The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return (Cynthia and Ethan) novel Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Cynthia’s POV

“I’m sorry, I just happened to know by accident,” Bryan said quickly, passing me another glass of water to help relieve my choking.

I grabbed it, taking several desperate gulps while trying to compose myself. My mind was racing. How did he know? How long had he known? Had he told anyone?

“How?” I finally managed to ask, my voice still hoarse from coughing.

Bryan leaned back in his chair, looking almost apologetic. “Uhm, my mother is… well, best friends with Victoria Cynclair

Laurent.”

My heart stopped.

Victoria Cynclair Laurent was my biological mother.

I stared at Bryan in disbelief. What was with all of these family ties? How was it possible that everyone in my life was somehow connected in ways I’d never known?

Bryan continued, seeming to sense my panic. “Even my mother doesn’t know that I know. But I overheard her on a phone call with your mom the other day, and I did my research. Figured out that the F1 racer was your brother, Kevin Laurent. And I put together who the other two men in your life were – Nathaniel and Julian.”

My heart was literally racing now, pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

Does that mean Bryan would have told Ethan? Is this where my secret ends? Was everything I’d worked to keep separate about to come crashing down?

“Don’t worry,” Bryan said, as if reading my thoughts. His voice was gentle, reassuring. “I know how to keep a secret. They’re

safe with me.”

He gave me a small smile, and I could see he meant it. But still…

I let out an awkward laugh that sounded strained even to my own ears and took another sip of water, trying to calm my racing pulse.

Jesus Christ. My mother hadn’t told me she had a secret best friend that she told her secrets to. This was unbelievable. No secret was actually a secret because everyone you told had a best friend they told. What a betrayal.

I couldn’t wait to call my mother and scold her for this. How could she be so careless? How could she trust someone with information this sensitive without even warning me?

“And please,” Bryan added, leaning forward slightly with a conspiratorial look, “keep this secret safe too. My mother must not know that I was eavesdropping on her.”

That made me sink back into my chair.

Of course. Of course he wanted me to keep his secret while he held mine. We were both trapped in this web of information now, mutually assured destruction if either of us talked.

I studied his face, trying to read his intentions, trying to figure out if I could trust him

“You’re best friends with Ethan and Devian for years,” I finally said, my voice steadier now but edged with suspicion “You all share secrets. Why should I believe that you wouldn’t share mine?”

Bryan didn’t take his eyes off me. His gaze was direct, unwavering, and his expression shifted became more serious, more

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intense.

“Because I want to protect you,” he said quietly.

He took a deep breath, and I saw something vulnerable flash across his face before he continued.

“I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”

The words hung in the air between us, weighted with meaning I wasn’t sure I wanted to examine too closely.

My heart did a strange little flutter, and I immediately shrugged it off. This was Bryan. Ethan’s best friend. The man who’d looked down on me for years. I couldn’t let one apology and a few kind words make me forget all of that.

“Okay,” I said, keeping my voice neutral. “I’ll hold you to that.”

He nodded, seeming to accept that as enough for now.

Our conversation shifted back to safer topics after that

the restaurant, Paris, general observations about Missford. Nothing

too personal, nothing too revealing. Just two people having dinner and pretending the revelations of the past few minutes hadn’t happened.

When we finally finished eating, Bryan set down his napkin and looked at me with renewed professionalism.

“I can get it done in two days,” he said, referring to the tech implementation for my restaurant.

I lit up immediately. “Two days? Really?”

“Really.” He smiled at my obvious relief. “Renaissance Group has been developing modular Al solutions for the hospitality industry. We actually have a system that’s about eighty percent of what you need already built. It’s just a matter of customizing it for Maison Cynclair’s specific requirements and integrating it with your existing infrastructure.”

“That’s… that’s incredible.” I felt a genuine smile spread across my face. “Bryan, thank you. This is going to save us.”

“It’s my pleasure,” he said, and the way he looked at me made my stomach do another uncomfortable flip. “Besides, I owe you much more than a tech implementation.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just nodded.

Bryan may actually be genuine, I thought, watching him pull out his tablet again to make more notes about implementation timelines. Maybe people could change. Maybe the man sitting across from me wasn’t the same person who’d dismissed me at countless dinner parties and social events.

Or maybe I was just desperate enough for allies that I was willing to overlook the past.

Either way, I needed this system for my restaurant, and Bryan was offering to deliver it in record time. That had to count for something

“I’ll have my team start working on it tonight,” Bryan said, tapping notes into his tablet. “We’ll need remote access to your current system for the integration. Can you have your IT consultant send me the credentials?”

“Of course. I’ll have Pierre coordinate with you directly.”

“Perfect.” He set the tablet aside and signaled for the check. “This has been… enlightening”

“That’s one word for it,” I said dryly.

He gave a genuine, warm laugh that surprised me. “Fair enough. But Cynthia, I meant what I said earlier. Your secret is safe with me. I promise.”

I searched his face for any sign of deception, any hint that he was playing some kind of game. But all I saw was sincerity.

“Thank you,” I said finally. “I appreciate that.”

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