No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 237

237 /239

**TITLE: He Chased 237**

**ROMAN’S POV**

“No, not at all. I’m quite certain you noticed the other vehicle that zipped past you just before you came to a halt here. That was Lauren. I’m standing here because I was in the process of seeing her off,” I replied, my voice steady and composed, laced with just enough nonchalance to mask the simmering tension beneath.

“Seeing her off?” Elizabeth echoed, a hint of confusion threading through her tone. Her brow furrowed slightly, and her eyes narrowed just enough to suggest she was trying to decipher my demeanor, to gauge whether I was being earnest or merely jesting.

“Indeed. Didn’t she mention to you that she wouldn’t be around when you arrived?” I inquired, allowing my gaze to linger on her just long enough for the weight of my question to settle in. I wanted her to grasp that this wasn’t a trivial matter; it was significant.

“No, she didn’t. I texted her just a few moments ago. She should have told me, but perhaps she simply forgot,” Elizabeth replied, her words carefully chosen. The casual tone belied a precision that felt almost rehearsed. I noted the slight uptick in her voice when she mentioned Lauren’s absence. It was subtle, but I could sense it—a hidden excitement that flickered to life at the thought of Lauren not being here. She was attempting to maintain an air of normalcy, yet the thrill in her tone was unmistakable, betraying a thought she desperately wanted to conceal.

I narrowed my eyes slightly at her response. The excitement she tried to mask was there, a small, almost guilty thrill that surfaced when she realized Lauren wouldn’t be around. It was as though she was trying to play it off as casual, as if it were a mere coincidence, but the eagerness in her voice was undeniable, the kind that revealed her underlying intentions.

“I suppose that’s the case,” I replied, my voice calm and almost disinterested, though every fiber of my being was attuned to her, analyzing her every move, weighing her intentions with a careful eye.

“So, it’s just you and me then,” she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She bit her lower lip lightly, a gesture that felt deliberate, practiced, designed to draw my attention. There was a confidence in her tone, a calculated daring, as if she believed she held the upper hand in this situation, convinced that this moment was hers to manipulate.

“Wrong,” I countered evenly, allowing a subtle edge to slip into my tone. “It’s you, me, and all my staff. By the way, you can leave all your luggage here. They’ll take it inside for you. Come, I’ll show you to your room.” Without waiting for her response, I turned on my heel and strode inside, my steps measured and calm.

I had been right all along. She was waiting for an opportunity like this, one that revealed itself in fleeting glances and the careful timing of her words. But was she really so naïve or foolish? Cameras were positioned everywhere; every corner of the house was under surveillance. If I wished, I could simply bide my time, waiting for her to cross a line, to make a move, and the footage would capture it all—clear, undeniable, and utterly humiliating.

Unless she truly believed that I would fall for her games, that I would secretly capitulate while engaged to Lauren. If that was her assumption, she was in for a rude awakening.

She had no inkling of the surprise that awaited her.

Lauren would find out soon enough, and as the pieces began to fall into place, the full picture would come into focus. Elizabeth’s attempts at flirtation, her manipulative gestures, her efforts to gain my attention while Lauren was away—

none of it would matter in the end. Lauren wouldn’t be heartbroken upon discovering her sister’s attempts to come between us. No, she would see the entire truth, and it would be Elizabeth who faced the consequences of her actions.