Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband
Chapter 128: “What about my mother?”

Chapter 128: “What about my mother?”

Evander’s POV

I arched a brow, glancing briefly at the road ahead. I was already busy; I needed some time alone, and later, I needed to pick Claire up. I couldn’t leave her alone after all this.

"I am busy. Whatever it is, can’t it wait? Or do you need more funding already?" My words were laced with sarcasm, but I didn’t care. Damian rarely called for anything that wasn’t self-serving.

There was a pause on the other end, followed by a sigh. "It’s not about money," he said, his tone softening slightly. "It’s about your wife."

My fingers froze over the gear shift. His words sent a ripple of unease through me. My wife?

"What about her?" I demanded, my voice sharper now, my earlier irritation replaced with apprehension. "What happened to her?"

"Not over the phone," Damian replied curtly. "Meet me at my office in an hour. It’s important."

I hesitated, my thoughts racing. Damian wasn’t someone I trusted blindly, as he was well known for playing pranks on people and buying any of his words seemed like making a fool of myself.

"Fine," I said at last, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. "I will be there." In the end, I couldn’t ignore his words and went ahead with his words.

I ended the call, gripping the wheel tightly as I merged onto the highway. My original plan would have to wait—Damian had just thrown a wrench into my day. And as much as I disliked him, the mention of Claire was enough to make me change course.

I pressed down on the accelerator; my mind now split between the answers I sought and Claire, who might be in real trouble.

~ ~ ~ ~

Claire’s POV

"Hello, everyone. I am Claire Reed, and I hope to learn a lot from all of you on this set," I said, forcing a bright smile onto my face. It was the kind of smile that didn’t reach my eyes, but no one here seemed to notice—or care.

My heart clenched painfully. Who could genuinely smile in a moment like this? My thoughts drifted to my son, the one person who made life worth enduring... and now Evander too. I missed them so dearly that every second away felt like a lifetime.

And to make matters worse, I was surrounded by people I loathed the most. Their presence felt suffocating to me.

I clenched my fists at my sides, reminding myself why I had taken this step. Focus, Claire. You are here for a reason.

Someone nearby chuckled, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Well, let’s see if you can keep up, Claire," Diana’s voice rang out, dripping with mockery. She stood with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowing as if daring me to falter.

Why is she here again? Did I not meet her already? What does she want from me?

I met her gaze, my smile unwavering but my resolve hardening. "I will do my best," I replied, my voice steady despite the sting of her words. I wouldn’t let her—or anyone else—trample upon me no matter what.

As the introductions continued, I found myself nodding along, exchanging pleasantries I didn’t mean with a lot of people. All the while, my mind kept wandering back to my baby, who died that year. I am doing this for you, my little one, I thought silently. I had promised him to become someone whom the whole world knew. I knew it was a big task but I would not let anyone break me, not even his father.

When the director called for a break, I stepped aside, finding a quiet corner to breathe. For a brief moment, I let my smile fade, the weight of everything pressing down on me.

But as quickly as the moment came, I pushed it aside, straightened my posture, and prepared myself to face the day. I couldn’t afford to let my emotions show here.

"Woah!" I exclaimed as I took a step toward the crowd, only to find Diana trailing behind me once again.

"It seems my dear sister just can’t get enough of me," I said with a tight, practiced smile on my face—the kind of fake politeness that masked the irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

Diana’s lips curled into a mocking smirk as she raised her glass and clinked it against mine with unnecessary force. "Why not? You can snatch my husband, but I can’t even come here to you." Her voice dripped with venom; her tone was clearly to provoke.

I took a sip of my drink, letting her words hang in the air for a moment before meeting her gaze with cool indifference. "Really? Did I steal your husband?" I asked, my voice calm but laced with sarcasm.

Her smirk faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, don’t play coy, Claire. Everyone knows you—"

"I remember Evander saying he was never interested in you," I interrupted smoothly, my eyes narrowing just enough to make my point. "So if he was never yours to begin with, how could I have stolen him?"

Diana’s expression hardened, but I wasn’t done. The old me—the one who used to shrink under her taunts... was long gone.

"You see, Diana," I continued, my voice steady and cold, "it’s exhausting being blamed for someone else’s insecurities. Maybe it’s time you focused on yourself instead of obsessing over me."

Diana’s cheeks flushed, her confidence momentarily shaken. She opened her mouth to retort but hesitated, realizing she didn’t have the upper hand this time.

I gave her a pointed smile... once again, the same forced one I had worn all evening— and stepped away, leaving her standing there with nothing but her own bitterness to accompany her.

However, it seemed Diana was not done yet. She followed behind me and stopped right in front of me. "So, you really don’t think he wanted me? You are already divorced, so what even if he did or not and... about your mother... she..."

"What about my mother?"