After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 283

“Babe, can you try to get off work a little earlier today? Let’s pick up Kevin together after school. I think he’d love the surprise. You hardly ever get to pick him up.”

“Deborah, I have a meeting this afternoon. I really can’t leave early, so please understand. You’ll have to pick Kevin up this time.”

Deborah was thirty-six. She’d been with him for eleven years. Kevin was their son, ten years old now. In all that time, he had never once picked Kevin up from school. He was too worried someone would see him and figure out who he really was.

He’d kept this secret for over a decade, always afraid the truth would slip out and reach Jordan. Jordan might not be as skilled as Ethan, but he was much more ruthless. Ethan was the type to do things out in the open, but Jordan always schemed behind the scenes. If Jordan ever found out he had a half-brother, would Kevin even be safe?

He was getting older and didn’t have the energy to keep juggling all these problems. That’s why he kept hiding his other family, never letting anyone at home know about them.

Deborah always said she didn’t care about having a proper title, but sometimes she hinted that he should divorce Cynthia. She even threatened to go confront Cynthia herself. He’d lost his temper at her, laid out the risks, and scared her enough that she never actually went through with it.

“Fine,” Deborah finally said. “But come straight here after work tonight, okay? No going out for drinks or business dinners. I want you to spend the evening with me.”

“Alright. I’ll try to leave work ten minutes early and come right over.”

Deborah hung up, sounding less than thrilled. To make it up to her, Jackson transferred her some money and sent a few sweet messages, hoping to smooth things over.

It was May, and the heat was already getting intense. On some days, it could hit ninety degrees.

“Thanks for asking, Ethan. I’m doing much better, really. I was sick of being stuck in bed, so I thought I’d take a walk while the weather’s nice. If it were even a little bit cooler, I wouldn’t dare come out. Jordan would definitely lecture me.”

Once she finished, she finally looked at Cynthia, giving her a gentle smile. “Cynthia, you’re back.”

Cynthia walked over, her face full of concern. “You really need to take care of yourself. Ethan’s right. Don’t stay out here too long, okay? Let’s go inside.”