THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 178

Chapter 178

Stefan couldn’t shake Mia’s voice from his head. The way she’d sobbed those words ‘My mom, she’s alive’ like they were being torn from her soul.

Every logical part of his brain told him it was impossible, but the raw certainty in her eyes had stopped him cold.

He hadn’t argued. Instead, he’d held her face in his hands, made her look at him, and said the only thing that mattered: “I’ll help you get her back. No matter what.”

The promise had worked like magic. Her tears slowed, her breathing evened out, and when he lifted her into his arms, she melted against his chest. By the time they reached the car, she was fast asleep.

Carrying her into the house, Stefan felt the full weight of how small she was in his arms. This woman who fought the world with her bare hands, who was carrying his child but still acting so reckless, she looked so fragile now.

He tucked her into bed, pulled the covers up to her chin, and stood there watching her breathe, afraid to leave her alone even in sleep.

She might get up and decide to go find her mother, who knows.

He picked up the phone and called the doctor, he needs to be sure.

Ethan couldn’t bring himself to go to his penthouse. So instead, he found himself at Elena’s door, slipping inside without really thinking about it.

The soft click of the door made Elena stir. She looked beautiful in that sleepy, disheveled way, hair everywhere, eyes soft and unfocused. But the moment she saw him standing there, her whole face transformed.

“Ethan.” His name was barely a

a whic

Then she was running to him, throwing herself into his arms with such force that he had to catch her or they’d both go down.

Her laugh bubbled up against his neck, pure joy mixed with relief. When their lips met, it was like they haven’t seen in days.

They stumbled backward, hands grabbing at clothes, at skin, at anything they could reach. The world outside Elena’s room ceased to exist. There was only this, only them, only now.

Afterward, Elena lay sprawled across his chest, her fingers drawing invisible patterns on his skin. She tilted her head up to look at him, and he saw his own questions reflected in her eyes.

“What happened?” she asked softly.

Ethan scrubbed a hand over his face. “Stefan asked me to watch Mia. But she…” He let out a bitter laugh. “She drugged me. Slipped something in my drink. When I woke up, Stefan was shaking me awake, and we found her at an unknown location, crying her heart out, saying Mom was alive.”

Elena went perfectly still. “What?”

“She believes it, Elena. Really believes it.”

Elena pushed herself up, shaking her head. “That’s impossible. My mom used to work for the Meyers. I remember

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her. And when she died…” She paused, biting her lip. “My mom told me she saw the body herself.”

“Then why would Mia think….”

“Someone’s messing with her head.” Elena’s voice was sharp with certainty. “Feeding her lies, making her believe things that aren’t true. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Her gaze drifted to the desk where a manila folder sat unopened. “What about that file you were supposed to look at?”

“Never got the chance. Stefan called before I could open it. Hope it’s safe and you haven’t opened them?”

“No. Haven’t opened it yet.”

“Good.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Keep it that way until I figure out what we’re dealing with.”

Elena started to get up, to go check on Mia, but Ethan caught her wrist. “She’s okay. Stefan’s with her. And thank God we found her when we did, she could have lost the baby.”

The words hung heavy between them. Elena sank back down, and Ethan pulled her close.

“Sleep,” he murmured against her hair. “Tomorrow we’ll figure out the rest.”

When Mia opened her eyes the next morning, Stefan was there. Not sleeping beside her like usual, but sitting in the chair by the window with his laptop open, fingers moving over the keys like he was typing out his frustrations.

“Morning,” she said, trying to inject some warmth into her voice.

He glanced over. “Need anything?”

“No.”

“Okay.” Back to the laptop.

That single word hit her like a slap. Not angry, somehow that would have been easier. Just… distant. Like she was a patient he was monitoring, not his wife.

He stayed with her all day. Didn’t go to the office, though his phone rang constantly with calls he answered in clipped, professional tones.

He brought her food without being asked, helped her to the bathroom when her legs felt shaky, adjusted her pillows when she shifted uncomfortably. He did everything right.

Everything except look at her. Really look at her.

His jaw stayed tight, his shoulders rigid. When their eyes did meet accidentally, his gaze would slide away like she was too bright to stare at directly. The silence between them grew heavier with each passing hour.

to to shake him, make him careful distance.

Because underneath his anger, and she could feel it radiating off him in waves,

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her, anything but this p

e was angry too.

Angry that she’d finally found something, a real lead about her mother, and nobody her.

isten. Nobody believed

The knock on their bedroom door cut through the tension. Stefan got up to answer it, and Mia heard Elena’s voice in the hallway, warm and concerned.

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