Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

"Don't touch my mom!"

Forrest raised his brows. This kid-unbelievable. Use him and ditch him the second he's no longer needed. Cunning little rascal.

"Adrian!" Mila's tone sharpened as soon as she saw Adrian talk back. "Mr. Whitmore stayed with you so late and even protected you-what kind of attitude is that?"

"He didn't, he—" Adrian started to shout back, but before he could finish, he felt a gentle weight settle on his head. He looked up to see Mr. Whitmore smiling down at him, warm and unbothered. "It's alright, really," Forrest said. "Kids will be kids. Adrian's just been anxious to find you. Let's go home for now. Next time, if you'd like, I'll show you more photos of your mom from back in the day. How does that sound?"

Adrian glared at him, jaw set tight, but didn't say another word.

Mila paused, caught off guard. "Photos?"

"Pictures from our college trips," Forrest explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "There are a few with you in them as well. I kept all of them. If you're interested, I can show you next time."

His tone was so casual-almost matter-of-fact that Mila couldn't find any reason to object. They had, after all, taken plenty of photos together during those years— weekend getaways, city adventures, spur-of-the-moment road trips. Most of the time, it was Forrest who brought a camera along. It made sense he'd have backups.

"Mom," Adrian whined, clearly annoyed to see his mom chatting so happily with the weirdly friendly Mr. Whitmore. He tugged insistently at Mila's hand. "I want to go home! I want to go home! I want to go home!"

"Alright, alright. We're going," Mila soothed him, then turned to Nathaniel, who had just caught up. "I'm taking Adrian home. As for Julian, we'll talk once I've sorted things out."

a second, then nodded.

speaking quietly to

stopped him from coming closer. It wasn't until Mila looked his way that he snapped out of it and managed to answer. He had never seriously considered

lingering by Mila's side, then couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to come in for a bit? Have

time," Mila replied politely. She didn't step inside, didn't even ask if Adrian had left anything

to get home. There were

figure with a mild, indifferent arch of his brow, then quickly caught up to Mila and Adrian as

Mansion fell silent again. No more shouting that could rattle the windows, no more sounds of things being knocked over. The

the night before finally heading back inside. He paused in the living room gaze drifting upstairs to

had she been

conversation, she'd gone to rest in Sophia's room,

now emerging.

there?" Nathaniel called, his

always regarded

friends, brilliant and charming, talented

up to. Lately, though, Nathaniel found her increasingly hard to understand. Meddling in someone else's marriage was bad enough, but the way she'd spoken to

no warmth in