Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth!-Chapter 145: He’s Not Him

One Week Later

It was a warm Saturday afternoon, and Emma, Alex, and Claire were gathered around the dining table, waiting for lunch to be served.

The air was light and filled with the sound of their laughter, the kind that only came from the comfort of being with family.

"You know, Claire," Alex teased, leaning back in his chair with a grin, "you're getting a little too comfortable here. Have you even thought about returning to your house? You have a house don't you?"

Claire raised an eyebrow at him, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "Why, Alex? Don't tell me you're tired of having me around already."

Emma, sitting between them, chuckled, her eyes darting between her husband and sister-in-law. She loved how easy their relationship had become over the past few weeks.

"Oh, yes, I am," Alex replied, pretending to look serious. "I mean, how can I not be when you keep Emma so busy that I barely get any alone time with her after I get back from work? You're almost like her second job!"

Claire laughed, a genuine, hearty sound that lit up her face. "Well, you should be thanking me, shouldn't you? I'm only not giving you free time to miss her but also keeping her really occupied while you're at work. I think you'll need to start paying me for that job 'cause, God, it's so draining," Claire said with a dramatic sigh and Emma burst into a peal of laughter, unable to keep it in.

Alex shook his head dramatically. "It's exactly because of that I'm letting you stay rent-free otherwise you would've been paying and earning your keep or risk moving back to either your house or your little boyfriend's place," he said with a shrug.

Claire looked at him and then shook her head. "Little boyfriend, really?" she asked and all three of them burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the cozy dining room.

"Isn't he little? I mean, your younger brother is older than him," he said with a wink abd laughed when Claire rolled her eyes.

As their laughter subsided, Emma turned to Claire with a curious smile. "So, Claire," she began, "how are things with him, though? I mean, Chris. He hasn't scared you off yet, has he?"

Claire's face lit up at the mention of his name, a soft blush creeping up her cheeks. "Things are... wonderful," she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of happiness and disbelief. "In fact, I'm going to meet his mother later this evening."

Alex's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You've finally agreed to meet her? Why didn't you tell us earlier?" he asked with an amused smile.

Claire nodded, her smile widening. "He's been nothing but sweet and attentive to me these past two weeks. And he keeps talking about how important his mother and aunt are to him. I figured it's about time I start meeting the people who mean the most to him," she said not bothering to comment on Alex's last question since she was sure he didn't ask to know.

Emma hearing what Claire said couldn't help but smile and her smile widened when she noticed her friend's glow just by how she was talking about Chris.

"That's a big step, Claire. I'm proud of you," Emma said, part of her mind drifting to Ivy and wishing Ivy wasn't going through heartbreak at the moment.

Couldn't they all be happy at the same time? She mused, her smile flattering a bit even though she was very much happy for Claire.

Alex, however, leaned forward slightly, his expression turning serious. "Are you sure you're ready for this? Meeting the family is no small thing especially..." he let his words trail off since he knew Emma was yet to know about it.

Claire met his gaze, her eyes steady and confident even though a part of her had flinched at Alex reminding her of her past.

She wasn't going to let it ruin what she had with Chris. That was why she was going to make sure it remained buried.

"I'm ready, Alex. Even if I wasn't, Chris has managed to prove he's worth it. He's been patient, kind, and... he makes me feel safe. He's not him," Claire said, more like she was reassuring herself.

Emma reached over to squeeze her hand. "You deserve that kind of love, Claire," she said even though she didn't even know what they were talking about.

Claire glanced at her and although she was feeling guilty that she hadn't been strong enough to open up about her past to Emma, she was glad Emma wasn't prying or asking questions.

She was grateful to her for that.

As they continued to talk while waiting for their lunch, Claire's phone buzzed, and she glanced down at the screen. A soft, almost dreamy smile spread across her face.

"It's Chris," she said, standing up. "Excuse me for a moment," she said and both Alex and Emma exchanged a knowing smile.

"Tell him we said hi!" Emma called after her, watching as Claire stepped into the hallway.

"Didn't she say she wasn't going to be acting that way when she's in love? I say she's acting way too clingier than me," Alex said with a shake of his head.

"I heard that but I'm not going to say a word," Claire called back at Alex before answering the call, her tone soft and affectionate.

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"Hey, you," she said the moment the call connected.

Chris's warm chuckle came through the phone, and it made her heart flutter. "Hey, beautiful. I just wanted to check in and make sure you're still excited for tonight."

"I am," she said, leaning against the wall. "A little nervous, but mostly excited."

"Well, don't be nervous," he said gently. "You'll love them, and they'll love you. Just be yourself. That's more than enough."

Claire smiled, her chest tightening in that familiar, pleasant way that always came when he said things like this. He had a way of calming her, of making her feel seen and valued.

"Oh," Chris added, his tone turning playful. "And I might have ordered something for you."

Her brows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?" she asked in confusion.

"A dress," he admitted. "It should be arriving any minute now. I wanted you to feel special tonight."

Claire's heart swelled, her lips curving into a grin. "Chris, you didn't have to do that," she said even though she was already feeling special.

"I know I didn't," he replied, his voice softening. "But I wanted to. You've given me so much love, Claire. This is the least I can do to show you how much you mean to me."

Her eyes grew misty, and she blinked quickly to keep the tears at bay. "You're going to spoil me, you know that? Now I'm feeling like a teenager," she said with a pout and Chris chuckled.

"I'd love to," he said, his voice filled with affection. "Every day, if you let me. Besides, you should know I love it when you're acting like a teenager."

Claire laughed softly, feeling her cheeks warm. "You're impossible, Chris."

"But you love me for it," he teased.

"I do," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

They talked for a few more minutes, their conversation flowing effortlessly, before Claire finally said goodbye and hung up. She returned to the dining room, her smile still lingering as she sat back down.

"Judging by that smile," Alex said, smirking, "I'm guessing the call went well."

"He's amazing," Claire said simply, her voice full of emotion.

Emma leaned her chin on her hand, watching her friend with a knowing smile. "You're glowing, Claire."

"Am I?" Claire asked, laughing softly.

"You are," Alex said, his tone warm. "And I'm happy for you. Chris is such a good guy. I'm glad he didn't disappointment me."

Claire nodded, feeling a deep sense of gratitude. For Chris, for her friends, for the chance to feel this kind of love again. "He is," she said softly. "He really is."

Just then, the doorbell rang, and the housekeeper, walked in holding a neatly wrapped package.

"This just arrived for you, Ms. Sterling," She said, handing her the package.

Claire's heart skipped a beat as she opened it, revealing the elegant dress Chris had mentioned. She ran her fingers over the fabric, a lump forming in her throat.

Emma and Alex watched her, both smiling. "He's definitely a keeper," Emma said.

Claire looked up at them, her eyes shining. "He really is."

"Go drop these in my bedroom," Claire told the housemaid and she nodded before taking the package upstairs.

Just as she left, the doorbell rang again causing Claire to glance at Alex and Emma, her brows narrowing.

"Are you expecting anyone?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity.

Alex shook his head. "Not me."

Emma glanced at Alex and then back at Claire. "Neither am I. Maybe it's a delivery or something? Or maybe it's Chris," Emma said with a wink and Claire shook her head, part of her also thinking same as she went to get the door.

The moment she opened the door and saw who it was, her smile immediately died down and she stood frozen to her spot.