The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 244

Chapter 244

Cynthia's POV

I settled Amber into the backseat of Kevin's car, making sure his seatbelt was properly fastened, his coat still buttoned up against the cold.

"Comfortable?" I asked.

Amber nodded enthusiastically. "Can we have the chicken sauce as soon as we get home?"

I smiled. "Yes, baby. As soon as we get home."

Kevin was leaning against the driver's side door, his arms crossed, his expression carefully neutral but his eyes watchful.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "Just… give me one second."

I closed Amber's door and turned to Kevin.

"Can you watch him for a minute?" I asked. "I think I left my phone in the hospital room."

Kevin's eyebrows rose slightly. "You want me to stay here?"

"Jeez Kevin, it is not what you think. I just don't want to…" I hesitated. "I don't want to set Ethan off again. He didn't exactly react well to seeing you earlier."

Kevin's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Fine. But if you're not back in five minutes, I'm coming in."

"Deal," I said.

I turned and headed back toward the hospital entrance, my steps quick, my mind already running through where I might have set my phone down.

Probably on the small table near the couch.

Or maybe on the windowsill when I was helping Amber with his coat.

I retraced my steps through the sterile hallways, past the nurses' station, back toward Ethan's room.

My hand hovered over the door handle.

Should I knock?

I'd only left a few minutes ago. If Ethan was trying to rest, I didn't want to disturb him.

And honestly, the less interaction we had right now, the better.

For both of us.

I decided against knocking.

I'd just slip in quietly, grab my phone, and leave before he even noticed.

Simple.

I pushed the door open as quietly as possible and stepped inside.

And froze.

Ethan was sitting up in bed, the flask I'd brought him open on the rolling table in front of him, a spoon in his hand.

And he was eating.

For more emphasis, devouring.

His eyes were closed, his expression almost… reverent, like he was savoring every single bite.

Like the food was the best thing he'd tasted in years.

My chest tightened unexpectedly.

I'd seen Ethan eat a thousand times over the course of our marriage.

But I'd never seen him eat like this.

With this kind of focus. This kind of intensity. This kind of… hunger.

Something that made my heart ache in a way I didn't want to examine.

Then his eyes opened.

And he saw me.

We both froze.

Ethan's hand stopped mid-motion, the spoon hovering in the air, his expression shifting from unguarded contentment to shock to something that looked almost like… embarrassment.

He set the spoon down quickly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his posture straightening, his walls slamming back into place.

Like he hadn't just been caught savoring every bite of the meal I'd made for him.

The silence stretched between us, heavy and awkward.

Silence fell again.

Ethan looked down at the flask, then back at me.

"You didn't have to do this," he said quietly. "After everything I said. After how I treated you."

"I know," I said.

"Then why did you?" he asked.

I opened my mouth.

Closed it.

Tried to find an answer that made sense.

"Because you're still Amber's father," I said finally. "And because no one deserves to spend Christmas alone in a hospital, I just thought you should have a taste of the christmas sauce."

Ethan's jaw clenched, emotion flashing across his face.

He stared at me, his eyes searching mine, looking for something I wasn't sure I could give him.

Then he looked away.

"I don't deserve your kindness," he said quietly.

"Probably not," I agreed. "But I gave it to you anyway."

Ethan's lips quirked into the faintest, saddest smile I'd ever seen.

"You always were too good for me, Cynthia," he said.

The words hit me harder than I expected.

Because he was wrong.

I wasn't too good for him.

I'd just been good to him.

And he'd never appreciated it until it was gone.

I spotted my phone on the windowsill, right where I'd thought it might be and I wished I had more seconds to spend with him.