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Alle Kapitel von The Billionaire Ex-Wife's Return: Kapitel 91 – Kapitel 100

320 Kapitel

#91

Chapter 91Anna's POVMy phone screen glowed in the dim light of my bedroom, showing post after post about Maison Cynclair."Chef Cynclair's Paris restaurant cleared of all charges!""Michelin-starred Maison Cynclair vindicated, false accusations exposed!""Reservations at Maison Cynclair booked solid for six months following scandal resolution!"Each headline stabbed like a knife in my chest.I scrolled faster, my thumb moving frantically across the screen, searching for even one negative comment, one lingering doubt about Cynthia's precious restaurant.Nothing.The derogatory posts I'd orchestrated and paid thousands of euros for had been scrubbed from the internet. The fake food poisoning claims had been exposed as lies. The health violations had been proven fabricated.Maison Cynclair wasn't just surviving.It was thriving.Better than before. The scandal had actually made her more popular. People were championing her as a victim of corporate sabotage, praising her resilience, boo

#92

Chapter 92Ethan's POVThe only sound in the car was Amber's cheerful chatter about ice cream flavors.I gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary, hyperaware of Cynthia sitting in the back seat. She'd refused the front passenger seat, insisted on sitting with Amber, claiming she'd missed him too much to sit anywhere else.But I knew better.She was avoiding me.I glanced in the rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of her face as she listened to Amber describe the differences between various anime characters. She looked relaxed and genuinely happy.But whenever her eyes accidentally met mine in the mirror, that wall slammed down. Her expression would shutter, and she'd look away.I had so many questions burning in my chest.Was the brain tumor real? Had she actually survived it, or had it all been some elaborate excuse to leave? How had she gotten to Paris with no contacts there? How had she managed without using her credit cards, which I'd monitored for months after she disap

#93

Chapter 93Cynthia's POVI pretended I didn't see them.Bryan and Devian stood in awe near the collector's section, their shopping bags hanging limply from their hands, staring at us like we were ghosts who'd materialized in the middle of their afternoon.I kept my eyes fixed on the manga shelf, my fingers trailing over the spines without really seeing the titles."Uncle Bryan! Uncle Devian!" Amber's excited voice cut through the tension. He bounded over to them, completely oblivious to the awkwardness saturating the air.I turned away, moving deeper into the store. Away from the stares. Away from the questions I could feel hanging in the air."Mom, look at this!" Amber appeared at my side, holding up a manga volume with a triumphant grin. "It's the one I've been wanting forever! The one where…"He launched into an animated explanation about plot points and character development that I barely understood. But I nodded along anyway, grateful for the distraction."That sounds exciting,"

#94

Chapter 94Cynthia's POVAfter a few minutes of waiting by the car, Ethan and his friends started approaching, walking lazily like they weren't being waited for. Annoying and inconsiderate men.It seemed Devian would never stop seeing me as that doormat because he wouldn't take his eyes off me. He just couldn't process why I was even breathing the same air as he and Ethan…I could feel his gaze boring into me as I stood near Ethan's car with Amber, pretending to admire the manga he'd just bought. The weight of that stare was familiar in the worst way. It felt judgmental, dismissive, pitying. All the things I'd endured for eight years of marriage.He should go get a life. I have so many things to worry about rather than his cheap hate."Did Anna travel?" Devian's voice carried across the parking lot, loud and deliberate. Obviously wanting me to hear him ask about Anna.My fingers tightened on the manga I was holding.Of course. Of course they would bring her up now. While I was standin

#95

Chapter 95 Cynthia's POV After taking ice-cream in silence, Amber begged to be taken to the arcade and all to please him, we went. The place was loud and colorful, filled with flashing lights and electronic sounds that made my head spin slightly. But Amber's face lit up the moment we walked through the doors, and that made it worth it. "Can I play the racing game?" he asked, already pulling toward the row of simulators. "Yes, but be careful," I warned. "Don't forget about your surgery. No jumping around or getting too excited." "I know, I know," he said, rolling his eyes in that way pre-teens do when they think their parents are being overprotective. But he was careful. I watched him settle into one of the racing seats, gripping the steering wheel with focused determination, trying hard not to move too vigorously because of his recent surgery. Ethan and I stood side by side, watching him play. I would have loved to join Amber, to play alongside him, to share in his joy the way

#96

Chapter 96Ethan's POVI saw the caller ID before she turned the phone away.Nikolai Cross.My chest constricted immediately, a tight band of something ugly wrapping around my ribs."I need to take this," Cynthia said, not quite meeting my eyes. "Can you supervise Amber?"She didn't wait for my response. Just walked away, heading toward a quieter corner of the arcade where the noise was slightly reduced.I could still see her, phone pressed to her ear, her free hand gesturing as she spoke.But I couldn't hear what she was saying to him.My jaw clenched involuntarily.I hated this. Hated that Cynthia had so many men in her life now. Kevin Laurent, that man with the kid, this Nikolai Cross. Probably others I didn't even know about yet.Since when had I been in a competition?Since when had I needed to fight for my own wife's attention?"Dad! Did you see that?" Amber's voice cut through my thoughts."Yeah, buddy. Great job," I said automatically, not having seen whatever he'd done.He di

#97

Chapter 97 Cynthia's POVThe day came to an end quickly.Amber had so much fun, I could see it in every smile, every laugh, every excited gesture as he dragged on from game to game. And at every little opportunity, he clung to me. His hand in mine. His head against my shoulder when he got tired. His constant chatter about everything and nothing.I was delighted. Satisfied in a way I hadn't been in years.I'd almost forgotten what this felt like being a mother.But it was getting late now and almost time for my meeting with Bryan. The arcade lights seemed harsher somehow, and Amber's energy was finally starting to flag. He needed to rest. He had school tomorrow, and despite his protests, his body was still recovering from surgery."Alright, champ," Ethan said, checking his watch. "Time to head home."We walked out to the parking lot, Amber dragging his feet slightly, not wanting the day to end."I'll drop you off," Ethan said to me as we reached the car.I opened my mouth to decline,

#98

Chapter 98Cynthia's POVI got into the restaurant just in time, and I scanned the building looking for Bryan.He was seated at the extreme end, and when he spotted me, he waved to identify himself.I took a deep breath and approached him with a smile. He was smiling back, and as I got closer, he stood up and pulled out a chair for me.It was awkward, but... well, he was just being a gentleman."Thank you," I said, settling into the seat.He went back to his own chair, and now we were staring at each other face to face, with no form of distraction, just silence between us.For the first time, without Ethan's presence or the chaos of grocery stores and anime shops, I realized how handsome Bryan actually was. Sharp jawline, intelligent eyes, the kind of confident posture that came from years of success. I hadn't noticed it in all the years I'd known him because I'd thought he was a jerk and a bully. And he had been, to be fair.But sitting here now, seeing him in a different context, I

#99

Chapter 99Cynthia'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 to

#100

Chapter 100Cynthia's POVWhen I got home, exhaustion hit me like a wave.The Laurent Family Mansion seemed very quiet tonight. Almost eerily so.Nathaniel was in his matrimonial home with Helen and Lily since they were around — he had no business being here when his own family needed him. Kevin was nowhere to be seen, probably out training for his next competition.And Julian... I knew he was off work today, so where was he?I kicked off my heels in the foyer, my feet practically singing with relief, and made my way through the house.The silence pressed against my ears as I climbed the stairs. I remembered the laptop incident, the way Julian had thrown it into the aquarium when I'd nearly caught him on a video call. The panic in his eyes and desperation.It was time to find out what my brother was hiding.I walked down the hall to his room and knocked softly. "Julian?"No response.I knocked again, louder this time. "Julian, are you in there?"Still nothing.Where could he be? I was

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