Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband
Chapter 171: I Have Never Not Loved You

Chapter 171: I Have Never Not Loved You

Evander’s POV

"What... What did you just say?" I stared at Claire, my heart pounding in disbelief. Did she really just say she loved me?

"I said..." Her voice trembled as she paused. Her delicate fingers brushed against my lips, silencing me.

"I said that I have never stopped loving you," she whispered, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. "You are the only man I have ever loved, the only one I have ever desired."

Her words hung in the air, stealing my breath. Before I could respond, she buried her face in my chest, her warmth seeping into me.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. My voice was soft but filled with emotion as I finally spoke. "Claire... you have no idea how long I have waited to hear those words. I love you too. I always have."

She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and in that moment, everything felt right. I cupped her face gently, brushing away a stray tear. Then, leaning down, I kissed her softly, pouring all the love I had been holding back into that single moment.

I didn’t want to let her go. I didn’t want this moment to end. I wanted this to be ours forever, untouched by the veil world. But of course fate had other plans.

My phone buzzed loudly, cutting through the blissful silence, but I ignored it.

My lips were on hers, tasting the sweetness I had been missing for so long. Her soft whimpers fueled the fire inside me as I deepened the kiss, exploring the every inches of her warm and inviting mouth. Her fingers gripped my shirt, pulling me closer, and I felt like I was drowning in her with Claire.

I was in heaven, but some people really didn’t know when to stop.

But the relentless buzzing continued, reminding me that Claire was not the only person in my world as these people were seeking death.

Claire pulled back slightly as her lips were red and swollen from our kiss. Her face was flushed and the delicate blush spreaded to her ears and collarbone, making her even harder to resist.

"Ta... Take the call," she whispered; her voice was shaky but filled with a shy warmth that made my chest tighten.

I groaned softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "It can wait," I murmured, leaning in to kiss the corner of her lips.

Claire’s wide and glistening eyes met mine, and she smiled faintly, but she gave me a small push. "Take it," she insisted, though she could barely talk from the short of breath.

I reluctantly grabbed my phone, pulling away from Claire just a little. The name flashing on the screen instantly soured my already foul mood. My jaw clenched as irritation coursed through me.

"Who is it?" Claire’s soft voice broke through my thoughts. She leaned over to peek at the screen, her curious expression fading into something colder.

The warmth in her eyes disappeared, and the playful smile that had lit up her face was gone in an instant. Without a word, she straightened her clothes and sat up, making a sudden distance between us.

"It seems I am not needed here," she said quietly as her tone was flat and controlled. "Please, take your call. I will freshen up."

She moved to get out of bed, but before she could leave, I reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her back to me.

"You are not going anywhere," I said firmly, my voice low but full of determination to make things clear today.

Claire looked at me with surprise as her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to protest. Instead, I hit the answer button and put the call on speaker, keeping my other arm securely around her.

"What is it?" I asked coldly, my tone sharp as my eyes stayed fixed on Claire. I didn’t want to miss a single shift in her expression, every flicker of emotion that crossed her face, I wanted to capture them all.

"Evan!" Susan’s voice came through the speaker, her tone dripping with a familiarity that made my stomach twist. She said my name as though she was someone important to me, as though she had the right.

I didn’t have time for games. "Stop dawdling," I said firmly, my patience wearing thin. "Just get to the point. Why are you calling so early in the morning? Don’t you have anything better to do?"

There was a pause, and then her voice sharpened as the sugary tone had turned into the frustration. "Why are you so cold to me?" she snapped, finally letting her mask slip.

I noticed Claire’s fingers trembling slightly as she brought her hand to her mouth, biting her nails. It was a rare sight for me as I had always either seen her all emotional or calm and collected.

Claire wasn’t the type to fidget or show nervousness. She looked torn, as if she were holding back a storm of emotions, her jaw tightening every time Susan spoke.

I tightened my hold on her waist, silently reminding her that I was not going anywhere. I was just right there for her.

"Susan," I said, my voice colder than ever, "you still haven’t answered my question. What do you want?"

Claire’s eyes flicked to mine for a brief moment. Whatever Susan’s reason for calling, I wasn’t going to let it ruin this moment with Claire—or allow her to feel anything less than the most important person in my life.

"Are you really going to treat me like this?!" Susan’s voice cracked as she sniffled, the sound of her fake sobs filling the room. She was trying to make it seem like she was the victim, but all it did was make me cringe.

"Have I ever treated you any differently?" I asked, my tone flat, ignoring her attempt to manipulate me. She had played this game for far too long, and I had tolerated it enough—for the sake of my deceased brother. But my patience had run out.

Claire’s eyes darted between me and the phone, her expression unreadable, though I could see her hands clutching the edge of her shirt tightly. She was trying to hide her unease, but I could feel it radiating off her.

"I have been clear, Susan," I continued, my voice firm. "You should have taken the hint by now. Gloria, Diana, and everyone else... their fates should have been a warning."

Claire stiffened slightly in my arms, her head tilting up as though she wanted to ask something but she refrained herself.

Susan’s voice wavered, her desperation seemed to have become even more evident. "I thought you cared about me—"

"You thought wrong," I cut her off sharply, my voice laced with finality. "Whatever sense of obligation I felt is gone. Stop clinging to a bond that doesn’t exist."

Claire’s gaze softened as she studied me, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but instead, she rested her head against my chest, grounding me in a way only she could.

Susan’s sobs continued on the other end of the call, but they sounded hollow now, empty of any real emotion. It was a game she wasn’t going to win.

"Are... Are the words of your twin brother nothing to you?" Susan’s voice trembled, but her words hit me like a thunderclap. My entire body stiffened.

I hadn’t told Claire everything yet—not about Colten, not about his wishes, and certainly not about the burden I had carried since his death. But now Susan had dragged it into the open.

"They were everything to me!" I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended. The room fell silent.

My grip on Claire’s waist tightened unconsciously, grounding myself in her warmth as my mind spiraled back to memories I had tried to bury.

Colten’s face flashed in my mind, his smile was faint but his eyes filled with the kind of love and concern only he could show. I could still hear his voice, quiet but steady, as he spoke to me in those final moments.

"Evander," he had said, his tone calm despite the pain he was in, "promise me you will look after Susan. She is fragile... but don’t let that blind you. Protect her if you must, but don’t let her control your life. More than that, take care of yourself. The world can be cruel, Evan. People will try to take advantage of your heart. Guard it, but don’t close it off. Don’t lose yourself trying to be what everyone else wants you to be."

At the time, his words confused me. I thought he was simply asking me to keep Susan safe, to honor his memory by looking after her. I was blind then, too naive to understand what he truly meant.

Now, with Susan’s manipulations laid bare and the true colors of those around me revealed, his words made perfect sense. He had seen what I couldn’t, warned me about the dangers of letting people into my heart without caution.

I fell silent and still ost in thought, as the weight of Colten’s words settled over me like a heavy cloak. Claire shifted in my arms, her hand gently covering mine, bringing me back to the present.

"Susan," I said, my voice colder now, "Colten’s words mean everything to me. But don’t twist them for your benefit. He wanted me to protect myself from people who take advantage of kindness. And now I see... he was right."

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