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

But now,

was on the verge of

you can't

matter what, he wouldn't let that

do anything-anything-to keep

"A party? Tonight?"

Mila heard the news and immediately suspected what it

denied it. "Your

was it-the final

But she didn't understand-

what

decoy in their

figure

don't want

Mila asked.

smiled. "Darling, parties here are quite

one party could

meant: she had no choice. Like

was really

to go. No matter what, Cossio needed to be dealt

too dangerous, and it was impossible to predict what he'd

That day,

They stayed in.

and listened to music in the hotel, passing the day quietly until dusk,

been custom-made with

belt, sculpted in the shape of a string of stars, encircled her waist, and gold tassels shimmered from

blue suit. He knelt to fasten a leather

down t

cover it. Suddenly, he

chuckled.

old dress

were tinged

exactly what he meant the dress she'd made

then destroyed with those

bring it up

her arm from his grasp, and

party was held at a Gothic castle

reason, the drive felt slow-almost endless but finally, the car

of the castle's towering, spired

crowd had already

got out first, offering his hand to Mila. When

her anyway, intertwining their

me tonight,"

way through the

the car, his

"He's not coming in?"

had shadowed Lysander.

other things to take

Mila didn't press further.

of the plan, but as she

breath came shallow

scanned the

elegantly dressed