The Orchestrated Lie

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"That child will never belong to him."

The words from Adrian’s mouth hit me like a sledgehammer as I froze, the pen in my hand hovering over the pile of divorce papers. His voice came from the door to Stefan’s townhouse, where he stood with an arrogance I hadn’t seen in weeks.

Stefan, seated beside me, exhaled sharply. "You just don’t know when to quit, do you?"

Adrian ignored him, his eyes locked on me. "Shania, we need to talk. Alone."

I set the pen down deliberately, the faint sound of it clicking against the glass table cutting through the tense air. "We don’t need to talk, Adrian," I said, my voice calm but firm. "Not now, not ever."

Adrian stepped farther into the room, his expression darkening. "I don’t care what you’ve convinced yourself of," he said, his tone low and dangerous. "But you’re still my wife, and that baby—"

"That baby," Stefan interrupted, rising to his feet with an unsettling calmness, "is none of your business. Neither is she. Sign the papers and get out of her life."

Adrian turned to face Stefan, his shoulders squaring as if he were preparing for a fight. "You think you can just walk in and take over? You don’t know her. You don’t know us."

Stefan’s laugh was cold, devoid of humor. "I know enough. I know you betrayed her. I know you put your hands on her. That’s all I need to know."

"Stop it!" I snapped, standing abruptly. Both men turned to look at me, the tension between them thick enough to suffocate. "I am not a prize for either of you to fight over. I’ve made my choice, Adrian. You’re not a part of my future."

Adrian’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. "You think you’re better off with him?" he asked, his voice softer now. "You think he’ll protect you, take care of you? He’s using you, Shania. Just like everyone else has."

The words struck a chord, and for a moment, doubt crept into my mind. But then Stefan’s voice broke through, steady and unyielding.

"The difference," he said, stepping closer to Adrian, "is that I don’t need to lie to her to keep her. Can you say the same?"

Adrian opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off, holding up a hand. "Enough."

I walked toward Adrian, closing the space between us until we were mere feet apart. "You don’t get to come here and pretend to care about me or this child. You made your choices, Adrian. And I’ve made mine. If you want to salvage whatever shred of dignity you have left, you’ll sign those papers and leave me alone."

He stared at me for a long moment, his face a mix of anger and something I couldn’t quite place—regret, perhaps. Finally, he let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.

"You’ll regret this," he said quietly, his voice laced with venom. "When he shows you who he really is, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

With that, he turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

The silence that followed was deafening. I stood there, staring at the door, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

"Are you okay?" Stefan’s voice was soft, but when I turned to look at him, there was something hard in his expression.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if it was true. "I’m fine," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Stefan crossed the room in a few long strides, stopping in front of me. He reached out, his fingers brushing my arm lightly. "You don’t have to deal with him anymore," he said, his voice firm. "I’ll make sure of it."

There was a finality to his words that sent a shiver down my spine. Stefan wasn’t the kind of man who made empty promises.

I stepped back, creating a small but necessary distance between us. "I appreciate what you’re doing," I said carefully. "But I don’t need anyone fighting my battles for me."

He tilted his head, his piercing eyes studying me intently. "This isn’t just about you, Shania. It’s about the baby."

The reminder of my pregnancy sent a pang of emotion through me—fear, hope, uncertainty. I pressed a hand to my stomach, as if seeking reassurance.

"I know," I said softly. "And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my child. But I need to do it my way."

Stefan’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Fine," he said, his tone clipped. "But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stand by and let him interfere. You deserve better than that."

I wanted to believe him. But Adrian’s words lingered in the back of my mind like a shadow.

"When he shows you who he really is…"

Stefan turned and walked toward the table, picking up the stack of papers Adrian had left unsigned. He held them up, his lips pressing into a thin line. "He’s not going to make this easy," he said.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "He never does."

Stefan set the papers back down, then turned to face me. "Do you trust me, Shania?"

The question caught me off guard. Trust wasn’t something I gave easily—not anymore. But as I looked into his eyes, I saw something there that I couldn’t ignore: a determination to protect me, even if it came at a cost.

"I don’t know," I admitted honestly. "But I want to."

A flicker of something crossed his face—surprise, maybe? Or was it satisfaction? He nodded once, as if accepting my answer.

"Then let me prove it to you," he said simply.

I didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure what to say. Instead, I turned and walked toward the stairs, my mind racing with everything that had happened.

When I reached the top, I paused and looked back at Stefan. He was still standing by the table, his hands in his pockets, watching me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.

"Goodnight, Stefan," I said softly.

"Goodnight, Shania," he replied, his voice low and steady.

As I stepped into my room and closed the door behind me, I leaned against it, my thoughts swirling. Adrian’s visit had shaken me more than I wanted to admit. And Stefan… he was still a mystery, one that I wasn’t sure I was ready to unravel.

But one thing was certain: my life was no longer my own. And I wasn’t sure if I would ever get it back.