Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband

Evander’s POV

I didn’t even cry when my brother died right in my arms. His last words to me were clear: I wasn’t allowed to cry. He ordered me to live my life beautifully, without burden, and with the love of my life.

At the time, I thought his words were directed at Gloria—the woman who made my life a living hell. Her lies, her cruelty, her ability to twist everything good in my life into something painful—it felt like he was telling me to break free from her shadow. And I almost did. I managed to find Claire once again, and I would do everything to bring her back in my life.

But now, I understand his words were different from what I understood. They weren’t just about Gloria. He was speaking from his own pain and his own regrets.

I was able to marry the love of my life, while he... he couldn’t even see the man he loved. He never got that chance. I always knew Elijah and Lexi were close, but I never once questioned the bond they shared. To me, they were just the best and perfect couple, who were inseparable, but nothing more. I didn’t know. I didn’t see.

The realization hit me like a wave, the guilt choking me as I thought about how blind I had been. Elijah’s happiness, his struggles, his silent heartbreak—how had I missed it all?

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. My hands trembled as I opened it and found the photo I always kept of him. Elijah, smiling so brightly it could light up the darkest of days of my life.

I carefully removed the picture, holding it between my fingers as if it were something fragile. My vision blurred with tears I could no longer hold back.

"Brother..." my voice broke as I spoke to the photo. "I am so sorry. I couldn’t live the way you wanted me to. I let Claire down... and I let you down too."

He had wanted me to be happy, to be free of guilt and regret, but how could I when I hadn’t even been there for him? When I hadn’t seen the truth he had carried alone?

Tears fell freely now as I clutched the photo to my chest. "I wish I could go back," I whispered. "I wish I could have been there for you, Elijah. You deserved better than this... You should have lived rather than me."

For the first time since his death, I allowed myself to cry in front of Claire, yesterday. Seeing her by my side, I felt vulnerable and broke down completely. Not just for the brother I lost, but for the man I failed to truly know.

I was still lost in my thoughts, staring at Elijah’s picture in my hands, when a sudden knock on the door jolted me. I quickly wiped my tears and slid the picture back into my wallet, tucking it safely away as though it carried all the memories I had left of him.

"Come in," I said, trying to steady my voice.

The door creaked open, and Zaniel stepped in, looking like he hadn’t slept all night. His shirt was wrinkled, and his tie hung loosely around his neck. "Good morning, boss," he greeted, though his voice lacked its usual energy.

I nodded at him, watching as he walked over and placed a file on my desk. "Here," he said in a serious tone. "This is the list of all the male friends Mr. Elijah had."

At his words, I felt my chest tighten. Without thinking, I grabbed the file as my movements were abrupt and impatient. "Let me see!" I muttered, flipping it open before he could say another word.

My eyes scanned the pages, taking in the names, photos, and brief descriptions of the men Elijah had interacted with over the years. The list was longer than I expected, and it hit me just how little I had known about his personal life.

Yesterday, in a fit of desperation, I had ordered Zaniel to dig into Elijah’s past. I needed to know in fact I had to know—who he had been close to, who might have been the man he loved but never got to be with.

"Zaniel," I said without looking up from the file, my voice low and strained. "How thorough is this list?"

"Very thorough," he replied, standing straight as if preparing for an interrogation. "I contacted his old colleagues, school friends, and even checked his social media. These are all the men he had regular interactions with."

I nodded, though my focus remained on the pages in front of me. Each name felt like a piece of a puzzle I was desperately trying to put together.

Zaniel gave a curt nod and gritted his teeth before leaving. I could sense his frustration but I was not in the mood to hear his complaints.

I looked into the file for what felt like an eternity, but still couldn’t make sense of it. My frustration grew by each passing minute. "Fuck!! Brother... Why the hell was your life so complicated?" I muttered to myself, pinching the space between my brows to ease the headache building up.

Sitting there in defeat, my gaze wandered aimlessly to the ceiling, my mind fogged with confusion. Suddenly, my attention snapped away from the file as thoughts of my brother and Eliam rushed in. They took over my mind completely, pushing everything else out, including Claire.

"Damn it! Gloria!!" I cursed under my breath, realization dawning on me. How the hell was she managing to mess with my head so effectively, keeping me distracted and making it impossible to think straight? She was playing me like a game, and I had no idea how to fight back.

"If I stay here any longer, I will go crazy!" I muttered to myself, grabbing my cell phone in frustration. Without wasting another second, I dialed Damian’s number.

As much as he annoyed me to no end, Damian had been my only support during my deepest and darkest days. He was the one person I could turn to when things felt completely out of control.

The phone rang a few times before he finally picked up. "Where are you?" I asked abruptly, skipping any kind of greeting. I didn’t have the patience for pleasantries.

"I am at the company building," he replied, his voice casual. "We are signing contracts today with the actors that were selected, and..." He said and took a little pause, he seemed to be teasing me as always. However, I was not in the mood to play along with him.

"And what?" I asked in a sharp and irritated tone.

"Guess what," he finally said as there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Your wife is coming too! She had been selected for the role she had auditioned for."

I froze for a moment, my grip tightening on the phone. Will Claire be there too? I thought as I was still embarrassed to see her after yesterday’s outburst.

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