The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 25: The Irrational Zeke

Chapter 25: The Irrational Zeke

Thomas, who had been sipping his water, narrowed his eyes slightly and looked between the two men. "Wait... do you two know each other?"

Before Zeke could respond, the man in the chef’s coat, Xavier, answered casually, "Not really. We ran into each other at a café a few days ago. That’s all."

Thomas nodded slowly, as if piecing it together. "Huh. Small world."

He turned to Zeke and grinned. "Didn’t know you were the type to hang out at cozy cafés and eat cake."

Zeke took another sip of water, calm as ever. "There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Thomas."

Thomas chuckled. "Touché."

He turned back to Xavier. "Hannah sends her apologies, by the way. She really wanted to come, but she’s drowning in work this week."

Xavier gave a slight nod, leaning a hand on the back of the chair. "She already texted me. I get it. I know how she is when a trial’s coming up."

"Well," Thomas said, "I still appreciate you putting this together. It’s been too long."

"Likewise. Thanks for coming," Xavier replied with a small, appreciative smile.

Thomas tilted his head. "So, how long are you staying in New York?"

"Until next week," Xavier said. "Then it’s back to the Alps and snow and overly polite customers."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable. You’ve been here a whole week and this is the first time I’m seeing you."

"Busy kitchen. Busy life," Xavier said lightly.

"Well, no more excuses. I’m finding time in the next few days to treat you to something, my turn to feed the chef."

Xavier laughed under his breath. "We’ll see how that goes."

Then, with a quick glance at both men, he added, "I’ll leave you two to catch up. Need to check something in the back."

"Go ahead," Thomas said.

Zeke merely nodded.

Xavier gave a parting smile before turning and disappearing through the staff doors, the scent of citrus and spice briefly following him as he walked past.

After Xavier disappeared into the back of the restaurant, Thomas poured the last of the water into his glass and leaned back in his chair.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the soft clinking of cutlery and the hum of low conversation filling the space. Then Zeke spoke, his tone casual, almost too casual.

"By the way... do you know a little girl named Claire?"

Thomas frowned. "Claire? Who’s Claire?"

Zeke glanced at him. "You don’t know?"

Thomas shook his head. "Never heard of her. Should I?"

Zeke didn’t respond right away. He gave a small nod as if filing the answer away in his mind. Then, with that same calm demeanor, he asked, "Is your brother-in-law married?"

Thomas gave a short laugh. "No. Never been married."

Zeke looked toward the kitchen, saying nothing.

"But..." Thomas continued, lowering his voice a little. "He was engaged once. Almost made it to the wedding. But his fiancée cheated on him. Xavier broke it off."

Zeke gave a quiet nod, digesting the information.

"After that," Thomas continued, "he took off. Just disappeared for a while. Wandered around Europe, picked up a bunch of chef gigs, did his thing. He’s been living in Switzerland for a few years now. Still won’t talk much about the whole engagement mess. Maybe that’s why he likes to wander. Still, Hannah and her family adore him."

Zeke tilted his head slightly, fingers idly folding the cloth napkin in front of him. His face remained calm, but there was something distant in his gaze.

Thomas watched him carefully. He’d known Zeke long enough to notice when something was off. Zeke wasn’t the type to ask about people. Especially not people he barely knew.

"Wait a second..." Thomas leaned in. "You never ask stuff like this. Who’s Claire? Why the sudden interest in Xavier?"

Zeke shrugged lightly, his expression unreadable again. "Nothing. Just a coincidence."

Thomas didn’t look convinced, but he knew Zeke well enough to recognize a dead end.

***

A few days later, on a quiet weekend morning, Zeke was at his villa, not the apartment he used to share with Cassidy.

It had been two years since he’d started spending most of his time there. The decision wasn’t random. He needed a change of scenery. A different rhythm. A quieter kind of solitude.

The apartment, though filled with memories, was a reminder of everything he was trying to leave behind. The villa, tucked away from the noise of the city, gave him the space he needed to move forward, or at least try.

Letting go of Cassidy wasn’t something he could do overnight. But living somewhere she’d never stepped into... it helped.

At exactly 9 a.m., his phone rang.

Thomas.

"What are you doing today?" came his voice, direct as ever.

"Staying home," Zeke replied, pouring himself a second cup of coffee. "Why?"

"Come play golf. I’ve got a tee time booked."

Zeke let out a quiet breath. "Pass."

"Oh, come on... this isn’t just any round." Thomas lowered his voice slightly, like he was about to deliver a secret. "Today’s Xavier’s only free day. I promised Hannah I’d take him out, treat him a little, show him around. He’s heading back to Switzerland the day after tomorrow."

Zeke didn’t answer right away.

"He’s been stuck in the kitchen all week for that restaurant collab," Thomas continued. "So I figured I’d drag him out for something relaxing. Golf, good weather, good company."

Zeke stared out the glass doors of the villa, his mind already racing ahead. Something about Xavier still gnawed at him, the woman’s voice he’d heard in the background. The strange familiarity, lingering in his head.

There was a pause.

Then, finally, Zeke said, "Alright. I’ll come."

"Perfect," Thomas replied, pleased. "See you at the club."

Zeke arrived last.

The private lounge at the golf course was bright and elegant, with tall windows framing the manicured greens outside. Thomas, Xavier, and a third man were already there, talking, laughing, drinks in hand.

Thomas turned with a grin as Zeke entered. "There he is. The man of mystery."

Zeke gave a slight nod, calm as always. His gaze briefly settled on Xavier, who looked as composed as ever, no trace of pressure, no sign of secrets.

Thomas walked over. "Zeke, this is Garrett. Old friend of mine. Thought I’d round out the team."

Garrett stood and offered a handshake. "Pleasure."

Zeke returned it. "Likewise."

The sun was warm but not punishing, and the sky stretched clear over the rolling greens. Their group moved smoothly from hole to hole, occasionally joking, occasionally silent, letting the natural rhythm of the game take over.

It wasn’t until the fourth hole—while Thomas and Garrett were distracted comparing swings, that Zeke casually stepped beside Xavier, club in hand.

"You play often?" Zeke asked, nonchalantly.

"Only when I’m dragged into it by people like Thomas," Xavier replied with a small laugh. "Not really my thing."

Zeke nodded, eyes on the fairway. His voice was relaxed when he spoke again. "So... married?"

Xavier turned slightly toward him, eyebrows raised. "Me? No."

Zeke pretended to line up a shot. "Girlfriend?"

"Nope," Xavier said simply, leaning on his club. "Not anymore."

Zeke lowered the club, his tone still casual. "That’s rare. No one’s caught your attention?"

For a second, Xavier didn’t answer. He just smiled faintly, his eyes scanning the green ahead.

Then he said, almost like an afterthought, "Well... there is someone."

Zeke’s grip on the club tightened slightly, but his face didn’t betray a thing. He looked calm, focused, maybe too focused.

"Oh?" he asked, keeping his voice flat. "Anyone serious?"

Xavier exhaled slowly. "I don’t know. It’s... complicated."

Zeke didn’t respond right away. He stared at the ball before him, but his mind wasn’t on the game. Someone. The word lingered.

The conversation ended as Thomas called for them to hurry up.

After they finished the hole, Zeke stepped away from the group for a moment, pretending to check his phone as he leaned against the golf cart.

But he wasn’t looking at anything.

He was thinking.

What the hell was that? he muttered silently to himself.

He hadn’t meant to ask those questions, not like that. Not so directly. It was out of character for him to poke into someone’s personal life, especially someone he barely knew.

And yet, he had.

Just because of a voice. A familiar voice from a background video call, barely a second long.

He let out a low, humorless chuckle.

"How irrational can you get, Zeke?"

It wasn’t like him to chase shadows. Or to feel... unsettled.

And yet here he was, making subtle interrogations on a golf course, all because a name and a voice refused to leave his mind.

He closed his eyes briefly, grounding himself.

Get a grip. You’re chasing ghosts.

Still, the way Xavier had said, "there is someone"—so casually, so offhand—had triggered something. Something Zeke hadn’t quite figured out.

He shook his head and laughed under his breath again, this time with a sharper edge.

"This is pathetic," he murmured.

He shoved the phone into his pocket and walked back toward the others, shoulders squared, face neutral, like nothing ever happened.

After wrapping up their final round, the group returned their clubs and freshened up before heading out. Garrett had to leave early due to another appointment, but Thomas, Xavier, and Zeke made their way to a quiet, upscale restaurant not far from the golf course.

They sat at a corner table near the window, sunlight slanting through the blinds as waiters brought out water and menus.

Halfway through the meal, between bites of steak and roasted vegetables, Thomas leaned back in his chair, swirling the ice in his drink.

"So," he began, casting a glance between Zeke and Xavier. "What if we hit a club tonight? Just for fun. Loosen up a bit. You know... since both of you are tragically single."

Xavier didn’t even bother hiding the distaste on his face. He set his fork down and looked directly at Thomas. "I’m not really the clubbing type."

Thomas blinked. "Oh. Right."

He gave a dry chuckle and lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry. My bad."

Zeke, who had been sipping his water, set the glass down and added calmly, "Not everyone’s wired like you, Thomas."

Thomas gave him a mock-offended look. "Hey, I haven’t been to a club in ages. Ask Hannah."

Zeke raised a brow but said nothing.

"I just thought..." Thomas continued, gesturing toward Xavier, "He’s visiting, young, single, I figured he’d want a taste of the city nightlife. I was actually being generous."

"Then I guess you misread your brother-in-law," Zeke said dryly, reaching for his napkin.

Thomas laughed, this time more genuinely. "Clearly. Duly noted."

Xavier smirked a little, finally picking up his fork again. "Thanks, but I’d rather spend the evening with good food and decent conversation. That’s more my pace."

Thomas nodded, chewing on the edge of his straw thoughtfully. "Point taken. I’ll keep my wild ideas to myself next time."

As they finished their lunch, Thomas leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "So, when are you coming back to the States again?" he asked Xavier.

Xavier shrugged, sipping his coffee. "I don’t know. Could be months. Could be years."

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Planning to live in Switzerland forever?"

Xavier gave a faint smile. "I don’t know that either. Guess it depends on fate."

Just then, Xavier’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. His lips slowly curved into a smile, genuine, soft, and almost boyish. He opened the message and tapped the image attached.

It was from Cassidy.

A photo of Claire dressed in a frilly princess outfit, posing with one hand on her waist and the other holding a plastic wand. Beneath the picture, Cassidy had written:

"Claire insisted I send you this. She says she misses you."

Xavier’s expression lit up, and he chuckled quietly to himself.

Thomas, noticing the sudden shift, leaned in with a smirk. "What’s with the smile? Girlfriend sent you something cute?"

Xavier looked up, amused, and instead of replying, turned the phone around to show him the picture. "Isn’t she adorable?"

Thomas blinked. "She’s really cute. Who is she?"

Zeke, casually reaching for his drink, glanced at the screen—and froze for a fraction of a second. That face. That girl. It was her.

The little girl he saw during Xavier’s video call at the café.

Xavier slid his phone back into his pocket. "Just a little girl I know."

He didn’t elaborate, and Thomas didn’t press him. Maybe out of courtesy, maybe because he sensed it wasn’t open for discussion.

Zeke, however, sat quietly, his jaw tightening slightly as he looked down at his plate. He had a dozen questions bubbling inside him, but he forced them down.

Not again. Don’t make a fool of yourself.

He stirred the ice in his glass slowly, breathing out through his nose.

***

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