Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband

Claire’s POV

My breath caught in my throat as I tried to find the right words. I knew that one wrong word could ignite Sissy’s anger further and dig me deeper into trouble.

"Please, just hear me out for once," I managed, trying to steady my trembling voice. I could feel her frustration through the phone as she breathed heavily. "I am sending you an address; please come here, and we will talk!"

"Seriously? You think I am in the mood to listen to you right now?" She snapped. Her voice was laced with pure contempt. It was clear that no matter what I said, she had already made up her mind to be angry.

I pressed the phone tighter against my ear, desperately trying to explain to her. I didn’t want Sissy to be angry with me and leave me. "Sissy, can you please just—" My words were abruptly cut off as the phone was yanked from my grasp.

Startled, I spun around, my eyes landing on Evander. He stood there, calm but resolute, holding Eliam in his arms. The little boy clung to him, his innocent gaze darting between the two of us.

Evander didn’t say a word. His expression was unreadable, yet the silent authority in his stance was enough to freeze me in place.

Evander calmly put the phone on speaker, his deep voice cutting through the tension between us as he announced, "I am aware you are angry. However, I would like you to come to my mansion."

He paused briefly, glancing at me for confirmation. I gave him a small nod, though I wasn’t entirely sure how this would play out. "I am sending a driver right away," he added, his tone firm and final before ending the call without waiting for her response.

I stared at him, almost glaring. "Is that good?" he asked, his expression completely unfazed.

"No!" I rolled my eyes at him. "That was extremely rude! You should have said it in a nicer way!"

Evander’s brows lifted in mild surprise, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he stood there, exuding his usual calm with an unbothered air around him.

I let out a huff of frustration as I reached out, carefully taking Eliam from his arms. The little boy nestled into me without hesitation; his innocent presence was a stark contrast to the brewing annoyance between Evander and me.

Without giving him another glance, I turned on my heel and walked away, muttering under my breath, "He could have at least tried to be polite."

As I left the room, I could still feel his gaze on me, steady and unyielding. It was as if he found my irritation amusing, but I didn’t have the patience to confront him further. Instead, I focused on Eliam, his tiny hands gripping my shirt as I carried him down the hallway, trying to push the frustrating encounter out of my mind.

Later that night, I sat in the living room, nervously glancing at the clock. I had been waiting for Sissy, hoping she would arrive, but my phone buzzed instead.

She had sent me a simple and brief text.

"You traitor! I had been looking for you all day! I am going out for drinks to soothe my frustrated heart. Good to know you are safe. Meet me at the site tomorrow."

I sighed heavily, leaning back into the couch. "So much for resolving things tonight. hah!" I muttered as the weight of the day’s events pressed heavily on my shoulders—Gloria’s treacherous move, Evander’s unyielding attitude, Eliam’s innocent interruptions, and now Sissy avoiding me.

It was frustrating, but part of me couldn’t blame her. She had been dragged into this whirlwind because of my messy life. I sighed and went to Eliam’s room and slept after feeding him milk and soup. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next day, I stepped out of my room, still groggy from a restless night, only to find Evander standing casually against the pillar in front of Eliam’s room. His presence caught me off guard, and I stopped in my tracks.

"Good morning," he greeted, his voice warm but calm, as though he had been waiting for me.

I nodded slightly as I tried to avoid his gaze. "Good morning," I mumbled back, the awkwardness from yesterday still fresh in my mind.

"I will be taking you to your work," he added, his tone carrying a hint of finality as he peeked into Eliam’s room. "Is the little one still asleep?"

"Hm," I managed to say as my voice was barely above a whisper. I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes; the memory of how close we had been yesterday left me too flustered.

Evander’s gaze lingered on me for a moment before he spoke again. "I will have someone prepare breakfast. You should eat before we leave."

I nodded again, unsure of what to say. It wasn’t like him to offer such gestures. He usually kept his interactions direct and curt. This warmth left me both confused and... hopeful.

As I made my way to the dining room, I couldn’t help but glance back at him. He was still standing there; his expression was unreadable as he gazed into Eliam’s room, the softest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

"What the hell!" I muttered under my breath as I rushed toward the dining room, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment. My hands instinctively went to my hair as I smoothed it down. "Do I look okay? I just woke up, brushed my teeth, and didn’t even change before sleeping! Damn it! I must look like a mess."

The thought of Evander seeing me like this made my cheeks heat up, and I quickened my pace.

"Good morning, Madame! What would you like for breakfast?" A maid’s voice chimed behind me, startling me so much that I nearly jumped.

I turned to see her standing there. She was polite and attentive, holding a notepad as though she were waiting for an order. Her sudden appearance had left me flustered, and I stammered, "I... I don’t know!"

Her question echoed in my mind, and it hit me— I had never been asked this before. Not once in my entire life had anyone cared about what I wanted to eat. My meals had always been what was in front of me and what, others fed me, often with little care or thought. The realization left me awkwardly frozen in place, unsure of how to answer her.

The maid looked at me kindly, as if sensing my hesitation. "We have a variety of options. Would you like something light, like fruit and toast, or something warm and hearty?"

"I... um... anything’s fine," I replied, my voice barely audible as I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt.

"Very well, I will bring a selection for you," she said with a small bow before heading toward the kitchen.

As I stood there, memories of the past came rushing back. This was the same dining room where I had waited so many times for Evander to join me, but he never did.

The silence back then felt heavy and almost suffocating. I wasn’t even allowed into the kitchen because it was controlled by Gloria’s maids. They were always rude and always made it clear that I didn’t belong. Most days, I barely got to eat.

Thankfully, I had Evander’s personal card. I used it to buy food or anything I needed. It wasn’t much, but it was better than the life I had at the Reed mansion. There, I didn’t even have money for food. Many nights, I went to bed hungry, drinking water to ease the pain. Well... I didn’t even have a bed to be precise.

What kind of life was that? I thought bitterly. It was miserable, but I had survived.

Now, standing here, I clenched my fists. I wasn’t that girl anymore. I wouldn’t let myself feel so helpless again. Not now, not ever.

"What are you thinking?" Evander’s voice came from behind, startling me.

I turned slightly but adidn’t meet his gaze. "I... I was just thinking that this is the same place where I waited so many mornings and nights for you to join me... so I could get something to eat," I said without realizing.

"Excuse me?" His voice grew sharper, and when I turned to look at him, his eyes were wide with disbelief.

Regret instantly filled me seeing him this way. "I... Please, just ignore what I said," I mumbled, turning away to leave, but before I could take a step, his hand wrapped around mine, stopping me in place.

"Claire," his voice softened but held an edge of urgency. "Tell me. Why did you say that? Did you not get to eat here?"

I froze as his hands moved to my shoulders, gently but firmly holding me into my place. His face was tense, searching my eyes for answers that I wasn’t ready to give.

"Evander, it’s not important," I muttered as I tried to avoid his piercing gaze.

"It is important! It’s important for me if it’s not for you!" He insisted, his tone laced with both frustration and concern. "Did someone stop you from eating in your own home? Who was it? Tell me the truth."

I felt my throat tighten as the memories came flooding back. The maids. Gloria. The empty plates on the dining table. My stomach... aching from hunger.

But I couldn’t say those words felt too heavy. I didn’t wish to bother him. I didn’t want to dig up the past anymore!