Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 191

Chapter 191: What A Twist!
Just as Emma and Ivy drove out of the premises, Alex pushed through the entrance of the venue, his movements tense and sharp.

The crisp night air did little to cool the frustration simmering beneath his skin. His gaze swept across the parking lot, searching for Emma, but she was nowhere in sight.

He turned abruptly, his jaw tightening. “Where is she?”

Claire stepped beside him, her expression unreadable but her eyes sharp. Chris followed a second later, his hands in his pockets, observing the scene with quiet calculation.

“I’m guessing she left,” Chris said, glancing around. “With Ivy since Emma’s car is still there but Ivy’s own is nowhere in sight.”

Alex exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. Of course, she did. He couldn’t blame her for walking away after everything that had just unfolded. If anything, he should have expected it.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath before pulling his phone from his pocket. With a practiced motion, wanting to dial someone’s line but then, he saw the text she had sent so he clicked on it instead.

His heart twisted painfully in his chest as he read the text and when he was done, he exhaled sharply before going ahead to dial the number he had wanted to call earlier.

He pressed the device to his ear as he waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

“Where is she? Are you keeping close eyes on her?” Alex asked the second the call connected.

A voice answered on the other end. “She’s with Ivy, sir. And yes, I’m following at a safe distance.”

Relief settled in Alex’s chest, though it didn’t erase the lingering tension. At least she wasn’t alone. At least she was safe with Ivy with the guard following and another one following the guard Incase of unforeseen circumstances like the first time.

“Where are they going?”he asked wanting to be sure of Emma’s text. Though he didn’t want to think that Emma had left him and lied about going to Ivy’s place, he couldn’t help it especially after hearing something like that on her birthday.

“Ivy’s house,” the guard said since he was her driver and knew the route because he had take Emma there before.

Alex let out a slow breath. That meant Emma wasn’t going home tonight, not because she wanted to leave him but because she was upset—more than upset. She needed space, just like she had said in the text.

He was okay with it as long as she’d come back to him. She could think about everything there while he figured out a way to know what Natalie was after coming with an unknown child this way.

“Stay with her,” he ordered. “Don’t let anything happen.”

“Yes, sir.”

Alex ended the call, slipping his phone back into his pocket. His eyes flickered toward the street where Emma had disappeared.

She needed space. And as much as it went against every instinct he had, he would give it to her. For now.

Chris leaned against one of the parked cars, watching Alex with mild curiosity. “So, are you going to tell me what the hell just happened in there?”

Alex sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. His head was still spinning from everything—the sudden appearance of Natalie, her outrageous claim, and the look on Emma’s face when she had heard it.

“It’s a lie,” he said, his voice firm. “Natalie’s lying. I don’t know why, though.”

Claire, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “You sound sure. You slept with her do how sure can you be that girl isn’t yours?”

Alex’s gaze snapped to his sister There was no accusation in her tone, just observation, but it still made his jaw tighten.

“Because I am,” he said, his voice cold. “That child isn’t mine.”

Claire arched a brow. “And how do you know that?”

Alex’s hands clenched into fists. “Because I used protection and though she couldn’t remember, I do. I stopped midway. I couldn’t continue because I started thinking about her. Natalie was the first after her so it was hard to continue.”

Because he couldn’t bring himself to continue with her, he had gone into the bathroom to take off the condom he wore and since it was late, he had returned and just slept off without saying a word to Natalie even when she tried talking to him.

He had even left very early in the morning after leaving her a cheque. Who would’ve thought she’d show up five years later making absurd claims?

Chris let out a low whistle. “That’s pretty damn definitive.”

Claire’s lips pressed together. “Then what is her angle? Why is she here? What does she want? To cause chaos?”

Alex exhaled, his patience running thin. “I don’t know.” His mind was already working, trying to put the pieces together. “But I do know that Jake was involved.”

Chris’s expression darkened slightly. “I saw that. He looked far too smug for this to be a coincidence. And the way he tried to get Emma to return to him? Was that even a recent development?”

Alex nodded, his muscles coiling with tension. “I think Jake’s been trying to get Emma back,” he said thinking about all those times Emma would be feeling restless and uncomfortable whenever Jake was around or came around.

Though he hadn’t thought much of it then, now, it made perfect sense to him. He would’ve been wondering Emma’s take on this if not that he had heard Emma proclaim with her mouth that she loved him and that he was the love of her life. That was his consolation in all of this.

“He’s desperate. This whole thing—Natalie showing up tonight, making that claim in front of Emma—it was orchestrated. He wanted to plant doubt in her mind. He wanted her to leave so he could get her. That’s typical of Jake.”

Chris crossed his arms. “But where’s Emma now? She’s left…”

Alex’s jaw clenched and he quickly cut in. “Not because she believes him. She just needed to get away from the situation. To process it.”

Claire studied her son for a long moment before nodding. “If this was a setup, then they must have something to gain from it.”

Alex’s eyes darkened. “And I intend to find out what.”

Just then, Jake and Natalie stepped out, followed by the other people who had been there. Jake and Natalie glanced toward Alex and co but didn’t say anything, instead, Jake took Natalie and Dawn to his car and drove off.

Jake pushed open the door to Natalie’s hotel room with a scowl, his mind still reeling from the chaos they had just caused.

The moment they stepped inside, he yanked off his suit jacket and tossed it onto a nearby chair before running a frustrated hand through his hair.

Natalie sauntered in behind him, unbothered, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She reached for the hotel bar and poured herself a drink, her lips curling in amusement. “Well, that was quite the spectacle, wasn’t it?”

Jake ignored her, pulling out his phone. As soon as he unlocked the screen, dozens of notifications flooded in. He tapped on one of the trending posts, and sure enough, their little stunt had exploded across social media.

“CEO Alex Sterling blindsided as woman claims he has a secret daughter—on his wife’s birthday! The Worse of all? Alex’s wife’s Ex-husband professes love for her and says he wants her back!! What A Twist!”

The headlines were everywhere. Photos and videos from the event were circulating rapidly. Comments ranged from shock and gossip to sympathy for Emma.

Jake’s grip on the phone tightened.

“Damn,” he muttered. “This is bigger than I thought.”

Natalie smirked and took a sip of her drink. “Of course, it is. You expose a powerful businessman in front of a crowd, and you expect people not to talk?” She walked over to him, peering at his screen. “Let them talk. It only makes things messier for Alex.”

Jake narrowed his eyes and turned to her. “That’s what I wanted to ask you about.” He folded his arms. “Tell me the truth, Natalie. Is Alex really Dawn’s father? He sounded pretty sure back there and you heard him, a DNA test could prove everything. So?”

Natalie stilled for half a second before exhaling slowly. She tilted her head, watching him carefully before rolling her eyes. “No,” she admitted casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

Jake’s jaw clenched. “What? You lied to me.”

Natalie shrugged, swirling the drink in her glass. “What does it matter? I wanted to cause Alex trouble. He used me, discarded me like I was some common slut, and went on with his perfect life.” Her eyes darkened with resentment. “I wanted him to suffer, even if just for a moment.”

Jake exhaled harshly, pacing the room. This changed everything. If Alex wasn’t really Dawn’s father, then Emma wouldn’t leave him over this. She had already believed him back at the party.

He needed to think something fast. His mind worked quickly, forming a new plan. He turned back to Natalie, his eyes sharp.

“Fine,” he said. “Then we’ll make sure the DNA test proves that he is.”

Natalie raised a brow. “What?”

Jake smirked darkly. “We’ll go through with the DNA test at any hospital Alex chooses. But when it’s time to submit the samples, I’ll switch Dawn’s with one that guarantees a match.”

Natalie stared at him, processing his words. Then she let out a slow chuckle. “You’re really willing to go that far?”

Jake’s expression hardened. “Emma is mine. I lost her once, but I’m not losing her again. If this is what it takes to separate her from Alex, then so be it.”

Natalie considered him for a moment, then smirked. “And what about me?”

Jake leaned against the counter, smirking back. “You get what you want, too. A new identity for Dawn. If the test proves she’s Alex’s, then no one will question it. You can finally attach her to his name, his wealth, and his legacy.”

Natalie took another sip of her drink, mulling over his words. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Alright,” she said, a satisfied smile spreading across her lips. “Let’s do it.”

Jake’s eyes gleamed with determination. Alex might think he had won tonight but the real game was just beginning.