The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 111: My Princess

Chapter 111: My Princess

When it was time to leave the office, Zeke was the first to walk out faster than usual, as if something were chasing him. But instead of looking stressed, his face was lit up with a rare, eager smile.

Andrew raised an eyebrow, puzzled by his boss’s sudden urgency. Then it clicked. Who else could it be but Cassidy or Claire? Zeke was clearly rushing to see them, which explained the unusually cheerful mood.

He didn’t even stop by his house to change. The moment he left the office, Zeke drove straight to Cassidy’s apartment in his Aston Martin.

All the way there, his heart beat hard in his chest, matching the whirlwind of emotions inside him. Whether it was nerves, longing, or just pure excitement, he couldn’t get there fast enough.

As soon as he arrived at the apartment building, Zeke parked in the basement and headed straight for the elevator. His eyes flicked up to the numbers as they climbed; each floor felt like forever.

When the doors finally opened, he stepped out and walked quickly to the door he knew by heart. His hand hovered for a second before he rang the bell, heart still pounding.

The door opened to reveal Clara, who greeted him with a warm smile.

"Oh, you’re here. Come in," she said, stepping aside.

Zeke gave her a polite nod as he stepped inside. "Evening, Clara."

"She just finished bathing Claire," Clara said, closing the door behind him. "She’s helping her get dressed now."

Zeke nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Alright. I’ll wait in the living room."

A moment later, Cassidy walked in holding Claire’s hand. Claire’s hair was still a little wet, and she smelled like strawberry shampoo.

The moment Claire spotted Zeke sitting on the couch, her face lit up. "Uncle Zeke!"

She let go of Cassidy’s hand and ran straight to him, hugging his waist tightly.

Zeke smiled and leaned down, wrapping an arm around her small frame. "Hey, kiddo."

"I missed you, Uncle Zeke," she said, her cheek pressed against his shirt.

"I missed you too, sweetheart." He ruffled her hair gently.

Then Claire tugged at his hand. "Uncle Zeke, come. I want you to try something."

Zeke looked at Cassidy. She gave a small nod, giving him permission.

He smiled. "Alright. Lead the way."

Claire pulled him excitedly toward her playroom.

They ended up playing pretend cooking for almost an hour. Claire acted like a little chef, giving instructions while Zeke played along as her happy customer, pretending to taste every imaginary dish she served with pride.

When they finally finished, Zeke smiled and said, "Come on, kiddo. Let’s go back to the living room. I need to tell you something, okay?"

Claire nodded.

They returned to the living room, where Cassidy was sitting beside Clara. When Clara saw them come in, she stood up and gave Cassidy a knowing look before quietly excusing herself to her room.

"Mommy," Claire greeted as she climbed up onto the couch beside her.

Zeke took a seat in the nearby sofa.

"Did you finish playing with Uncle Zeke?" Cassidy asked, brushing her fingers over Claire’s cheek.

Claire shook her head. "I still want to play, but Uncle Zeke said he has something to tell me."

Cassidy glanced at Zeke. Her expression shifted slightly, knowing exactly what he meant, he was ready to tell the truth. That he wasn’t just her uncle, but her father.

"You can keep playing again after he tells you, okay?" Cassidy said gently.

Claire nodded and turned to Zeke. "What do you want to tell me, Uncle Zeke?"

Zeke swallowed hard, his eyes quickly moving to Cassidy before settling back on Claire’s trusting face.

"Didn’t you once say you wanted to meet your daddy?" he asked softly.

Claire nodded. "Can you make that happen? Can I really meet him?"

Zeke smiled. "Of course. If you want to, I’ll make it happen."

Her eyes lit up. "He wants to meet me too? When?"

"Right now, if you want."

Claire gasped. "Really?"

"Really."

She tilted her head. "Is Daddy coming here? To our apartment?"

Zeke gently shook his head and said with a smile, "Your daddy’s already here."

Claire blinked. "Where? Where is he?" She looked around, then at Zeke and Cassidy.

Zeke took a deep breath and gently said, "I’m your daddy, kiddo."

Claire’s brows furrowed. "But... you’re Uncle Zeke, not Daddy."

Zeke’s chest tightens. A mix of sadness and guilt rushes through him. He says softly, "I’m actually your father, sweetheart."

"You’re my daddy?" she asked again, her voice uncertain.

He nodded. "Yes. I am."

"Really?"

"If you’re not sure, you can ask Mommy," he said, his voice soft.

Claire turned to Cassidy.

Cassidy gave her a teary smile. "Yes, sweetheart. He’s your daddy. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier."

Claire turned back to Zeke. Her lip began to tremble, and tears welled in her eyes.

Zeke’s heart broke. He rushed to her side and sit beside her, pulling her gently into a hug.

"Don’t cry, kiddo. I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner."

Claire starts to sob softly, her little shoulders shaking. "You’re mean. A bad man," she says through her tears. "Why didn’t you tell me you were my daddy? You didn’t want to see me!"

Zeke hugged her tighter. "No, no. I always wanted to. I was just scared... scared you’d be mad or confused. But I should have told you."

"You should’ve come a long time ago." Claire cried. "I wanted to meet you. But Mommy said you were always busy."

Cassidy’s heart broke hearing that. She looked down, her eyes filling with tears. She felt so guilty for lying... and for letting Claire grow up without a father by her side.

"This is all Mommy’s fault, sweetheart. Please don’t blame your daddy. I’m so sorry."

She started to cry too, her voice shaking.

Zeke’s throat tightened as he looked between the two of them.

He wiped Claire’s cheeks gently. "Hey, sweetheart... don’t cry anymore, okay? Now you know the truth, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be here. I’ll come visit, we’ll play... I’ll be the best daddy ever, okay?"

He tapped her nose with a smile. "And if you keep crying, your nose might turn red like Rudolph. Then I’ll have to call you Little Reindeer."

Claire paused... then immediately covered her nose with both hands. Her sobs slowed.

Zeke chuckled softly and brushed her hair back. "There you go, sweetheart. No more tears. You’re way too cute to cry."

Then he turned to Cassidy, his tone warm. "Cass... it’s going to be okay. She has us now. Both of us."

Cassidy nodded slowly, wiping her cheeks. "You’re right. I’m sorry... I just got a little overwhelmed."

Claire looked back at Zeke, her voice small. "So you won’t be busy anymore? You’ll visit me lots?"

Zeke’s heart ached. He gently cupped her cheek. "I won’t be too busy anymore. I promise. I’ll always come see you. Haven’t I already been visiting you and playing with you, sweetheart?"

"Yes, but you still have to promise," Claire said, just to be sure.

Zeke nodded. "Promise."

Claire whispered, hugging him tightly. "I miss you, Daddy."

The word Daddy feels like sunlight breaking through a storm. Zeke’s heart swells, and a smile spreads across his face as if his entire world had finally fallen into place.

"I missed you too, princess," he murmurs, holding her close. He used to call her kiddo or sweetheart, but not anymore. From now on, she’s his princess and that’s the only name that feels right.

Still snuggled in his arms, Claire looks up and whispers, "I love you, Daddy."

Zeke’s arms tighten naturally. "I love you more, my princess."

He closes his eyes, soaking in the moment, feeling like nothing in the world could bring him more joy than hearing those words from her.

***