning but pushy best friend, Victoria. "You need to get back out there," she'd insisted. "Show Ethan that you've moved on."

Moved on. The phrase echoed in my head, mocking me. How could I move on when Ethan was suddenly a constant presence in my life again? Co-parenting Oliver, navigating custody agreements, pretending that my heart didn't race every time he was near...

"Ava?" James's voice pulled me back to the present. "Is everything okay? You seem a bit distracted."

I forced a smile, guilt washing over me. James was nice – more than nice, really. He was successful, kind, and objectively handsome. In another life, he might have been exactly what I was looking for.

But he wasn't Ethan.

"I'm so sorry, James," I said, reaching across the table to touch his hand apologetically. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately. Work stuff, you know?"

James nodded sympathetically. "I completely understand. The finance world can be all-consuming sometimes. Is there anything I can do to help? Take your mind off things?"

The genuine concern in his voice made my chest ache. He deserved better than this – better than a woman whose heart was still tangled up in a mess of unresolved feelings for her ex-husband.

"You're sweet," I said softly. "But I think I just need—"

My words died in my throat as I caught sight of a familiar figure entering the restaurant. Ethan. He looked devastatingly handsome in a tailored charcoal suit, his dark hair slightly tousled in that effortlessly sexy way that had always driven me wild.

Our eyes met across the crowded dining room, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop spinning. I saw a flicker of something – surprise? Pain? – cross Ethan's face before he masked it with a look of cool indifference.

"Ava?" James's voice sounded far away. "Are you sure you're alright? You've gone pale."

I tore my gaze away from Ethan, focusing on James with an effort. "I'm fine, really. Just thought I saw someone I knew."

As I spoke, I was acutely aware of Ethan being led to a table not far from ours. He was with a group of men in suits – a business dinner, most likely. But I could feel his eyes on me, burning a hole in my back.

"So, um, you were saying about the temple in Bali?" I prompted James, desperate for a distraction.

James launched back into his story, but I found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. My body was hyper-aware of Ethan's presence, every nerve ending on high alert. I caught myself turning slightly in my chair, angling my body towards Ethan's table without even realizing it.

"You know," James said, a hint of amusement in his voice, "if you'd rather be talking to whoever you keep looking at, I won't be offended."

I felt heat rush to my cheeks, mortified at being caught. "God, James, I'm so sorry. I'm being terribly rude."

He shook his head, his smile kind but resigned. "It's alright, Ava. I think I can recognize a lost cause when I see one. Ex-boyfriend?"

"Ex-husband," I admitted, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "And the father of my son. It's... complicated."

Understanding dawned in James's eyes. "Ah. Say no more. These things usually are complicated."

As James signaled for the check, I felt a mixture of relief and guilt wash over me. Relief that I wouldn't have to continue this charade of a date, and guilt for wasting this nice man's time.

"I really am sorry," I said as we stood to leave. "You've been lovely, and I've been a terrible date."

James shrugged good-naturedly. "Don't worry about it. We can't help who we have feelings for, right?"

As he leaned in to give me a friendly kiss on the cheek, I caught sight of Ethan over James's shoulder. His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark with an emotion I couldn't quite place. Jealousy? Anger? Or was I just projecting my own tumultuous feelings onto him?

In that moment, fueled by a mix of wine, frustration, and a desperate need to prove something – to Ethan, to myself, I wasn't sure – I did something reckless. I turned my head slightly, catching James's lips with mine in a brief but deliberate kiss.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Ethan's direction, followed by the scrape of a chair being pushed back forcefully. When I pulled away from James, my cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and something like triumph, I saw Ethan striding towards the exit, his posture rigid with barely contained fury.

"Well," James said, a bemused expression on his face. "I think that answers the question of whether your ex still has feelings for you."

I watched Ethan disappear through the restaurant doors, my heart pounding in my chest. What had I done? And more importantly, why had I done it?

"I should go," I mumbled, gathering my purse with shaking hands. "I'm sorry, James. For everything."

He waved off my apology. "Go. Sort things out with your ex. And Ava? Good luck."

I practically ran out of the restaurant, the cool night air a shock to my overheated skin. I spotted Ethan a little way down the street, pacing back and forth as he ran a hand through his hair – a nervous habit I remembered all too well.

"Ethan!" I called out, my voice sounding small and uncertain in the bustling New York night.

He whirled to face me, his expression a storm of conflicting emotions. For a long moment, we just stared at each other, the air between us charged with unspoken words and barely contained desire.

"What do you want, Ava?" Ethan finally growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Shouldn't you be getting back to your date?"

I flinched at the venom in his tone. "It wasn't... I mean, he's not..."

"Not what?" Ethan challenged, taking a step closer. "Not the kind of guy you'd normally go for? Not good enough for the mother of my child?"

His words stung, but I refused to back down. "That's not fair, Ethan. You don't get to dictate who I see or don't see."

Ethan laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that made my stomach clench. "Oh, I'm well aware of that, Ava. You made that perfectly clear when you kept our son from me for five years."

The reminder of my past mistakes hit me like a physical blow. "That's not... I didn't come out here to fight with you, Ethan."

"Then why did you come out here?" he demanded, closing the distance between us until I could feel the heat radiating off his body. "To rub it in my face that you've moved on? That you're happy without me?"

I looked up at him, suddenly aware of how close we were standing. Close enough that I could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes, could smell the familiar scent of his cologne mixed with something uniquely Ethan.

"I'm not," I whispered, the admission slipping out before I could stop it. "Happy without you, I mean. I'm trying, but..."

Ethan's expression softened almost imperceptibly. For a moment, I thought he might reach out and touch me. But then he took a step back, his walls slamming back into place.

"You made your choice, Ava," he said, his voice cold and detached once more. "We both have to live with the consequences."

As he turned to walk away, I felt something inside me break. "Ethan, wait!"

He paused but didn't turn around. "What?"

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to say. "I miss you. God help me, after everything that's happened, I still miss you."

Ethan's shoulders tensed, and for a heart-stopping moment, I thought he might just keep walking. But then he turned, his eyes burning with an intensity that took my breath away.

"Don't," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Don't say things like that unless you mean them, Ava. I can't... I won't go through that again."

We stood there, frozen in a tableau of unresolved feelings and simmering tension. The bustling New York street faded away, leaving just us – Ethan and Ava, caught in the gravitational pull of a love that had never truly died.

"I do mean it," I whispered, taking a tentative step towards him. "I just... I don't know what to do about it."

Ethan's expression was a war of longing and caution. "Neither do I," he admitted. "But Ava, we can't keep doing this dance. It's not fair to us, and it's certainly not fair to Oliver."

The mention of our son brought reality crashing back. We weren't just Ethan and Ava anymore. We were parents, with responsibilities and a little boy who deserved better than two people who couldn't figure out their own feelings.

"You're right," I said, wrapping my arms around myself as if to hold in all the emotions threatening to spill out. "We need to figure this out. For Oliver's sake."

Ethan nodded, his expression unreadable. "For Oliver's sake," he echoed. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he added softly, "And maybe... for our own."

As he walked away, disappearing into the New York night, I was left standing on the sidewalk, my heart racing and my mind reeling. Whatever game we'd been playing – the dates, the jealousy, the push and pull – it was clear that neither of us was winning.

It was time to face the truth, no matter how terrifying it might be. Because the alternative – a lifetime of longing and regret – was simply too painful to contemplate.

With a deep breath, I hailed a cab, my mind already racing with what I needed to do next. It was time to stop running from my feelings for Ethan. It was time to face them head-on, consequences be damned.

Because in the end, some loves are worth fighting for. And ours just might be one of them.