Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband
Chapter 176: I Was Insecure

Chapter 176: I Was Insecure

Claire’s POV

Eliam’s sudden appearance was a pleasant surprise, like a ray of sunlight piercing through a stormy sky. After the emotionally heavy conversation with Evander, seeing Eliam’s innocent smile and hearing his sweet voice felt like a balm to my wounded heart.

In recent days, Eliam had become my lifeline. His laughter, his little antics, and his presence were a constant reminder that there was still beauty and joy to hold onto in my gloomy world. Therapy back in the USA had helped me regain my footing, but it hadn’t been enough to pull me out of the dark abyss of despair. It was Eliam’s light that had guided me through, step by step.

Now, with Evander here too, I felt a lot of changes in me. The ache in my heart hadn’t vanished, but it no longer consumed me entirely. Slowly, steadily, I was healing. Coming back to my homeland had been the right choice—I could feel it in the way my soul began to mend, no longer tethered solely to pain.

"Why don’t you two come out a little later while I make some breakfast for you?" I offered, smiling warmly at them.

Eliam’s face lit up. "Can we have pancakes, Mommy?" he asked, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Of course," I replied, ruffling his hair. "Anything for my little prince."

Evander’s gaze softened as he looked at us, and I could sense the weight he carried. Even so, there was a flicker of warmth in his expression that hadn’t been there before.

As I walked to the kitchen, I couldn’t help but glance back at them. Eliam was seated on Evander’s lap, chattering away about his adventures with Uncle Caspian and Little Lilly. Evander listened attentively, nodding and smiling at all the right moments, his hand resting protectively on Eliam’s back.

A deep sense of contentment settled over me. For the first time in what felt like forever,I felt a glimmer of happiness— a fragile, precious thing I hadn’t dared to believe I could feel again.

This was what I wanted.

A home.

A family.

An Hour Later

"Come here, guys! Breakfast is ready," I called out, placing the last dish on the table. The aroma of freshly cooked pancakes, scrambled eggs, and warm soup filled the air.

Eliam and Evander quickly ran toward the dining area, their faces lighting up as they saw the spreaded dishes on the table. They settled into their respective seats, Eliam swinging his legs excitedly under the table.

"Have your fill," I said with a smile, placing a bowl of soup in front of Eliam and a plate of pancakes in front of Evander.

"Mommy, are you going out to work again?" Eliam asked, his big, innocent eyes looking up at me as he pouted. "Daddy said Mommy is busy and only came back because she missed us."

I froze for a moment, surprised by his words. A soft laugh escaped my lips as I reached out to smooth his messy hair. "Aww, Little Eliam," I said fondly, my heart swelling with affection. "You have grown on me so much that I really want to put all my work behind and just stay home with you."

Eliam grinned as he looked clearly pleased, but the sparkle in his eyes dimmed slightly as he asked, "So, does that mean you are going back to work soon?"

"Yes," I admitted, feeding him a spoonful of soup. "But you can visit me whenever you wish to. Wouldn’t that be fun?"

Before Eliam could respond, I noticed Evander’s face light up and that was an unexpected reaction for me to see. He looked at me with a mix of surprise and hope, as if the idea of visiting me made him more excited that the baby.

"Really?" he asked, his voice softer than usual, almost hesitant.

Eliam, ever the observant little boy, jumped at the opportunity to tease. "Daddy wanted to go see you but was afraid Mommy would be angry," he said, giggling as he revealed Evander’s secret.

"What? Really?" I asked, turning to Evander, who suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights.

He coughed awkwardly, avoiding my gaze. "Well... I thought you might not want to see me."

I couldn’t help but laugh, my heart fluttering at his admission. Evander had never been one to openly express his feelings, yet he had always found subtle ways to make me feel cherished. Be it in the past or even now, his actions spoke louder than words.

"Evander," I said, meeting his gaze. "You don’t need to hesitate. You are always welcome to see me, no matter what."

Evander’s lips curved into a faint smile, one that softened his usual stoic demeanor. "I will keep that in mind," he murmured.

"Mommy, Daddy, stop staring at each other!" Eliam suddenly piped up, his cheeky grin breaking the moment. "The pancakes are getting cold!"

I chuckled as I ruffled his hair. "Alright, alright. Let’s eat before Eliam eats everything himself!"

As we shared breakfast together, the air was filled with laughter and warmth. Other than a few meals that I shared with Evander before, this moment felt different—genuine and complete. It was the happiest moment of my life.

Once breakfast was finished, we decided to take a walk in the garden. Eliam walked between us, holding my finger with one hand and Evander’s with the other, his small steps skipping with excitement. It felt like a perfect family full of warmth, a moment I wished I could freeze forever.

"So," Evander began, breaking the silence as he sipped the last of his coffee from the thermos he had insisted on bringing. "When are you going back? And more importantly, Eliam..." His gaze narrowed, his tone suddenly stern. "How did you come back here on your own?"

Eliam froze in his tracks, his wide eyes darting toward me as if searching for an escape. Slowly, he hid behind my leg, peeking out nervously.

"It... It was Uncle! He sent me back," he stammered, his little voice barely audible.

Evander raised a brow, clearly unconvinced. "Uncle Caspian, huh?" he muttered, his tone skeptical.

"Evan!" I scolded, gently nudging him with my elbow. "Stop scaring our son! You are not supposed to do that!"

Evander sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wasn’t scaring him; I just wanted to know the truth."

"Even if you were, he is still just a child," I replied, crouching down to Eliam’s level. "Don’t worry, sweetie. Daddy is just being silly. You did nothing wrong."

Eliam’s tense shoulders relaxed as he offered a timid smile. He slipped his hand back into mine, looking up at Evander with a bit more confidence.

"And as for when I am going back," I began, looking at Evander carefully, "I begged Senior Damian to exchange shifts with me. I barely managed to convince him, so I need to leave tonight."

"What?" Evander’s voice shot up, his excitement evident. "You are staying till dinner, right?" His face lit up in a way I hadn’t seen before. Lately, it seemed like I was discovering new sides of him every day.

"Wait a minute..." he trailed off, his expression shifting as the playful air turned serious. He looked at me intently as his brows furrowing. "Who did you just say you begged?"

"Ah..." I froze, caught off guard by the sudden change in his tone. It seemed I had said something I shouldn’t have.

"Damian? Senior Damian?" Evander repeated, his jaw tightening. "And what’s with the ’Senior Damian’? Do you want me to die of secondhand embarrassment?" His voice rose, as if he was cringing by with the term ’Senior’ that I added before Damian’s name.

I blinked, unsure how to respond as his rant continued.

"Look at his ’pretty boy’ face! All he does is flex that to flirt around. And somehow that guy became your senior?" Evander’s lips twisted into a grimace as he gestured dramatically. "It feels gross!"

For a moment, I just stared at him, utterly amused. It was rare to see him worked up about something so trivial. My lips curved into a smile before I could stop myself.

"Evander, are you... jealous?" I teased, leaning closer to get a better look at his flustered expression.

"Jealous?" he scoffed, his ears turning slightly red. "Why would I be jealous of that idiot? I just don’t want you around someone like him. He is all looks and nothing else!"

"Right," I replied as tried hard to hold back my laughter. "Well, for the record, Senior Damian is a respected colleague, he is your friend as well, and he was kind enough to switch shifts with me."

"That’s exactly my point!" he argued, waving his hands. "That’s how he gets you— with all that fake kindness. I can’t believe you begged him! Next time, call me, and I will sort it out for you by giving him a good beating.

His over-the-top reaction only made me laugh more. It was endearing to see this new, almost childish side of Evander.

"Okay, okay," I said, raising my hands in surrender. "Next time, I will come straight to you, Mr. Overprotective."

"Good," he muttered, crossing his arms with a huff, though the corners of his lips twitched upward. "By the way, I was insecure but I wasn’t jealous of you and Damian."

"What?" Evander’s words caught me off guard.

To think someone as mighty as him would feel insecure! This was really something new to me.

"And why is that?" I couldn’t help but ask beside knowing the reason.