Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

"Mommy…" Zane's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She turned to find him dashing into the room, cheeks flushed, eyes shining with excitement.

"The toy house is ready," he announced, almost bouncing on his feet. "Mrs. Jules cleaned the storeroom and turned it into a beautiful toy house. Come and see." He tugged at her hand and practically pulled her out of the room.

"Slow down," Zara said. She couldn't stop smiling at how excited he was.

But Zane was too delighted to listen to her words. Leaving her hand, he sprinted out to the backyard.

Shaking her head, Zara followed him out.

What she saw caught her off guard.

The old storeroom had been completely transformed—its dusty shelves and stacked boxes gone. The walls were painted a soft sky blue, with fluffy white clouds drifting across them, and a bright yellow sun smiling down from one corner. The floor was covered with a thick, grass-green carpet.

The bookshelf was shifted there, filled with colorful storybooks. Bins of neatly arranged blocks, puzzles, and stuffed animals were placed neatly in one corner. In the other corner, a small play tent shaped like a castle stood proudly.

"Mommy! Mommy, come!" he called, grabbing Zara's hand and practically dragging her to the room. "Look up there."

He pointed at the lights draped across the ceiling like stars. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Before Zara could reply, he ran away. He ran from one corner to the other, touching everything. Then, unable to contain his excitement, he rushed to find his mother.

"It's my place to play. Do you like it?" His little voice was bubbling with joy, his cheeks flushed pink from excitement.

When Zane saw his eyes lit up brighter than the lights, Zara's heart melted. She nodded, smiling. "I love it."

"All my toys are here, and there is still space to play," Zane beamed, tugging her toward the far corner. "Come on, I'll show you my new ones."

Zara allowed him to lead her to a neatly arranged stack of bins brimming with toys. She then sat down, watching as Zane eagerly displayed each one to her. His enthusiasm was infectious, and she simply sat there, soaking in his joy.

They stayed there for a while before returning inside. Zara helped him wash up, then handed him a fresh set of clothes.

"Put these on. Then come down and have your milk."

Leaving him to change, Zara headed for the kitchen.

Mrs. Jules was there, already starting to prepare dinner. When she saw Zara coming, she smiled at her, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Do you need something?"

Zara shook her head. "I'm here to cook dinner."

The housekeeper's face lit up in surprise. It had been a while since Zara had stepped into the kitchen to prepare a meal herself.

"What shall we make?" Mrs. Jules asked eagerly.

"His favorite chicken," Zara replied.

"I know exactly what to do," Mrs. Jules said with a grin, reaching into the freezer and pulling out a pack of chicken breasts, ready to help.

The kitchen was alive with movement. Zara and Mrs. Jules worked side by side, their hands moving with practiced ease, their conversation flowing smoothly.

Zane appeared, his hair slightly mussed, his face lit with excitement.

"You finally came," Zara glanced at him. "What took you so long?"

"I called Grandpa and told him about the toy house," he said as he climbed into his chair. He launched into a lively recounting of the conversation, his limpid eyes shining as he spoke.

Zara listened as she poured milk into a glass.

"They are so excited. They said they'd come to see it," he finished with a grin.

"That's wonderful," she said, coming out of the kitchen and setting the milk in front of him. "You'll have a great time with them."

A deep voice cut into the moment. "Who is having fun tonight?"

"Daddy, you're back." Zane bolted from his chair, and Nathaniel crouched down to scoop him into his arms.

Zara watched the scene, a nostalgic smile appearing on her face.

"You are getting better, Daddy," Zane said cheekily. "You've started coming home early."

"You little rascal," Nathaniel spanked him lightly in playful reprimand. "You've got too much to say."

His lips curved in a smile, but it lacked the warmth to light up his face. Even the little boy knew how he had been earlier.

Nathaniel felt the weight of the moments he had missed, and that regret only strengthened his determination to make up for them.

He glanced toward Zara, who smiled at them

That smile

It was a kind of smile that seemed to light the room. Warm. Genuine. Beautiful.

He found himself staring at her, realizing with a jolt that her presence was what made this place a home. Without her, it was just walls and stone. Why had it taken him so long to see it?

"Daddy, let's go and see my toy house," Zane's excited voice yanked Nathaniel from his thoughts.

"Daddy just got home," Zara interjected, coming toward them. "He must be tired. Let him rest, and you still haven't finished your milk."

Nathaniel straightened to his full height and glanced at his son. "Finish your milk first. We'll check it out later."

"Okay," Zane said, scampering back to the table to gulp down the milk.

Nathaniel's eyes shifted to Zara, who was watching him.

"How did the meeting go?" she asked. "Did you close the deal?"

Clicking his tongue, he gave a small shake of his head. "The client is demanding—hard to please. We are still negotiating. But I'm sure we'll get it."

"You will," she replied confidently, reaching for his briefcase.

But instead of handing it over, he moved it out of her reach and leaned in, his face suddenly filling her view. "That confident in me, huh?"

A flush rose to her cheeks. She wondered if he had always been like this. Or was this a recent change? She lightly pushed at his shoulder. "I'll go get your coffee."

Turning away, she hurried toward the kitchen, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

Nathaniel chuckled at her retreating figure before heading to the bedroom. He set his briefcase down on the sofa, shrugged off his suit jacket, and wandered into the closet. As he slid the jacket onto its hanger, his gaze dropped to the wooden chest, tucked neatly on the shelf on Zara's side.

His brows drew together. "What's this?" he murmured, reaching toward it.