She Threw Him Away… Now He’s Untouchable

CHAPTER 8

The journey was long, grueling, and stripped Alexander of every last trace of the pride he used to carry. He didn’t have money for plane tickets or high-speed trains. He didn’t have a chauffeur or a private jet like the one that had carried Evelyn away. All he had was the small stack of cash he’d earned from backbreaking labor at the docks, his worn-out phone, and a burning determination that kept his legs moving even when they felt like they would collapse.

He traveled like a nobody. Buses with hard seats that smelled of sweat and old food. Hitchhiking rides from truck drivers who looked at him strangely—wondering how a man who spoke and acted like he came from money ended up on the side of the road with a backpack and dirt on his face. Walking for miles when there was no other way. Sleeping in bus stations, on park benches, or under the stars, guarding his few possessions like they were gold.

Every mile he covered was a penance. Every ache in his body was a reminder of what he had thrown away.

He thought about Evelyn. He thought about how, for three years, she had lived in his house, surrounded by luxury, yet feeling more alone than he did right now in the middle of nowhere. He thought about her silence, her patience, the way she had looked at him with eyes full of love that he was too blind to see.

“I deserve this,” he whispered to himself, wiping the sweat and dust from his forehead as he walked along a dusty road leading toward the coast. “I deserve every hardship. I need to feel this. I need to know what it’s like to have nothing, just like I made her feel like she had nothing, even when she had everything.”

On the third day, the landscape changed. The air grew fresher, carrying the salty scent of the sea. Green, rolling hills stretched out before him, covered in lush trees and well-maintained gardens. He knew he was getting closer. He checked the map on his phone, his hands trembling slightly.

Hayes Family Private Estate.

It was located on a massive stretch of land, secluded, protected, a world of its own. The kind of place where royalty lived. The kind of place where his wife and son belonged. The kind of place he had no right to step foot in.

As he walked past the tall stone pillars marking the entrance to the private district, the difference was stark. The rough roads he had traveled turned into smooth, pristine asphalt. Old shops turned into grand gates and security posts. Every car passing by was a luxury model. Every person he saw looked polished, wealthy, and important.

And here he was. Dressed in cheap clothes, boots worn thin, face covered in stubble, looking like a beggar compared to the world his wife lived in.

He stopped walking when he saw it.

Up ahead, rising majestically from the top of a hill, surrounded by endless greenery and guarded by high walls topped with security fencing, stood the Hayes Mansion. It was huge, white, glowing under the sunlight, looking more like a palace than a house. It was beautiful. Serene. Perfect.

And right there, standing wide open, was the main gate. Massive iron bars, black and gold, with the letter H engraved in the center. Two uniformed guards stood watch, tall and serious, holding position like statues.

Alexander’s heart hammered against his ribs so hard he thought it would burst. He took a step forward, then stopped. Fear suddenly gripped him—not fear of the guards, not fear of being turned away. Fear of seeing her. Fear of seeing him. Fear that when he finally stood in front of Evelyn, she would look at him and feel nothing but disgust.

“You came this far,” he told himself, clenching his fists until his nails dug into his palms. “You walked for days. You slept on the ground. You lost everything. Don’t stop now. She is yours. Ray is yours. You have a right to be here.”

He straightened his back, trying to look as dignified as possible despite his appearance, and walked toward the gate.

The guards noticed him immediately. Their posture stiffened. One of them stepped forward, blocking his path, hand resting on the radio at his shoulder. The look he gave Alexander was one of pure judgment, scanning his dirty clothes and tired face from head to toe.

“Stop. This is private property. No entry allowed.”

Alexander took a breath, forcing his voice to remain steady, though it shook slightly. “I need to speak to Evelyn Hayes. My name is Alexander Knight. Tell her… tell her I’m here.”

The guard didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. He just stared at Alexander like he was some kind of insect that had crawled in from the road.

“Ms. Hayes does not receive visitors without an appointment. Especially not… people like you. Leave before we escort you out.”

Anger flared up inside Alexander—not at the guard, but at himself. At how far he had fallen. At how right the guard was. He was nobody now. Just a name that had become a joke.

“I am her husband,” Alexander said, raising his voice, desperation leaking through. “I am the father of her child. You tell her that. You tell her Alexander Knight is here. She knows who I am.”

The guard’s expression didn’t change, but the man’s eyes hardened. He leaned in closer, voice dropping to a cold, mocking tone.

“Husband? I think you are confused, sir. Everyone knows Ms. Hayes is divorced. And everyone knows exactly who belongs here.”

He nodded his head slightly toward the driveway behind the gate.

Alexander followed his gaze.

A sleek, silver luxury car was driving slowly down the long, curved path toward the entrance. It looked expensive, quiet, elegant. But it wasn’t the car that made Alexander’s blood run cold.

It was the people inside.

As the car approached and slowed down near the gate, the window on the passenger side rolled down.

And there she was.

Evelyn.

She was even more beautiful than in the photos. Radiant. Glowing. She was wearing a soft, light blue dress, her hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. She looked happy. Truly, deeply happy. Her skin was flawless, her eyes bright, no trace of the exhaustion or sadness she used to carry in his house.

She was holding something in her lap. Or rather… someone.

A small boy. About three years old. Soft black hair, big, intelligent eyes, a serious little face that looked hauntingly familiar. He was sitting comfortably on Evelyn’s lap, leaning back against her chest, holding a tablet in his small hands, his little fingers moving fast across the screen like he was doing something important.

Rayden.

His son.

Alexander’s breath caught in his throat, tears instantly stinging his eyes, blurring his vision. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run forward, to throw himself at the car, to hold them both and never let go. That was his family. That was the life he was supposed to have.

But then… the driver’s door opened.

A man stepped out. Tall, refined, with a warm, gentle smile that lit up his entire face. He walked around the car, opened the passenger door, and offered his hand to help Evelyn step out.

Dr. Liam Carter.

Alexander watched, frozen in place, his heart being torn to pieces right in his chest.

Liam helped Evelyn out with such care. Such tenderness. He held her hand a second longer than necessary, looked at her with eyes full of adoration, like she was the most fragile, precious thing in existence. Then, he reached in and lifted Rayden out effortlessly, holding the small boy securely against his chest.

Rayden didn’t cry. He didn’t fight. He didn’t look scared.

He wrapped his little arms around Liam’s neck naturally, resting his head on the doctor’s shoulder like it was the safest place on earth.

“Careful, little man,” Liam said softly, his voice carrying clearly through the open gate. He chuckled, a happy, warm sound. “Did you finish your project? Or are you trying to hack into the hospital system again?”

Rayden giggled—a sound so pure, so sweet, it shattered Alexander’s soul into a million pieces. “Just checking the data, Uncle Liam. You said knowledge is power.”

Liam laughed again, pressing a soft kiss to the top of the boy’s head. “I did say that. But let’s save the world later, okay? Let’s get your mother some water first. It’s hot today.”

He turned to Evelyn, his expression shifting to pure concern. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his hand lingering near her cheek. “Are you tired, Evelyn? We can go back inside if you want. You shouldn’t be walking too much.”

Evelyn smiled up at him—a soft, grateful, trusting smile that Alexander had never, ever received. She placed her hand lightly on Liam’s arm.

“I’m fine, Liam. Thank you. For everything.”

Everything.

That word echoed in Alexander’s head, over and over. Everything.

Alexander stood there, just a few meters away, hidden behind the guard, invisible, insignificant. He watched the scene unfolding before him—the perfect family. The perfect life. The love, the care, the safety he had failed to give them.

Liam carrying his son.

Liam protecting his wife.

Liam being the father, the husband, the man Alexander should have been.

It wasn’t just that Liam was there. It was that they wanted him there. Rayden loved him. Evelyn trusted him. They looked complete. Whole. Happy.

And Alexander? He was just a ghost from the past. A mistake they had erased.

The guard beside him scoffed quietly, seeing the look on Alexander’s face.

“You see, sir? That is who belongs here. Dr. Liam Carter. He takes care of Ms. Hayes. He takes care of the boy. He treats them like royalty. And you? You are just the man who threw her away. Now… leave before I call security to drag you out.”

Alexander didn’t move. He couldn’t. His feet were heavy as lead. His eyes were locked on Evelyn, desperate for her to turn her head, to see him, to recognize him.

Just one look. That’s all he wanted.

But she didn’t. She was too busy looking at Liam. Too busy smiling at Liam. Too busy walking alongside the man who had replaced her husband in every single way that mattered.

Liam walked past the gate, Rayden still in his arms, Evelyn walking close beside him, and for a split second, their path brought them right near where Alexander was standing.

Alexander stepped forward, his voice cracking, raw and broken.

“Evelyn…”

She stopped.

Her body stiffened. She slowly turned her head.

And their eyes met.

For a heartbeat, time stood still.

Evelyn looked at him. At his dirty clothes. At his tired, gaunt face. At the man she had once loved, once lived with, once suffered for.

There was no shock. No surprise. No anger.

There was just… emptiness.

Her eyes were cold. Completely void of any emotion. Like she was looking at a stranger. Like she was looking at a pile of trash on the side of the road.

She didn’t speak. She didn’t move closer. She didn’t call his name.

She just looked at him, then turned her gaze toward Liam, who had also stopped and was now looking at Alexander with polite curiosity, but underlying protectiveness.

“Who is he?” Liam asked softly, shielding Rayden slightly with his body, stepping a little closer to Evelyn, placing himself between her and Alexander naturally.

Evelyn looked back at Alexander one last time, her face calm and unyielding. She didn’t even flinch.

“Nobody,” she said simply, her voice clear and steady, cutting through Alexander like a blade. “Just a mistake I made a long time ago.”

She turned away, took Liam’s arm, and kept walking toward the mansion, leaving Alexander standing alone at the gate, crushed, broken, and invisible.

Liam glanced back over his shoulder one time, his eyes meeting Alexander’s. There was no mockery in his look. No arrogance. Just… pity. And absolute, unshakeable confidence.

He nodded slightly, almost sadly, then turned his attention back to Evelyn and Rayden, guiding them safely inside the gates, away from the past they had left far behind.

The heavy iron doors began to close.

Alexander stood there as they shut completely, sealing him out, locking away the only things that mattered to him forever.

He fell to his knees right there on the dusty road, the guards watching him with disdain, tears finally streaming freely down his face, mixing with the dirt.

He had walked days. He had suffered. He had humbled himself.

And it wasn’t enough.

Because the man standing in his place wasn’t just rich or handsome.

He was good.

And Alexander realized, with a pain worse than death… that the hardest battle wasn’t going to be fighting for her back.

It was proving to her, to his son, and to himself… that he could ever be half the man Liam Carter already was.