Chasing my Billionaire Ex-wife

Behind the Union

"You're pregnant, Mrs. Anderson. Seven weeks. We still need to run some tests, but I'll refer you to our specialist for proper care. Congratulations, Mrs. Anderson," the doctor said before leaving the room.

Her ears felt like they might burst from the ringing, yet she managed to leave the doctor's office. She ignored the nurse's worried glances.

She stormed out, her hands trembling as she clutched the test results. Her heart pounded, a frantic drum against her ribs. She'd tried to appear calm in front of the doctor, but inside, everything was chaos.

She'd gone to the hospital thinking it was just a headache and some mild weakness. But the news she received was shocking and disorienting-she was pregnant. Nathaniel's child was growing inside her.

It felt like a heavy truck had hit her; the weight of the situation was almost suffocating. Her vision blurred with unshed tears as she hurried down the long hospital corridor.

How will I face this? What am I going to do now?

One moment of weakness, one fleeting bad decision-and now, a life was growing inside her.

The thought of Nathaniel made the weight even heavier. The memory of his repeated scorn was painful. She didn't know how he would react to this news, and she didn't know if he even felt anything for her anymore.

"Fuck... will he even want this child? Will he blame me for the complete collapse of our already fragile marriage?"

Leaning against the cold hospital wall, Elara felt the weight of the world pressing down on her. It was too heavy, almost unbearable. She didn't know how she would go on from here.

She and Nathaniel were married-but not for love. She'd known that from the start. She needed someone by her side, someone to help her as she built her own name in the industry. And Elara? A familiar face from their university days, someone easily caught in his trap.

They married, but she knew it wasn't like a typical marriage. There was no love-or if there was, it was one-sided.

She'd long felt used by Nathaniel, but she'd stubbornly convinced herself that she had value in his life. That somehow, he cared for her. But now? She realized just how wrong she was.

Her phone vibrated, and when she looked at the screen, the name she'd long wanted to forget appeared-Nathaniel.

She forced herself to calm down before answering. "Where are you?" he asked coldly. "There are some documents you need to sign. I need them now."

Elara swallowed. Was this always going to be like this? Emotionless, uncaring. She felt like an employee in a company where she was the product.

She took a deep breath before answering, "I'm outside."

"Well, might as well run back here to the office. I don't have all day, Elara."

His cold tone crushed her. Despite everything, why did she still hope things would be different? Why did fate seem to punish her for loving a man who never had a heart for her?

She felt her chest tighten again. In an instant, all the pain she'd been suppressing threatened to explode.

Elara hesitated to tell Nathaniel about her pregnancy. She didn't know what his reaction would be, and she was even more terrified of the possibility that he wouldn't care.

What if he gets angry? What if he says he doesn't want this child-that what happened between them was a mistake, just like their marriage?

So many questions haunted her, weighing heavily on her chest like a brewing storm. The fact that she was pregnant was enough to disturb her mind, and now, she couldn't even imagine how she would face it.

She started to overthink, sinking into a dark space she knew was dangerous for her. She tried to formulate the right words in her mind.

"Are you okay?" Nathaniel asked on the other line, a hint of concern in his voice.

She was slightly surprised. There was a warmth in his tone-a trace of concern she rarely heard from him. A small spark of hope flickered in her heart.

Maybe I can try? Should I tell him?

There was a long silence on the other line. Elara tried to swallow her nervousness, but she still didn't know how to begin.

If I tell him about the baby, will he accept it? Will everything change between us?

A strong curse threatened to escape her lips. You're so stupid, Elara! She had been so careless. She should have been more cautious. She already knew how difficult her life was with Nathaniel-and now, a child would be added to the mix.

"C'mon, Elara. I don't have all day. I'm a busy man and I can't wait around for you all day," he said irritably.

She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and prayed silently. She had to be brave-now.

But before she could speak, she heard a woman's voice on the other line.

"Nathaniel, darling, who are you talking to?"

The woman's voice was sweet, too familiar to Elara. She felt her body go cold.

Shaira.

Her heart stopped.

What did you expect, Elara?

Of course, Shaira. The woman who was always there before she came into Nathaniel's life. The woman he loved then, and apparently still loved.

Only a second passed, but it felt like years to Elara.

And before she could process the pain she felt, the call ended. She was left staring at her phone screen, listening to the lifeless dial tone.

"Fuck..." Shit -

She put a hand to her forehead, trying to hold back the tears.

What was I thinking? That he cared about me?

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. She stared at the ceiling and shook her head.

"You're so stupid, Elara. Look what you've gotten yourself into."

Several people in the hospital were looking at her, but she ignored them. She forced herself to stand and straightened her posture. She had to be strong.

Leaving the hospital, she went straight to her car. She tried to calm herself, but she felt the weight of the secret she carried.

Should I tell him? Or should I keep it to myself?

Uncertainty gnawed at her.

She didn't realize how long she had been sitting in the car. She composed herself before finally driving to Nathaniel's office.

When she arrived, she didn't see Nathaniel. Instead, she was met by his secretary carrying a thick stack of papers.

"Ma'am, these are the documents you need to sign. Sir Nathaniel said it needs to be done immediately."

Something caught in her throat. She forced herself to take the papers and didn't dare look up. She didn't want anyone to see the tears welling up in her eyes.

Of course. He should be with Shaira. He didn't even wait for me.

Returning to her desk, she let out a heavy sigh.

She felt her chest tighten. Her feelings were starting to overwhelm her.

She looked at the documents Nathaniel wanted her to sign. With so much on her mind, she couldn't bring herself to go back to their house that night. She didn't think she could face Nathaniel's cold presence-especially now that she knew he had another woman.

In the end, she decided to go home to the apartment Nathaniel had given her when they got married. She didn't go there often, but tonight, she needed to be alone.

But when she arrived, she was slapped with a harsher reality.

When she opened the door, she saw Nathaniel and Shaira-sitting on the sofa together, eating, laughing.

They seemed oblivious to the world.

They looked like a married couple. As if she didn't belong.

"What's going on?" Elara asked, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "What is she doing here? No. Scratch that. What are you two doing here?"

Nathaniel stood up, clearly surprised by her sudden arrival. Elara almost laughed at his expression.

What? Didn't he expect me to come to my own apartment?

Or maybe this isn't the first time he's brought Shaira here?

That thought made her blood boil.

"Oh, Elara, I thought you'd be home late," he said casually, clearly trying to hide the nervousness in his voice. "I didn't expect you to come here. I thought you'd go home to our house."

He and Shaira exchanged glances, but her eyes quickly returned to Nathaniel.

"Why is she here, Nathan?"

This was her place. Her safe space. And she wasn't willing to share it with anyone-especially Shaira.

This apartment was a gift from Nathan, but the moment he gave it, it became hers.

Not Nathan's.

And definitely not Shaira's.

But now... they were here.

She felt her chest tighten.

It hurt.

And she knew that in the next few moments, she wouldn't be able to hide that pain anymore.

Despite the Truth

Nathaniel sighed. "We need to talk about something, and I decided it's easier to talk here."

Elara wanted to raise an eyebrow at that response. She was tired. And everything that had happened to her today was already too much to accept this kind of nonsense.

She'd never spoken about their constant togetherness, but his taking over her apartment-her only safe haven-was too much. She didn't know how much longer she could endure it all.

They were pushing it too far.

Her hands clenched into fists. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain control.

"Can't you talk somewhere else? I need some peace," she said, forcing calmness into her voice even though she wanted to explode with anger.

"Stop being so dramatic, Elara," Nathaniel replied coldly. "And she's here because she needed a place to stay for the night. She had a problem with her accommodation, and I wouldn't let her go somewhere unsafe."

Elara felt anger rising in her chest. But even though she wanted to explode, she didn't want to make a scene in front of Shaira. She'd already been through so much today, and she couldn't handle another argument, especially in front of this woman.

"You can book her a place, not this apartment. This is my safe space. Why would you make a decision like that without informing me?!" She emphasized each word.

Nathaniel's eyebrows furrowed, clearly not understanding why this was such a big deal to Elara. To him, it was just a small favor for Shaira-nothing to fight about.

"She needed a place. Why should I book one when we have a spare apartment? Besides, I thought you were going to our house. You didn't even tell me you'd be staying here," Elara said, her voice laced with irritation and reproach.

Elara wanted to laugh at the absurdity of what she heard. She wanted to cry, but she forced herself to hold back. It was as if Nathaniel had already crushed her heart and was now pulverizing the remaining dust.

"Fine," she said, her teeth gritted. "I'll just go to my room."

As she walked away, Elara couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions-anger, hurt, and confusion. She truly didn't know what was happening in her marriage to Nathaniel anymore. It felt like she was a stranger in her own life.

The next morning, Elara woke up early and left the room to get some water. On her way down, she noticed Shaira sitting in the living room. She wasn't watching anything, just seemingly absorbed in her phone.

She observed her for a moment, wondering where Nathaniel was. But in the end, she decided to ignore Shaira and went straight to the kitchen to prepare for work.

She didn't want to add to the weight on her chest. For now, the only important thing was to maintain her composure and figure out how to face her situation-especially now that she was carrying a child whose life was affected.

She let out a deep sigh.

She had to be strong.

She didn't want to be around Shaira and ruin her day. It was better to leave before she lost her patience.

But before she could leave, Shaira suddenly spoke, as if this was the perfect opportunity to show her true colors. A malicious smile appeared on her lips before she asked, "So when are you leaving his life? You know you're worthless, don't you? Why don't you just stop pretending and leave?"

Elara stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned and looked at Shaira, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" she asked, feeling her blood starting to boil.

Shaira had always seemed sweet and kind in front of Nathaniel. She'd never shown this kind of attitude towards her. But now, finally, she was seeing the real Shaira-a woman full of hatred and lies.

"You're an obstacle to Nathaniel and my happiness," Shaira continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You need to let go. The sooner, the better."

Elara smirked, almost laughing at her audacity. Just last night, she was the one who seemed pathetic, clinging to Nathaniel. Now, she was throwing hurtful words around, as if she had all the rights.

"I'm Nathan's wife," she replied firmly, not giving in to her anger. "We're together, and I will remain his wife."

Shaira rolled her eyes before replying. "It's not just you, Elara. Nathan and I were together long before you came along. I know how your marriage started, and I know you mean nothing to him. Do you think you're special? Do you think you can replace me?"

Elara couldn't hide her slight surprise.

"You're the one living in a delusion," Shaira added, her voice full of confidence. "You have a piece of paper that says you're his wife, but you never had his heart! He still loves me, and you? You're just an obstacle between us."

Elara would rather laugh than cry at her words. On one hand, she shouldn't be surprised. She knew Shaira was still important to Nathan. But on the other hand, she still had some faith in her husband-or perhaps, she hoped he wasn't cruel enough to deceive her.

"What are you saying?" she asked softly but firmly.

Shaira looked at her, her expression seemingly compassionate but full of pretense. "I'm just saying that soon, Nathan will chase you away. You know he doesn't like you. Don't you think it would be better if you just gave up?"

Elara's ears burned at her words. She didn't know how she should respond, but she wouldn't let Shaira dictate her life. So instead of backing down, she slowly pulled down the neckline of her blouse, just enough to reveal the red marks on her skin-marks that Nathan couldn't deny.

"Are you sure he doesn't like me?" she replied coldly, looking directly at Shaira. "Because if that's the case, why was he moaning while I was touching him?"

She saw Shaira's jaw clench slightly. Proof that no matter what she said, she was still hurt by the fact that Elara still had a part of Nathaniel.

But deep down, she knew she shouldn't be proud of those marks. She knew that what happened that night was a mistake-a night when Nathan was drunk, when he wasn't thinking clearly. And most importantly, a night when she got pregnant with their child.

And at that point, she knew that no matter what she said, there was no way to hide the truth.

"You're lying! Nathan didn't do that! He would never touch someone like you!"

Elara laughed. "Oh, why don't you ask him? Maybe he'll share with you how hot our nights were, how his skin burned with every touch, how tightly he held me every night..." she taunted. For some reason, she wanted to hurt Shaira more.

Shaira's anger intensified, and she lunged at Elara, intending to slap her. But Elara quickly dodged, causing Shaira to lose her balance. She hit a chair before falling to the floor.

Elara was shocked. Things happened so fast.

Shaira screamed, her eyes like daggers.

"What's happening?!"

And that was the scene Nathaniel found. He had just returned from his morning jog when he heard Shaira's scream.

He rushed to Shaira's side and helped her up. Then, he glared at Elara, his eyes cold and full of anger. "What did you do? Why did you push her?"

"I didn't push her!" Elara protested. She was somewhat surprised by the situation, especially when she noticed Shaira clutching her stomach.

But what hurt her more was that Nathaniel immediately blamed her. "She tried to slap me, and I dodged. She lost her balance and fell."

Shaira clutched her stomach and groaned in pain. "Nathan, the baby... The baby..." she said desperately, clinging tightly to Nathan, like a child who had lost her candy.

Elara was frozen in place. She was shocked to see the way Shaira was holding her stomach.

"It's okay, Shaira, it's okay," Nathaniel soothed as he hugged her. "I'll take care of you. Let's go to the hospital."

Nathan left a sharp look at Elara before leaving with Shaira.

Elara stood silently, watching them leave. She was left alone with her thoughts, trying to process everything that had happened.

Baby... Shaira is pregnant?

Her whole body went cold. She couldn't believe it.

Nathaniel had deceived her. And now, he had a child with Shaira.

Her knees trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"How could you do this to me?" Elara whispered, almost no hope left in her heart.

A mix of anger, sadness, and intense betrayal washed over her. She had given Nathaniel everything, but he had thrown it all away for another woman. She wondered how long this had been going on, and who else knew.

Shaira was pregnant.

And it was even more ironic because she was too.

But instead of happiness, she felt like she was drowning in pain. She hadn't even fully processed everything that happened yesterday, and here was another blow.

Elara paced back and forth in her living room, restless. Her mind was ablaze with questions.

What's the possibility that we're both pregnant?

She knew Shaira. Yes, she loved him, I admit, but she never thought Shaira would do this to her and Nathan-and she never expected Nathan to be so low as to deceive her.

The scene from earlier kept replaying in her mind-Shaira screaming while holding her stomach, the fear in her eyes, and Nathan's cold stare at her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was to blame. But she knew the truth-she hadn't done anything wrong. She didn't push Shaira.

She needed a distraction.

She decided to go back to work to occupy herself.

But just a few minutes later, her phone rang.

Nathan.

She hesitated before answering the call. She didn't know if she was ready to hear what he had to say.

"H–hi, Callum," she greeted, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Why didn't you go to the hospital?" he asked, cold and direct.

Elara blinked. He didn't even ask what happened. He didn't even check if she was okay.

"Why would I go to the hospital?" she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

"What do you mean?" Nathan's voice was filled with anger. "She miscarried because of you. You pushed her!"

It felt like a hand squeezed her heart.

She couldn't believe it.

"Why would I push her? You know me, Nathan. I would never do that."

But Nathan just shook his head, his gaze remaining cold. "I don't know what to believe anymore. All I know is, Shaira lost her child-and it's your fault."

Elara felt tears streaming down her face. She couldn't accept his accusations.

"I told you, I didn't push her! How many times do I have to repeat that?"

But Nathan didn't listen. Instead, he smirked-a bitter, mocking smile.

"You want me to believe you? You, Elara? Who's always cold-blooded and only thinks about yourself?"

She gasped.

She couldn't believe those words came out of Nathan's mouth. It was as if he didn't know her anymore.

"How dare you..." she whispered weakly, filled with pain.

But she couldn't say anything else.

"Save your lies for someone who will believe you," Nathaniel cut her off coldly. And before she could reply, he hung up.

She remained staring at her phone, speechless.

Too much.

Too painful.

In the Final Moments

Elara was devastated. She knew she was innocent, but Nathaniel's words-like daggers-pierced her heart. She felt utterly alone, without anyone to turn to for support. She sank onto the sofa and sobbed, overwhelmed by the weight of the situation.

But then she remembered something-she was also pregnant. She had to put aside her own pain and go to the hospital to ensure her child's safety. She wiped away her tears, forced herself to get up, and left the house.

Arriving at the hospital, she overheard Nathan and Brando talking in the hallway. She stopped, her heart pounding as she strained to listen.

"Stop worrying about my problems," Nathan said, his voice tinged with irritation. Brando's concern was evident in his persistent questions, which only fueled Nathan's annoyance.

"Why don't you just leave Elara?" Brando asked. "If it's going to be like this, wouldn't it be better to just get a divorce?"

Nathaniel sighed. "I can't do that yet, not now."

Elara winced. What did he mean by 'not yet'?

Nathan hesitated, but Brando's persistent nagging forced him to answer. "I have plans, and since I married her, whatever is mine is hers too. If we divorce, everything will be split. I'll lose much more if she leaves."

Elara felt a wave of despair and humiliation wash over her. She finally understood-their marriage was just a contract, a transaction. She couldn't believe how blind she had been to all of this.

A surge of intense anger welled up inside her. Was that all our marriage was worth? Money? She couldn't believe it. She thought, somehow, there was still value in their relationship, something that couldn't be measured in money.

Maybe this is enough. Maybe it's time to really end this.

Instead of confronting Nathan and Brando, she decided to go straight to Shaira. She didn't want to argue with her husband anymore.

As she walked towards Shaira's room, her mind was still racing. But when she saw Shaira, she momentarily forgot her own problems. Shaira was raging, furious, throwing things at anyone who came near.

"Elara!" she screamed when she saw her. "You did this! You killed my child!"

Startled, Elara instinctively shielded her stomach with her arms. At the same time, a hard object flew towards her. A glass shattered against her head, sending a sharp pain through her body.

Elara felt a pang of sorrow as she watched Shaira's intense grief. She knew she wasn't responsible for the loss of the baby, but she didn't know how to make Shaira understand. She tried to calm her down, but Shaira seemed unwilling to listen.

"What are you doing?!" Elara yelled when she saw Shaira pick up a vase, ready to throw it.

Just then, Brando entered and immediately stepped between them, shielding Elara from Shaira's rage.

"Calm down, Shaira," Brando said, his voice firm but calm. "It's not her fault."

A moment later, Nathan arrived and immediately embraced Shaira, as if pulling her away from Elara and showing that she was more important to him.

Elara's heart broke even more. To anyone looking at them, it would seem that Shaira was Nathan's wife, not her.

A bitter smile touched her lips.

"What did you do?! I told you to apologize, not to make her even angrier!" Nathan said sharply, his voice full of anger.

Tears streamed down Elara's face.

"I told you, I didn't push her! She tried to hurt me, forcing me to leave you. She attacked me first, so I avoided her!" she couldn't help but shout her feelings.

At that moment, the conversation she'd overheard between Nathan and Brando-about the divorce-returned to her mind. Her emotions flared even more.

"Shut up! You killed my child! You did it because you're angry at me! You don't want me here!" Shaira laughed loudly, seemingly out of control. "You're always mean to me when Nathan's not around!"

Nathan's face darkened at this, but instead of getting angry at Shaira, it seemed like he was blaming Elara.

Elara just laughed, unable to believe the absurd situation she was facing.

Elara couldn't believe how manipulative Shaira was.

"Enough! Get out of this room if you can't admit your mistakes, Elara! I'm so disappointed in you!"

Elara gasped, feeling a sharp pain engulf her. She was left alone with her thoughts, feeling numb, as if her connection to the world had been severed.

It felt like a nightmare. She couldn't believe that the man she loved-the man with whom she had built a company and a dream-would betray her in this way. She recalled all the times she had defended him, all the sacrifices she had made, and a wave of resentment washed over her.

I gave everything for Nathan.

"No matter what I say, you won't believe me, will you?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Nathan was surprised by the tone of her voice. He sensed the pain in Elara's voice, but at the same time, it felt like some kind of fire was burning within him.

Their eyes met, and he saw the deep disappointment in Elara's gaze.

"For all the time we've known each other, you've made me out to be cold-hearted, making it easy for you to believe I could hurt someone. You didn't even ask my side of the story. You just sided with her," Elara said firmly, feeling the weight of each word she uttered.

"Because you're a liar!" Shaira screamed. "Don't listen to her, Nathan! Look what she did to me! She killed my child!"

Shaira cried again and clung tightly to Nathan's arm, refusing to let go. Nathan was momentarily confused by Shaira's actions, but Elara didn't miss that scene.

And that further ignited her emotions.

All of this was too much for Elara. She was also carrying a child, but the father of her child chose to defend another woman.

She didn't know what came over her, but for the first time, she wanted to take what was rightfully hers.

Tension filled the room. The air was heavy. Elara stood there, her fists clenched tight, trying to control her feelings. Nathan was beside Shaira, his full attention focused on her.

Elara's fingers trembled slightly as she took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say.

"Let her go," Elara said suddenly, her voice cold.

Nathan and Shaira looked at her.

Meanwhile, Brando-Nathan's longtime friend-had always seen Elara as someone with strong resolve. He knew why they got married, and in a way, he admired Elara for staying by Nathan's side. Despite everything, Brando knew Elara loved his friend, but it seemed Nathan never noticed.

But now, Brando saw a different Elara.

"Let her go and come with me. I need you," Elara said firmly, her gaze fixed on Nathan, hoping he would understand how serious she was.

"Stop being ridiculous, Elara. Just leave if you're not going to apologize. I need to stay with Shaira."

"I need to talk to you," Elara insisted.

Nathan raised an eyebrow, annoyance evident on his face. "Can't it wait? Shaira needs me right now."

Elara's world seemed to crumble at his words. The way he dismissed her, prioritizing Shaira over her, was a stark reminder of her place in Nathan's life-far from his heart. But she had to tell him about her pregnancy before pain and despair consumed her completely.

"This can't wait, Nathan. Please," her voice was almost pleading.

And in an instant, his reply was cold. "I told you we're not discussing this now. Just leave. You're not helping the situation."

Elara bit her lip, holding back her emotions. Enough.

"I thought we were in this together, Nathan. I thought we would face everything together," her voice was soft but laced with pain.

Nathan's gaze turned cold, his face hardening. "Shaira is my priority right now. I can't ignore her for this."

Her world shattered at his words. Her fears were confirmed-she had given everything, but she would never have Nathan's heart. His connection with Shaira was stronger than anything they had.

Pain and anger filled her heart. She had long avoided facing this truth, but now, she had no choice.

"Then let's end this. I can't do this anymore, Nathan," her voice trembled with a mix of pain and determination. "I gave everything, but it was never enough. There's nothing left for us."

Nathan's eyes widened, his cold mask momentarily disappearing.

"We're over, Nathan," Elara's voice was firmer now. "I'm filing for divorce, and you don't have to worry about your money. I won't take a single cent. You don't have to worry about the company either. It's all yours."

Nathan's expression changed-from shock, it turned to disbelief and profound understanding. It was then that she realized Nathan was hiding more secrets than she thought. All the conversations she'd overheard between him and Brando flooded back into her memory.

She didn't look back.

As she walked alone down the hospital corridor, tears streamed down her cheeks. She took out her phone and called her older brother.

"Elara?" her brother's voice was surprised when he heard her on the other line.

Alone and heartbroken, Elara sat in a corner of the hospital, sobbing at the pain of her shattered illusions.

"Can you pick me up?" she asked weakly.

And her brother, even without knowing what had happened, immediately stood up from an important meeting, ready to leave everything for her.