After Divorce Billionaire Ex Found Me Pregnant (Leonica and Gabriel)
Chapter 60

"Really?" The child perked up in happiness once more..

"Of course." Leonica assured and soon, the bundle of joy was out of her hair, chattering about God knows what with her father.

Now that all the guests had gone, Leonica felt less tensed and sighed out. However, the released tension didn't last for long as she soon remembered that there was an unwanted presence in the room.

Turning around, her eyes landed on Gabriel who was seated comfortable in a chair, quietly having watched the entire ordeal and best believe when he says that he was far from pleased. with what he saw. But due to the children being around and very much not wanting to repeat the same incident with Daisy crying, he had kept his temper to himself.

"So, are you two dating?"

The sudden question caught Leonica by surprise.

""Excuse me?"

"You and that Richardson bastard," He paused, eyes narrowing on her face when she glared at him for his use of foul language in their sleeping son's presence. "Are you?"

"That's none of your business," Putting her back towards him, she arranged Ashley's duvet, tucking in the places that weren't properly set. "Now if that's all you have to say," She turned back to him and smiled. A smile that was far from being nice. "Politely see yourself out."

Gabriel's eyes twitched and he rose up from his chair with a wicked smile on his lips. "I should leave?" He walked towards her. Leonica however, held her ground, staring him in the eyes as he approached. "Even when i'm the one who paid for this room?" "Damn right."

Taking a moment, Gabriel looked around. The hospital ward, a VIP ward to be precises, consisted of two red plush loveseats, a carpet of matching color, bathroom in the farthest corner, Fifty five inch television and lastly, a comfortable mattress, So what was stopping him from staying?

AT Dating

"This room is more than fit to house all three of us?"

"What?"

He pointed to one of the couch. "There's two of that. You can take one,

one, whil

while I take the other. Fair?" Without waiting for her to respond, Gabriel walked past her, tucking the ends of Ashley's duvet he had kicked off in such a short amount of time. "You..."

"Mommy," Ashley sleepily called out, cutting his mother off. He barely had his eyes opened as he asked. "Gabriel's gonna stay with us, right?"

"Of course, Champ." Gabriel responded before Leonica could, leaning down and placing a kiss on the child's forehead. "I'm gonna be here. So, go to bed now."

With a hum, the younger boy finally fell into his abys of sleep and Gabriel threw a triumph smirk at Leonica before going to claim a spot on one of the couches.

The white-ette, angered by the situation, squeezed her hands. But at last, she sighed out in bitter defeat, knowing she couldn't drive him anymore because of Ashley.

"Fine," She relented, taking her seat on the opposite couch and getting as comforty for the night as the couch allowed. "You can stay, but don't ever dream of getting this merit again, because i won't allow it. Ever." Arranging his arms behind his head, Gabriel smirked up at the ceilings. "Yeah? Well, we'll see about that."

vor Cup Of Coffee, Detren

307

Shall We Go For A Quick Cup Of Coffee, Gabriel?

Waking up to a warm tucked in blanket was the last thing Leonica expected. Pushing herself into a seating position, she surveyed the room, looking around for the only culprit that could have tucked her while she had been asleep. Her eyes landed on Ashley's sleep form firstly,. wires and wires connected to his arms and hospital machine humming softly.

She smiled at his peaceful expression despite the pain he might be suffering. Next, she spotted the white nylon and plates on the table, making her brows raise in a questioning manner.

Was that food? Bought by... Gabriel?

As unbelievable as it sounded, the white-ette knew that was the truth, after all, the hospital didn't allow just anyone in. In other to see a patient you need to provide identification and authorization passes and so far, no authorization had been given, meaning that no one had stepped in. Which proved that Gabriel had indeed bought the food.

As much as Leonica didn't want to admit it, Gabriel's action caused some sort of warmth to spread in her chest. But then she recalled that the man himself was no where to be seen.

Looking away, she continued to search for the noirette a weird sense of disappointment sipping in the moment she didn't see him present.

'Makes sense,' A voice in the back of her head chipped. 'He has a family to return to, so why should he remain here?'

Standing up, she walks towards the food on the center table and begins examining it. From the hospital bed, Ashley stirs upon smelling the satisfactory aroma of the food.

"Ngh," Looking around and getting his bearings, the child rubbed his eyes before pushing himself into a seating position, spotting his mother digging through a bag of food on the table. "Mommy?"

At the sound of her son's voice, Leonica's head snapped up, a beam replacing the frown that had been on her face, as she approached Ashley.

"Hey baby, how are you feeling?"

"Hungry." Ashley responded as he leaned into his mother's touch, enjoying the way she ruffled his hair and placed kisses on his head.

If not for the minor pains he was feeling, Ashley was more than ready to continue his life this way. But he couldn't, because freaking fuck, no one ever told him that getting hit by a car would hurt this much.

Groaning a bit from a sudden wave of pain, the blonde child made a mental note to stop watching teen titans. Robin and Cyborg had given him way too many dangerous ideas. "I'm sorry Ashley," Leonica's voice broke through the child's thought bazio" tar Shale Go FAQ Cup Of Coffee Gabri

sorry for letting this happen to you, hope you'll forgive me?"

"Of course!" Ashley chipped up with an innocent smile that made Leonica's insides melt with guilt.

If only she had focused more on her son, and less on her problems with Gabriel, then he wouldn't be here.

So in other words, this was all her fault. This was caused by her bad parenting skills.

"Mommy," Ashley who had watched his mother's beautiful expression morph into guilt, gently placed his hand on her cheek. "Please smile. You'll look ugly if you keep squeezing your face like that."

His effort to elevate his mother's spirit worked like a charm and Leonica chuckled. "You're right," She mused, leaning down to place a kiss on the child's head. "I shouldn't frown. Now come," she mused, pulling the table containing the food towards his bed. "You're hungry, aren't you?"

Ashley wasted no time in nodding his head. Leonica laughed at the action, pulling a nearby couch closer and seating down.

"Alright, we have pancakes, pancakes and...pancakes. Oh." Ashley chuckled at her confused expression as she had searched the plates, expecting to replace more solid foods there. "Well, this is unexpected." She muttered.

Suddenly, there was a sound of gentle knocking at the door. Both mother and son duo

narrowed their eyes in confusion. It was then Ashley took notice of the fact that Gabriel wasn't with them since he had woken up.

"Who's there?" Leonica questioned.

Rather than an actual answer, the door gently slid open and Cassandra along with her husband walked in.

Leonica rose to her feet in surprise. "Mother! Father!"

"Leonica," Cassandra called her daughter's name soothingly, eyes soon replaceing it's way towards her grandson who had already grabbed a plate of pancakes and was digging into it.

Her lavender eyes softened at the sight, but someplace in her heart, she felt a sadness upon seeing the child's state.

"Oh my," She muttered, hands cupping her mouth.

"Mom, I can explain."

"How did this come about, Leonica?" Benjamin questioned, surprise written on his face as clear as it had been when he received the news from Anastasia five hours ago. Because of that, he and Cassandra had to rush home from Dallas, abandoning their meeting with Oliver Salvatore. "How careless could you have been to allow this happen?" He scolded. As much as

Shall we conn

he loves his daughter and felt bad for scolding her, it was the right thing to do. After all, she wouldn't know her mistake if she isn't scolded.

"Benny," Cassandra called on her husband, hand replaceing his shoulder in a sign for him to calm down.

Leonica on the other hand, fully admitting her lack of parental skills, hung her head.

"Grandpa, Grandma, stop!" Ashley protested. He had just gotten his mother to cheer up and wasn't going to watch anyone dampen her mood. "Please don't blame mommy, after all, she and kind Uncle had stayed here all night to take care of me!" 'Kind uncle?' Both Grandparents thought, glancing at each other.

As if on cue, to answer their questions, the bathroom door opened and Gabriel suddenly stepped out, bathroom towel tied around his waist while he dried his damp hair with a hand towel and droplets of water trailed down his exposed chest. All of this gave him a sensual and very much misunderstanding look that had all three adults, Benjamin, Cassandra and Leonica, staring in utter surprise at him.

However unlike the former two, Leonica's cheeks had began to color over a faded pinkish color at the sight.

"What the..."

"Hell." Benjamin completed his wife's words.

"You...what are you doing?!" Leonica screeched and charged towards him, shoving him by the chest into the bathroom. "Get back in there and put some freaking clothes on!" She demanded, ignoring the way her hand against his chest felt.

Gabriel was confused, but it only took him a few seconds to register the situation at hand and just as fast, for him to launch himself back into the bathroom.

With the door now closed behind her, Leonica could only but chuckle sheepishly, just as surprised as her parents by his appearance.

What about going back to Angelina and his child?!

She cursed at the voice in the back of her head that had prevented her from checking the bathroom and other places.

Seeing their expressions, Leonica quickly put her hand forward. "Mom, dad, before you say anything, I can explain." "Leonica, are you...are you back with that man?" Cassandra questioned, seriousness taking over her gentle features. ""No! Fuck no mother!"

"Leonica, language." Her father scolded, reminding them all of Ashley's presence.

"I'm sorry." She was quick to apologize. "But don't worry mother, father, I'm not back with Gabriel. It's just....he was the one who....who saved Ashley."

"What?" Benjamin raised a brow, questions swimming in his eyes. This obviously got Leonica nervous, a tad bit.

However, Ashley was quick to come to her rescue. "Mommy's right! The doctors say Gabriel. saved me." He chipped, drawing the attention to himself. With all eyes on him, the child decided to be overdramatic and threw his hands in the air. "Grandpa, Grandma, Gabriel's my favorite super hero. I wanna be just like him!"

"Is that so?" Benjamin mused, uncertainty caused by Ashley's answer, swimming in his eyes.

He was just about to further question when Leonica's phone began ringing. The familiar sound of her ringtone caused her to jolt, or rather, the tension that her parents faze had

caused, made her to j

caused, made her to jolt at the sound of something new yet familiar..

"Please excuse me," Rushing towards her phone, she picked it up, eyes narrowing upon seeing that the call was from Kennedy. She hesitated for a bit, looking towards her parents who nodded for her to answer the call, before she pressed the phone to her ear. "Kennedy, morning. What is it?"

"Good morning Ms. Romero. There's a situation back at the company that needs your attention. It's an emergency."

"Emergency?" Leonica glanced at her parents once more. "What is it?"

"It's your uncle, Madam."

Leonica clenched her jaws, swearing inwardly at the useless liability of an uncle she had. She had left him running rampant like a mad dog for far too long. It was time she took care of him, clip his wings, if she may.

But then, wouldn't that require her leaving the hospital.

As if sensing her troubles, Cassandra spoke up. "Your father and I would watch Ashley, you go wherever you're needed."

Leonica hesitated, glancing between her parents before nodding. "Alright Kennedy, I'll be there soon." With that she hung up the call and walked towards the couch she had slept in, fetching her jacket. "Mom, Dad, I owe you one. Thanks." She pecked her parents cheeks before rushing out of the room.

She was gone before either of them could respond and in that moment, the bathroom door from behind them opened and Gabriel walked out, fully and appropriately clothed.

"You never were one to make good first impressions," Benjamin turned towards the younger male, surveying him from head to toe. "Gabriel."

"Good morning, Mr. Romero," Gabriel bowed his head subtly. "Mrs. Romero. I apologize for

Shall We casu A Quick Cup of Coffee Call

my earlier appearance."

"It's alright," Cassandra waved his words off, her voice less friendly than when she speaks to her family.

Gabriel sensed this, but expected as much, after all the last time he had spoken with the older lady, five years ago, she had told him off rather rudely.

Silence had descended in the room for quiet some time before Benjamin spoke. "I heard from my daughter that you partook in helping my grandson? Thank you for that."

"It was nothing, Sir." Gabriel spoke matter of factly.

"Wonderful. Now that that's out of the way," Benjamin stuffed his hand into his pants pocket, the vague smile that he used to approach his clients, plastering it's was onto his lips as he spoke in a manner that wasn't all to friendly to Gabriel's ears. "Shall we go for a quick cup coffee? You and me, Gabriel?"

of

ww

What Are Your Plans.

Seating with his hand arranged on his laps, Gabriel tried to keep his cool. Although word on the street had it that Benjamin was weak and sickly, his aura had not wavered and he remained the same formidable for on the battle field. That aside, seating like this, steaming cup of coffee in between both males, was a rare occurrence for Gabriel.

Even during his marriage with Leonica, he hadn't gotten the chance to seat with Benjamin this way, so today, was definitely something new.

Taking a sip from his coffee, placing the cup down afterwards, Benjamin was the first to break the silence. "We're both business men so I'll be straight forward. What do you plan to do by coming back into my daughter's life?"

Gabriel shook his head. "Nothing, Sir. All I want is to have legal rights to be in Ashley's life...to be his father?"

His answer, earned a loud snort of mockery from Benjamin. Gabriel winced at the familiar sound, mentally noticing where Leonica had gotten it from. "You want rights, to be his father? "The older man questioned. He shifted his coffee aside and leaned on the table, entwining his fingers as he questioned. "Tell me something, Gabriel. Do you think five years of absence from a child's life can easily made up the moment you decide you want to start playing family?"

His words, meant to deter Gabriel from whatever determination he had suddenly taken on, did the opposite and angered him. "And who's fault is that?" He shoot back. "I would have found Ashley and given him that family he deserves if you hadn't stopped me from replaceing him all those years ago. It was you who made sure that every route and search I began ended up futile.

"Me?" Benjamin shook his head, leaning back into his chair with a sigh. "I had nothing to do with that, Gabriel."

"What?"

"Exactly what I said. The one you should blame for not being able to replace Leonica and Ashley for the past five years, is your incompetence and your lack of Knowledge towards Leonica. Even though you both had been married for two years, you know very little about her and even when clues we're sticking out in plain sight, you failed to take them, allowing yourself to be blinded by the wrong person." Taking one last sip from his coffee, face scrunching up in distaste as he now realized the sugar added was far less than what he took, Benjamin concluded. "If you knew Leonica well enough, you'd have known that Colorado was her favorite state. She always longed to go there."

Pushing his chair back, he rose to his feet and stopped by Gabriel's side. Ignoring the fact that the male looked like he was thinking his entire life's choice, which he was, Benjamin spoke. I've never for once liked you, Gabriel, but because of your grandmother, an important person to me, I agreed to marry Leonica to you. This time around, because of Ashley, I'm willing to

give you a second chance. But bear this in mind, if you were to hurt either of them, I won't hesitate to

Gabriel with his you the power I posses and fight back" With that, he walked off, leaving

thoughts.

Arriving at the company, Leonica was greeted by Kennedy who didn't look the least bit pleased.

"I assume my uncle has caused quite the ruckus." Handing her car keys to him, she spoke.

Kennedy greeted her first before responding. "He's called for another meeting with the shareholders, ma'am."

His words made Leonica sigh. What had she warned those stupid people about in the past?

"Where are they?"

"Second conference room on the nineteenth floor." Kennedy responded, pressing the numbers when they entered the elevator. "Ma'am do you need me to prepare any thing? Things needed to take care of them?"

"That won't be necessary." Leonica waved the brown folder Arvan had given her in Kennedy's face. "I already have that covered."

"Yes Ma'am." Kennedy couldn't hide the smile that made it's way to his lips at his employer's

competence.

When the elevator arrived on the nineteenth floor, they stepped out and made their way to the conference room. The shareholders present, Rodrigo alike, had been whispering underneath their breaths, making arrangements for the new president, Rodrigo in this case, when Leonica stepped in silencing them all.

"Trouble on an early Monday morning." Sinking into her chair, she shook her head. "Those of you who failed to heed my warnings shall be replaced after this meeting. Don't forget to see Kennedy and have your capitals returned to you."

Her words caused murmurs to rise amongst the shareholders, but some, if not many called her words a bluff, after all, if she couldn't hold up to her own end of the deal, and from the looks of it, she hadn't secured a contract with Bryce Empire, not meeting the terms, she could no longer remain president and that seat would officially be vacated to Rodrigo, hence she had no power to replace them.

"Have I made myself clear?"

Only a few people responded.

"Alright, lets proceed." Bringing out the contract arvan had given her, Leonica places it on the table, watching as Rodrog collected it ans hia face morphed into confusion.

"This...what is this?" Rodrigo asked in confusion

"Tyats me keeping up my end of the deal." Leonica announced with a smile. "That right there, is a conteact between romero Empire and Richardson industries. The benefits are ten times. better than what Gryce empire promised us." As she announced, whispers began to fill the

room,

shareholders now indeed fearing and regreting their words.

Rodrigo was one of those people. He gulped in fear, eyes shaking as he read the conteact in his hands.

How could it be possible? Richardson industries was was of those other companies that was well sort after, so how was Leonica able to gain a contract?

"Dear Uncle, i kept up to my end of the bargain," Leonica began, smiling from ear to ear "that means you lose. Hope you're ready to keep up the end of your bargain?"

Hearing this, Rodrigo panicked. "Leo...Leonica my dear neice, please calm down. There's no need to take thing this far." Rushing to where she was seated, the sleazy geezer took her hand. "This...all this was simply an act...thats right, an act to push you forward!" He announced. " Now look, with this, you were able to secure such a perfct contract. And its all thanks to me!"

He coaxed.

"Quite right," Leonica responded, surprising the shareholders, but this gave some of them hope. "Sine you had hand in this, there's no need to be so harsh. I spare you." She smiled. "You'll be demoted to a mere employee. Vacat the managing director seat as of this moment, Rodrigo."

Turning to the rest of the shareholders with that same smile, she announced. "Now, those of you who had talked rubbish, no, rather those of you who participated in this shenanigans, you'll be replaced effective immediately."

Leonica could still remember their faces of disbelief, their screams and pleas not to be replaced as she walked into the walls of the famillar hospital.

'Serves them right. She thought with a smirk, pulling the door to Ashley's room open only to replace her son with a sad face.

"What...what's going on?" Gently closing the door behind her as she steppes inside, Leonica looked between her son and Gabriel who had a grave look on his face.

"Mommy, you're a bad mommy." Ashley pointed at her, water in his eyes.

"Honey? What are you talking about?" She rushed to his bedside, wanting answers from the sudden attitude change.

Ashley barely wiped his eyes before he answered "You're one of those bad people who didn't tell me that Gabriel's my daddy!"