Chased By My Billionaire Ex-husband
Chapter 26: The First Rejection

Chapter 26: The First Rejection

Claire’s POV

Three days later:

It’s been three days since I fled from Evander’s mansion, slipping away the moment Sissy called me. I couldn’t even wait for the dawn to break like I’d promised myself. The longer I stayed, the more suffocated I felt—like the walls were closing in, making it impossible to breathe. I had to leave before I lost myself in the shadows of that place.

But the last three days had been a whirlwind of chaos, so much so that I almost forgot about the storm I’d left behind. Between visiting Grandma whenever I found a spare moment and spending hours house-hunting with Sissy, I barely had time to think. Every minute was filled with something—appointments, calls, paperwork—keeping me on my feet, distracting me from the unresolved emotions gnawing at the back of my mind.

Today was supposed to be the day. The day we finally moved into our new place and started fresh. Sissy and I had spent days searching, and after what felt like an endless parade of unsuitable apartments, we’d finally found the one.

But as luck would have it, God seemed to have other plans for me. Happiness felt like a fleeting thing, just out of reach, slipping through my fingers the moment I thought I’d grasped it.

"What the fuck!" Sissy cursed loudly as we stepped into our new rented apartment, her heels echoing sharply against the hardwood floor. She was fuming, her face flushed with anger. "That bitch, Susan!"

I sighed, trying to keep calm as I gently patted her shoulder. "Forget about it, Sissy. If that role wasn’t meant for me. If this is my destiny then so be it. I

"Destiny? Destiny, my foot!" she spat, pacing back and forth in frustration. "She didn’t outshine you; she played dirty! Susan schemed to replace you in that role, and everyone knows it!" Sissy’s voice rose, her hands balling into fists. She was so furious that if Susan had been standing in front of us, I wouldn’t have been able to hold Sissy back from attacking her.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, trying to stay grounded, though I couldn’t deny the sting of what had happened. Susan had been gunning for that role from the start, doing everything she could to push me aside. And it worked. The industry was ruthless like that, but somehow, losing this time felt like a personal attack.

At first, I never really cared about work. Sissy always took care of it. And money was not a problem since I am not a spender. I have earned plenty of money from the entertainment industry. However, I don’t wish to lose to Susan! I want to make it big!

"Sissy, it’s not worth it," I said softly, though I could feel the anger bubbling inside me too. I wasn’t as unaffected as I was pretending to be, but someone had to keep a level head. "What’s done is done."

Sissy whipped around, glaring at me as if my calmness only made her angrier. "You are really going to sit there and let this happen? You worked your ass off for that role, and she swooped in at the last minute! How can you just shrug it off?"

Well... Working my ass off was a bit of an overstatement. But I did work hard to get that role.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the bitterness that was clawing its way up. "I know," I admitted, my voice quieter now. "But I can’t change it. And honestly? Maybe this is a sign..."

Sissy threw her hands in the air. "A sign? Babe, this was your moment! You can’t just—"

"I am not giving up," I cut her off, standing up straighter. "I am just not letting her have the power to ruin me. If that role wasn’t in my destiny, then I would find something better. Something that’d be mine."

Sissy paused, her chest rising and falling with quick, frustrated breaths. "I hate when you get all zen on me," she muttered, though there was a flicker of understanding in her eyes. "You are too damn calm for your own good."

I smiled faintly, though inside, I still felt the sharp edges of disappointment. "I have to be. Otherwise, I’ll end up burning out."

She crossed her arms, still seething. "Well, if Susan thinks she’s won, she’s got another thing coming. This isn’t over. I swear, one day you’ll be on top, and she’ll be scrambling to keep up."

"Maybe," I said with a shrug. "But for now, let’s just focus on settling in. New apartment, new start."

Sissy exhaled loudly, finally calming down a little as she collapsed onto the couch. "Fine. But don’t think I’m letting this go. Susan’s gonna get what’s coming to her."

I chuckled softly and joined her on the couch. I could feel why was she so frustrated. I was not even given a chance to prove myself and was outright rejected, telling me that someone had been selected.

Why put up an audition at all? I thought bitterly. If they’re just going to hand the role to someone else, why make us work so hard for nothing? But I couldn’t say those words out loud, not in front of Sissy. She was already furious, and if I voiced what we were both thinking, she might just lose her mind entirely.

"Whatever," Sissy grumbled as she grabbed her purse off the counter; her movements were full of frustration. "I’m going out for a drink. Don’t expect me back tonight—I’ll be off having fun somewhere."

"Yeah, whatever," I replied with a half-hearted wave, knowing full well what she meant by "fun." This was her way of blowing off steam, drowning her anger and disappointment in a night of distractions. It wasn’t new, and I wasn’t about to try and stop her.

She opened the door with a huff and disappeared down the hall. I heard her heels clicking against the floor until it faded away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I slumped down on the couch, staring blankly at the wall and the emptiness of the apartment.

Just as I was about to let myself sink into the quiet, the doorbell rang, cutting through the stillness. I blinked, momentarily confused. What now? I thought, standing up slowly.

Sissy must’ve forgotten something, I muttered under my breath. "Can’t she ever take all her stuff in one go?" I grumbled as I made my way to the door. I swung it open with an annoyed sigh, expecting to see her standing there, frustrated with herself for forgetting her keys or phone.

But the person standing in front of me wasn’t Sissy.

I froze, my heart skipped a beat as I stared at the figure in the doorway. Shock rippled through me, leaving me speechless.

= = = =

Who do you think it is this time?

Susan!

Evander!

Damian!

Or someone else?

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