Chapter 79: An Opening line

For months, Clancy had been in Spain, reinkindling with his wife and kids. Maybe a day back in England was not a bad idea. He also thought about his brother’s reminder about his daughter’s godfather position.

If he was going to say yes, then he had to be there for the ceremony that same weekend.

Clancy could not help but think if it was perhaps a sign. A sign from him to his family that all grudges were buried and forgotten. A sign that he was becoming a better person by taking up the responsibility to be a godfather to his little niece.

And a sign that he could be a better father to his kids and an even better husband than he was to Selen in the past.

***

Selen and Newton sat in the cafeteria of her work place at a booth by the corner. Amidst the chaos of lunch traffic, most of the workers had already grabbed their food and retreated to their desks, leaving the corner booth isolated, providing a thin veil of privacy.

Newton wrapped his hands around his warm mug, searching Selen’s face. She looked exhausted, the dark circles under her eyes betraying the hectic nature of the past twenty-four hours, yet there was a lingering brightness in her expression. It was the look of someone whose spirit had been lightened, even if her body was spent.

"You look like you’re a million miles away," Newton said softly, breaking the silence. He offered a warm smile, though a subtle tightness in his jaw revealed his underlying anxiety.

Selen blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts. "Sorry. I guess I’m just more tired than I realized. It has been a whirlwind." she said honestly.

"Clancy’s doing, I assume?" Newton asked. He kept his tone casual, but the name hung heavily between them. He had tried to convince himself that Clancy was just a shadow from her past, a necessary tie because of the children, but the billionaire’s constant presence in Spain was a thorn in his side.

Selen sighed, tracing the rim of her coffee cup. "When he arranged a beach day for Diana and the boys. Honestly, Newton, I wanted to be annoyed. I wanted to just get it over with. But seeing how happy the kids were... Diana actually smiled. She has not looked that relaxed in months." She said, looking up.

"I have to give him credit. He is really trying to build a bridge with them." she said truthfully. Newton swallowed hard, his coffee suddenly tasting bitter. He forced a nod. "That is good, Selen. Truly. The kids deserve a biological father who cares. I just-" he paused.

"I worry about you. I worry about what this constant back and forth is doing to your peace of mind. You went off the grid for twelve hours. That is not like you." he said. "The reception at the coastal house was terrible, and honestly, I just turned my phone off for a while," she said honestly, her voice dropping into a defensive tone.

"I needed to focus on the kids. I did not mean to make you worry." "I know,"Newton replied quickly, reaching across the table to touch her hand. "I trust you. It is just hard watching you get pulled back into a world that broke you once before without fighting the urge to pull you and the kids away." he said.

The words hit a nerve. Selen looked away, staring out the cafeteria window. Was she being pulled back? Clancy’s wealth and influence were undeniable, but it was his quiet restraint over the last few days that confused her most.

The old Clancy would have demanded attention, forcing his way into her schedule and her life. This new version seemed content to wait in the margins, and wait for her to notice.

Meanwhile, across the city at The Primrose, Clancy stood before the windows of his penthouse suite. He had changed into a cashmere sweater and dark trousers, a contrast to his casual beach attire from the day before.

His phone sat on the coffee table, the glowing screen displaying his father’s text message. It was Jimmy’s way of extending an olive branch without ever acknowledging the fractures in their relationship.

He picked up the phone. If he went back to England, it would not be to brag about a new hotel or a successful merger. It would be to show his father that he was finally learning how to be a man who anchored his family.

Spain had become a sanctuary where he could slowly reweave himself into Selen and the children’s lives. Leaving, even for a few days, felt like leaving his post unguarded. He knew Newton was waiting for any opportunity to fill the spaces he left behind.

The scowl returned to his face as he remembered the phone call from earlier, the way Selen’s voice softened for Newton, only to harden the moment she spoke to him.

But true change required him to face his past, not just hide from it in a villa.

He needed to heal the rift with his own father if he ever hoped to be a blueprint for his own boys. He wanted to be a man worthy of the family home he had just finished building.

Back at the cafeteria, Newton noticed the subtle shift in Selen’s demeanor, the way she seemed physically present but emotionally guarded. "Wait, are you going back to work after this?" Newton asked Selen when he noticed she did not have her bag with her.

"Just for an hour or two," Selen said, checking her watch. "I have a few files to update." She said, "You are running yourself ragged, Selen," Newton said with gentle frustration.

"You do not have to carry the weight of the world alone. You know I’m here. I want to help." He said in honesty. Selen offered a soft smile.

"I know you do, Newton, and I appreciate it more than you know. But my work keeps me grounded. It is the one thing that belongs entirely to me. Not to Clancy, not to my past, nor to my past. Just me." she said with finality.