Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 430

At that age, he simply couldn't understand.

Why did his mother hate his little brother so much? How had she changed into someone unrecognizable, the gentle mom he knew suddenly turning terrifying overnight?

But he never wanted to make her upset.

That night,

Unable to sleep, the boy crept down the hall to his parents' bedroom, hoping to apologize and comfort her. He silently promised himself never to mention his brother in front of her again.

As he passed the study,

He overheard his father talking with a doctor.

He hurried on to the bedroom.

No one was on the bed. Water dripped behind the bathroom door. He rushed in— and witnessed the nightmare that would haunt him forever.

Red water spilled over the edge of the tub.

His mother's slender, pale arm hung lifelessly across the porcelain. Dark crimson trickled down, curling across the floor toward his feet, wrapping itself around the boy's frantic, screaming soul, dragging him into darkness.

He collapsed beside the tub.

His trembling hands clutched her wrist, tears streaking his face. His chest heaved so hard he could barely breathe, choking out broken words between sobs.

"No, please... don't..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Mom, I'm so sorry, please, open your eyes, look at me, don't, don't... don't die!"

"It's my fault, it's all my fault!"

"I lied, Mom, I lied. That wasn't my brother, I don't have a brother. His eyes aren't green, not green at all!"

"Mom, I lied!"

"I'm a liar! A liar!"

"That wasn't my brother-it was a monster, a monster!"

"I tricked you, please don't die, I'm begging you, it was all a lie, I'll never lie again, never again..."

His hysterical screams brought people running.

The house plunged into chaos that night.

Afterwards,

His mother returned.

But the terror-the deep, bone-chilling red-never left him. It clung to him, binding him for life.

In the bedroom.

Lysander clung tightly to the woman in his arms, drawing comfort from her

warmth. Only after a long while did his ragged breathing and thundering heartbeat finally settle.

With Mila by his side,

deep enough to soothe his

But now,

on the

you can't

he wouldn't

would do anything-anything-to keep

"A party? Tonight?"

Mila heard the news and immediately suspected what it meant. "Cossio will

confirmed nor denied it. "Your

was it-the final

But she didn't understand-

was coming to the party, what need was there for

decoy in their

couldn't figure

if I don't want

Mila asked.

"Darling, parties here are quite

party could be

what he really meant: she had no choice. Like it or not,

that she was really planning

matter what,

too dangerous, and it was impossible to predict

That day,

They stayed in.

and listened to music in the hotel, passing the day quietly until dusk, when Mila changed into the evening gown

had been custom-made with

to her ankles. A gold belt, sculpted in the shape of a string of stars, encircled her waist, and gold tassels shimmered from the gown, catching the

wore a matching dark blue suit. He knelt to fasten a leather strap with a hidden knife around her wrist, then pulled

down t

cover it. Suddenly, he

chuckled.

that old dress were still

were

meant

destroyed

bring it

lips together, slipped her arm from

at a Gothic castle on the

felt slow-almost endless but finally, the

the castle's towering,

crowd had

offering his hand to

her anyway, intertwining

me tonight," he said

through the

who stood by the car, his expression as cold as

"He's not coming in?"

Leonard had shadowed Lysander.

other things to

Mila didn't press further.

the details of the plan, but as

breath came shallow

scanned the crowd,

full of elegantly dressed