The following morning, Fabian sat by his window, sipping his coffee as he gazed out at the bustling city. He’d stayed up half the night, replaying the encounter with Tania in his mind, her calculated demeanor clashing with his growing need to sever all ties. He was through being her puppet-no more of her manipulation. All he wanted now was to move forward, maybe even try to be a part of Grace’s life.
Just as he was lost in thought, a knock sounded at his door. Setting his mug down, he exhaled deeply, hoping it wasn’t Tania. He wasn’t in the mood for another confrontation. But as he opened the door, he found Fred, looking both nervous and persistent.
“Fred,” Fabian greeted with an exasperated sigh. “What now?”
Fred shifted his weight, his face tense as he stepped forward. “It’s about Grace.”
Fabian’s jaw tightened. “I already told Tania I’m done. I’m not killing Derek or doing any more of her dirty work. If she’s trying to send a message, tell her it didn’t work.”
Fred shook his head, putting his hands up. “It’s not about Tania’s orders this time,” he replied, his voice lowering. “I need to know… is it true? About Grace? Is she your child?”
Fabian paused, caught off guard by the question. Fred, seeing the flicker of doubt, pressed on. “I heard Tania talk about Grace once when she didn’t know I was listening. The way she was talking… it just made me think.”
Fabian’s expression hardened, but he was torn between telling Fred the truth and keeping Tania’s secrets out of loyalty to his own conscience. At last, he took a steady breath and nodded slowly.
“Yes, Fred. Grace is my daughter.”
Fabian sighed, gesturing for Fred to come inside. He closed the door and led him to the small, dimly lit living room where the remains of last night’s whiskey bottle sat on the table. Fred took a seat, looking at Fabian with a mixture of curiosity and unease. Fabian hesitated, but then he leaned forward, folding his hands tightly together.
“You’re right to wonder, Fred. Tania’s always been… complicated. She and I had this twisted, on-again, off-again thing going for years. I met her before she was married to Ethan, before any of this mess.” He paused, his voice rough with the weight of years. “But she always kept me at a distance, manipulating me one moment, then drawing me back in with promises she never kept. It was like she needed me, but only when it suited her.”
Fred listened intently, leaning in as Fabian continued. “When she hired me to… to eliminate Ella, I thought I could handle it. I didn’t know Ella. She was just another target back then.” He paused, his expression tightening as he recalled those moments. “But then, the more I watched her, the more I got to know her she wasn’t who Tania made her out to be. She was strong, vulnerable, and completely devoted to her children. And somehow, I couldn’t go through with it. I fell in love with her, Fred. I fell for the woman I was supposed to kill.”
Fred’s face softened with a mix of surprise and sympathy, but Fabian pushed on, his tone hardening as memories surfaced. “When I found out Grace was mine… it wasn’t because Tania told me. No, she kept that a secret for as long as she could, probably hoping I’d never know. But I pieced it together. The timing, the way she’d look at Grace. I confronted her, and she admitted it. She didn’t even flinch. And then she told me that if I ever wanted a part in Grace’s life, I’d have to keep working for her, doing her bidding like some trained animal.”
Fabian’s hands clenched, his knuckles white. “You don’t know the half of what she’s done, Fred. After one of our failed jobs-Crystal and I were supposed to ‘send Ella a message’ by going after her kids. We failed, thankfully. I couldn’t bring myself to hurt them, and Crystal was too soft for the job anyway. We tried to back out. That’s when Tania drugged me. She… she used me, took away my choice. And it was all just to keep me on her leash, to make sure I had no way out, no way of escaping her hold.”
Fred’s eyes widened with shock and horror, but Fabian didn’t look up. He was staring at the floor, his face etched with regret and bitterness. “She doesn’t care about Grace, not in the way a mother should. She sees her as a pawn, another weapon she can use to get what she wants. And me? I’m nothing more than a tool to her. She has this power over people, making them believe they owe her something or are indebted to her for life. But it’s all a game to her, a game she always has to win.”
Fred swallowed hard, absorbing every word. “So… what now? You said you’re done, but do you think she’ll really let you walk away?”
Fabian shook his head, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “No. She won’t let go easily. She’ll try to use Grace, try to lure me back in. But I can’t do it anymore. For the first time, I want to make decisions that don’t revolve around Tania or her schemes. I want to be there for Grace, even if it means starting over, even if I have to fight her in court for a chance to be in my daughter’s life.”
Fred leaned back, his expression thoughtful as he mulled over Fabian’s words. “Do you think… do you think she’ll come after you if you try to get custody?”
A shadow passed over Fabian’s face, and he let out a mirthless laugh. “She’ll try to ruin me. She’ll twist every truth, every moment of weakness. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that Tania only has as much power as we give her. She’s ruthless, yes, but she’s also deeply afraid of losing control. And that fear… that’s her weakness.”
Fred nodded, looking more resolved than Fabian had ever seen him. “Maybe it’s time we stop letting her dictate everything. She can’t keep everyone under her thumb forever.”
Fabian met Fred’s gaze, a spark of hope igniting within him. For once, he wasn’t alone in his struggle. He had someone who understood the weight of Tania’s influence, someone willing to help break her hold. Taking a deep breath, he allowed himself a glimmer of optimism.
“Then let’s do it, Fred. Let’s start taking back our lives.”