Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband

Evander’s POV

I finally understood why Claire had left me three years ago. It was my own neglect and stubbornness that had driven her away— the mistakes I made over and over that tore us apart. But now, I wasn’t going to let anything come between us— not even Claire herself. I would do whatever it took to make things right.

"You thought you could just end this on your own?" I softened my tone as I shifted a bit closer toward her. "Well, I am not ready to let you go, Claire. I never stopped loving you, and I don’t plan to start now. Until I say otherwise, there won’t be any divorce. I won’t let you walk away."

I looked into her eyes, hoping she would see the truth that I was finally able to admit. "And believe me... there won’t be a day when I stop loving you."

She sat there silently, looking as if my words were true or if I was just bluffing. But I had never lied to Claire in my life, unless necessary.

"Well," she finally spoke, and I waited, holding onto hope that maybe, just maybe, her words would match my feelings, and I was eager to hear her. But instead, her gaze was cold, and her words cut right through me. "If you are done with your speech, you can leave now. And if you are truly so ’worried’ about me, then maybe call the only real family I have in this world— Sissy."

Her words stung, sharper than I could have imagined. After everything, she didn’t even consider me part of her family. "I... I already told you, Claire— I am not leaving you."

"And why should your words mean anything to me?" She shot back, raising an eyebrow with that familiar, fierce look in her eyes. "Do you really think I would just come running back to you because you finally decided to show up and tell me you love me? Honestly?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but her words made me hesitate. She had every right to question me after everything I had done and all the times I had let her down. But I wasn’t giving up.

I stood up slowly, letting my shadow cast over her, my gaze turning colder. If she couldn’t see or understand my love, then I would make her, one way or another.

"As I already told you, Claire— you are my wife. We are not divorced. Your lawyer? He ran off the moment I paid him enough to step back. So, like it or not, you still belong to me, and nothing, not even death, will make me let you go."

She looked up at me as her expressions were firm and unflinched. "Is that so?" she asked; her tone was sharp. "Well then, maybe it’s better if you just die." Her words were like a slap, leaving me speechless. Did she actually mean that? Did she really believe that my death was the only way to break free? Had she forgotten that she once loved me?

Was I that unbearable for her that she wanted me to die?

But before I could even think of responding, she continued, her voice calm but cutting. "Actually, why should I ask you to die?" she said, her eyes dark with resolve. "You are the one holding on, not me. The truth is, if I don’t have my life, you can’t chain me to yours."

"What?" I stared at her in shock, my heart pounding at the thought of her words. She was serious; she would rather lose herself entirely than stay with me.

The realization hit me harder than when she left me! I had broken her to the point that she wanted to die rather than be with me.

"Claire," I murmured softly, reaching out to gently cup her cheek. She tried to pull away, but I kept her still, my grip firm yet gentle on her. "Look into my eyes, Claire."

"What do you want?" She demanded, her gaze narrowing as she finally met my eyes.

"Do you really believe I would ever force you into something against your will?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. "You told me you wanted out, and I let you go. Not because I didn’t love you— but because I loved you too much to hold you back."

She gave me a bewildered look and stopped trying to pull away, her eyes widening slightly as if my words struck something deep within her. She blinked a few times, processing what I was saying.

"I searched for you everywhere," I continued. "You can ask anyone— I was like a madman, looking for you. I needed to see if you had found happiness. I couldn’t find you, no matter how far or wide I searched. And then, one day, you appeared out of nowhere, standing right in front of me. You were with a man, laughing and smiling like you didn’t have a care in the world."

I paused as I swalloed down the bitterness that had haunted me for so long. "You looked so happy. I thought maybe you had finally found what you wanted. But I couldn’t help but wonder if there was any part of you that still thought about me."

"I wanted to run up to you right then and there," I admitted, my voice barely more than a whisper, "and ask if you ever loved me, even for a moment. Did our marriage mean nothing to you? Were you really so unhappy with me that being alone seemed better than being by my side? I wanted to know if all you ever wanted was my money, if I was just a medium to save your family’s business."

The questions that had haunted me for years spilled out, each one pulling at old wounds. "But that smile on your face— so genuine, so bright— it held me back. I didn’t want to ruin that happiness, even if it was tearing me apart inside. So no matter how much it hurt or how much I wanted to drag that man away from you, I just stood there, rooted to the spot, because I had never seen you look so happy. I had never seen you smile like that, not once after our marriage."

I paused, watching her reaction as she took in my words. "In that moment, I thought... maybe letting you go was what you needed. But I still couldn’t walk away, Claire. I still couldn’t forget you."

She blinked a few times, trying to process my words. "If you were hurting in this marriage, then I was in just as much pain as you, Claire! You never once told me you wanted me by your side. Every time I tried to reach you, all I got was that cold, distant look, as if I were the last person you wanted around. I began to believe I was just a burden you couldn’t wait to be rid of."

She hesitated, her eyes flickering with old memories. "I thought maybe there was someone else you were looking for... someone you actually wanted, and I was just a mistake you couldn’t wait to forget. I thought I had meant nothing to you, so I forced myself to walk away."

"Claire... if I had only known..."

===

How’s the Chapter!? Do comment and let me know!