Now You Want Me? Too Late

The next morning...

Ian stood outside Leo’s school gate, leaning against his car as he waited for his son.

He had barely slept the previous night. He couldn’t wait for the sun to come out and meet his family. So he had arrived earlier than necessary.

He wanted to see Leo. He wanted to see Evelyn too.

Several minutes later, Evelyn’s car stopped near the school entrance. Her gaze landed on Ian.

She froze. Evelyn’s heart immediately began to thump nervously.

’Why is he here? Is he angry? Is he going to complain about last night? Is he going to scold me for refusing to have dinner with him?’

A dozen questions raced through her mind.

She instinctively tightened her grip on her handbag. She had deliberately kept her distance from him, yet the moment she saw him waiting there, an unfamiliar nervousness crept through her.

Before she could figure out what to do, Leo spotted his father. His eyes instantly lit up.

"Daddy!" His excited voice pulled Evelyn out of her thoughts. "Mommy, Daddy is there. He is waiting for us."

Evelyn forced a smile and glanced down at her son.

"Yes, he is here for you." She gently touched his shoulder. "Come on. Go say good morning to him."

The moment they stepped out of the car, Ian straightened. His expression softened.

Leo didn’t wait even a second. He rushed toward him.

"Daddy."

Ian immediately opened his arms and caught his son, lifting him into his embrace. He held Leo tightly against his chest.

The heaviness that had settled inside his heart seemed to melt away. For some reason, holding his son made him realize just how much he had missed him.

It felt as though he had been away from Leo for years. Ian closed his eyes briefly and hugged him tighter.

"Did you miss me?" His gaze shifted toward Evelyn.

Evelyn immediately looked away. She knew the question was for her.

"Yes, I missed you, Daddy." He wrapped his little arms around Ian’s neck. "I thought you would come to pick me up from school. But you didn’t show up for days."

Guilt flashed across Ian’s face. "I’m sorry, Leo." He lowered his voice. "I couldn’t come. Are you angry with me?"

Leo shook his head. "No. I know you were busy."

Ian’s heart tightened. His son was too understanding for his age. He gently placed Leo back on his feet.

"I have something for you."

He walked to his car and opened the door before taking out a small box.

Leo’s eyes widened with curiosity.

Ian smiled and opened it. "You wanted a watch, right?"

He took out the watch. "I bought one for you."

Ian carefully fastened it around Leo’s wrist.

Leo stared at it in amazement. His entire face lit up with joy.

"It’s beautiful." He looked up at his father with sparkling eyes. "I love it."

Ian smiled. "I’m glad you like it."

Evelyn stepped closer and glanced at the watch. Her brows immediately furrowed.

"Why did you buy such an expensive watch? He is just a child. What if he ruins it?"

Ian simply ruffled Leo’s hair. "Then I’ll buy him another one."

Evelyn stared at him in disbelief.

"You are spoiling him."

Ian’s gaze softened. "He is my only son. Whatever I have is his."

Evelyn opened her mouth to argue again. But no words came out.

She looked at Leo, who was still admiring his new watch with an enormous grin on his face. She had never seen him this happy before.

Ian watched Leo for a moment before speaking again. "Tomorrow, I’ve taken the day off. I’m thinking of taking you on a picnic. Will you come with me?"

Leo immediately looked up. His eyes brightened.

"Yes," Leo answered without even thinking. "I’ll go with you."

Evelyn’s expression changed. She had wanted to stop him. She wasn’t ready to forgive Ian.

Not yet.

But then she looked at her son. She knew how much Leo had missed spending time with his father. She couldn’t bring herself to break his heart.

Ian turned toward her. "Please come with us." His voice carried a hint of pleading.

"Mommy, say yes," Leo urged, grabbing Evelyn’s hand. "It will be fun."

Evelyn looked between them. She still remembered every lonely evening, every disappointment, and every time she had waited for him. But she couldn’t break Leo’s heart for his father’s mistakes.

Finally, she sighed. "Alright."

Leo jumped excitedly. "We are going on a picnic tomorrow."

Ian couldn’t hide his smile. A warm sense of hope filled his heart.

He had failed to make things right with Evelyn the previous night. But this time, he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. He would spend the day with his family. He would make memories with them.

And perhaps, little by little, he could win Evelyn’s heart back too.

Later that afternoon...

The conference hall was packed.

Reporters from nearly every major business and news outlet had gathered, their cameras pointed toward the stage. Journalists whispered among themselves, trying to guess why Elias had suddenly called a press conference.

Silence fell in the room when Elias and Elena walked in and settled into the chairs on the stage.

Elena looked calm and composed, dressed in an elegant formal suit. Her posture was straight, her expression controlled. Beside her, Elias sat with an imposing calmness. His expression revealed nothing.

Elias glanced at her briefly. Their eyes met.

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

Elena’s lips curved into a smile. She wasn’t nervous. Today, she was going to reveal the truth in public.

Yes, she had been heartbroken until yesterday. For days, she had endured whispers, suspicion, and accusations. The employees had looked at her as though she were a traitor. Even though she knew she was innocent, being publicly accused had still hurt.

That pain wasn’t there anymore. She was confident, sharp, and proud.

"I am not," she replied. "I am ready to face the press."

She turned to the hall full of reporters.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today. We have called you here to share something with you."

A wave of anticipation swept through the room.

Elena leaned toward the microphone. "Several days ago, Victor Kane announced a groundbreaking AI project. He claimed Orion Holdings developed the project. But the truth is that project does not belong to Orion Holdings."

A stunned murmur spread across the hall.

"It was stolen from Ascend Core."