Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 528

In a daze, Mila seemed to hear a thousand voices and flashes of memory

ricocheting through her mind, each one making her hand tremble harder around the knife.

-Mom, I'm sorry.

-Mom, I'll be good.

-Mom, you smell so nice. Did you make something delicious for me?

-I understand, Mom.

I love your spicy chicken the most, Mom!

Wow!

-Mila! Stay calm, be careful!

-Mila!

At the end of it all, she saw Jade's face, eyes fierce with authority, a sharp command slicing through the cold, endless dark-snapping her awake.

What had she done?

The knife slipped from her grasp and clattered away. Her hands, still shaking, reached for Sophia's damp, sticky neck. Maybe she'd been out of her mind, because the cut was shallow, just a thin line of blood seeping slowly out. Realizing Sophia's life wasn't in danger, Mila collapsed, drained, and sank to her knees on top of her, arms falling limp to her sides.

She gasped for breath, lungs burning.

Her thoughts were still muddled, children's voices echoing in her ears: laughter and tears-baby talk in a cradle, a soft bundle giggling, that first wailing cry at birth-each memory rattling her chest.

but he would never be cruel

senses finally began to return, Mila spoke, her voice hoarse and raw in the darkness. "It's not your word I care about. I

of it, because she knew Lysander-and using their child as a pawn was exactly the kind of thing he'd do. So she couldn't be

had to hear it from

before any judgment was passed, she owed it to him-to herself as a mother-to be the last one to decide, even if the rest of the world had already condemned

needed to hear Adrian say

the violent coughing beneath her. Reality

What had she done?

She'd nearly-

made

ruined her whole

Mila leaned down, lifting her head just enough to look into Sophia's face. Her eyes, bright and clear after all the tears, seemed to glow

She spoke again.

Watch your mouth. We've been over for a long time. Whatever he does-even if he drops dead-has nothing to do with me. If he

the collar and yanked

is true, then you're just as guilty! He's your child. Even if you didn't want him or couldn't care for him, you had options-you could have given him to his uncle or hired someone to look after him. There were a hundred ways

should never have done was

stable, and you knew

"How could you?"

...

Some time later.

on the floor, her beautiful

way for a long

With her free hand, she fumbled in her pocket until she found a small

managed, she took one drag and immediately fell into a fit of coughing so violent it made her eyes water. She pushed herself up with one

burning throat. She didn't know if it was the smoke or the pain