The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Ethan's POV

I was drowning.

That was the only way to describe what the past few hours had felt like—like I was trapped underwater, lungs burning, vision blurring, struggling desperately for air that never came.

The Walker mansion felt suffocating.

Empty and suffocating at the same time.

I sat in Amber's room, still clutching his stuffed bear, my eyes burning from tears I'd finally run out of. My throat was raw. My chest ached. Every part of me felt hollowed out, scraped clean of anything resembling hope or strength.

My phone had been ringing nonstop.

Work calls. Board members. Executives demanding updates on the company crisis. Investors wanting reassurances. Journalists fishing for statements.

I declined every single one.

I didn't care.

None of it mattered.

The only thing that mattered was Amber, and he was still gone.

Or so I'd thought.

When Cynthia's name flashed across my screen, I stared at it for a long moment, my thumb hovering over the answer button.

Part of me wanted to pick up.

Needed to pick up.

Because maybe she had news. Maybe the police had found something.

But the anger was still there.

Hot and bitter and consuming.

She'd chosen Nikolai tonight. She'd stood on that stage beside him, let him claim her in front of everyone, smiled at him like he was something special while I watched from the shadows like a fool.

And then she'd left with Bryan.

Bryan.

The man who'd confessed to being in love with my wife.

So no.

I didn't want to talk to her.

I let it ring.

And ring.

And ring.

Until it went to voicemail.

She called again immediately.

I ignored it again.

But curiosity gnawed at me.

Why was she calling?

Did she find Amber? Did something happen? Did the police…

I couldn't stand not knowing.

So I did the only thing I could think of.

I called Bryan.

He answered on the second ring.

"Ethan."

"Where's Amber?" I demanded immediately, not bothering with pleasantries. "Did they find him?"

There was a brief pause.

Then Bryan's voice came through, careful and measured.

"Yeah. He's fine. He's safe."

Done trying to win her back. Done begging for scraps of her attention. Done watching her parade around with other men while I stood on the sidelines like some pathetic, lovesick fool.

If Cynthia wanted to live her life however she pleased—dating Kevin Laurent, accepting Nikolai Cross's advances, doing whatever the hell she wanted with whoever the hell she wanted—fine.

I didn't care.

She could two-time, double-date, have a damn foursome for all I cared.

But she was not dragging my son into her mess.

She was not going to use Amber as some pawn in her new life, some accessory to parade around her string of admirers.

If she wanted that divorce so badly?

Fine.

She could have it.

And I'd make damn sure I got full custody of Amber.

My hands were still trembling as I pulled up her contact and hit call.

She answered almost immediately.

"Ethan."

Her voice.

God, even now, even after everything, the sound of it did something to me.

But I shoved that feeling down violently.

"Bring my son back home," I said.

My voice was cold.

Flat.

Empty.

There was a pause on the other end of the line.