The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 90

Cynthia’s POV

“Hayden is not my daughter.”

I wanted to let out another laughter, to explain to him that I wasn’t a gullible and I wasn’t stupid enough to believe that.

“Mom!!!”

Amber’s voice cut me short. I looked up to see him bounding down the hallway toward us, his face lit up with pure joy, the kind of unfiltered happiness I hadn’t seen from him in years.

“Hey… hey… easy,” Ethan said, stepping forward with his hands out. “You just had surgery. You shouldn’t be jumping around like that.”

But Amber didn’t listen. He crashed into me anyway, wrapping his arms around my waist with such force that I stumbled back a

step.

He felt so warm and not as lean as he’d been at the hospital, clearly, he’d been eating well during his recovery.

I held him tight.

This was what I’d been missing, I have been craving to do.

“Amber’s mom?”

I looked up to see Lillian approaching hesitantly, her expression caught between curiosity and surprise.

“It’s good to see you,” she said, her voice formal in that way children have when they’re trying to be polite. “I almost didn’t believe Amber when he told me you were coming.”

Ethan stiffened beside me.

“Why?” His voice was sharp, defensive. “Don’t be a doubting Thomas.”

He was clearly offended on my behalf, which was… unexpected and strangely touching.

Lillian opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her backward.

Mrs. Rasker,

She appeared like a storm cloud, her face twisted with anger and disdain. She didn’t say a single word, she just glared at me with such venom that I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Then she turned on her heel and marched out of the waiting area, dragging poor Lillian behind her.

Her neck was stretched so long with indignation that she looked like an offended giraffe.

It was a funny sight.

I bit my lip to keep from smiling.

“Mom, where are we going?”

Amber tugged on the hem of my sleeve as we walked out of the school building, and I froze mid–step.

Where were we going?

Why hadn’t I thought about this? I’d been so focused on showing up, on being present for the PTA meeting, that I hadn’t planned beyond that.

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And more practically, how would we go anywhere? I’d come in my own car. Ethan had his. Were we supposed to caravan around Missford?

“We would have gone to the arcade if you’d healed completely,” I started, trying to buy time to think. “But since you’re still recovering…”

“I promise not to play too hard!” Amber interrupted, his eyes wide and pleading. “I just want to go everywhere with you, Mom. I want to grab ice cream. I want to go to the park. I want to show you my favorite spots. Please?”

His enthusiasm was infectious, but I was still stuck on the logistics.

I glanced at Ethan, and remembered the funny statement he had dropped before Amber appeared. It annoyed me so much that he thought he could lie that way to manipulate me, I looked away immediately.

Whatever games were being played, I wasn’t going to allow myself be the pawn. I wasn’t going to let anything ruin my time with

Amber.

“Give me your keys,” he said suddenly, stretching out his hand toward me.

I pulled back instinctively. “What? Why?”

“I already called a driver. He’ll take your car back to your house.” His expression was calm, matter–of–fact.

“No way.” I crossed my arms. “I’m not giving you my car keys.”

“Yayy!” Amber jumped between us, oblivious to the tension. “We’re going to ride together! Mom, Dad, and me in the car! Like a real family!”

I looked down at his hopeful face and felt my resolve crumble.

It was obvious what Amber was trying to do. He was engineering this moment, trying to create something that looked like the family he’d always wanted.

And I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint him..

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