No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 228

**He Chased 228**

**ELIZABETH’S POV**

I blinked rapidly, my lashes fluttering like the wings of a startled bird, desperately trying to clear the fog of confusion that had settled in my mind. For a fleeting moment, I genuinely thought my ears were misleading me, or perhaps the lavish acoustics of this ostentatious villa were distorting the little girl’s innocent words in a bizarre way. But no matter how many times I replayed the moment in my head, the reality remained unchanged, and it echoed with a chilling clarity that sent shivers down my spine.

Did she just refer to Roman as her father?

Or was I losing my grip on reality?

There was absolutely no way this could be true. None whatsoever. The news reports had made it abundantly clear that Lauren had been married to that man, Ethan Black. If she had indeed been married to Ethan, then by all logic, the child should belong to him, not Roman. That was the only conclusion that made any sense in this tangled web of unexpected revelations.

I cast another furtive glance at the girl, seeking confirmation of my assumptions. She couldn’t have been older than five. Five years meant that Roman must have been a part of her life for more than five years. But that timeline didn’t align with anything I knew. If Roman was truly her father, then he and Lauren must have had a relationship that extended far beyond what Lauren had led me to believe. And which woman carries on a relationship with a man for five long years without any sign of marriage, a proposal, or even an engagement? No ring, no public acknowledgment, nothing.

It simply didn’t add up.

None of it made sense.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice slipping out sharper than I had intended, a note of disbelief lacing my words. “Did I just hear her call you ‘dad’?”

Roman didn’t flinch. He didn’t exhibit even a hint of confusion. His expression remained as steady as ever.

“Yeah, you heard right. This little ball of sunshine is my daughter,” he replied, his tone casual, as he affectionately rubbed the little girl’s stomach, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

I found myself staring at the child again, then shifting my gaze back to Roman, and then back to the little girl. The pieces of this puzzle were not just mismatched; they were missing entirely.

“When you say ‘daughter’… is she your biological daughter, or did you adopt her?” I leaned in slightly, my heart racing with the urgency of my questions.

“No, she’s my biological daughter,” Roman answered, his demeanor completely unfazed.

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion, the tension between them palpable. My mouth fell open, as if someone had unhinged my jaw, and I struggled to piece together the fragmented information swirling in my mind. The more I tried to make sense of it all, the more it felt like a jigsaw puzzle missing half its pieces. It simply didn’t fit.

“Why do you look so surprised?” Lauren’s voice broke into my thoughts as she finally entered the living room.

Of course. Just what I needed—her catching me in a moment of shock, as if I had just seen a ghost.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to regain my composure. I needed to navigate this situation delicately. It hadn’t even been seventy-two hours since I had met Lauren, and I didn’t want her to think I was prying into her personal life. Not yet, anyway.

“Uh… remember when I mentioned I learned about you from the news?” I said slowly, trying to maintain an air of casualness. “The news also stated you were married to Ethan Black, so I just assumed he was the father. I guess I was mistaken.”

Lauren nodded, but her expression shifted almost instantly. A familiar flash of anger ignited in her eyes, as if someone had flipped a switch.

“Well, Roman is the father. And honestly, it’s not surprising to think that way after what that scum did,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain as she spat out the word “scum.” It was evident there was a deep-seated history there, far more complicated than I had anticipated.

One thing was glaringly clear: Tessa and I were not destined to be friends. And honestly, I couldn’t care less. I had no interest in associating with someone who lacked class. I still couldn’t fathom how she fit into this environment, but I reminded myself that Lauren had once been in a similar position before her relationship with Roman. So, she wouldn’t recognize the difference even if it hit her like a freight train.

“Elizabeth,” Lauren said, her smile warm and inviting, “Tessa is my best friend. We’ve been close for years. I basically consider her my sister, so I’m sure you two will hit it off.”

I internally rolled my eyes.

Not a chance.

But I maintained my smile.

“And as you already know,” Roman added, pulling the little girl closer to him, “this is our daughter, Aria, the little champion of the house. If you’re a gamer, bring your A-game, because this little lady will school you.”

He tickled Aria, and her laughter erupted like a melody that filled the entire space, pure and infectious.

I forced another polite smile, then extended my hand toward the little girl, deciding to at least make an effort for the time being.

“Hey there, Aria,” I said sweetly, my voice softening. “I’m your aunt Elizabeth. But you can call me Aunt Liz. It’s truly a pleasure to meet you.”

But what Aria did next shocked me to my very core.