Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband

"I would be happy if you use me as you wish." Evander frowned, folding his arms. "Claire, I am not asking you to forget the past, but can we just keep that aside as we try to start something new? He said as he inhaled deeply and changed the subject. "You want to make things right with Sissy, don’t you? Consider this a step in that direction. And besides," he added with a faint smile, "what’s mine is yours anyway."

Claire hesitated, her fingers twitching. "It still feels weird," she admitted. "I don’t want to depend on you like this."

"Claire," Evander said firmly, his tone softening as he placed the card in her hand. "You are not depending on me. You are letting me support you, just like you have supported everyone else. Take it— not for yourself, but for me and Sissy. It’s just a card..." It’s just a card, but to be honest, I want to give you the whole world! This was what initially Evander wanted to say but he couldn’t.

Claire looked at the card, then back at him and sighed. "Fine," she relented. "But I am paying you back the moment I can."

Evander smirked. "I will wait for you to support me."

With a small, grateful smile, Claire finally slipped the card into her pocket and rushed to her room to get ready. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt a spark of excitement and hope. Maybe things were starting to look up.

For years, Claire had always carried a lingering guilt for relying on Evander’s money for everything in the past. But his reassuring words had lifted a weight off her chest, making her feel as though his world truly was hers to share.

"Are you ready?" Sissy’s impatient voice rang out from the living room. "I am dying to drain your wallet! When are you coming out?"

"Coming!" Claire called back from her room, rushing to the door. Just as she stepped into the living room, a small figure came barreling toward her.

"I want to go out with Mommy too!" Eliam latched onto her legs, his tiny arms hugging her tightly. "Mommy, up! Up, Mommy! I want to have fun with you!"

Before Claire could respond, a cold, firm voice cut through the moment. "No," Evander declared as he stepped out of his study, Damian following closely behind. "You are staying here with me and Uncle Damian."

"Why!?" Eliam pouted, his big eyes brimming with tears as he turned to Evander. "I want to go with Mommy! Daddy is boring!"

"What... What!?" Evander’s eyes widened in disbelief. For the first time in his life, someone had dared to call him boring— and it was his own son.

"Pfft!" Damian clutched his stomach, unable to contain his laughter. "Oh my god, Evander! Your kid nailed it! He is absolutely right. Being friends with you is a nightmare for social butterflies like me."

As if on cue, Caspian appeared from behind, smirking. "I couldn’t agree more," he chimed in. "I am not even a social butterfly, but spending too much time around him makes me want to commit murder."

Damian and Caspian’s laughter echoed through the room, undeterred by the sharp chill that suddenly permeated the air which didn’t bother them. While they were accustomed to Evander’s icy aura, Sissy wasn’t.

"What the hell?" Sissy shivered, rubbing her arms. "Why did it suddenly get so cold in here?"

Evander glared at his so-called friends before crouching down to Eliam’s level. His stern expression softened as he addressed the tiny traitor. "I am sorry, son, for being such a boring person," he said with mock solemnity. "But could you do me a favor and spend the day with me? I promise I will make it fun."

Eliam tilted his head, studying Evander intently before crossing his arms. "How fun?"

"Very fun," Evander replied, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at his lips. "We will do anything you want."

"Anything?" Eliam’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Anything," Evander confirmed.

"Deal!" Eliam grinned, letting go of Claire and running to Evander.

"Looks like you have been forgiven," Claire teased, a smirk on her lips.

"Barely," Evander muttered, shooting a glare at Damian and Caspian, who were still grinning like fools.

"But..."

"Then, there comes a but..." Evander sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose. He already knew where this was heading.

Claire raised an eyebrow, amused. "Eliam, what’s the but this time for?"

Eliam blinked up at his parents with wide, innocent eyes. "I will have fun with Daddy..."

Evander’s lips curled into a victorious smirk, but it barely lasted two seconds before Eliam continued.

"...but only after I come back with Mommy."

"What?!" Evander’s smirk vanished, replaced by a look of pure betrayal. "We had a deal, Eliam! A handshake! Do you even know what that means?"

"Yes," Eliam replied confidently, pointing at Claire. "But Mommy is the best!"

"Traitor," Evander muttered under his breath. His hand flew to his chest as if his son’s words had physically struck him. "You are just like your mother... always plotting against me."

Claire couldn’t help but laugh as she scooped Eliam into her arms. "Oh, please. He is just telling the truth. And right now, this truthteller little sun is coming shopping with us."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Evander stepped forward, glaring playfully at Eliam. "Don’t I even get a chance to defend myself? You can’t just call me boring and leave!"

"You are boring," Eliam said matter-of-factly and shrugged

Damian, who had been silently observing, burst into another uncontrollable laughter. "Oh, man! He has got you there. Even I can’t argue with that!"

Caspian joined in, patting Evander on the back. "Looks like my friend really has to work on hisself, a lot even!"

Evander’s glare darkened as the room seemed to chill. "I will show you fun I am when I throw you both out."

"Daddy is getting mad!" Eliam whispered to Claire as he giggled.

"Alright, you two," Claire said, shaking her head at Evander and his friends. "Keep your little comedy show going. Sissy and I have shopping to do."

"Mommy won again!" Eliam cheered as they walked toward the door.

Evander folded his arms, watching them leave, a frown etched on his face. "This family is clearly rigged against me."

"You are just realizing that now?" Damian smirked.

Caspian leaned against the wall with a chuckle. "Welcome to fatherhood, where your kid always sides with the cooler parent."

Evander glared at them, muttering, "I need better friends."

Damian smirked. "No, you need a better sense of humor."

"Sure! Now I have to learn humor from a playboy and fatherhood from a brat kid of his family." Evander gritted his teeth as his icy stare made the air in the room drop another few degrees, but Damian and Caspian just laughed harder. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"So, keeping everything aside," Caspian said as he took out a packet of popcorn from the bag he was carrying. "I have bought something to enjoy the show. When are we having that?"

"Soon," Damian replied before Evander could. "It will be a grand show. So, let’s just wait and watch."

"I am all up for it," Caspian replied.

~ ~ ~ ~

On the other hand, the trio ventured out for their shopping trip. Eliam was practically bouncing with excitement, his tiny hands gripping Claire’s tightly as he marveled at the bustling shopping mall. It was his first time going out with his mother like this, and his joy was infectious, making Claire and Sissy equally exicted.

Meanwhile, Sissy had a different agenda in her mind, one that primarily revolved around Claire’s wallet.

"I have got my eyes set on the AT store," Sissy announced with dramatic flair. "If you have money, you should better get me something from there. And while you are at it, I wouldn’t mind a handbag from Vera Vélo."

Claire opened her mouth to respond, but Sissy was already on a roll. "Oh! And let me tell you, they have got a combined store now with all the other top brands! The handbags are practically begging me to take them home. You must buy me those, so—"

"Fine," Claire interrupted with a casual shrug. "I will let you have whatever you want."

Sissy stopped in the mid-stride, staring at Claire as though she had just announced she was moving to Mars. "Wh... What!?"

Eliam tugged at Claire’s arm, tilting his head in confusion. "Aunty Sissy, why are you making that funny face?"

Sissy ignored him, narrowing her eyes at Claire. "Girl, do you even know what you are saying? A handbag from Vera Vélo alone costs more than a month of your salary! And Aurion Threads? That store will drain you dry and leave you crying in a cardboard box!"

"I said it’s fine," Claire repeated calmly.

Sissy’s jaw dropped. "Are you... are you okay? Did someone hit you on the head while I wasn’t looking?"

Claire laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "Relax, Sissy. I will let you suck me dry."

"Since when did you get involved in all this luxury nonsense?" Sissy folded her arms, still unconvinced. "You used to be all about making your own dresses. What happened to that, Claire?"

Claire smiled softly, her eyes glancing down at Eliam, who was now busy peeking into shop windows. "Sissy. I am not the same person I used to be."

Sissy snorted. "Clearly! Because the old Claire wouldn’t have let me buy a Vera Vélo handbag without a ten-minute lecture on budgeting, let alone offering it."

"Well, consider this my apology for all those lectures," Claire teased. "Let’s just enjoy today, okay?"