The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Ethan's POV

My mind was spinning so violently I could barely focus on what was happening in front of me.

Nathaniel Laurent?.

The words kept repeating in my head like a broken record, each repetition making less sense than the last.

If Nathaniel was a Laurent, then that meant...

Kevin.

Kevin Laurent, the F1 racer was also related to him.

Explains why Kevin came to the restaurant and wasn’t hostile towards seeing Nathaniel and Cynthia together.

Nathaniel and Kevin were brothers? Does that mean that kid wasn't really Cynthia’s? Or was it a kid Cynthia and Kevin had, but Nathaniel was just playing nice uncle?

One of the officers from Nathaniel's group — a woman in plainclothes with sharp eyes and an official-looking badge — stepped forward with a folder in her hands.

"Anna Walker," she said formally, "you're being charged with the sabotage of Maison Cynclair, conspiracy to commit fraud, defamation of character, and participation in a criminal conspiracy involving embezzlement and attempted murder."

The words hit me like physical blows.

Maison Cynclair.

That was Cynthia's restaurant in Paris

"Wait," I said, my voice cutting through the procedural recitation. "What do you mean sabotage of Maison Cynclair?"

The officer glanced at Nathaniel, who gave a slight nod.

"Ms. Walker was involved in a coordinated effort to destroy Cynthia Cynclair’s restaurant," she said. "Food tampering. False health code violations. Negative reviews from paid sources. The goal was to force the business to close and damage Ms. Cynclair's reputation."

My stomach dropped.

No.

No, that can't be right.

I turned to Anna, who was still sitting against the wall, her face pale and expressionless.

"You went after Cynthia's restaurant?" I demanded, my voice shaking with disbelief and rage. "You tried to destroy her business? Why?"

Anna didn't answer. She just stared at the floor, her shoulders hunched.

"Answer me!" I shouted, taking a step toward her.

Morrison held up a hand. "Mr. Walker, please step back."

"She went after Cynthia," I said, my voice breaking now.

“She didn’t just go after Cynthia’s restaurant but also after her life” Nathaniel confirmed.

"You wanted what?" I demanded, my voice cold. "You wanted to destroy Cynthia? Destroy me? For what, Anna? Money? Revenge?"

"I wanted you!" she screamed back, her face contorted with anguish. "I wanted you to finally see me! To choose me for once instead of her!"

The confession hung in the air, raw and desperate.

"So you tried to destroy her," I said quietly, the pieces finally clicking into place with horrible clarity. "You tried to take away everything she'd built because you were jealous."

"It wasn't just jealousy," Anna whispered, her voice breaking. "You pushed me to do it. For years, Ethan… for years you treated me like a sister and that’s not what I fucking want!"

"You're insane," I breathed.

"I am in love!" she shouted. "She broke off, sobbing again.

She stopped herself, “Why couldn’t you just love me, Ethan? All this wouldn't have happened.”

I felt sick.

Physically, violently sick.

I turned away from her, my hands shaking, trying to process everything I was hearing.

"I don't understand," I said, my voice coming out strangled. "I don't understand any of this. Who the fuck is Pascal and what business do you have with him?"

As I asked that question, I realised with dread that Pascal may be that man who has been stalking Cynthia, and whom I had seen few hours ago here in Anna’s apartment.