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All Chapters of When Grief Replaced Love: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

Right after I hit post, Fabian called."Stella, seriously? Roxana posts one thing and you're already screaming divorce? What's everyone in the group chat gonna think of her? Take it back and apologize."I was holding Luca's body while he went off.Tears hit again."All you care about is her. Do you even get that Luca died while you were with Roxana? If you'd just come back, maybe he—"Beep. Beep. Beep.He hung up.Then two texts popped up.[Your lies never end.][If you won't apologize to Roxana, then take Luca and leave. My family doesn't want you here.]Even through the screen, he felt ice cold.How did I waste all those years just because he once said he loved me?I wiped my face. Couldn't even argue anymore. Just typed:[Luca's gone. We're at St. Mary's in Valea. Come. Once the funeral's over, we're done.]Didn't send. Red exclamation mark.Tried calling. Blocked."Wow, Fabian. You really went all in."Luca's last words kept echoing—'Daddy, it hurts.' Felt like get

Chapter 2

I'd pictured a thousand ways Fabian might react.But I never saw this coming—he stormed in, ripped the urn out of my arms, and smashed it to the floor."Stella Cantemir, seriously? Just 'cause I went to check on Roxana, you and Luca ghosted my hometown? Then you lie about Luca dying and fire Roxana? Is ruining everyone's life your full-time job now?"I just stood there, frozen, staring at the ashes scattered across the floor. The urn was cracked.My brain short-circuited."Luca... Luca... does it still hurt?"I dropped to my knees, shaking, trying to scoop his ashes back into the broken urn, one trembling handful at a time.Then Fabian snatched it out of my hands."Still pretending? You live for the drama, huh?"He turned, heading for the bathroom."What are you doing? Give it back!"I ran after him, but he shoved me aside."Stella Cantemir, Luca wasn't just your son. I let it go every time you used him to chase attention. But now you're faking his death? You make me sick."

Chapter 3

Fabian's voice cracked. "Luca... he's really gone? Why didn't you tell me about the funeral?"I glared, ice-cold. "Seriously? We called nonstop. You ghosted us. And let's not forget—you flushed his ashes."His face went chalk-white."I—I thought you were just jealous. I didn't know... I didn't mean—"Before he could finish, the exec assistant burst out."Ms. Cantemir, Mr. Stancu— Ms. Petrescu just blew the client deal!"My head went light. That AI project was three years of blood, sweat, and no sleep.Before I could move, Roxana came sprinting over, fake-crying."Fabian, I followed Stella's plan word for word! Why'd the clients say I didn't know anything? Did she trash me behind my back to make me look dumb? Afraid I'd outshine her?"Fabian wiped her tears, then shot me a look."Stella, what happened to Luca was on me. But sabotaging the company just to hurt Roxana? That's low."Smack.I slapped him—hard."Marrying you was stupid. Making you my business partner? Even worse

Chapter 4

Fabian hung up and turned to me, stone-faced."Yeah, I made you and Luca get out. Yeah, I refused to come back. I'll take the blame for his death. But leave Roxana out of it—she's innocent!"Then he took off.Not long after, "innocent" Roxana hit me with her usual crap:[So what if Fabian knows that little brat died? He'll never love anyone more than me.][I told him you threatened me. He ran the second I said I was scared.][Even if you dropped dead right now, he wouldn't even blink. Wanna bet?]As always, she deleted the messages before I could screenshot.I fired back: [You really think I can't touch you?]Seconds later, Fabian called, raging."I saw what you sent Roxana. Hurt her again and you'll regret it!""Oh? So just texting her now counts as 'HURTING' her? That's all it takes to set you off? Then what should I do about you two killing my son—rip you apart? Skin you alive?""Stella, stop twisting it. I already said I'm responsible for Luca. I'm not running from that

Chapter 5

Fabian just stood there, face flicking from red to pale.Then Roxana broke down."Enough! Just stop! Stella's been trashing me online, jumping to a rival company, saying the cruelest stuff—what do you WANT from me, my life? Fine! I'll die!"She wiped her tears and bolted toward traffic.Fabian grabbed her fast. "Roxana, don't cry. None of this is your fault."She buried herself in his arms—then shot me a smug little grin.Fabian turned to me, full of disgust."Leave her alone. Luca's death wasn't on her. And that new AI product? I don't care how you got it—you're handing it over."I stared him down, ice-cold. "And if I don't?""Then don't blame me for being harsh," Fabian snapped. "This is corporate theft. You could go to jail!"I almost laughed. "Did you forget? We own equal shares. And after you screwed up, YOU signed over the rights and profits to me. As an apology. It's in the contract."His face went pale. He remembered.Our seventh anniversary—he ditched me to sit by

Chapter 6

I never believed someone like Roxana—selfish, fake, and spineless—would risk her life for anyone.Back then, I really thought if I just exposed her, Fabian and I could finally breathe again.But I didn't expect the truth to come out after Luca died.I should've done it sooner.Fabian looked crushed. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry.""You can say it a hundred times," I said. "Will that bring back Luca's ashes? Will it bring HIM back?"Watching him pretend to feel sorry just made me sick. I turned and slammed the door in his face.When he was staying with Roxana, I changed the code. He couldn't get in anymore.I was eating, flipping through files, getting ready for a meeting when I noticed he was gone.Then his message came in:[I passed out. The neighbors called an ambulance. Stella, do you really hate me that much? You saw me collapse and didn't even call for help?]I replied: [Yeah. Go ahead and die. Hope you bleed out like Luca in pain.]He left me and Luca to die in that free

Chapter 7

This time, Fabian hesitated."It's not that I don't want to give it to you. I'm just... scared. Once you have the money, you'll leave me.""Then forget it."I turned to go, but he grabbed my arm."Okay, okay," he said, laying on the fake sincerity. "I'll give you everything—just not my shares. Please, Stella. I really am sorry."I agreed.That same afternoon, I brought in a lawyer and drew up the contract.Fabian handed over everything—except his shares.Said he really wanted to take Roxana down.Adriana told the truth to the family of the girl Roxana stole credit from.They trashed Roxana's place, found her, and beat her so bad she almost didn't make it.They filmed the whole thing—and Fabian paid to make it go viral.The video exploded—stayed trending for nearly two weeks.People online went feral:[Stealing credit is one thing, but she left that girl to die!][And that's not even the worst part. She made up some wild lie about the girl running off with an old dude to

Chapter 8

"Stella? Stella!"Fabian chased after the car, slipping hard in the snow. His voice echoed through the mountains.But I kept driving—just like he did the night he left me and Luca behind.I don't know how he made it back. I just know he ended up in the hospital with hypothermia, barely alive.I visited once. Looked him over and sighed. "What a shame. You couldn't even manage to step on a trap or fall into a pit?"He didn't yell. Just stared at me, eyes red."I finally get it now... how scared and helpless you and Luca must've felt."I laughed coldly and walked out.No—he didn't get it.He only knew the pain of being cold and alone.Not what it felt like to hold my dying son in my arms, screaming into the silence.After he got discharged, Fabian went quiet.Then one day, I threw a 20-pound sandbag at him."Strap it on."His voice was hoarse. "Why?""Put it on or I'm filing for divorce.""I'll do it! No divorce!"Terrified, he strapped it on.Then I handed him a kitten.

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