Chapter 13
1073 Words
Chapter Thirteen
Adrian's words stuck in my head like a bad song on repeat.
"He’s been controlling your life, Shania."
Every time I thought I’d begun to untangle the web of lies surrounding me, another thread seemed to appear, and now, it was Stefan holding the spool. Was Adrian telling the truth? Or was this just another one of his manipulative games to keep me under his thumb?
I tried to shake the thoughts away as I stood by the kitchen sink, washing a glass I’d barely used. The rhythmic sound of water running helped steady my nerves. Outside, the sun had set, casting the room in a golden haze.
A sharp knock on the front door pulled me from my spiral.
I froze, my mind immediately jumping to Adrian. Was he back to cause more chaos? My heart thudded painfully as I dried my hands and walked toward the door.
When I opened it, I wasn’t sure whether to feel relief or dread.
Stefan stood there, his face as composed as ever, though his piercing eyes burned with an intensity that unsettled me. His tie was slightly loosened, his sleeves rolled up, and for the first time, he looked... weary.
“We need to talk,” he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
“Do we?” I said, crossing my arms as I shut the door. “Or are you just here to feed me more half-truths?”
His jaw tightened. “I know you’re upset—”
“Upset doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I snapped, cutting him off. “You’ve been lying to me, Stefan. Adrian was the first person to actually admit it out loud. Do you know how humiliating that is?”
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “I haven’t lied to you, Shania. I’ve omitted things, yes. But I’ve never lied.”
“Oh, so that makes it okay?” I shot back. “You’ve been manipulating my life from the beginning, haven’t you? Why? Why me, Stefan?”
He looked at me, his expression unreadable. “Because you were the one,” he said softly.
I laughed bitterly. “The one what? The one with a name that starts with ‘S’? That’s it, isn’t it? I’m just a pawn in whatever twisted plan you’ve been cooking up.”
“You’re more than that,” he said, his voice sharp now. “So much more. But yes, I sought you out deliberately. I needed someone, and it had to be you.”
His admission hit me like a slap. I stepped back, putting more space between us.
“Do you hear how insane that sounds?” I said, my voice shaking. “What kind of person orchestrates someone’s life like that? Do you even care about me, Stefan? Or am I just some tool to you?”
His eyes softened, and for a moment, I saw the man I thought I’d been getting to know—the one who could be gentle and protective, the one I thought might actually care about me.
“I care about you more than you realize,” he said. “But I can’t undo the past. All I can do is tell you the truth now.”
“Then start talking,” I said, my arms still crossed.
He hesitated, as if weighing how much to reveal.
“Years ago,” he began, his voice low, “I lost someone. Someone I cared about deeply. She was everything to me, and I failed her.”
The pain in his voice was real, and for a moment, it disarmed me. But I forced myself to stay guarded.
“What does that have to do with me?” I asked.
He took a deep breath. “Her name was Selena. She was pregnant with my child when she died. I couldn’t save her, and I couldn’t save the baby. It destroyed me, Shania. For years, I thought I’d never recover. And then I found you.”
I blinked, trying to process his words. “So... what? You decided to replace her? To replace them?”
“No,” he said quickly, his tone urgent. “It’s not like that. You’re not a replacement, Shania. You’re... you’re something I never thought I’d find again. You gave me hope.”
I shook my head, backing away from him. “This is insane,” I said. “You’ve been projecting your past onto me this whole time. That’s not love, Stefan. That’s obsession.”
He flinched at my words but didn’t deny them.
“I know how it sounds,” he said. “But you need to understand—everything I’ve done has been to protect you. To give you the life you deserve.”
“Protect me from what?” I demanded.
Before he could answer, the sound of shattering glass interrupted us.
We both turned toward the kitchen, where the window was now broken. A brick lay on the floor, surrounded by shards of glass.
Stefan was the first to react, moving quickly to inspect the damage. He picked up the brick, his expression darkening when he saw the piece of paper tied to it.
“What is it?” I asked, my voice trembling.
He untied the paper and read it silently, his jaw tightening with every word.
“It’s from Adrian,” he said finally, handing it to me.
I took the note with shaking hands, the words scrawled in messy handwriting:
"You think you can steal her from me? Watch your back, billionaire. This isn’t over."
My stomach twisted with fear.
Stefan crumpled the note in his hand, his expression murderous. “I’ll kill him,” he muttered under his breath.
“Stefan, no,” I said quickly, grabbing his arm. “That’s exactly what he wants. He wants you to lose control.”
He looked down at me, his eyes blazing. “I’m not going to let him hurt you again, Shania. Do you understand me? Whatever it takes, I’ll keep you safe.”
His words should have reassured me, but instead, they filled me with unease. Because as much as I wanted to believe in Stefan, I couldn’t ignore the nagging voice in the back of my mind.
The voice that kept asking the same question:
Who was I really safer with—Stefan, or no one at all?
- Writer
