The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 179

Chapter 179

Cynthia’s POV

I didn’t wait for Ethan to finish another sentence.

The moment his questions started looping

‘What did you mean? Does that mean he’s not your boyfriend?’

“Cynthia, answer me’

I hurried straight out of the Walker mansion like my life depended on it.

Because in a way, it did.

I heard him behind me, still talking, still trying to force clarity out of a truth I wasn’t ready to give.

“Cynthia!” he called as I reached my car that I had left yesterday when I came initially to be with Amber. “You can’t just run away from this!”

I didn’t turn back.

I got into the driver’s seat, slammed the door, and locked it just as his hand hit the window.

“Tell me what you meant!” he demanded through the glass. “Do you honestly think I would make love to you if I was with Kevin? What does that mean?”

My chest felt like it was on fire.

I started the engine.

The tires screeched slightly as I reversed and pulled away, leaving him standing there in the driveway, his face a mix of anger, confusion, and something else I didn’t want to name.

I didn’t slow down until I was far, far away from the Walker mansion.

My hands were shaking on the steering wheel.

That was way too close.

Ethan wasn’t stupid. He was emotional, impulsive, sometimes blind when it came to people he loved — but he wasn’t stupid. The way he’d paused after my words, the way the confusion had sharpened in his eyes… he must have suspected.

There is a possibility that he may have realised that Kevin wasn’t just some man in my life.

I swallowed hard as the Laurent mansion came into view, its familiar gates a strange kind of safety.

I pulled up just outside the gate.

Before I could even step out, the front door opened, I saw Kevin, he was already outside, like he had been waiting for me, leaning casually against one of the pillars, his phone in his hand, his expression alert and soft at the same time.

When he saw me, he pushed away from the pillar and walked toward my car.

“Look who finally decided to come home,” he said with a crooked grin as I stepped out. “Were you having too much fun being kidnapped by your husband again?”

Despite everything, I laughed.

Kevin pulled me into a hug before I could say anything, his arms warm and solid around me. “You look like you wrestled a storm and barely made it out alive,” he murmured. “I need to sue Ethan, he has done crazy things to my sister, she is beyond recognition?”

“What? What do you mean?” I laughed, my face pressed briefly into his shoulder.

He pulled back just enough to look at me, eyes searching my face. “You are glowing.”

“Oh dear Lord, so now Ethan makes me glow?,”

He nodded, “Looks like it, the other day and today, you have this very unique and different glow. Sex is really amazingly therapeutic.

“Come on,” he said, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get you inside.”

…

Inside the mansion, the warm, sweet smell of baking hit me immediately.

I hesitated.

My heart twisted a little.

“We’d have to talk to your father about it,” I said gently. “You know that.”

Amber made a face but nodded. “Okay. But you can help me convince him I want to.”

“I will,” I promised.

We all gathered around the kitchen island, the conversation drifting from pastries to decorations to what everyone was doing for the holidays.

“I won’t be around for Christmas,” Julian said quietly when he was asked what he would be doing for christmas.

The room went still.

Every head turned toward him.

“What?” Kevin asked. “What do you mean you won’t be around?”

Julian shrugged like it was nothing, but his jaw was tight. “I’ve got something to take care of.”

“Something where?” Victoria asked, immediately concerned.

“Yeah,” Helen added. “Christmas is in three days.”

“I know,” Julian said.

Kevin studied him carefully. “You’re not going on some random trip for a surgery, are you?”

Julian shook his head with a sort of blushing smile.

I knew what he wanted to do for Christmas, he is definitely not working. I had overheard him the other day with his boyfriend Tony who claimed he was celebrating coming to celebrate Christmas with Julian. I guess Julian is going to where Tony must have lodged or rented an apartment.