"Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
I trembled as I asked myself while gazing at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. The face I saw reflected back at me appeared unfamiliar. My complexion was pallid, my eyes showing signs of fatigue. The world was falling apart, and I couldn't find a stable foothold. I felt overwhelmed by Adrian, Stefan, and the burden of the secrets and pain I was carrying.
I threw cold water on my face to try to clear my mind, but couldn't shake the images of Adrian's smirk and Stefan's intense stare. I needed clarity—desperately.
The baby.
I looked down at my belly, the smallest hint of a bump now visible under my shirt. The baby wasn’t just a vague concept anymore. It was real. Life was growing inside of me—Stefan’s child.
“How did everything become so complex so quickly?”
A mere two months ago, I was still holding onto the remnants of my marriage, hoping that Adrian and I could somehow fix our relationship. I was so naive. Currently, as divorce documents are being passed around by attorneys and I carry a baby that didn't belong to Adrian, my life seems to have veered abruptly into unfamiliar territory.
The noise of my phone vibrating on the table interrupted my train of thought. I picked it up and saw a message from my lawyer.
"Shania, we’ve made progress on the divorce case. Adrian’s side is stalling, but we should be able to proceed with the next step. Call me when you have time."
Stalling…Adrian was certainly making an effort to delay the process, holding onto the little control he still had over me. He wasn't going to release me without a fight, and I was aware of that. The man had always hated losing.
My phone buzzed again, and this time, it wasn’t my lawyer. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the name on the screen.
Stefan.
For a moment, I paused, my thumb suspended over the screen. What does he want at this moment? I hadn't completely understood the offer he had made the day before, feeling the heaviness of it on me like a huge rock.
However, there was something about Stefan that tugged at me, perhaps his way of speaking or the intensity in his gaze. I couldn't get rid of his powerful, mysterious aura. With a deep breath, I answered.
“Shania,” his voice was smooth, steady, and instantly commanding. “We need to meet. There are things we need to discuss. In person.”
I swallowed hard, glancing around the small bathroom, feeling suddenly trapped. “Now’s not a good time, Stefan.”
"Find time," he declared, his tone allowing no room for debate. “I will arrange for a car to come get you in one hour.”
I didn't have a chance to object before the call ended.
I remained in place, gazing at my phone with shock. He didn't even inquire. Stefan wasn't required to. He was a man accustomed to getting his way, and currently, for aspects I couldn't completely grasp, that involved me.
An hour passed, and I discovered myself seated in the rear of a stylish, dark SUV as it navigated the urban roads. During the car ride, a heavy sense of anticipation settled upon me, filling the silence. I attempted to quiet my chaotic thoughts, but there was nothing soothing about this situation. What was Stefan planning? And more importantly—what did he want from me?
The SUV pulled up to the towering glass building I recognized from our last meeting. Stefan’s world felt so different from mine—polished, powerful, and distant. I was still only Shania Hayes, attempting to rebuild a life destroyed by betrayal.
I exited the vehicle as the driver kindly opened the door for me, feeling nervous as I walked into the building. I was brought up to Stefan's office, feeling an endless elevator ride as unease churned in my stomach. When the doors finally opened, Stefan was already waiting for me.
Beside the huge window, he gazed down at the city, appearing calm yet emanating authority. I could feel the familiar tightness in my chest as his presence filled the room.
When I entered, he turned and looked at me with such intense green eyes that I felt completely exposed. “Shania,” he greeted, his voice a mixture of warmth and authority. "Thanks for showing up."
I folded my arms across my chest, attempting to protect myself from the intensity of his stare. "I had very few options, didn't I?"
A slight grin appeared on his mouth, even though his gaze stayed stern. “I needed to meet with you. There are things we need to clarify.”
I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. Stefan walked toward me, his gaze never leaving mine as he spoke.
“Adrian isn’t going to let go easily, as I’m sure you’re aware. His pride is wounded, and men like him… they don’t take well to losing.”
I tensed at the mention of Adrian, the memory of his cold, controlling words still fresh in my mind. “I know. He’s stalling the divorce, trying to make this as difficult as possible.”
Stefan nodded, as if expecting this. “I’ve seen it before. Men who can’t accept that they’ve lost control over something they thought they owned.”
My stomach twisted at the word owned. That's how Adrian had consistently made me feel, as if I was something to be owned, a reward to be conquered and dominated. I had believed I had evaded it, but now I found myself still ensnared in the web he had created for me.
“What are you getting at, Stefan?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. "Why is this important to you?"
His gaze was impossible to decipher as he observed me briefly. “Because I can help you.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Help me? How?”
He stepped closer, his voice lowering, filled with a dark promise. “I have resources, Shania. Influence. Adrian can’t touch you if I don’t allow it.”
I frowned, suspicion creeping into my thoughts. “And what do you get out of this? You’re offering to protect me and the baby, but why?”
Stefan’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he spoke. “I told you, I need you. This isn’t just about you, Shania. It’s about something bigger. I have my reasons.”
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. Stefan wasn’t just some random man offering to step in and save me. He had his own agenda, and whatever it was, it involved me—and our child.
“What reasons?” I demanded, my voice shaking slightly. "What is it that you're not sharing with me?"
His stare grew cold, and briefly, I caught a glimpse of an emotion— perhaps pain, remorse, or fury? I was unable to determine. However, it disappeared just as fast as it came.
"You will find out eventually. However, at the current time, believe me when I promise that I will ensure your safety. Adrian will not have the chance to harm you, as long you are in my presence.”
I gazed at him, caught between fright and a feeling that pulled at the corners of my thoughts. Stefan was dangerous, powerful, and unpredictable. But he was also offering me something I desperately needed. Security. A way out.
But was I willing to trade one controlling man for another?
“I need time,” I whispered, my voice cracking.
Stefan’s eyes softened, just slightly. “You have until the end of the week. After that, the offer changes.”
He then walked away, leaving me standing by myself in the office, feeling the pressure of his ultimatum bearing down on me like a suffocating mist.
