Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 393

"Don't be afraid of me. That man, Cossio, he's violent-dangerous. He'll hurt you. Why don't you come with me instead?"

Mila bit her tongue, refusing to answer.

Is he for real? Just going to say that right in front of everyone?

What's his angle, being so blunt when Cossio's right there? Then again, maybe their relationship is close enough that this sort of thing isn't out of bounds.

Sure enough, the man everyone called Cossio-whose moods were notoriously unpredictable-didn't get angry. Instead, he simply yanked the other man aside and replied coolly in Italian, "She belongs to me."

The man just shrugged and dropped back into his seat at the poker table. As Cossio sat down, the man glanced at the veiled woman behind him and grinned. “Come on, Cossio, be serious. Let me have this beauty, will you? I caught a whiff of medicine on her-she's hurt. You always forget, women need to be cared for and cherished."

He seemed suddenly reminded of something, and went on, "Remember that foreign beauty from over twenty years ago? Didn't you—"

BANG!

The heavy ebony cane slammed down on the table, its tip aimed straight at the man's chest. Cossio's voice was icy and measured: "Are you challenging me to a duel? Fine. Name the place. Sign the contract."

A brief hush fell.

Then, as if on cue, the others crowded around the table burst out laughing and cheering, clapping their hands. "A duel! A duel!"

They were clearly here for the drama.

The man raised both hands in surrender, looking resigned. "Alright, alright, my fault for running my mouth. I'm not interested in a duel my lover's waiting for me back home."

The crowd groaned and booed, disappointed.

hidden by a black veil, brow furrowed in thought.

mean that, all those years ago, there was

oddly attentive whenever

didn't know. All she really knew was that Felicity had suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to her second child. Her mental health

her episodes, she didn't even recognize

But... what if...

"foreign beauty" from twenty years ago was Felicity? And what if that man's casual use of the word "toyed with" meant more than it

crept up Mila's spine, chilling her

Felicity's illness really just

than her own mother ever was. Felicity had treated her like her own daughter, and Mila had come to love her as a true mother in return... The realization sent a shiver

detail surfaced-something she'd

any of the

the more she recalled, the more strange inconsistencies she noticed-so

her

Stop it. It's

Felicity's background was impeccable.

of scholars. Mila had heard that Felicity was engaged to Lysander's father, Conrad, at eighteen. They'd been childhood sweethearts-the perfect couple,

of the most respected families

anyone have hurt Felicity? How could she possibly have been

No. Impossible.

she even think

focus on escaping, not to get

the hem of her dress, knuckles

if it was true, what did these people

Meanwhile,