The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 278

Chapter 278

Cynthia's POV

Two weeks, fourteen days, three hundred and thirty-six hours.

I'd counted every single one.

And still, there was no sign of Ethan.

The police were useless.

Completely, utterly useless.

Every day, Detective Susan would call with the same non-update.

"We're still searching, Ms. Cynclair."

"We've expanded our efforts."

"We're following every lead."

But they had nothing.

No sightings of Grace or Pascal, no trace of Anna.

No evidence of where they'd taken Ethan.

Nothing.

Just empty promises and hollow reassurances that did absolutely nothing to bring him back.

I was losing my mind.

I knew I was.

Everyone around me could see it.

The way I'd stopped sleeping properly, surviving on maybe two or three hours a night before nightmares jolted me awake.

The way I'd stopped eating regularly, forcing down a few bites only when someone literally sat beside me and insisted.

The way I'd started pacing the mansion at all hours, unable to sit still, unable to rest, unable to do anything but wait.

And the worst part?

Amber was watching.

My son was watching his mother fall apart in real time.

I'd tried to hide it from him.

Tried to put on a brave face, to act normal, to pretend everything was fine.

But Amber was too smart for that.

He'd caught me crying more than once.

Had heard me shouting at the police on the phone.

Had seen the way I couldn't hold a conversation without drifting off, my mind elsewhere.

And it was breaking him too.

It was Nathaniel who finally intervened.

He found me in the library one afternoon, staring blankly at my phone, waiting for a call that never came.

"Cici," he said gently. "We need to talk."

I didn't look up. "If this is another 'you need to take care of yourself' speech…"

"It's about Amber," Nathaniel interrupted.

That got my attention.

I looked up sharply. "What about him?"

Nathaniel sat down across from me, his expression careful.

"He's scared," Nathaniel said quietly. "He doesn't understand what's happening. And seeing you like this... it's hurting him."

Guilt twisted in my chest.

"I'm trying," I said, my voice breaking. "I'm trying to be strong for him, but…"

"I know," Nathaniel said. "Which is why I think it would be best if Amber stayed with Helen and me for a while. At our house. Just until... until things settle down a bit."

"You want to take my son away from me?" I asked, disbelief coloring my tone.

"Not take him away," Nathaniel said quickly. "Just give you some space to... to process everything without worrying about how it's affecting him."

I wanted to argue and insist that I could handle it, that I could be the mother Amber needed but Nathaniel was right.

Amber was scared, and I was the one scaring him.

"Okay," I whispered.

Nathaniel's eyebrows rose slightly, clearly surprised I'd agreed so quickly.

"You're sure?" he asked.

I nodded, tears streaming down my face.

"Just... just for a little while," I said. "Until I get myself together."

"Of course," Nathaniel said gently.

Amber left the next morning with Helen and Lily.

He hugged me tightly before getting in the car, his small voice asking, "When can I come home?"

"Ma'am, you can't just…" someone called after me, but I didn't stop.

I burst into what used to be Ethan's office.

And found someone else sitting behind his desk.

A man in his fifties with graying hair and an expensive suit, looking entirely too comfortable in a space that didn't belong to him.

He looked up, startled, as I stormed in.

"Excuse me," he said, standing. "How did you get in here?"

"I'm Cynthia Cynclair," I said, my voice shaking with fury. "Ethan Walker's wife. And who the hell are you?"

The man's expression shifted from confusion to understanding.

"Mrs. Walker," he said, his tone becoming placating. "I'm Richard Hilary. The board appointed me as acting CEO until…"

"Until what?" I demanded. "Until you declare my husband dead so you can steal his company?"

"That's not…" Richard started.

"Ethan is not dead," I said, stepping closer. "Do you understand me? He's not dead. He's out there somewhere, and we're going to find him. And when we do, he's going to come back here and reclaim what's his."

Richard held up his hands defensively.

"Mrs. Walker, I understand you're upset…"

"Don't you dare patronize me," I snapped. "I know what you're doing. You're already acting like he's gone. Like you've won. But you haven't. Because Ethan is coming back."

"Mrs. Walker…"

"Don't get too comfortable in that chair," I said, pointing at Ethan's desk. "Because it's not yours. And it never will be."

I turned and stormed out before he could respond.

Before I completely lost control.

I made it to the parking garage before the tears came.

Great, heaving sobs that tore out of me, echoing off the concrete walls.

I slumped against my car, sliding down to sit on the cold ground, and let myself fall apart completely.

Everyone was giving up, even I was starting to doubt.

What if he really is dead?

What if I'm fighting for nothing?

What if I've already lost him?

I pressed my hands over my face, trying to hold back the sobs, trying to pull myself together.