No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 238

**TITLE: He Chased 238**

**ROMAN’S POV**

As I pivoted back around, my brows shot up in disbelief. The words I had just heard hung in the air like a thick fog, momentarily clouding my thoughts. I struggled to regain my composure, the weight of her statement pressing heavily on my chest.

“What did you just call me?” I demanded, my voice steady yet tinged with incredulity. I wanted her to understand that her words had crossed a line, a line that shouldn’t have even been approached.

“Daddy, is it wrong to call you daddy?” she replied, her voice dripping with an almost calculated innocence. It was as if she had rehearsed this moment, carefully crafting her words to elicit a specific reaction from me.

“Why would you even call me daddy when I’m not your father?” I shot back, the edge in my tone sharpening like a knife. It was a simple inquiry, but it bore the weight of my mounting frustration.

“Well, I just wanted to see what Aria feels when she calls you that,” Elizabeth said, her words deliberately crafted, each one landing with precision in the charged atmosphere between us.

“What? Aria is a child, my child, and if I remember correctly, you are a grown adult,” I replied, my voice rising slightly, though I fought to maintain control. The sheer audacity of her statement left me momentarily speechless.

She fell silent, her response replaced by the familiar gesture of biting her lower lip. It was a subtle act, one she had repeated throughout the day, and it only served to heighten my irritation. This was the second time in mere minutes, and my patience was wearing thin. I could feel the walls closing in, the tension rising like steam in a pressure cooker.

I was done with this. This was my home, and I was on the verge of marrying her sister. I refused to let Elizabeth’s little mind games continue unchecked.

“That’s enough,” I declared, my voice snapping slightly, sharper than I intended. But in this moment, it felt entirely justified.

“What’s your problem?” she asked, tilting her head in a way that feigned innocence, as if she were trying to diffuse the tension that crackled between us.

“My problem? I don’t have a problem,” she replied, the casual shrug of her shoulders betraying her nonchalance. Her wide eyes sparkled with a deceptive naivety, and I could feel my frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.

“So why are you doing all this? What do you hope to gain from this little charade?” I pressed, striving for a level tone, though the unmistakable edge lingered in my voice.

“Sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Elizabeth said, shrugging again, her expression one of feigned confusion.

“You don’t know what I’m talking about? You think I haven’t noticed all your little attempts to seduce me since the very first day we met?” I challenged, crossing my arms tightly across my chest, my stance unyielding and firm.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify