Most people in Bellmere would have recognized him.
Financial papers regularly printed his photograph beside headlines about infrastructure funds, acquisitions and corporate restructuring.
He had founded Vale Meridian Group from a small regional investment office and turned it into a network of industrial, logistics and real-estate companies.
To the outside world, Gideon was a billionaire investor.
To me, he was the father I had spent two years avoiding because after my mother died, neither of us knew how to grieve without hurting the other.
He stopped beside my bed.
For a second, we just looked at each other.
Then he said:
“Where is your husband?”
I laughed.
It turned into a gasp as another contraction hit.
“Birthday party.”
My father’s expression went blank.
“What?”
“Margaret turned sixty.”
He pulled a chair closer.
“Of course she did.”
“Dad.”
“I said nothing.”
“You absolutely said something.”
“Internally.”
Despite everything, I laughed.
It hurt.
He took my hand.
Fourteen hours later, my son was born.
Leo Cole.
Seven pounds, six ounces.
Angry lungs.
Dark hair.
Tiny clenched fists.
The nurse placed him against my chest and the world narrowed to warmth, exhaustion and disbelief.
Gideon stood beside the bed crying without making a sound.
I had seen my father negotiate billion-dollar deals with people who terrified entire boardrooms.
Now he stared at a seven-pound baby like the child had personally dismantled him.
“He’s perfect,” Dad whispered.
I looked at Leo.
“Yes.”
Then my phone buzzed.
Adrian.
For half a second, hope betrayed me.
Maybe he was downstairs.
Maybe guilt had finally reached him.
I opened the message.
Mom loved the vintage watch. Staying at the hotel tonight because everyone’s been drinking. I’ll come by tomorrow afternoon. Please don’t start a fight before I meet my son.
I read it twice.
Then took a screenshot.
Dad watched my face.
“Do you want me to say something?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to call him?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to buy the hotel and evict everyone?”
That earned a tired laugh.
“No.”
He leaned back.
“Worth asking.”
I looked at Leo sleeping against my chest.
Then said:
“I need my laptop.”
My father frowned.
“You gave birth twenty minutes ago.”
“I know.”
“What possible emergency requires a spreadsheet?”
“My marriage.”
