THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 121

Chapter 121

“Elena,” Mia started, but her friend was already moving toward the door with that determined stride that meant the conversation was over.

“Take care of her,” Elena said to Stefan as she brushed past him, her voice carrying a warning that made Mia’s chest tighten. “And Stefan? Tell her the truth. All of it.”

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving nothing but the steady beep of hospital monitors and the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air.

Stefan stood frozen by the doorway, his broad shoulders rigid with tension.

“How are you feeling?” His voice was barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter whatever fragile peace existed between them.

“Better.” She studied his face, noting the way his jaw clenched, the careful distance he maintained. “Come sit with me.”

He hesitated, every line of his body screaming reluctance, then walked over to the chair Elena had vacated. Not on the bed. Not close enough to touch.

“Stefan….” She started but he cut her off.

“I know what you’re going to say.” His hands gripped the chair arms until his knuckles went white.

“Do you?”

He couldn’t meet her eyes. “You want a divorce.” What was he saying? She wanted to laugh at his assumption. Was that what his brain had been feeding him all these days she was unconscious?

Stefan Sterling isn’t always so smart after all, he can be slow sometimes too.

“Is that what you think?” Her voice was steady, but inside, she wanted to let out a laugh. “And have you forgotten?”

“What?” He looked up, confusion flickering across his features.

“Our contract stated that we won’t ever get divorced.” The words came out sharper than she intended. Seems like he had forgotten about the contract. She herself had also forgotten about it for a while now, it only came to her mind now.

Stefan’s eyes widened as if he’d genuinely forgotten. She watched understanding dawn on his face, followed by something that looked suspiciously like relief.

“So… you’re not going to divorce me because of the contract?”

“Why do you think it’s because of the contract?” The question came out softer now, almost hurt.

“After what you saw… after what I let happen…” He shook his head, self-loathing written across every feature.” I wouldn’t blame you.”

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12 HEKNET BESIDE HER BED

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Mia felt her heart breaking for this man who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and somehow believed he’d failed her. “What did you let happen?”

Her voice was gentle, patient, the tone she might use with a wounded animal. And Stefan responded like one, his words tumbling out in a rush of guilt and anguish.

“I should have pushed her away sooner. I should have seen it coming. I should have protected you better.”

“Stefan, look at me.”

Slowly, reluctantly, he raised his eyes to hers. The raw emotion there took her breath away,fear and exhaustion, yes, but underneath it all, something else. Something that made her pulse quicken and her chest tight painfully. He was blaming himself for what happened to her. It wasn’t his fault.

“Did you really think I’d leave you over a kiss?”

“It wasn’t just the kiss. It was what….”

“It was nothing.” She leaned forward as much as her injured ribs would allow, ignoring the sharp protest from her body. “It was nothing because you didn’t want it. Whatever happened to me wasn’t your fault.”

“But you ran, and…..and….” The words came out broken, and she saw the exact moment the memory hit him, her face when she’d seen Sammy’s lips on his, the way she’d turned and fled without a word. Her face when he had rescued her.

“I ran because I was hurt. Because I was angry.” She paused, letting the truth settle between them. “I’m still angry. No, I’m disappointed. But I shouldn’t have ran, when I knew what we were up against. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me.” He flinched as if she’d struck him.

“Mia, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“About Sammy and Annabelle?” Every muscle in his body went rigid. His face became a mask, the same one he wore in business meetings when someone mentioned a hostile takeover. “What about them?”

Stefan needed to know how much she heard. If she knew exactly what he’d Instructed his men to do to Sammy.

More than the news had even let out.

That was a part of him he’d been trying to suppress, for her. But when he saw how much damage she’d incurred that night, he’d snapped, he’d let his dark side loose.

Mia could practically see his mind racing, calculating how much she knew, what Elena might have told her. There was something dark in his eyes now, something that would have frightened her once. Now it only made her curious.

“Elena told me what happened. About the arrests.”

“What did she tell you?” Each word was carefully measured.

“That they’re both in jail. That Jeremiah is being investigated.” She studied his face, noting the way his breathing had changed, become more controlled. “That it all happened very quickly.”

Stefan was quiet for a long moment, and Mia could see him weighing his words, deciding how much truth to give her. When he spoke, his voice was careful, controlled. “They deserved what they got.”

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121 HE KNELT BESIDE HER BED

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“Did you have anything to do with it?”

“Would it matter if I did?”

“Answer the question Stefan. I want to know.”

He looked at her for a long time, and she saw the moment he made his decision. His posture shifted, became more confident. More dangerous. “They hurt you. They tried to destroy our marriage. They put you in danger. I nearly lost you.”

“Stefan.”

“I won’t apologize for protecting my family.” The words came out fierce, possessive, and Mia felt a shiver run down her spine. Not out of fear.

“What did you do?”

“I only made sure they paid for what they did to you.” His voice was steady now, stronger. Gone was the broken man, in his place sat the Stefan she’d glimpsed in boardrooms, calculating, unstoppable. “I made sure they’ll never hurt you again.”

“How did you do it?”

“Mia….”

“Tell me. I want to know.” He was quiet for so long she thought he wouldn’t answer.

“I have forgiven them for far too long. I see all they do but I turned blind eyes. I let it all go. But I already gave Jeremiah a warning. Told him never to come close to you. He probably thought I was bluffing. But when you collapsed on my arms that night, something snapped.”

“You planted evidence?”

“I exposed the truth.” He leaned forward, and she saw the predator beneath the gentleman’s facade. “Sammy really was having an inappropriate relationship with that boy. Annabelle really was using drugs. Jeremiah really was hiding money offshore. I just made sure the right people found out about it.”

She stared at him. This was Stefan unmasked, the man who’d built an empire from nothing, who’d survived in a world that ate the weak alive. Ruthless. Calculating. Dangerous. But he’d unleashed this side of himself for her.

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