Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 544

Mila had no idea what Sophia was thinking—and frankly, if she did, she'd probably just call it crazy. All these

people treated others like they didn't even matter. It was just maddening.

By evening, after listening to Sophia rattle off her so-called "business

arrangements," Mila left the hospital in a daze. When she finally arrived hand opened the door, she found

Cara crouched by the entryway, exhaustion etched across her face. The moment she saw Mila, Cara's expression

shifted to barely contained excitement.

"Ms. Sutherland... you're back."

"Mom!"

Adrian cbarreling into her.

The collision nearly knocked Mila off her feet; she had to grab the doorfrto steady herself before she finally

managed to nod at Cara. "Thank you for looking after Adrian today. Why don't you stay for dinner? | can have

someone drive you hafterward."

"Oh, no, no, that's really not necessary!"

Cara waved her hands in frantic refusal. The last thing she wanted was for her boss to cook for her. Realizing

how abrupt she sounded, she hurried to correct herself: "Ms. Sutherland, | actually have dinner plans with a

friend. You've had a long day-please, get srest. | don't want to trouble you."

She grabbed her bag and all but ran out the door, her retreat so hasty it was as if she feared being caught in

sawkward scene of Mila scolding her child.

Only after Mila led Adrian into the main hall did she suddenly understand Cara's reaction. The living room looked

like a tornado had swept through. Throw pillows were on the floor, books stacked in odd places, toys everywhere.

No wonder Cara had looked so frazzled. Judging by the mess, she'd spent the whole day cleaning up after Adrian-

and probably being run ragged in the process.

Mila's gaze shifted to her son.

Adrian stared up at her with wide, innocent eyes. When he saw her looking, he glanced away, then quickly back

again, hands on his hips, trying to look affronted. "Mom, you lefthalone today. It was so boring."

"You had Miss Cara here, didn't you?"

"| wanted you to stay with me!"

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Mila let out a sigh. After a day full of shocks, she didn't have the energy to discipline him. She offered a few

words of comfort and retreated to the kitchen, her mind still spinning.

She couldn't ask Cara to babysit again-Cara probably wouldn't agree even if she did. Yet Mila didn't trust anyone

else, and the only other option was sending Adrian to the Montgomerys. But she'd promised Jade she'd let Adrian

choose for himself between the Sutherland and Montgomery families. Sending him there now would break that

promise... and with the Cossituation unresolved, Mila wasn't about to risk taking Adrian abroad, either.

Coswas fixated on the Montgomerys. Adrian carried the Montgomery bloodline there was no getting around

that. Mila knew there was no reasoning with someone like Cossio; she'd tried already, to no avail.

There was one person left to consider-

Forrest Whitmore.

But just the thought of Forrest made her headache worse. Adrian had made it abundantly clear after that night at

the Pembroke house that he didn't like Forrest at all. No matter how much Mila asked, Adrian refused to say what

had happened between them.

This couldn't go on.

"Adrian."

At dinner, Mila placed a chicken drumstick in Adrian's bowl and broached the subject, choosing her words

carefully. "I'll be pretty busy these next few days and won't have much tduring the day. How about you let

Mr. Whitmore take you out? Maybe you two can have sfun together."

She figured another meeting might help the two of them get along, or at least

break the ice. It was worth a shot.

But Adrian, without missing a beat,

picked up the drumstick and

dropped it back into her bowl, making his opinion clear without a word. Mila stared at him, speechless for a

moment, then sighed and put the drumstick back. "If you don't want to, just say so. Where'd you pick up this

habit? Eat your dinner."

Adrian eyed her warily, then said bluntly, "I don't want to play with Mr. Whitmore!"

"Why not?" Mila asked, exasperated.

"You've only met him once. That night, he went all the way to the Pembrokes because he was worried you'd be

scared. If you don't like him, you need to givea reason. Did he do something to upset you?"

Adrian hesitated, his face twisting with indecision. Finally, he asked, "Mom, do you like Mr. Whitmore a lot?"

"We're talking about you right now," Mila replied.

Adrian looked down, poking at the chicken in his bowl with his fork, silent for a long moment. Then, barely above

a whisper, he said, "I don't like him. | hate him. I don't... | don't want a stepdad." His voice got smaller and

smaller as he spoke.

A stepdad?

Mila was caught off guard. That was the last thing she'd expected.

But maybe, she realized, this was her chance to see how Adrian really felt about the idea.

"What is it about Mr. Whitmore you don't like?" she asked gently.

"Stepdad!" Adrian blurted, almost angrily.

Mila felt at a loss. Before she could

think of what to say, Adrian, whold

seemed on the vergé 6Pcaiming

dewin, HRnly got loud and

agitated. "So it's true, Mom! You

really don't wantanymore!" The

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Mila frowned. "That's not true. Why would you think that?"

"Then don't try to givea stepdad!" Adrian clutched his fork, his voice trembling.

"I don't want a stepdad. | only ever want one dad!"

Mila's headache returned full force. She didn't understand how the two things were connected.

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She tried to explain, "Adrian, no

matter what haPPEGR gu taals

eH atid Ther Aever going to

change. But | also-" have my own life.

Bang!

She didn't even finish her sentence. Adrian sprang up so suddenly that his fork

and bowl went flying, the chicken rolling across the floor.

"I don't want it he shouted, his face

ine

streaked with tears. "lI only have one

dad, and just want him! | don't want

anyone else! You {rye mel

Spee as right! When

you divorced Dad, you never even

thought about me! Dad's gone now,

and you're leaving too-you don't want

me, you never did! | hate you!" The

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the latest chapter there!

He bolted from the table and ran upstairs, his sobs echoing down the hall.