The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Cynthia’s POV

When I got home, I was greeted by a worried Kevin who was pacing in the foyer.

“I almost called you,” he said the moment I walked through the door, his expression tight with concern. “What happened? Why did you dismiss the security guys?”

I set my purse down on the console table and sighed. “I had to drop off Amber at his school and then take him back to the Walker mansion. I really didn’t want Amber seeing some men following his mother around and feeling like Mom isn’t secure or something. It would’ve raised questions I’m not ready to answer.”

Kevin’s frown deepened. “Cynthia, those men are there for your protection. Especially after everything with Anna and the restaurant sabotage…”

“I know, Kevin. I know.” I held up a hand to stop him. “But it was broad daylight, a school pickup. I wasn’t in any danger.”

“You don’t know that,” Kevin insisted, his protective older brother instincts in full force. “Please don’t do it again. At least not without telling me first so I can make sure someone is watching from a distance.”

I could see the genuine worry in his eyes, and it softened my irritation.

“Okay. I promise. I’ll be more careful.”

“Thank you.” He pulled me into a quick hug. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I know. I appreciate it.”

Julian came around the corner then, and I immediately noticed something different about him.

He looked happy. Really happy. There was a lightness to his expression, a brightness in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in… well, possibly ever since I’d known him as an adult.

Like his lover Tony had just told him something sweet.

The thought came unbidden, and I felt a pang of guilt. I tried to bury that knowledge, tried not to treat Julian any differently from how I’d treated him before I knew he was gay. He deserved to have his privacy, his secrets kept safe until he was ready to share them.

“You look good,” I said, forcing my voice to sound normal, casual. “Something happen?”

Julian’s smile widened. “Just… had a good day, that’s all. How was yours? How’s Amber?”

“He’s good. Really good, actually.”

We stood there in the foyer, the three of us, and had a little chitchat about random things. Kevin told me about a sponsorship deal he was negotiating and an upcoming racing competition. Julian mentioned he’d been working on breaking some record in the medical field.

Normal sibling conversation. Easy. Comfortable.

But underneath it all, I could feel the secrets we were each keeping. Kevin’s lingering feelings about Matilda. Julian’s hidden relationship with Tony. My own confused emotions about Ethan.

We were all pretending, in our own ways.

After about fifteen minutes, I excused myself, claiming exhaustion from the day.

“I’m going to head up to my room. Long day.”

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“Get some rest,” Kevin said.

“I will. I promise.”

I climbed the stairs to my room, closed the door behind me, and finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

Then I remembered the envelope.

Amber’s gift.

I’d set it on my dresser when I came in, and now I picked it up with trembling hands, carefully peeling away the tape he’d used to seal it.

I opened it slowly, and my vision immediately blurred with tears.

Drawings.

Amber had given me a folder of drawings he’d made over the past three years.

I pulled them out one by one, spreading them across my bed.

There were pictures of me cooking – crude but recognizable.

Pictures of our family–me, him, and Ethan, all holding hands, with a big house in the background and a sun in the corner.

Pictures of just him and me, with hearts drawn around us.

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