Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 542

The hospital room was white as snow.

The window stood half-open, letting in the rising warmth of early summer. The wind, heavy with the scent of grass and sunlight, kept pouring in, making the curtains whip and snap against the wall.

The angry shouts and frantic struggles from earlier had finally ebbed away.

Now, only the rush of wind filled the space.

For a long time, nothing but silence. Then, Sophia's voice broke through, hoarse and edged with venom, almost a snarl: "What does my life have to do with you? Who the hell are you to meddle in my affairs?!"

How dare she!

"Your life has nothing to do with me, of course." Mila exhaled, trying to keep her voice steady. "But Julian does. I took care of him for a while he called me Mom. I can't just turn a blind eye to what you've done to him."

"You-! You dare bring that up?!"

Sophia exploded again.

She tried to push herself up, but every movement sent pain shooting from the injuries on her neck and ankle. Mila pressed her down with all her weight, pinning her to the bed. No matter how Sophia struggled, she couldn't break free.

Her rage only grew.

Mila watched as Sophia thrashed, looking one spark away from losing control. This wasn't what she wanted-her aim wasn't to make Sophia furious. She just wanted Julian to be okay. And Sophia, whether Mila liked it or not, was the boy's biological mother, his only living relative. There was no avoiding her.

If she wanted to truly solve this, she had to steady Sophia first.

Otherwise, it would only happen again.

Julian was just a child, and his uncle-Nathaniel Pembroke-was clearly no match for Sophia's pressure. Mila couldn't count on him at all.

And what if someday, Julian learned the truth? If he realized his father was a monster, and his mother-a monster, too-had conspired with others to ruin him? How could any child survive that?

to try. It was all she

her chin and forced her face away-then knocked her own forehead against Sophia's

At least it worked.

Sophia went still.

...

"Are you calm now?"

her teeth against the ache in

Sophia said nothing.

and poured out everything she'd been carrying. “Sophia, I never wanted to steal your child. He's yours—always has been! But you can't keep doing this. Do you really want him to grow up, figure everything out, and hate

nearly a scream. "He'll listen to me, always! He'd

patience snapped, her words ringing with anger.

pawn, not a tool for you to control. He's a living, breathing person, with his own future! Just like

breath shuddering

eyes-a life measured out in debts, every meal and every coat a price she'd have to repay a future sold off by the people who were supposed to love

resting against Sophia's back as the other woman still trembled beneath her. Her voice dropped to a whisper, pleading. "Sophia, please. Let me help you. We can figure this out together. Julian's a good kid-he's still so young.

added, "And when that happens, I'll step

Sophia said nothing.

the warmth seeping through the thin summer fabric. Something inside her stilled,

All her life, people had been simple to her her mother and father, her brother Nathaniel, her husband, Lysander. Everything boiled down to betrayal or being betrayed, domination or submission, need or being needed, using or being

It was that simple.

her husband betrayed her, she knew better. Everyone in

Love didn't exist.

But Mila didn't fit.

couldn't make sense of

Sophia finally asked, bluntly, after

certain. "I want what's best for Julian. I want him to have a better

Of course.