The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 68

#68

Chapter 68

Ethan’s POV

I walked back toward Amber’s bed after Dr. Reyes finished explaining the medication schedule.

Amber was sitting up now, his eyes brighter than they’d been since the surgery. There was color in his cheeks, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

“Dad,” he said, his voice still weak but filled with something that sounded almost like joy. “Mom just left. She told me she loved me.”

I stopped mid–step.

“What?”

“Mom was here,” Amber repeated. “She came to see me. She held my hand and kissed my forehead and told me she loved me no matter what.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. Had they given him something? Some kind of post–operative medication that was causing him to hallucinate? The anesthesia, maybe sometimes it could cause confusion, vivid dreams that felt real.

–

“Buddy,” I said carefully, sitting on the edge of his bed. “I’ve been here the whole time. No one came in except the doctor.”

“She did,” Amber insisted. “She was right here”

My chest tightened. He sounded so certain and hopeful.

But it wasn’t possible, there was no way she could have gotten into this room without me seeing her. Besides her lover came yesterday and said she travelled, so it couldn’t have been her

“It might have been a dream,” I said gently. “Sometimes after surgery, the medications can make things feel very real even when they’re not.”

“It wasn’t a dream.” Amber’s jaw set with stubborn determination, an expression I recognized all too well. He’d inherited that from me. “She was here, Dad. Jeez.”

I didn’t have the heart to argue with him. And truthfully, whatever had happened whether it is a dream or hallucination or wishful thinking, it had done something. He looked happier than he had in days.

If believing his mother had visited gave him peace, who was I to take that away?

“Okay, buddy,” I said softly. “Okay.”

A few hours later, the doctor cleared Amber for discharge.

Anna arrived just as I was helping Amber change out of his hospital gown. Hayden was in the nanny’s arms, gurgling happily, oblivious to the tension that seemed to follow her mother everywhere.

“There’s my brave boy,” Anna cooed, approaching Amber’s bed. “How are you feeling? Ready to go home?”

Amber nodded, but his attention was elsewhere. He was practically glowing.

Anna noticed. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“You seem happy,” she said, her tone carefully casual. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

“Mom came to see me,” Amber announced proudly. “She told me she loved me.”

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Anna’s head snapped toward me. I shrugged helplessly.

“Amber, sweetie,” Anna said, her voice taking on that patronizing tone I was starting to hate. “Did you dream about your mom?

“It wasn’t a dream,” Amber said firmly. “She was really here. I saw her. I felt her kiss my forehead ”

“Well,” she said lightly, “that’s… nice. But Amber, honey, your mother is very busy. I don’t think she could have…”

“She was here,” Amber repeated, his voice rising. “Dad, call Mom. Please? I want to talk to her. I want to know when she’s coming back.”

I hesitated at first but when I try reaching for my phone…

“Ethan.” Anna’s hand closed over mine, stopping me. “Why are you trying to raise the poor boy’s hopes again? Cynthia stood him up once already. She’ll just do it again.”

I paused, her words hitting a nerve. She had a point. What guarantee did I have that she wouldn’t do the same thing again?

Amber was looking between us, confusion clouding his face.

Anna must have taken my hesitation as agreement because she turned back to Amber, her expression sympathetic but her words anything but.

“Amber, sweetheart, I know this is hard to hear, but I’ve told you times and times again, your mother… abandoned you. She doesn’t…”

“Stop.”

The word came out of my mouth before I even realized I was speaking.

Anna looked at me, surprised. “What?”

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