Semua Bab No Longer Yours, Ex Husband: Bab 281 - Bab 290

[Caden]Axel beams like it’s Christmas morning. His little hand wraps around Benjamin’s again, and they both nod enthusiastically like I just handed them a treasure map and told them we’re off to find gold.I smile. At least, I think I do. At least enough for them to believe everything’s okay.But nothing is okay. Not even close.As I usher them toward the car, I can feel her eyes on me—Vivienne. The silence behind me weighs heavier than the truth I just unearthed. And that’s saying something.Because the truth?The truth is like a blade in the center of my chest, twisting slowly every time Axel looks at me like I’m a stranger.Because I am. I am a stranger.To my own damn son.He’s mine. I don’t need a test, I don’t need confirmation—I can feel it in my bones, in my gut, in the way his laugh dug itself under my skin the moment I heard it. That little boy is mine. And she didn’t tell me. Not when she had the chance. Not when it would’ve mattered.Why? Why would she do this to me? Why

[Caden]Vivienne looks at me like I haven’t just told the truth—but slapped her across the face with it.Her eyes widen, her jaw drops slightly open. And then, just like that, the fire returns.“That’s not what I meant,” she snaps, eyes like daggers locked on mine. “I just don’t want to go to your home. That’s all. And before you ask why, let me tell you—I have my reasons. I hate that place you call home. I hate you. And I’d hate myself too if I ever stepped foot in that house again.”Somehow, while she spits out every word, my eyes fix on her mouth.She’s furious, clearly. But so am I.So the question is—who’s going to break first?“Fine,” I mutter, mostly because something clicks in my head that should’ve clicked years ago. Not that I’m about to let her know that. She already said she hates me—the last thing I need is her storming off before I even get the truth I came here for. “But we’re not going to your place either.”She crosses her arms. “Well then, I guess we’re stuck now.”S

[Caden]For a minute, a long silence follows after what Vivienne just said.And I don’t blame either one of us for it.How can I, when no matter how many times I try to wrap my head around what she just told me, I still fail to do so?How am I supposed to believe that someone wanted my child gone? And who was that woman? What was she trying to achieve with that accident? Was getting my unborn child killed the only thing she was after, or was there something else in the picture? And once again, who the hell was that woman, anyway?I’ll be honest with you. This all feels like a convenient story my ex-wife cooked up just to get me off her back. It very well sounds like one. Too bizarre. Too unpredictable. Too… impossible.But the way she’s looking at me—so tense, so worried, and damn frustrated—something stops me from calling her out on the lie.Because what if she’s telling the truth? What if everything she just said actually happened? There was an accident—that I know for sure. And the

[Vivienne]“Anyway, it’s late now,” I finally say, after a long, awkward silence between us. “You should rest. We can continue this talk tomorrow.”“Or maybe we should keep talking,” he suggests instead, brows deeply furrowed, as if he’s in one of his bad moods but doesn’t want me to think he is.“You must be tired. The drive was long.”“I’m not.”“Well, I am,” I say, not sure how else to push this conversation to the morning. Because God knows, I can’t think straight anymore. My heart is beating too fast. My head is swaying too loud. And my skin… my skin is practically on fire.It’s been a long, long time since someone put me in such a daze with merely a touch. And the only person to do that—even back then—surprisingly, turns out to be Caden himself.That’s why I know I can’t be any closer to him. That’s why I know this conversation needs to end. And I need to lock myself in my room before I do something stupid…“You don’t look tired,” he says instead, watching me with that scrutiniz

I don’t want to get ahead of myself and give false hope to anyone. So I just smile and pinch his cheeks. “We’ll see. But for now, this will be our secret. Okay? You can’t tell anything to Axel. Not if you want him to get better.”Benjamin doesn’t need any more encouragement. He simply grins and makes a promise not to say a word.Once that’s settled, we head to where Vivienne and Axel are still sitting.When we reach them, I lean down and tip my head to the side. “Good morning, bud. How are you doing today?”Axel turns his head slightly toward the sound of my voice, his small hands still gently brushing over the grass. “Morning,” he says with a shy smile. “I’m good. Benjamin was telling me about some cool game… he made it sound really fun.”“I bet it is,” I say, crouching down so I’m level with him. “You know, if you ever want, I could maybe help set up a way for you to try it out.”Axel’s brows lift a little, curious. “Even if I can’t see?”“Even then,” I nod. “There’s always a way.”