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

But now,

was on the verge of

you can't

what, he wouldn't let

would do anything-anything-to

"A party? Tonight?"

heard the news and immediately suspected what it meant.

neither confirmed nor denied it. "Your

was it-the

But she didn't understand-

Cossio was coming to the party, what need was there

in their plan,

couldn't figure

I don't

Mila asked.

"Darling, parties here are quite

could

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

was really

No matter what, Cossio needed

impossible to predict what he'd do

That day,

They stayed in.

passing the day quietly until dusk, when Mila changed into

dress had been

down 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 light with every step. The style was pure clássical Rome-elegant regal,

wore a matching dark blue suit. He knelt to fasten a leather strap with a hidden knife

down t

cover it. Suddenly, he

chuckled.

that old

were tinged

exactly what he meant

then destroyed with those same

bring it

together, slipped her arm from his

a Gothic castle on the outskirts

felt slow-almost endless but

of the castle's

crowd had already

hand to Mila. When she hesitated,

anyway, intertwining

with me tonight,"

way through the

stood by the car, his expression as cold

"He's not coming in?"

Leonard had shadowed Lysander. Why not

has other things to take

Mila didn't press further.

details of the plan, but as she stepped inside the hall,

Her breath

scanned the

was full of elegantly dressed