The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 194

Chapter 194

Ethan’s POV

I had always wondered.

That question had sat at the back of my mind like an itch I could never quite scratch. The day Cynthia stood Amber and me up at that restaurant, the way she’d completely ignored us, and dropped a very annoying message afterwards. Something urgent came up. Those were her exact words.

I remembered Amber sitting across from me that day, swinging his legs under the chair, asking every ten minutes if Mommy was coming. I remembered watching the clock, watching my son’s excitement slowly fade into confusion… then disappointment.

She had even sent the F1 racer in her place when Amber was in the hospital, because she had travelled to Paris during that time.

I had easily forgave that because I thought it was nothing compared to the hurt I had put her through during our years of marriage.

But now, standing in this grand hall, watching Cynthia on that stage, watching Nikolai Cross hold her hand and speak about Paris, about his father, about her being there for him…

The truth slammed into me so hard it stole the air from my lungs.

Paris.

That urgent trip.

She hadn’t gone because of business or an emergency with her restaurant.

She went because of him.

Because Nikolai lost his father.

My chest tightened painfully, like someone had wrapped a steel band around my ribs and kept pulling. My ears rang as fragments of his speech replayed in my head.

We went to Paris together… she distracted me… she was there for me…

I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt.

So Nikolai was more important than her son?

More important than Amber — the boy she had been away from for three long years?

Why wouldn’t he be more important? She conveniently abandoned him for Paris for three years.

She chose Nikolai over him.

That thought broke something in me.

When Nikolai pulled her into that hug, brief as it was, public as it was, something inside my chest cracked. I couldn’t watch anymore. I physically couldn’t.

I turned away sharply, my gaze colliding with Bryan’s.

He looked… wrecked.

His jaw was tight, his eyes dark, his shoulders tense like he was bracing for a blow. For a split second, we were mirrors of each other — two men standing in the shadows of the same woman, both realizing we might have already lost.

A bitter laugh crawled up my throat.

“You can try and win her if you want,” I said quietly, my voice thick with pain. “I’m done trying.”

The words tasted like defeat, like surrender. It actually was.

I didn’t wait for his response. I turned and walked out of the hall.

The hallway felt colder. Quieter. Like I’d stepped into another world.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to steady my breathing, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. I just needed a moment. One moment away from the lights, the applause, the betrayal burning behind my eyes.

Then it hit me.

I stopped walking.

My heart stuttered.

I turned around slowly, scanning the hallway, my eyes darting instinctively to the corners, the benches, the doors.

Nothing.

“Amber?” I called.

My voice echoed back at me, unanswered.

A cold wave of panic washed over me.

The usher frowned, clearly unsure how to respond. “Sir, I’m not aware of any…”

“What?” I was becoming impatient.

“I’m sorry, sir, you have to bring your voice down,” he added nervously, glancing around as people began to slow, curiosity piqued by the tension.

That did it.

Every frustration I’d been bottling up exploded.

I had just watched my wife honor another man on stage. I had just realized she chose someone else over our child. I had just found out my entire life was built on a lie about my mother.

And now my son was gone.

“WHERE IS THE DESIGNATED AREA FOR KIDS FOR THIS EVENT?” I roared.

The usher flinched like I’d struck him. Conversations around us died instantly. Heads turned. Eyes stared.

“There’s… there’s nothing like that here, sir,” he stammered. “Kids are not…”

My vision blurred.

The floor seemed to tilt beneath my feet.

I whispered hoarsely. “What do you mean?”

“There is no designated kids’ area for this event,” he said more firmly now, clearly shaken. “Children are not part of the program.”

The world spun violently.

My heart slammed against my ribs, wild and erratic. My hands trembled as the implications crashed down on me.

Then where was Amber?

“Ethan,” Bryan said urgently, stepping closer. “Listen to me. He couldn’t have gone far. He may have wandered toward the entrance. Let’s think…”

I rounded on him, rage and terror blurring my vision. “WHERE IS MY SON???”