Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband? novel Chapter 375

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Mila gave her head a little shake.

Stop it, she told herself.

Adrian was, after all, the Montgomery family’s only heir now. If anything, the Montgomerys would be even more cautious and protective of him than she could ever be. As long as he didn’t put himself in harm’s way, nothing would happen to him.

There was no need for her to worry.

Having talked herself around, Mila picked up the invitation lying on the table, glanced idly at the signature at the bottom, and tossed it straight into the trash.

Whether the sender meant trouble or not, she didn’t want to go.

……

The next few days slipped by in a rare stretch of easygoing calm. Mila stayed at Lillian’s Manor in Bamboo Grove with Miranda and Julian. Occasionally, Forrest would drop by in the evenings, joining them for dinner or a backyard barbecue. For once, life felt unhurried.

As soon as the bruise on her hand—courtesy of an ill-fated ceramic plate—began to heal, Mila started sorting through the photos from their road trip. She cataloged the landscapes and people they’d encountered, jotting down bursts of inspiration for future design projects. Whenever she did this, Julian would curl up beside her, listening intently as she described the gorgeous, sweeping scenery they’d seen, his eyes shining with wonder.

“Can I travel with you too, Mom?”

“Of course you can.”

Mila gently pinched his chubby cheek. “When you get a little older, you’ll have plenty of friends to join you on adventures—to see the world, the mountains, and the sea.”

“But I just want to go with you,” Julian said softly, clinging to his mother’s hand, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Mila smiled.

She almost told him that even moms can’t stay with their children forever, but then she remembered how small he still was. He hadn’t yet seen how wide the world could be, or met many people outside their little circle. How could he imagine anything different? So instead, she squeezed his hand and spoke gently, reassuring him.

“As long as you want, I’ll always be here. And even if you change your mind someday, I’ll support you—whatever makes you happy.”

“I won’t change my mind,” Julian insisted, gripping her hand tighter. “I just like being with you, Mom.”

“What, you don’t like me?” came Miranda’s teasing voice from behind, making Julian jump. He pouted. “Aunt Miranda, you scared me again.”

It had been Miranda’s idea that Julian call her Aunt. In her view, since Julian called Mila “Mom,” and given how close she and Mila were—almost like sisters—it was only right! With her cheerful, outgoing personality, and Mila’s encouragement, Julian had warmed up to her quickly.

Now, even if Mila had to step away for a bit, she knew Miranda would keep an eye on Julian, and the boy wouldn’t stray far. It was a huge relief.

Watching Miranda and Julian chase each other around the house—it was mostly Miranda doing the chasing—Mila couldn’t help but smile, her heart brimming with happiness.

For a fleeting moment, she wished time would freeze right here, in this perfect slice of peace.

But then she shook her head, amused at her own sentimentality, and got back to work, fingers flying over the keyboard as she organized her latest batch of inspiration.

The trip had sparked an idea for her next design collection—one themed around landscapes and nature. In fact, she was confident she knew exactly what she wanted to create.