The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 66: Would You Like To Meet Daddy?

Chapter 66: Would You Like To Meet Daddy?

"You said you were here to visit your mom," Tyler said, his voice gentle. "Is she doing okay?"

Cassidy gave a small nod. "Yeah... she’s getting better."

Tyler smiled, but before he could say more, his phone buzzed loudly from his pants pocket. He pulled it out, scanned the screen, then answered.

"Dr. Pierce."

A few seconds passed as he listened. His expression shifted slightly, more focused. "I’m on my way."

He ended the call and looked at Cassidy apologetically. "Duty calls. They need me in the E.R."

Cassidy gave a small smile. "Of course. Go."

But Tyler paused, pulled his phone from his pocket again, and held it toward her. "Before I forget, can I have your number? It’d be nice to catch up properly sometime."

Cassidy hesitated for a moment, then took the phone and typed in her number.

He smiled. "Thanks. I’ll text you when things calm down a bit."

They stood and exited the lounge together, walking side by side through the quiet VIP wing. At the end of the hallway, they paused.

"I’ll see you around," Tyler said with an easy grin.

Cassidy nodded. "Yeah. Take care."

With that, they parted ways.

Cassidy turned and headed toward her mother’s room. When she entered, Martha looked up from where she was adjusting the IV tubes.

"Cassidy," Martha greeted warmly.

Cassidy gave her a small smile. "Hi."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar figure seated beside the hospital bed.

Julian.

Her father.

He turned to face her, a slight lift of his brows when he realized she’d come alone.

"Where’s Claire?" he asked instinctively. "You didn’t bring her?"

Cassidy’s expression didn’t shift. "She’s at preschool."

Julian blinked. "Preschool? Already? Isn’t that a bit early?"

Cassidy didn’t answer. She turned her attention to her mother’s face, still peaceful in sleep. Her hand reached up to gently brush a lock of hair from her mother’s forehead.

"She looks better," she said quietly.

Martha nodded. "She does. Her vitals are stronger today. The doctor said we might just be counting days now. A little more time... and she might wake up."

Cassidy exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. She sank into the sofa beside Martha without another word.

Not long after, a male doctor in his early fifties clearly a senior physician entered the room. His posture, his calm demeanor, the subtle authority in his movements, it was easy to guess he was a professor.

Cassidy rose to her feet as he greeted them politely before walking over to the bedside. He proceeded with the routine check. Shining a small penlight into her mother’s eyes, checking her vitals, jotting notes onto the chart clipped at the foot of the bed.

After a few quiet moments, he straightened and turned to them with a composed, reassuring smile. "There’s steady improvement. Her reflexes are more responsive today. It’s a good sign. We’ll continue observing, but I’m optimistic."

Cassidy gave a small nod. Julian offered a polite "Thank you," and the doctor exited with a quiet promise to return later.

Once they were alone again, the room fell into a heavy silence. The faint beeping of the heart monitor and the soft whoosh of the ventilator were the only sounds left.

Julian shifted slightly in his seat. His eyes flicked toward Cassidy, scanning her attire. Clean lines, elegant, formal. After a brief pause, he cleared his throat.

"Are you heading somewhere?" he asked, attempting casual.

Cassidy didn’t look at him right away. Part of her wanted to ignore the question. But the other part, however reluctant. Still remembered he was her father.

"I had a meeting earlier," she replied curtly.

Julian nodded. Nothing more.

A few moments later, Martha stood from her chair. "I’ll step out for a while," she said gently. "Let me know if you need anything."

Julian gave her a small nod. "Of course."

As soon as the door clicked shut, something in the air shifted. The quiet between them deepened.

Julian sat forward slightly, hesitation in his features. "Cassidy," he began, his voice low, "there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask."

Cassidy didn’t respond.

He glanced at her again, more directly this time. "Who is Claire’s father?"

She froze.

There was a beat of silence. Then another.

Julian’s brows drew in faintly, and he asked again, more carefully now, "Is it Zeke?"

Cassidy turned to face him, her words calm, but her eyes sharp. "Could you not?"

The silence that followed was sharper than before.

Julian cleared his throat again, this time clearly uncomfortable. He looked away.

He had wanted to say something, to reprimand her for speaking to him like that. But he held it back. This wasn’t the place. And deep down, he knew. Of all his children, Cassidy had always been the quiet one. But beneath that silence, she was the most resolute.

People often mistook her calm demeanor for passivity until they pushed too far.

Not wanting to spend another minute alone in the same room with Julian, Cassidy stood.

"I should get going," she said, her tone neutral but firm. "It’s time to pick up Claire from preschool."

Julian looked up, as if about to say something, but the words never made it past his lips. He only gave a small nod.

Without waiting for a response, Cassidy turned and walked toward the door, her steps measured, her shoulders steady. She didn’t look back.

***

Inside the car, the late afternoon traffic was steady but calm. Soft music played from the radio, filling the silence between mother and daughter.

Cassidy glanced at the rearview mirror now and then, watching Claire quietly brushing her bunny doll’s hair with a tiny plastic comb. Her lips moved as if she were having a secret conversation with it.

Cassidy took a slow breath. Then gently, she said, "Sweetheart..."

Claire looked up right away, her eyes bright. "Yeah?"

Cassidy met her gaze through the mirror. "Would you... like to meet your daddy?"

Claire froze mid motion. She hugged her bunny tighter, eyes fixed on her mother with a spark of hope. "Meet Daddy? Can I really?"

Cassidy gave her a soft smile, though her chest felt tight. "Of course you can. If you want to meet him, Mommy will take you. Do you want to?"

"Yes!" Claire answered immediately, her face lighting up like she’d just been promised the world.

Cassidy’s smile deepened, tender. "Okay... Mommy will find the right time. But before that, we’ll talk. Just the two of us. About Daddy."

Claire nodded seriously, then went back to hugging her bunny.

***