The Orchestrated Lie

Chapter 10

"You’ll sign the divorce papers tonight, Adrian. I won’t repeat myself."

Stefan’s voice cut through the air like a blade, cold and commanding, as I stood at the top of the staircase in his townhouse. My heart stopped at the sight below. Adrian was there, seated on the edge of the leather couch in Stefan’s office, his jaw tight and his eyes blazing with barely concealed fury.

I hadn’t heard Adrian enter; I’d been too wrapped up in my thoughts about the ultrasound and the weight of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Now, I felt like I’d walked straight into the heart of a storm.

"And why," Adrian bit out, leaning forward with his hands clasped together, "would I let a man like you dictate what I do with my wife?"

I froze. The possessiveness in Adrian’s voice sent a chill through me—not because it reminded me of love but because it reeked of control. For so long, I had been nothing more than an extension of Adrian’s ego, a trophy wife to bolster his fragile pride.

Stefan didn’t flinch. He leaned back in his chair, completely composed, exuding a level of power that made Adrian’s attempts at intimidation seem laughable.

"Your wife," Stefan said slowly, his tone mocking, "is carrying my child. Do you understand what that means? Your claim over her is meaningless now."

My stomach twisted. Stefan’s words were ruthless, cutting deeper than I expected. It was true—this child changed everything. But hearing it spoken aloud, in such stark terms, made me feel like an object being fought over rather than a person with a say in her own life.

Adrian’s head snapped toward the staircase, his gaze locking on me. "Shania," he called, standing abruptly. "Are you really going to let him speak for you like this? After everything we’ve been through?"

The audacity of his words nearly knocked the breath out of me. After everything we’ve been through? Was he serious?

I descended the staircase slowly, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and disbelief. When I reached the bottom, I met Adrian’s eyes head-on.

"Everything we’ve been through?" I repeated, my voice trembling with restrained fury. "You mean the betrayal? The lies? The fact that my twin sister had your child while I was still trying to build a life with you? Is that what you mean, Adrian?"

His face paled, and for a moment, I saw something close to guilt flash across his features. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by that same arrogant defiance he always carried.

"Shania," he started, stepping toward me, "you don’t understand—"

"Don’t," I interrupted, holding up a hand. "Don’t you dare try to twist this, Adrian. I understand perfectly. You cheated. You lied. And when I needed you the most, you hit me."

Adrian flinched at that, but I didn’t let up.

"You don’t get to stand here and act like you have a claim to me after everything you’ve done. We’re done, Adrian. We were done the moment Stephanie showed up at my door with your child."

He clenched his jaw, his fists curling at his sides. "And you think running to him," he spat, jerking his head toward Stefan, "is any better? You think he’s going to save you?"

Stefan stood then, his movements deliberate and precise, like a predator closing in on its prey. He stepped between me and Adrian, his presence towering and commanding.

"Let me make something very clear," Stefan said, his voice low and deadly. "Shania isn’t running to me. She’s standing on her own. But I’ll be damned if I let someone like you try to tear her down again."

Adrian laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in it. "And you’re her knight in shining armor, is that it? You think she’s safe with you? I know men like you, Stefan. You’re no hero."

Stefan’s expression didn’t waver, but there was a flicker of something darker in his eyes. "You’re right," he said simply. "I’m not a hero. But I don’t have to be to be better than you."

The tension in the room was suffocating, the silence stretching as Stefan and Adrian stared each other down. I could feel the weight of their words pressing down on me, the reality of my situation sinking in deeper.

Finally, I found my voice. "This isn’t about Stefan, Adrian. This is about me. And I’m done letting you control my life."

Adrian’s gaze snapped back to me, desperation flickering in his eyes. "Shania, please," he said, his tone softer now. "We can fix this. We can try again. I made mistakes, but—"

"Mistakes?" I cut him off, my voice sharp. "You didn’t just make a mistake, Adrian. You made a choice. Over and over again, you chose to betray me, to hurt me. And I chose to survive."

For a moment, he said nothing, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of my words finally hit him. But then his eyes hardened again, and he straightened.

"You’ll regret this," he said coldly. "One day, you’ll realize that I was the only one who really cared about you."

I laughed, the sound bitter and hollow. "Cared about me? You cared about what I could do for you, Adrian. You cared about control, about power. That’s not love."

Adrian didn’t respond. He turned abruptly and strode toward the door, his movements stiff with anger. But just before he left, he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder.

"This isn’t over, Shania," he said quietly. "Not by a long shot."

And then he was gone, the door slamming shut behind him.

I let out a shaky breath, the tension in my body finally releasing as I sank onto the couch. My hands trembled as I pressed them to my temples, trying to block out the whirlwind of emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

Stefan sat beside me, his presence steady and grounding. He didn’t say anything at first, just let the silence stretch between us.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked, his voice soft.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure it was true. "I’m just… tired," I admitted. "Tired of fighting, tired of being caught between other people’s agendas. I just want to feel like I have control over my own life again."

Stefan reached out, his hand brushing mine. "You will," he said firmly. "I’ll make sure of it."

There was a promise in his words, one that should have comforted me. But instead, it left me feeling uneasy. Stefan’s world was one of control and power, and I wasn’t sure if I’d traded one cage for another.

Still, as I looked into his eyes, I saw something else—a determination that went beyond his own interests. For better or worse, Stefan was in this with me now. And maybe, just maybe, I could learn to trust him.

But as I stared at the door Adrian had walked through, his parting words echoed in my mind.

This isn’t over.

And somehow, I knew he meant it.