His Heir, Her Secret - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Lucien
It had been a week since our first encounter in the park. A week since I’d stood there, like a man on the edge of something I couldn’t quite grasp. Leo had barely spoken to me since that day, and Isla—though she hadn’t pushed me away—kept her distance in her own way.
Every day since, I found myself wanting more. Wanting to be there for Leo, to prove that I could be the father he deserved. But Isla was right. It wasn’t going to happen overnight. Trust was something that had to be earned, and right now, I was starting from scratch.
Today, though, felt different. I was in the office, running through the usual meetings, handling the endless flow of calls, but my mind kept drifting back to them—Isla and Leo. I hadn’t expected this, not when I first found out about Leo. I thought I could just buy my way into his life, maybe offer a few grand gestures, and call it a day. But it wasn’t like that.
It was harder. It was so much harder.
The door to my office opened, and Marco, my right-hand man, stepped in without knocking. He had that serious expression on his face—the one that meant he wasn’t here to discuss business.
“I need a word,” he said.
I leaned back in my chair, trying to keep my focus. “Make it quick. I’ve got a million things to do.”
Marco hesitated for a moment before he spoke again. “It’s about the woman.”
Isla.
I didn’t want to talk about her. I didn’t want to think about what she might be feeling or whether she was going to be okay with the fact that I was still here, trying to fit myself back into a life that hadn’t been mine for so long.
“Don’t worry about it, Marco,” I said, waving him off. “I’m handling it.”
He didn’t seem convinced. “You’re not handling it. Not if she’s still keeping her distance like this. I can see it in her eyes—she’s waiting for you to mess up.”
“I’m not going to mess up,” I said sharply, my voice betraying the frustration I’d been holding in for days. “I’m trying to do this right. I’m trying to be a father to Leo.”
Marco raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got to understand, Lucien, Isla’s not going to just let you waltz back in. She’s not the same woman you left behind. And Leo… he’s not going to just warm up to you either. It’s going to take more than money or a few nice words.”
“I get it,” I muttered, standing up from my desk. “And I’m not trying to buy anyone. I’m just trying to do right by him. By Leo.”
“Then show her. Show both of them. Don’t just talk about it. Do it.”
I nodded, even though I wasn’t entirely sure how. Marco was right, though. I had to show them—not just tell them. But the question was how. How did you prove you could be a father to a child you’d never known? How did you convince a woman who’d built walls around herself to trust you again?
The answer wasn’t clear. But one thing was: I wasn’t giving up.
That evening, I found myself outside Isla’s apartment again. This time, there was no grand gesture planned. No expensive dinner or flashy gift. I wasn’t going to fix everything in one swoop. But I couldn’t stay away. I had to see Leo again. I had to try.
I rang the bell, and my heart skipped a beat as I waited for the door to open. The familiar sound of footsteps echoed inside before the door swung open, and there she was—Isla, standing in the doorway with that same guarded look in her eyes.
“You again,” she said, her voice flat, but not unfriendly.
“I came to see Leo,” I said simply, my tone steady but not forceful.
Her eyes flickered briefly to the side, and I followed her gaze, seeing Leo standing just behind her, his small frame peeking out from behind the door.
“He’s been waiting,” Isla said after a beat, stepping aside to let me in. “He’s been asking about you.”
That small admission was enough to make my chest tighten. Leo had been thinking about me. And despite everything, that meant something.
I stepped inside, my gaze automatically falling on Leo. He was sitting on the couch, fidgeting with a toy in his hands, his eyes warily tracking my every move. He wasn’t ready to be affectionate, and I didn’t expect him to be. But he wasn’t running away either.
“Hey, Leo,” I said softly, crossing the room toward him. “How’ve you been?”
He glanced up at me briefly, then back down at his toy. “Okay.”
I knelt down in front of him, trying to make myself smaller, less intimidating. “You want to play something?”
Leo paused, then nodded ever so slightly, as if the offer had caught him off guard. I held my breath, watching him closely.
“Okay,” he said quietly, and I could tell it was a decision made more out of politeness than anything else.
Isla watched from the doorway, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. I could feel the weight of her gaze on me, but I didn’t let it stop me. I sat beside Leo on the floor and picked up a small game he had been playing with. It was simple—something I could understand, even if I didn’t know the rules. I started moving the pieces, making sure not to rush him.
“Do you like playing games?” I asked, keeping my voice light.
He shrugged, still not looking at me directly. “Sometimes.”
I smiled, even though it was small. “Me too. I never had time for them when I was growing up, but now? It’s nice to slow down for a change.”
Leo glanced up at me then, his dark eyes studying me for a moment before he returned to the game. The silence stretched between us, but it wasn’t as awkward as I expected. It was the silence of two people starting to build something—a connection, even if it was still fragile.
After a few minutes, Isla came over and sat on the couch, watching us with a careful eye. She didn’t interrupt, didn’t try to control the situation. She was letting me do this my way, letting me prove myself, even if just a little.
“You’re doing good,” she said quietly, after a long pause.
I didn’t look up, but I could hear the faint hint of approval in her voice. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make me feel like I was headed in the right direction. Even if only by a small fraction.
Leo reached over and nudged a piece closer to mine. It was a small move, but it felt like progress.
“Your turn,” he said softly, his voice more confident now.
I smiled, looking up at him. “Alright. Let’s see if I can win this time.”
And for the first time since I walked into that apartment, I felt a small glimmer of hope.
I wasn’t just a stranger in their lives anymore. I was part of it. Even if it was only in the smallest of ways.