The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 240

Chapter 240

Cynthia's POV

"OH MY GOD!"

Victoria's scream was so loud it probably woke half the neighborhood.

I turned to see my mother practically running down the front steps of the mansion, her elegant composure completely abandoned as she rushed toward the truck full of flowers.

"Nikolai!" she exclaimed, her face lit up with genuine delight. "Did you do all this?"

Nikolai smiled, clearly pleased by her reaction.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Laurent," he said warmly.

Before he could say anything else, Victoria pulled him into a hug.

An actual, full-bodied hug.

I stood there, frozen in shock, watching my usually composed, dignified mother embrace Nikolai like he was family.

"This is absolutely wonderful!" Victoria said, pulling back to look at him. "So thoughtful. So generous. You must come inside! We're about to have breakfast, and you simply must join us."

"I wouldn't want to impose…" Nikolai started.

"Nonsense!" Victoria interrupted, looping her arm through his and already guiding him toward the mansion. "You're not imposing. You're family."

I blinked.

Family?

Kevin appeared beside me, his arms still crossed, his expression somewhere between amused and exasperated.

"Well," Kevin said dryly, "that answers that question."

"What question?" I asked, still staring after my mother and Nikolai.

"Whether or not Mom approves of him," Kevin replied. "Spoiler alert: she does. Enthusiastically."

I turned to look at Kevin.

"She barely knows him," I said.

Kevin shrugged. "Doesn't matter. He's rich, successful, handsome, and he just showed up with a truck full of flowers on Christmas morning. Mom's probably already planning your wedding."

I rolled my eyes. "That's not funny."

"I'm not joking," Kevin said.

I watched as Victoria led Nikolai up the steps, still chattering excitedly about the flowers, about Christmas, about how lovely it was to have him here.

And I felt… conflicted.

Because objectively, Nikolai was perfect.

He was kind. Thoughtful. Genuine. Successful. Respectful.

The kind of man any sane mother would want for her daughter.

The kind of man who would treat me well, who would never make me feel small or invisible or unworthy.

But he wasn't the one.

I knew that.

Deep down, I knew.

And it had nothing to do with his age — even though yes, he was younger than me, and yes, that did feel slightly strange.

It was something else.

Something I couldn't quite name.

Something that had everything to do with the way my heart still ached when I thought about Ethan.

Ethan was apologizing.

Ethan—who'd pushed me away just hours ago, who'd told me I didn't need to be there anymore, who'd glared at me like I was part of the problem—was now asking me to take Amber.

To give him the Christmas he deserved.

Guilt crashed over me in waves.

I wiped at my eyes quickly, my throat tight.

I should respond.

I should tell him yes, of course I'd come get Amber.

Of course I'd give him the Christmas he deserved.

I took a slow breath.

Then I typed.

Cynthia: I'll be there in an hour.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself.

I didn't wait for a response.

I just slipped my phone back into my pocket and headed toward the kitchen.

I had a Christmas to prepare.

For my son.

Because no matter what happened between me and Ethan, Amber deserved better than this.

And I was going to make sure he got it.