Tania sat in her dimly lit room, scrolling through her messages and reading over the plans she’d set in motion. Her confidence swelled as she thought about the court hearing just around the corner. Ethan would crumble, she thought. She’d make sure of it. She turned off her phone and settled back with a triumphant smirk, convinced she held every advantage.
But her confidence was shaken when, that afternoon, she received an unexpected text: We need to talk about Grace. It was Fabian.
Panic surged through her. Had he found out about the baby? Did he know more than he was letting on? She quickly composed herself and messaged him back. Meet me at the usual place. She couldn’t afford to have him blowing up her plans, and she had to keep him placated at least for now.
Tania felt a cold sweat break out across her brow as she read Fabian’s response. A cafe near my house? That wasn’t their usual spot, and the change unsettled her. Fabian had always been predictable, careful to keep their interactions discreet, but this sudden request felt different. She clenched her jaw, typing a response and trying to keep her usual composure.
Fine. Be there in an hour.
Despite her confidence in controlling her schemes, Fabian’s message had stirred an uneasy feeling. Was he catching on to her? Had someone told him about her pregnancy? She thought she had been meticulous in keeping everything under wraps. Fabian’s involvement in her life had always been on her terms, and she intended to keep it that way. Still, she knew she had to meet him, at least to gauge how much he knew and to ensure he didn’t jeopardize her plans with Ethan.
An hour later, Tania arrived at the cafe, glancing around and spotting Fabian seated at a corner table. He looked rough, as though he hadn’t slept in days, his expression hard and unreadable. Taking a steadying breath, she approached him, a practiced smile on her face.
“Fabian,” she greeted smoothly, sitting down across from him. “This is a surprise. I wasn’t expecting you to reach out so… urgently.”
He didn’t return her smile. Instead, he stared at her, an intensity in his eyes that made her shift slightly in her seat. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice low but unwavering. “About Grace.”
Tania’s stomach twisted at his words. Had he figured something out? She held her expression steady, feigning innocence. “Grace?” she repeated, raising an eyebrow. “What about her?”
Fabian’s jaw tightened as he leaned forward, his gaze never leaving hers. “Are you ever going to let me be a part of her life, Tania? Or have you just been using her to keep me under your thumb?”
Tania scoffed, crossing her arms. “Is that really what you called me here to discuss?” she retorted. “Fabian, I didn’t come here for another guilt trip. You’ve always known how this would work.”
He gave her a long, hard look, his expression a mix of hurt and anger. “You never intended to give me a chance to be her father, did you?” he asked, his voice rough. “It’s all a game to you, isn’t it, Tania? Keeping people dangling on a string, playing with their lives.”
Tania’s irritation flared, and she tried to deflect his accusations. “You’re being dramatic,” she said, rolling her eyes. “If you really cared about Grace, maybe you wouldn’t have aligned yourself with people trying to tear me down.”
Fabian’s eyes narrowed. “This isn’t about them, Tania. And it’s not about me. It’s about Grace, and what kind of life you’re setting up for her by using her as a pawn. I’m done being your puppet.”
Tania felt a prick of unease at his words. She couldn’t afford Fabian breaking ranks now, not with the court date so close. She leaned forward, trying to regain control. “Fabian, let’s be practical here. You’re not exactly a model citizen, and I’ve had to clean up your messes more times than I can count. Do you really think you’re fit to be a father to Grace?”
Fabian stared at her, the hurt in his eyes replaced by a steely resolve. “If you’ve called all the shots so far, then I guess I’ve never had a real chance to prove myself, have I?” His tone softened for a moment, almost pleading. “Tania, I deserve a chance to be her father. To at least try.”
For a brief moment, a flicker of doubt crossed Tania’s face, but she quickly masked it, brushing off his words. “If that’s all you wanted to talk about, we’re done here,” she said dismissively. “I thought you had something important to say.”
Fabian’s face hardened. “I thought you might actually care, Tania. But I guess I was wrong.” He paused, looking at her with a mixture of disappointment and finality. “I’m done, Tania. Done with your schemes, your lies, all of it.”
Tania’s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her face impassive. “Oh? Are you saying you won’t do what I asked?” she challenged, narrowing her eyes. “I still need you to get rid of Derek. Or are you backing out now, after everything?”
He shook his head, almost in disbelief. “Unbelievable,” he muttered. “After everything we’ve done, you still don’t see people as anything but tools for your game.” He pushed back his chair, standing up and giving her one last look, filled with anger and a trace of something that resembled pity. “Don’t contact me again, Tania. We’re done.”
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Tania staring after him in stunned silence.
For the first time, Tania felt her control slipping. Fabian’s departure had been decisive, final, and she realized that she had lost a crucial piece in her carefully constructed puzzle. Anger bubbled within her as she clenched her fists under the table, silently cursing him. How dare he walk away now, when she needed him most? The thought of Fabian cutting ties and potentially spilling her secrets sent a chill down her spine.
Meanwhile, back at Ethan’s office, he sat at his desk, staring out the window, deep in thought. The weight of the looming court date pressed down on him, filling him with dread. Despite his best efforts to focus on work, the endless tension with Tania, the uncertainty of what she might pull, and the nagging worry about his children’s well-being weighed heavily on him.
Victor’s message replayed in his mind. Be prepared; Tania is going to pull everything she can. He had expected this, but knowing it and facing it were two different things. His phone buzzed again, and he picked it up, hoping for a distraction. It was a message from his lawyer, outlining the preparations for the hearing.
As he skimmed through the message, his thoughts drifted to Ella. It had been days since they last spoke, and her silence gnawed at him. He knew she was dealing with her own struggles, facing the fallout of Tania’s web of lies, and he hoped she was holding up. The idea of reaching out crossed his mind, but he hesitated, unsure if she wanted to hear from him right now.
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. He longed for resolution, for the chaos to end so they could all move forward. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to imagine a future where the past was behind them, where he and Ella could co-parent peacefully, and where his children could grow up free from the cloud of deception that had tainted so much of their lives. But that future felt painfully distant, hidden behind layers of betrayal and unfinished business.
Shaking off the thoughts, he focused back on the present. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down. Whatever Tania had planned, he would be ready. For his children’s sake and for his own he would face her and finally put an end to the toxic grip she held over his life.
The rest of the day passed in a tense blur, with Ethan burying himself in work to keep his mind off the coming showdown. But even as he signed documents and made phone calls, his thoughts returned to Ella, wondering if she, too, was bracing herself for what was to come.
That night, as he closed his office and walked out into the city’s chilly evening air, Ethan felt a strange sense of calm. The battle ahead was inevitable, but for the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope.