Chapter 246

Chapter 246

By the time she got back to the apartment, it was already late at night.

Nora had been put to bed by the nanny.

Seeing Elena return so late, the nanny had thoughtfully made her a bowl of instant ramen.

"Thank you." Elena sat down at the dining table.

She hadn't had much of an appetite, but the nanny had an exceptional touch—even simple broth noodles smelled amazing, making her mouth water.

After eating, Elena quickly washed up and sketched out some designs she needed for class.

When she finished, she tiptoed over to the crib and gazed at Nora's sleeping face. Most of her exhaustion melted away instantly.

She bent down gently and kissed Nora's chubby little cheek.

Her phone started buzzing frantically.

She picked it up and saw the caller ID: Felix.

Elena frowned slightly, confused.

Why would Felix be calling at this hour?

She hesitated, then answered, keeping her voice as quiet as possible so she wouldn't wake Nora. "Felix, what's going on?"

On the other end, Felix's voice came through slurred and thick with alcohol.

"Elena..."

"I'm downstairs at your apartment building. Could you... could you come down and see me?"

"I need to tell you something. Something important. If I don't say it now, I'm afraid I'll never get another chance."

His tone was full of pleading.

Elena's heart sank. She walked to the window and pulled back a corner of the curtain, looking down.

The night was deep. The dim streetlights below cast a yellowish glow over a small area beneath the building.

She spotted him immediately—a familiar figure standing under the light.

Felix.

He stood alone in the cold wind, swaying slightly. Clearly drunk out of his mind.

He was looking up at Elena's floor, clutching an empty bottle in one hand. Everything about him radiated loneliness and desperation.

Elena stared at the figure below, her emotions tangled.

On the phone, Felix's voice came through hoarse and blurred with alcohol.

"Elena, I'm sorry."

He apologized first, his tone heavy with self-reproach.

"I know you never wanted me to know where you live. You didn't want me disrupting your life anymore."

Felix let out a deep breath. "I really tried to hold back, tried to respect what you wanted. But when I think about today at the courthouse—how we had nothing to say to each other, how we just walked away in opposite directions—my chest feels so tight it hurts."

Felix had thought he could do it.

He'd thought he could bury his feelings deep inside, just like he had five years ago.

But he'd overestimated himself.

"I know I always took Tatum's side. No matter what terrible things she did, I always protected her. I know that hurt you. Made you suffer."

"I know I was wrong. I really do. But saying it now... it's too late, isn't it?"

The more Felix spoke, the more his voice broke. The alcohol was hitting him hard.

Elena tiptoed out of the nursery and quietly closed the door behind her.

She leaned against the cold wall, listening to him cry over the phone, and let out a soft sigh.

"Felix, there's no point bringing up the past."

"Tatum got what she deserved. The law gave her a fair sentence. Anything more we say won't change anything."

Felix went silent for a long time. All she could hear was his heavy breathing, thick with alcohol and helplessness.

Then he apologized for his mother's behavior.

"And about what my mom said at the courthouse today—I'm sorry. She was just confused, trying to protect her daughter. She didn't mean it. Please don't take it to heart."

Before Elena could respond, he abruptly hung up.

Elena stood there holding the phone, listening to the dial tone, her emotions churning.

Looking down at the swaying figure in the cold wind, she couldn't bring herself to just leave him there—a drunk man, alone.

If something happened to Felix, she'd never forgive herself.

But she wasn't going down there either.

After a moment's thought, she walked to the guest room and woke Linda, the nanny who'd already turned in for the night. Her tone was sincere.

"Linda, I'm sorry to ask, but could you go downstairs and help Felix get into a car? Just make sure he leaves safely. I don't want him to get hurt."

Linda rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at Elena, confused.

"Ms. Reed, why don't you go down yourself?"

"Jenny told me you and Mr. Knight were really close—like mentor and student. She said he used to look out for you. Did something happen between you two?"

Linda had been introduced by Jenny, and she'd heard plenty of stories about Elena and Felix over time. She'd always assumed they were close friends. Seeing Elena avoid him now left her baffled.

Elena shook her head gently. "No misunderstanding. We're just... not right for each other."

Linda didn't press further. She nodded, grabbed her coat, and headed downstairs.

Downstairs, Felix was still standing under the streetlight, staring up at Elena's window, clutching the empty bottle.

When he heard footsteps behind him, his eyes lit up. Thinking Elena had come down, he turned around with hope written all over his face. But when he saw who it was, the light in his eyes died instantly. Disappointment flooded in. He dropped his gaze.

Linda approached him, her tone polite and warm.

"Mr. Knight, Ms. Reed was worried about you being alone. She asked me to call you a car and make sure you get home safely."

Felix let out a bitter laugh. He muttered to himself, his voice thick with loneliness.

"I knew it. She's never going to let me close again. She won't even see me."

He fell silent for a moment, then held out a painting to Linda, his voice low.

"Please. Take this up to her."

Then he tossed the empty bottle into a nearby trash can, brushed the dust off his clothes, and forced himself to act like nothing was wrong. He turned and walked toward the street, his figure growing smaller and lonelier under the dim streetlight until he disappeared into the night.

Linda watched him go, sighed softly, then returned to the apartment and handed the package to Elena.

Elena unwrapped it and found the painting inside, completely intact.

She put it away carefully, then walked to the window and looked down at the empty streetlight below.

Tonight was cold.

---

Time flew by. Five years passed in the blink of an eye.

During those five years, Elena left the shadows of her past behind completely. She poured everything into her career and her daughter.

Her design studio, E Studio, had earned a solid reputation in the industry thanks to her skill and unique aesthetic.

Now it could go head-to-head with the top-tier FE Studio, emerging as a dark horse in the design world.

Elena had shed her old softness and passivity. She'd become steady, sharp, and independent.

Nora had grown into a lively, adorable little girl with delicate features and a sweet, obedient nature.

And during those same five years, Kian's company had exploded. It expanded at a breathtaking pace, eventually swallowing up the Lancaster Group and becoming the industry leader. His name was everywhere.

One day, Olivia came to Astoria on a business trip and made plans to meet Elena and Zoe at a coffee shop.