Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Mess Up

Alex frowned, his sharp gaze snapping to Chris. “What now? Why are you swearing again? What’s going on? Or you just remembered you’re engaged to someone?”

Chris chuckled despite himself. “What? Of course not!”

“Then what is it?” Alex asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

Chris hesitated, the weight of his thoughts crashing down on him. His mind reeled as the pieces clicked together.

How could this happen? Claire and Alex were siblings making Emma Alex’s wife. Now, he had told Alex about Claire so how was he to help Emma without Alex thinking he was playing games with his wife and sister?

This was a mess up.

Chris exhaled slowly, leaning back in his chair and raking a hand through his brown hair. “Nothing, just… something I hadn’t thought of.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed, not buying the vague response. “You’re acting weird, Chris. Spill it.”

Chris shook his head quickly, trying to compose himself. He couldn’t let Alex know about the conversation he had with Emma and Claire.

That would not only make the whole thing even messier, but would embarrass Emma when she hears of it.

“It’s nothing, really. Just connecting a few dots in my head,” Chris said, his tone casual, though his thoughts were anything but.

Alex wasn’t convinced, but he decided to let it slide. He had bigger things to focus on, like what Chris’s involvement with Claire might mean and how it could get Claire to open up and heal properly from her past.

Chris shifted in his seat, trying to steer the conversation back. “So, Alex, let me ask you something.”

Alex raised a brow. “What now?”

Chris leaned forward, his expression serious. “What’s really going on between you and Emma? I mean, I’ve heard she’s in a contractual marriage.”

Alex’s frown deepened, his defenses going up. “Why do you care? I’m sure if she could tell you that much, she also should’ve told you why we got married in the first place,” Alex said, unable to hold the burst of jealousy in him.

Chris smirked, though his tone remained calm. “She told me,” he lied and then cocked a brow. “But that’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking what the deal with her is? Do you care about her or not?”

Alex stiffened, caught off guard by the blunt question. “I told her I’ll treat her the way I would my wife, Chris,” he said carefully, as if the words were enough to explain everything.

Chris’s gaze didn’t waver. “You know what? Forget the marriage arrangement. Do you love her? Are you in love with her? Do you think you want whatever you want with her to become real?” Chris asked, determined to push Alex into acting on his feelings if truly he was in love with Emma.

The question hung in the air, heavy and unyielding. Alex’s mind raced, flashes of Emma’s smile, her laughter, her fiery determination swirling in his thoughts. But his fear of rejection, of ruining what little connection they had, held him back.

“Why does it matter?” Alex asked, deflecting.

Chris sighed, shaking his head. “It matters because if you’re too blind to see what’s in front of you, you’ll lose her. And trust me, Alex, if you lose Emma, it’ll be your biggest regret.”

Alex’s jaw tightened, his emotions warring beneath the surface. “Why are you saying all this? Did she… did she say something to you?”

Chris’s lips pressed into a thin line, careful not to reveal too much. “Let’s just say she’s worth fighting for, Alex. I don’t know about everything going on between you two but what I know is that, whatever it is, you need to figure it out before it’s too late. You can’t keep her in limbo forever.”

The words struck a chord in Alex, but he refused to let it show. “I’ll think about it,” he said, his voice clipped.

Chris stood, sensing he’d pushed enough for now. “Good. Just don’t take too long.” He paused, giving Alex a meaningful look. “Sometimes, all it takes is one moment of hesitation to lose everything.”

“Whatever, man. I don’t know since when you became a relationship consellor,” Alex said, trying to make the conversation lighter.

Chris chuckled. “Just now. I need to go, Alex. We’ll talk later,” Chris said and Alex nodded.

As Chris left the office, Alex leaned back in his chair, his thoughts a chaotic mess. Chris’s words echoed in his mind, unsettling yet undeniable.

Why was Chris saying all that? Did Emma say anything to him?

It was no doubt that he loved her but should he tell her? Would she accept his heart?

He stared at his phone, torn between his growing feelings and his fear of rejection.

Perhaps, like Chris said, his love was worth fighting for. He would damn the consequences and just tell her how he felt. Whether or not she felt the same way.

At least, that way, he wouldn’t have any regrets at the end of the one year contract. Alex decided.

Away from there, Emma sat on the edge of her bed, her gaze fixed on the window where faint sunlight filtered through the curtains.

The room was quiet, but her mind was anything but quiet. She’d been like this since they returned, replaying the events of the afternoon over and over.

Claire’s reaction to Chris’s confession still haunted her. Her reaction, the way her demeanor had changed the moment Chris told her he liked her. It wasn’t just surprise or embarrassment—no, Claire had looked… shaken. Almost scared.

Emma crossed her arms, her thoughts racing. What could have happened to make her act like that? What was she scared of? She wondered.

Claire was usually so composed, even under pressure. But today, there was something raw beneath the surface, something she was clearly trying to hide.

If it was nothing, she wouldn’t have brushed me off when I tried to talk to her about it, Emma thought, frowning.

Claire had practically barricaded herself in her room after they returned, avoiding all conversation.

She sighed, leaning back against the headboard. Her mind spiraled into worst-case scenarios.

Was it Chris? Did he say something that reminded Claire of a painful memory? Or was it something deeper—something Claire had never shared with anyone?

Does Alex know about it? He had to. Should she ask him about it when he returned? Would he tell her?

Emma shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips. If only she’d open up to me…

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her out of her thoughts. She reached for it, her heart skipping when she saw Chris’s name on the screen.

What now? She thought, swiping to answer.