The Orchestrated Lie

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

"I’ll meet her," I said, my voice trembling with a mix of dread and fury.

Stefan raised an eyebrow from across the room, clearly unamused. "You don’t owe her anything, Shania."

"I need answers," I replied firmly, crossing my arms. "And she owes me that much, at least."

Stefan studied me for a moment before nodding curtly. "Fine. But I’ll be nearby."

I rolled my eyes. "I don’t need a babysitter, Stefan."

"You need protection," he countered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Stephanie sat on the patio of the café Stefan had arranged for us. She looked immaculate, as always—flawless makeup, sleek hair, and a smugness that made my blood boil. She spotted me from a distance, her red lips curving into a smile as if we were about to catch up over tea.

The audacity.

I stopped in front of her, refusing to sit. "Why did you call me here?"

She gestured to the empty chair. "Sit, Shania. You’ll cause a scene otherwise."

I stayed rooted in place, glaring at her. "I didn’t come here to play nice, Steph. Say what you need to say."

She sighed dramatically, leaning back in her chair. "Fine. I just thought you deserved to know the truth."

I barked out a laugh, startling a few nearby patrons. "The truth? That’s rich coming from you. You stole my husband, had his child, and now you want to talk about truth?"

Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Adrian isn’t worth fighting over, Shania. You know that as well as I do."

"Then why did you do it?" I demanded, my voice rising. "Why, Stephanie? Was it jealousy? Spite? Or was it just because you could?"

Her gaze flickered, and for a moment, I thought I saw guilt in her eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "You always thought you were better than me. Perfect Shania, with her perfect husband and perfect life. You had everything handed to you while I was always in your shadow."

I leaned forward, my hands trembling with barely contained rage. "You don’t get to rewrite history. I fought for everything I had, including Adrian. And now, I realize I was fighting for a man who wasn’t worth it."

Stephanie’s smirk returned. "Then why are you so angry? If he’s not worth it, why do you care?"

"I don’t care about Adrian," I spat. "I care that my own sister betrayed me. I cared about us, Stephanie. But I see now that you never did."

She laughed, a cold, bitter sound that cut through me. "You’re so naive, Shania. Family? Loyalty? Those are just words. In the end, it’s every woman for herself."

I stared at her, stunned by how far gone she was. "You’re wrong," I said softly. "Loyalty matters. Family matters. And I feel sorry for you because you’ll never understand that."

Her face hardened, the smugness replaced by something darker. "Feel sorry for yourself, Shania. You’re the one who’s pregnant with some stranger’s baby while playing house with a man who sees you as nothing more than a convenient solution."

Her words hit their mark, and I stiffened. "You don’t know anything about Stefan."

"Oh, but I do," she said with a sly smile. "Men like him? They don’t settle for broken women. They fix them, play with them, and toss them aside when they’re bored."

I clenched my fists, refusing to let her see how her words affected me. "We’re done here."

I turned to leave, but her voice stopped me. "One more thing, Shania."

I paused, glancing over my shoulder.

"Be careful with Stefan," she said, her tone suddenly serious. "Men like him don’t forgive mistakes."

I stormed out of the café, my emotions a whirlwind of anger, hurt, and confusion. Stefan was waiting by the car, leaning against it with an air of nonchalance that only fueled my frustration.

"How did it go?" he asked as I approached.

"She’s delusional," I snapped, yanking the car door open.

He caught my wrist, forcing me to look at him. "What did she say?"

"Nothing I didn’t already know," I muttered, pulling away and sliding into the seat.

Stefan joined me, his expression unreadable as he started the car. The silence between us was heavy, but I wasn’t ready to talk.

"Shania," he said finally, his voice softer than I expected. "Whatever she said, don’t let it get to you."

I stared out the window, my hands gripping my lap. "Why do you care so much, Stefan? What’s in this for you?"

He glanced at me, his jaw tightening. "I told you before. You’re mine now, Shania. That means I protect what’s mine."

The possessiveness in his tone sent a shiver down my spine, but I couldn’t shake Stephanie’s words from my mind.

Men like him don’t forgive mistakes.

"Then maybe you should protect me from yourself," I said quietly, refusing to meet his gaze.

Stefan didn’t respond, but I could feel the tension radiating off him. Whatever game we were playing, I wasn’t sure either of us would come out unscathed.