The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 183

Chapter 183

Cynthia’s POV

Nathaniel closed the door of the study behind him, the soft click sounding far too final, but the weight of what he had just said still hung thickly in the air. The room felt smaller somehow, as if the walls had edged closer the moment the door shut.

“The problem,” he repeated quietly, as if lowering his voice might soften the blow, “is that Pascal hasn’t been found. And Hayden… she’s gone.”

I stared at him, my mind refusing to process the words fast enough. “Gone?”

“Kidnapped,” he corrected grimly. “From foster care. Sometime last night.”

My heart dropped straight to my stomach, a cold, hollow sensation spreading through my chest.

“No,” I whispered. “No, no, no… She was under government protection,”

“Yeah, turns out so” Nathaniel said

I took a step back, shaking my head as if that might undo what he had just said. “How could someone just take her?” my voice trembling despite my effort to stay calm.

I was genuinely worried because that is another heart break for Ethan, and of course Hayden is just an innocent baby.

Nathaniel’s jaw tightened, the muscle jumping as he clenched his teeth. “Pascal.”

The name felt heavy on my tongue.

“Why would he do that? What has Hayden got to do with his beef with Ethan? To spite him? Jeez, I have to keep Amber safe,” I sighed. “He had the nerve to go into hiding and still walk into a foster home and take her?”

“That’s what makes this so dangerous,” Nathaniel replied. “He’s not acting like a man on the run. He’s acting like a man who thinks he’s untouchable.”

I started pacing the room, unable to stay still, dragging my fingers through my hair as thoughts collided in my head. Fear, disbelief, anger, all tangled together.

“Do you know how insane that is?” I said, my voice rising despite myself. “Kidnapping a child from government custody? That’s not just bold, it’s suicidal. The police, child services, every federal agency will be looking for him now.”

“And yet,” Nathaniel said evenly, “he still did it.”

Which meant Pascal was not just desperate. He was either incredibly powerful or completely unhinged, and neither option offered any comfort.

My mind went straight to Ethan.

“Ethan doesn’t even know yet, does he?” I asked quietly.

Nathaniel shook his head. “I doubt he knows about Hayden.”

“He’s already falling apart,” I said softly, the image of Ethan’s confusion and anger flashing in my mind. “First he finds out his mother isn’t really his mother. Then he finds out he might have a half-brother who’s been stealing from his company and trying to destroy his life. And now his daughter has been taken?”

I closed my eyes, pressing my lips together as if that might hold everything in.

“It’s too much.”

Nathaniel leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. “He deserves to know. But maybe not right now. Grace is still unconscious. There are too many unanswered questions.”

“That’s what kills me,” I said, my voice thick. “He wants to know who his real mother is. He needs to know. But the only person who can answer that is lying in a hospital bed, unable to speak.”

A strange, sharp ache spread through my chest, unexpected and unwelcome. For all of Ethan’s mistakes, for all the pain and confusion he had caused me, no one deserved this kind of emotional earthquake.

“Do you think Grace knew?” I asked suddenly.

Nathaniel looked at me. “Knew what?”

We fell silent after that, the implications hanging between us like an unspoken accusation.

Somewhere else in the house, laughter drifted faintly through the air. Julian and Kevin and Victoria, talking about Christmas, about plans and decorations and things that still felt safe. The sound felt surreal compared to the conversation we were having, like two completely different worlds existing under the same roof.

“So what do we do?” I asked finally.

“We wait for the police to find Hayden,” Nathaniel said without hesitation. “Pascal woud be using her as leverage.”

Just then, the smell of something sweet drifted into the study, warm and comforting.

Pastries.

I turned toward the door just as it creaked open.

“Mommy!”

Amber burst into the room, his cheeks dusted with flour, his eyes shining with excitement.

“I made cookies with Auntie Helen and Uncle Julian!” he announced proudly. “And Lily helped but she kept eating the chocolate chips.”

I could not help but smile as I dropped to my knees and opened my arms.

“That sounds about right,” I said as he ran straight into my embrace.

He hugged me tightly, his small arms wrapping around my neck. “They smell so good. Can I bring some to Daddy?”

“Oh, yeah sure, if your aunt Helen allows you to take some.”

“Amazing, I am so eager to see Daddy. When are we going to see him?”