The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 212

Chapter 212

Cynthia's POV

I stared at my phone screen, Ethan's words still echoing in my head.

"Bring my son back home."

Not a request.

Not a plea.

A command.

Like I was some kind of servant he could order around.

Like I hadn't just spent the past few hours terrified out of my mind, thinking our son was lost, kidnapped, hurt — or even worse.

Like he hadn't been the reason Amber went missing in the first place.

Rage flooded through me so violently my hands shook.

I ended the call.

Just hung up on him.

Because if I stayed on that line one more second, I was going to say something I couldn't take back.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Why was he angry?

He was the one who'd brought Amber to that event uninvited. He was the one who'd been too busy stalking me to keep an eye on our son. He was the one whose jealousy and possessiveness had put Amber in danger.

And now he had the audacity to act like I was the problem?

"Cynthia."

My mother's voice cut through the fog of anger.

I turned to find Victoria standing a few feet away, her expression calm but concerned, her hands folded neatly in front of her.

"What?" I snapped, more harshly than I intended.

She didn't flinch.

"Men can be annoying," she said simply. "Especially when they're scared."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Scared? He's scared? What about me, Mom? I was terrified. I thought I'd lost Amber. And Ethan…"

"Is worked up," Victoria interrupted gently but firmly. "He just spent hours thinking his son was missing. And then he found out Amber came here. To this house. The house where he thinks you're involved with Kevin."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she continued before I could.

"I'm not saying he's right," Victoria said. "I'm not saying his behavior was acceptable. But you need to understand what this looks like from his perspective."

I stared at her, frustration and exhaustion warring inside me.

"Amber chose to come here instead of going home," Victoria continued softly. "To Ethan, that probably feels like rejection. Like his son doesn't trust him anymore. Or worse… like his son has chosen you over him."

My chest tightened painfully.

I hadn't thought about it that way.

"And on top of that," Victoria added, "his mother is in the hospital. The woman he's called his mother his entire life… who apparently isn't his biological mother at all. That's a lot for anyone to process, Cynthia. Even someone as stubborn as Ethan Walker."

Her words settled over me like a weight.

I sank down onto the sofa, suddenly feeling the full exhaustion of the night crashing over me.

Victoria sat down beside me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "That's your decision to make, sweetheart."

"So should I…" I started.

"Ethan will survive one night without Amber," Victoria said firmly. "You both will."

I looked at her, searching her face for certainty I didn't feel.

"Right now," she continued, "what Amber needs is rest. What you need is rest. And what Ethan needs… well, that's something only he can figure out."

Bryan shifted slightly, drawing my attention back to him.

"She's right," he said quietly. "Amber's been through enough tonight. Let him sleep. You can deal with Ethan in the morning."

I exhaled slowly, the tension in my shoulders loosening just slightly.

They were right.

Both of them.

The image of Ethan sitting alone in that empty mansion, drowning in grief and fear and anger, made my chest ache.

Victoria stood, squeezing my shoulder once before heading toward the stairs. "Try to get some rest, Cynthia. Tomorrow will be here soon enough."

She disappeared down the hallway, leaving me alone with Bryan.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

"For what it's worth," he said softly, "you're doing the best you can. And Amber knows that. Ethan… he'll figure it out eventually."

I managed a faint smile. "Thank you."

I leaned back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling, my mind too full and too empty at the same time.