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,

found a peace deep

But now,

the verge of losing

you can't

he wouldn't let

would do

"A party? Tonight?"

and immediately suspected what it meant. "Cossio will

confirmed nor denied it. "Your dress is

was it-the

But she didn't understand-

the party, what need

in their plan, even

figure it

I don't want

Mila asked.

"Darling, parties here

if one party could be so different from

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

she was really planning on

go. No matter what,

was impossible to

That day,

They stayed in.

quietly until dusk, when Mila changed

been custom-made

satin, the skirt sweeping 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, and

to fasten a leather strap with a hidden knife around her wrist,

down t

cover it. Suddenly, he

chuckled.

that old dress

were tinged

what he meant the

hands, then destroyed with those same

it up

slipped her arm from

held at a Gothic castle on

the drive felt slow-almost endless

front of the castle's

crowd had

first, offering his hand to Mila. When she hesitated,

anyway,

me tonight,"

they made their way through the throng and into the grand

stood by the car, his expression

"He's not coming in?"

past event, Leonard had

has other things to take

Mila didn't press further.

details of the plan, but

Her breath came shallow and

scanned the

elegantly dressed men