The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 39

#39

Chapter 39

Cynthia’s POV

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On our way back home, Kevin was still riding high on his win, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel in time with the music, occasionally breaking into spontaneous whoops of joy that made Julian roll his eyes from the passenger seat.

I sat in the back, staring out the window, Mrs. Sam’s words playing on repeat in my mind.

“Alright, change of plans,” Kevin announced suddenly, taking an unexpected turn. “We’re stopping at the market.”

“What? Why?” Julian asked.

“Because,” Kevin said with exaggerated patience, “I just won a race on home soil, and I want a proper celebration. Which means Cici needs to cook something spectacular. Which means we need groceries.”

I opened my mouth to protest, I wasn’t exactly in the mood to cook but Kevin caught my eye in the mirror again.

“Please?”

“Fine,” I sighed. “But you’re assisting in the kitchen.”

Kevin grinned. “Deal.”

***

The grocery store was one of those upscale markets that sold organic everything. Kevin grabbed a cart with unnecessary enthusiasm while Julian immediately wandered off toward the coffee aisle.

I was examining a display of fresh herbs, mentally planning a menu, when I heard a voice behind me.

“Amber’s mom?”

I froze, my hand hovering over a bunch of basil. Slowly, I turned around.

A young girl stood before me with bright eyes and a wide smile. She wore Westbridge Academy school uniform and recognition hit me immediately.

Lillian. One of Amber’s classmates from grade three.

“Lillian?” I said, my surprise genuine. “Wow, you’ve grown so much!”

“I haven’t seen you in forever!” she said, her face lighting up. “Where have you been? Amber keeps saying you disappeared.”

The words were innocent, but they stabbed straight through me.

“I’ve been… traveling,” I said carefully. “For work.”

“That’s so cool! Are you back now? Maybe you can come to our class presentation next month. Amber’s doing one on

H

“Lillian!”

The sharp voice cut through the air like a whip. Both fillian and I turned to see a woman striding toward us, designer handbag swinging from her arm, perfectly coiffed hair bouncing with each step

Mrs. Rasker. Lillian’s mother.

I’d only met her a handful of times during my marriage to Ethan, usually at school functions. She was a glamorous news anchor who always looked like she belonged on a red carpet instead of a PTA meeting Amber always compared me with her, he wished t was as flashy and influential.

#39

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She stopped short when she recognized me, her perfectly made–up face registering shock.

“Jesus Christ,” she breathed, her hand flying to her chest dramatically. “I heard you ran away from your farmily. Why did you come back?”

My expression hardened immediately. “I didn’t run away, Mrs. Rasker. I traveled.”

She let out a harsh laugh. “Traveled. Right. Well, your ‘traveling‘ doesn’t change the fact that your son has become the most feared bully in the whole of grade six.”

The words hit me like a slap. “What?”

“Oh, don’t act surprised,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension. “It’s really alarming, and you need to put him in check. The last time Lillian complained about him bullying her, and I am deeply displeased with that.”

“Mom,” Lillian said quietly, tugging on her mother’s sleeve. “That’s not…”

“Hush, Lillian.” Mrs. Rasker waved her daughter off, keeping her eyes fixed on me. “Amber has been absolutely unruly this year. Picking fights, talking back to teachers, intimidating other children. Clearly, you weren’t training him well before you abandoned him, and now look what’s happened.”

Each word was designed to wound, to make me feel small and inadequate. The old Cynthia would have shrunk under this verbal assault, would have apologized profusely and scurried away in shame.

But I wasn’t that woman anymore.

I straightened my spine, meeting Mrs. Rasker’s gaze directly. “First of all, Mrs. Rasker, I did not abandon my son. Second, if Amber is acting out, it’s because he’s going through something difficult…something that requires understanding and support, not judgment from people who know nothing about our situation.”

Her eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting pushback.

“And third,” I continued, my voice calm but firm, “before you stand here criticizing my parenting, perhaps you should ask yourself why your daughter felt the need to tell you Amber bullied her and you judged without hearing Amber’s side of the story, Mrs. Rasker. It’s often a response to bullying received.”

“How dare you…”

“I’m not finished.” My voice didn’t rise, but it cut through hers effortlessly. “I don’t know what happened between Amber and Lillian, but I will handle it. As his mother. Without your unsolicited commentary on my life choices or my son’s behavior. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have groceries to buy.”

Mrs. Rasker’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. She clearly couldn’t believe what she was hearing, the meek, submissive Cynthia Walker she remembered was gone.

“I… well… I never…” she sputtered.

“Clearly,” I said coolly, turning back to my herbs.

Just then, Kevin appeared beside me, holding up a bundle of vegetables with an easy smile. “Hey, Cici, are these the vegetables you were looking for? I wasn’t sure if you wanted the regular carrots or the organic ones, so I grabbed both ”

He said it casually, naturally, like he’d done this a thousand times before. But his presence shitted the entire dynamic of the

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