Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband? novel Chapter 537

By now, Mila had lost all interest in small talk. She exchanged a few polite words with the principal, firmly declined his offer to escort her, and made her own way out.

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She stepped out of the academic building.

It was the end of class, and the playground nearby was swarming with children. Teachers stood at the edges, keeping a watchful eye on their students. The air was thick with laughter, shouts, and the sheer, deafening volume of kids at play. It was less a cheerful background and more a wall of noise.

Mila quickened her pace.

“Hey, you’re Adrian’s mom, right? Where is that guy?” She was almost past the playground when a voice called out behind her, and someone tugged at the hem of her coat.

She turned around.

A boy she recognized stood there, glaring up at her—a face she knew all too well. It was Parker McKenna, the kid from the McKenna family who’d once gotten into a fistfight with Adrian and hurled insults that could rival a sailor’s.

Still, he was just a child. Mila saw no reason to hold a grudge. She replied calmly, “He’s resting at home. He won’t be coming to school for a while.”

“Why?” Parker blurted out, then added, “Is it because of Julian?”

Mila froze.

She hadn’t expected even this kid to know.

“Parker, what are you doing off the playground? I told you, you’re only allowed to play inside!” A teacher spotted them from across the field and hurried over. She gave Mila an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Mrs. Sutherland. Kids say the darndest things—please don’t mind him.”

Mila didn’t visit the school often, but everyone knew who she was—she’d attended last year’s big fundraising gala as the board chair, and Adrian was, well, infamous for his antics. With everything going on lately, the staff were especially on edge.

They were clearly worried Parker might say something out of line.

“It’s quite alright,” Mila replied, unbothered. Now that the teacher was here, she gave a polite nod and was about to leave, when Parker suddenly spoke up again.

“He wouldn’t do something like that.”

Mila turned, surprised.

Parker shook off the teacher’s hand and took a few steps forward, chin raised defiantly. “Adrian wouldn’t do something like that. If he’s mad, he’ll just punch someone. He’s not sneaky—he’d never do that kind of thing!”

Mila was speechless.

He sounded like he was defending her son, but somehow the defense didn’t feel entirely reassuring.

Still, it was well-meant.