The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife-Chapter 85: The Kind of Dad She Needs

Zeke couldn’t watch anymore. It was too much.

Each laugh Claire shared with Xavier felt like a quiet cut, too small to scream, but deep enough to bleed. He turned away for a moment, eyes fixed on the floor, jaw clenched.

Then, Zeke remembered Claire’s condition and Dr. Myers’ words. He took a quiet breath and walked toward Cassidy, slow and deliberate.

She looked up as he approached, and before she could say anything, he leaned in slightly and spoke in a near whisper.

"Can I talk to you outside?" he said, keeping his voice steady. "It’s about Claire’s condition."

Cassidy’s brows pulled together slightly in concern. She nodded.

Across the room, Xavier caught the way they leaned in close. The whisper. The tension. His gaze sharpened, a slight frown forming as he followed their quiet exchange.

Cassidy turned to Claire, brushing a gentle hand over her daughter’s blanket.

"Sweetheart, Mommy and Uncle Zeke need to talk outside for a bit. Is it okay if you stay here with Uncle Xavier?"

Claire nodded quickly, still smiling. "Okay."

Cassidy smiled and brushed a quick kiss to Claire’s forehead. "Good girl."

Zeke opened the door, holding it for her, and the two of them stepped out together, leaving behind the warm sound of Claire’s laughter, and Xavier sitting quietly beside her.

Xavier didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

But the curve of his smile faded completely as the door clicked shut.

And he sat there in silence, wondering what, exactly, was happening outside that he wasn’t meant to hear.

Cassidy stood in the hallway, her back gently resting against the wall. The hospital lights felt too bright, too white, for her.

Zeke stood in front of her, his shoulders slightly tense, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. He looked like he was carrying something heavy, something he hadn’t decided whether to say or not.

"So... what did you want to talk about?" Cassidy asked softly.

Zeke looked at her for a moment before he spoke. His voice was low, almost reluctant.

"Claire has amnesia."

Cassidy’s eyes widened instantly. "What? Amnesia? What do you mean? She doesn’t remember...?" she breathed, her voice catching.

She stepped closer, panic rising in her voice. "Zeke, are you saying she forgot what happened at the cafe? The shooting, the panic, everything, she doesn’t remember any of it?"

Zeke raised a hand gently. "Cassidy, calm down," he said in a calm voice. "I know it sounds bad, but Dr. Myers said it’s not unusual. Let me explain."

Cassidy tensed and stepped a little closer. She looked at Zeke closely, her eyes full of worry, waiting for him to explain.

"I talked to Dr. Myers earlier," Zeke said. "He explained Claire’s condition. She has something called temporary retrograde amnesia."

Cassidy froze, her eyes locked on his.

"It’s actually common in young kids after trauma, physical or emotional. Their brains sometimes block out the memory to protect them."

Cassidy swallowed hard. "So... the shooting? She doesn’t remember it?"

"No," Zeke said gently. "Not right now."

Cassidy closed her eyes for a moment. "Oh God..."

"But Dr. Myers said it’s still within the normal range," Zeke added. "This kind of memory loss can happen in children, and most of the time, it gets better on its own."

Cassidy opened her eyes. "So... should we be worried?"

Zeke shook his head. "We just need to watch her. If she starts forgetting names or gets confused a lot, then it’s a concern."

Cassidy nodded slowly. "And if her memories come back? Could that make things worse?"

Zeke looked at her. "I asked that too."

She waited.

"There’s a chance it could trigger nightmares or anxiety. But kids heal better than adults. And if it gets tough, we can get a child psychologist to help her."

Cassidy looked down, her fingers loosely laced in front of her. "I don’t even know what to hope for. That she remembers, or that she doesn’t."

Zeke was silent for a moment. "Me neither."

They stood there, the air between them filled with the hum of the hospital and the distant footsteps of passing nurses.

Then Cassidy looked up, her voice soft, fragile.

"She looked happy. Just now. With Xavier."

Zeke gave a slow nod. "I know."

"And you... you looked uncomfortable."

Zeke didn’t answer right away. His eyes drifted to the floor, then back to her. "It wasn’t just uncomfortable, Cass. If I’m being honest... I felt jealous. And it hurt."

Cassidy looked at him, and for the first time in a long while, Zeke didn’t try to hide it. His face was no longer unreadable. It was quietly breaking. fгeewebnovёl.com

Cassidy’s voice came soft, barely above a whisper. "I’m sorry. We’ll tell her once she’s doing better."

She glanced down for a moment, then looked back at him. "She really wanted to meet you. Her father."

Her eyes drifted briefly toward the door, thoughtful. "She already likes you. She feels safe with you. That’s a good sign."

A faint smile touched her lips. "I’m sure she’ll be happy when she finds out her father is you."

Zeke nodded slowly. His throat tightened, but he managed to speak. "I hope so."

They stood in silence, both thinking about things they couldn’t put into words.

Zeke looked away for a moment, swallowed hard, then said quietly, "Thank you... for letting me be here."

Cassidy nodded gently. Her voice was calm but full of meaning. "You belong here, Zeke."

Zeke’s eyes softened, but his chest still felt heavy. "I don’t know if I can be a good father," he admitted, his voice almost breaking. "But I’ll try, Cassidy. I’ll try with everything I have."

He looked toward the door, where Claire was still talking and laughing inside.

"I want to be the kind of dad she can run to... every time she needs someone. I want to be someone she can count on."

His eyes glistened, but he held it in. "She deserves that much. And more."

Cassidy looked at him, her expression softening.

"You can be that for her, Zeke," she said quietly. "You already are."

Cassidy let out a quiet breath, then gently pushed herself off the wall. "Come on," she said softly. "Let’s go back in."

Zeke gave a small nod and followed her, both of them walking in silence until they reached the door. Cassidy opened it gently.

Inside, Claire was still chatting excitedly with Xavier, her little hands moving as she talked. Her voice filled the room with light.

"Uncle Xavi, remember the chocolate lava cake?" she said with a big smile.

Xavier smiled back. "Of course I do. You loved it."

Claire nodded fast. "It was yummy!"

"When you get better, I’ll make it again for you," Xavier said gently.

"Really?"

"Really. But you have to help me this time. Be my sous chef."

Claire gasped. "Like... a real helper?"

"Yes. My little kitchen helper."

Claire grinned. "Okay! I can help. I’m good at mixing!"

Xavier laughed. "Then it’s a deal."

The moment she saw them, her face lit up.

"Mommy! Uncle Zeke! You’re back!"

Cassidy smiled. "We are."

Zeke followed, slower, his eyes drawn to Claire like a magnet. She looked so small in that hospital bed, yet somehow brighter than anything else in the room.

"Uncle Zeke," Claire said, reaching her hand out toward him, "Uncle Xavi said I can be his sous chef!"

Zeke chuckled softly as he took her hand. "That sounds like a big job. Think you’re ready for that?"

Claire nodded seriously. "I am."

As he held her hand, Zeke glanced up and his eyes met Xavier’s.

Their gazes locked.

Sharp. Tense. Unspoken.

It was the kind of look that needed no words.

A quiet challenge passed between them, heavy with meaning.

***

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