Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband
Chapter 156: Claire’s Ray Of Light

Chapter 156: Claire’s Ray Of Light

Claire’s POV

It was supposed to be a carefree day —a rare moment of peace where I could spoil Eliam and give Sissy her well-deserved fun. But life had a cruel way of testing me. My stomach churned when I locked eyes with the person standing before me.

Mia.

The very name sent a cold shiver down my spine. Her face hadn’t changed much over the years, still wearing that smug, predatory grin that I had grown to fear during my school days.

Mia wasn’t just a bully; she was a tormentor who thrived on my misery. I still remembered every horrific detail like it was etched into my skin. The humiliation. The fear. The endless nights spent crying myself to sleep, praying for an escape that never came.

She would lock me up whenever the opportunity arose. Once, she trapped me in the school’s storage room. It was a weekend, and everyone had left. No one even realized I was missing for two whole days.

I was alone in that dark, suffocating space, with only the sound of rats scurrying nearby to keep me company. My throat burned from screaming for help until I lost my voice. My stomach ached from hunger, and my body trembled from the cold.

When they finally found me, instead of looking out for me, I was met with blame. The teachers accused me of being careless, wandering into the storage room and locking myself inside. No one believed me when I said it wasn’t my fault.

The worst part wasn’t the physical torment but the isolation. No one stood up for me. No one cared. Mia and her friends made sure of that. They spread rumors, turned classmates against me, and ensured I had no one to lean on.

They would corner me, throw trash at me, push me into muddy puddles, and laugh while I cried, making videos of my miserable life. They stole my belongings, vandalized my desk, and left cruel notes in my locker. The things they did were too vile to recount fully.

Each day felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. I tried so hard to keep going, to find some light amidst the darkness, but the pain was relentless, cutting deep inside my heart that I just wished to die.

One day, after another round of humiliation— Mia had poured soda over my head during lunch in front of everyone— I couldn’t take it anymore.

I ran away without thinking as I climbed to the top of the school building. My heart was heavy with despair. The sky was gray, the same as the emptiness inside me. Tears streamed down my face as I stood on the edge, looking down at the world that had shown me no mercy.

For a fleeting moment, I thought of peace. An escape. An end to the unbearable pain.

Just as I was about to take that final step, a firm hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back but I yanked it away, returning where I was.

"Don’t do this," a deep voice said, filled with both urgency and kindness.

I turned to see Evander. His eyes weren’t filled with pity but with genuine concern.

"Why do you care?" I asked, my voice breaking as tears blurred my vision. "No one else does," I said bitterly, turning my back to him. My voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible, "Just leave... or you will become a killer in everyone’s eyes."

But Evander didn’t flinch. His voice was steady, almost soothing. "If you know that, why not come down and tell me what’s going on with you? Maybe I can help."

"Help?" I scoffed, the word laced with years of pent-up frustration. "How could you possibly help me? You don’t understand anything."

He stayed calm, his gaze unwavering. "Are you suffering because of those girls? The bullies?"

My head snapped toward him, my eyes wide in shock. "What? How do you—"

"I was the one who found you in the storeroom," he interrupted, his tone firm but gentle. "I was the one who sent you to the hospital."

His words hit me like thunderclaps. My knees buckled slightly, and I gripped the edge of the rooftop railing for support as I came down. "Why?" I demanded, my voice rising. "Why did you have to save me? It would have been better if I were dead!"

Evander’s expression remained calm, but I could see something flicker in his eyes— concern perhaps. "Because no one deserves to feel like their life isn’t worth saving," he said simply.

I let out a shaky breath, my chest heaving as I whispered, "No one would have cared if I died anyway." I wasn’t even sure if he heard me.

But he did.

"That’s not true," he said firmly. "You don’t see it now, but there are people who care more than you realize. And even if it feels like no one does, you owe it to yourself to keep going. You are stronger than this!"

Saying that I was stronger was easy for him but only I knew what I had been through. But then again, he had been through equally worst.

His words only made the dam inside me break further. "Why do you care so much? You are Evander —the most popular guy in school. You are supposed to be untouchable, perfect. Why waste your time on someone like me?"

"I am not perfect," he said quietly. "And maybe I am not as untouchable as you think." Evander pronounced. "You seemed to be a good girl; I have seen you multiple times; I can tell that you can do it! Fight back and live happily to make them regret."

His words were like a lifeline, pulling me back from the brink.

"Come here," Evander said softly, extending his hand toward me.

For a moment, I hesitated, the weight of despair still anchoring me to the edge. But then, something inside me—some tiny spark of hope—pushed me forward. Slowly, I reached out and placed my trembling hand in his.

His grip was firm yet gentle, grounding me in a way I hadn’t felt in years. "Let’s get you down from here," he said, guiding me away from the edge.

Though I had wanted to end it all just moments ago, a small part of me—the tiniest, most fragile part—still wanted to live.

And for the first time, I thought that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to face it all alone but having Evander with me had stunned me.

Evander was the star of the school—captain of the basketball team, top student, and effortlessly charismatic. Everyone admired him, and every girl, including me, had a crush on him.

I used to watch him from afar, my heart fluttering whenever he passed by. He seemed untouchable, radiating confidence and calm, a ray of light to my shrinking world.

He was the dream—someone I admired but never imagined would notice me. And yet, here he was, reaching out when I was at my lowest, shattering every wall I’d built between myself and hope.

"Why? Why do you care about me?" I asked. "Why even bother saving me?"

Evander sat me down, his grip still firm on my wrist, as if afraid I would slip away if he let go. "Because you matter," he said simply. "Even if you don’t see it right now, your life is worth so much more than the pain you are feeling."

"Maybe, just as I saved you today, you might be able to save me from the edge of my life," Evander said and dragged me down the top floor.

That day, Evander saved me— not just from the edge of the building but from the edge of myself. He became my anchor, my light in the darkness.

But now, standing here in front of Mia, all those memories came rushing back. The fear, the humiliation, the hopelessness.

No. Not anymore.

I wasn’t the same girl she once tormented. I had grown stronger, rebuilt my life, and found my own happiness. Mia would not drag me back into the darkness. Not today. Not ever.

I had tried to shoo Mia away, hoping she would get bored and leave, but it seemed she was determined to stir up trouble. Her smug expression and mocking words were designed to rattle me, but I wasn’t the same old Claire anymore.

The old me would have cowered, avoided confrontation, or walked away silently. But not today. I decided to stand my ground and give her a taste of her own medicine. If she wanted a fight, I would let her know exactly who she was dealing with now.

But what I hadn’t expected was the twist that followed— the person who turned out to be the owner of the store. It wasn’t just any stranger; it was someone whose presence really shocked me.

~ ~ ~ ~

Evander’s POV

My friends had been, constantly teasing me and laughing about Eliam’s so-called betrayal. That little guy, always choosing Claire over me —it stung more than I wanted to admit. But, honestly, could I even blame him? Claire was the most beautiful, kind-hearted person in the world. Anyone would pick her over me, even I would.

"Man, you should do something," Damian said as he nudged me with a smirk.

"Yeah, Evander, it looks like the kid’s already stealing your spotlight," Caspian chimed in, causing the group to erupt in laughter again.

I rolled my eyes, pretending to be unaffected, though their jabs were starting to get on my nerves. We were in the middle of discussing something important— finally steering away from their relentless teasing— when my phone rang.

It was Eliam.

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