The Orchestrated Lie

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"You’re leaving with me tonight, Shania," Adrian declared, his voice echoing through the room like a storm. He stood in the middle of my living room, a smug smirk plastered on his face as if he had already won.

Stefan, who had been standing by the fireplace moments ago, stepped forward, his presence commanding the room like a shadow stretching over everything. His jaw tightened, and his piercing gaze locked on Adrian.

"You’re not taking her anywhere," Stefan said coldly.

I stood frozen between them, my heart pounding in my chest. The tension was suffocating, like a rope tightening around my throat.

Adrian snorted, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Funny, coming from the man who’s been playing god in her life. Tell me, Stefan, does she know the full extent of your little… operation?"

"Shut up," Stefan snapped, his voice low but lethal.

Adrian laughed, a sound dripping with mockery. "Oh, I hit a nerve, didn’t I? Don’t worry, Shania. I’ll fill in the blanks for you."

"Enough!" I yelled, stepping between them. I turned to Adrian, my eyes blazing. "What the hell are you doing here? You think you can waltz into my life after everything you’ve done and act like you still have a say in anything?"

His smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "I’m here because you’re still my wife," he said, his tone softening slightly. "And I can’t let you throw your life away on a man like him."

"A man like me?" Stefan interjected, his voice cutting like a blade. "You mean a man who didn’t betray her with her own sister? Or a man who didn’t strike her and destroy her self-worth? That kind of man?"

Adrian’s fists clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might actually swing at Stefan. But he held back, his eyes darting to me.

"Shania," he said, his voice quieter now. "You can’t trust him. He’s using you. Everything he’s done—the money, the support—it’s all part of his plan. You think he’s your savior, but he’s just another manipulator."

I felt my knees weaken as his words sank in. Stefan had been quiet, unnervingly so, and I turned to him, searching his face for answers.

"Is it true?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Stefan’s eyes met mine, and for the first time, I saw something in them I hadn’t noticed before. Guilt.

"Shania," he said, his tone careful, "there are things I haven’t told you. But everything I’ve done has been to protect you."

Adrian scoffed. "Protect her? From what? You? You’ve been pulling her strings from day one, Stefan. Admit it."

I turned back to Adrian, my anger flaring again. "And you’re any better? You lied to me for years, Adrian. You humiliated me, betrayed me, and now you have the audacity to show up here and act like you’re the hero?"

Adrian flinched at my words but quickly masked it with defiance. "I’m not perfect," he admitted. "But I’m still your husband. And I’m the only one who truly knows you, Shania."

Stefan stepped forward, his voice a low growl. "She’s not going anywhere with you. You lost that right when you betrayed her."

"You don’t get to decide that," Adrian shot back.

"Enough!" I yelled again, my voice breaking. I turned to Adrian first. "You need to leave. Now."

His eyes widened in disbelief. "Shania—"

"Go!" I said, my voice firm.

For a moment, he looked like he might argue, but then his shoulders slumped. He turned toward the door, his steps heavy, but he paused before leaving.

"You’re making a mistake," he said, not looking back. "And when you realize it, I won’t be here to pick up the pieces."

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving a deafening silence in his wake.

I turned to Stefan, my chest heaving with the weight of everything that had just happened.

"Tell me the truth," I said, my voice trembling. "All of it."

Stefan’s shoulders sagged slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair, his usually composed demeanor cracking.

"I orchestrated our meeting," he admitted finally. "I needed someone to carry my child, and I sought you out because you fit the criteria. But..." He paused, his voice softening. "It wasn’t just about that. From the moment I saw you, Shania, it became about more than the plan. You became more."

I swallowed hard, trying to process his words. "So, everything—the hotel, the support, even this house—was all part of your plan?"

He nodded slowly. "At first, yes. But it’s not like that anymore. I care about you, Shania. Deeply."

I shook my head, stepping back. "You don’t get to say that. Not after admitting you