I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father
Chapter 244: She Needs Space

Chapter 244: She Needs Space

Ken stood frozen, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and disbelief, watching as Lyse fled the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. He felt a surge of panic, a desperate urge to chase after her, to explain, to comfort her.

He took a step forward, his hand outstretched, but Bella’s voice stopped him.

"Ken, wait," she said, her voice calm and firm.

He turned to her, his expression a mixture of confusion and frustration. "I need to go after her," he protested, his voice strained. "I need to explain."

Bella shook her head, her eyes filled with understanding. "No, Ken," she said, her voice gentle. "You need to let her go."

"But she’s in shock," Ken argued, his voice laced with desperation. "She doesn’t understand."

"That’s exactly why you need to let her go," Bella said, her voice firm. "She is overwhelmed, Ken. She needs time to process this, to deal with this earth shattering news that has changed her life in indescribable ways."

Ken hesitated, his gaze shifting back towards the empty hallway. He could still hear the faint echo of Lyse’s footsteps, the sound a painful reminder of her distress.

"But what if she doesn’t come back?" he asked, his voice filled with anxiety. "What if she doesn’t want to see me again?"

"She will come back," Bella assured him, her voice soothing. "She just needs time, Ken. Time to think, time to calm down."

Ken’s shoulders slumped, his expression filled with doubt. He wanted to believe her, but the fear of losing Lyse was a heavy weight on his heart.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"I’m sure," Bella said, her voice firm and reassuring.

"Trust me, Ken. This is the best thing for her."

She placed a hand on his arm, her touch gentle, her eyes filled with compassion. "Going after her now will only spook her further," she explained. "It will make her feel trapped, cornered. She needs space, Ken. Space to breathe, to confront what is true."

Ken looked at her, his eyes searching hers, seeking reassurance. He knew that Bella was right, that she was trying to help. But the fear of losing Lyse was a powerful force, a relentless tide that threatened to overwhelm him.

"But what if..." he began, his voice trailing off, unable to articulate his fears.

"No what ifs, Ken," Bella interrupted, her voice firm. "Just trust me. Let her go. She will come back when she’s ready."

She paused, her gaze softening. "And when she does," she said, her voice gentle, "be there for her.

Be patient. Be understanding. She needs you, Ken. But she needs you to give her space right now."

Ken sighed, his shoulders slumping, his body relaxing slightly. He knew that Bella was right, that she was offering him sound advice. He had to trust her, had to trust that Lyse would come back.

"Okay," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Okay, I’ll wait."

Bella smiled, her expression filled with relief. "Good," she said, her voice warm. "That’s the best decision you could have made."

She squeezed his arm gently, her touch reassuring. "Now," she said, her voice brisk, "let’s give her some time. And when she’s ready, we’ll be here for her, both of us."

Ken nodded, his gaze drifting back towards the empty hallway. He knew that the waiting would be agonizing, that every moment without Lyse would feel like an eternity. But he also knew that Bella was right, he had to be patient, he had to trust that she would come back to him. He would wait for her, no matter how long it took. He would be there for her, always. He loved her.

*

Lyse stumbled out of the hotel room, her mind a chaotic whirlwind of disbelief and denial. The hallway stretched before her, a blurry tunnel of muted colors and indistinct sounds. She did not know where she was going, didn’t care. She just needed to escape, to put distance between herself and the shattering revelation she had just witnessed.

She reached her car, and slid into the driver’s seat, her movements mechanical, her eyes fixed on the steering wheel. She didn’t start the engine, didn’t move. She simply sat there, her mind reeling, her thoughts a tangled mess.

Ken was her father. Mara, or Maeve, was her mother. It was impossible. It was a lie. It had to be.

But the image of the photograph, the woman with the striking resemblance, flashed before her eyes, a haunting reminder of the unsettling truth. The woman in the picture, Mara, looked uncannily like her, a reflection of her own features, a mirror image of her own face. It was undeniable.

Lyse closed her eyes, her head throbbing, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t want to believe it. She couldn’t believe it. Her life, her carefully constructed reality, was crumbling around her.

She had always known that her childhood was different, that the relationship she had with her mother was not ideal. But she had never imagined anything like this. She had never imagined that her entire life was built on a foundation of lies.

She opened her eyes, her gaze drifting to the rearview mirror. She stared at her reflection, searching for answers, searching for clues. She saw her own face, her own eyes, her own features, but now they seemed foreign, unfamiliar.

Who was she? Who was she really?

The questions echoed in her mind, a relentless barrage of doubt and confusion. She had always prided herself on knowing who she was, on being independent, on being in control. But now, she felt lost, adrift, completely untethered.

She reached for her phone, her fingers trembling as she scrolled through her contacts. She hesitated, her finger hovering over her Lottie’s number. She wanted to call her, to ask her, to demand answers. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

What would she say? How could she explain? And what if she confirmed Ken’s story? What if she told her that everything she believed was a lie?

She dropped her hand, her phone sliding onto the seat beside her. She didn’t want to know. She couldn’t handle the truth. She wanted to cling to the illusion, to pretend that everything was normal, that nothing had changed.

But the illusion was shattered, the truth staring her in the face. She couldn’t ignore it. She couldn’t run from it.

She started the engine, the roar of the car filling the silence. She pulled out of the parking lot, her movements automatic, her mind numb. She drove without direction, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, her thoughts a chaotic jumble of emotions.

She didn’t know where she was going, didn’t care. She just needed to drive, to escape, to find some semblance of peace.

She drove for hours, the city lights blurring into a hazy glow, the landscape morphing into a dark, empty expanse. She didn’t stop, didn’t rest. She just drove, her mind consumed by the unsettling truth, her heart aching with a deep, profound sense of loss.

She felt like a stranger in her own life, a ghost haunting her own memories. She had to find answers. She had to understand. She had to know who she really was.

But she didn’t know where to start, didn’t know who to trust. The world she knew had been turned upside down, and she was adrift, lost in a sea of uncertainty. She felt alone, completely and utterly alone.