Chapter 20 Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Chapter 20
Lena’s apartment was unnaturally quiet for such a late hour, the kind of silence that pressed against the ears and made every breath feel loud.

She stood near the entrance to the living room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her posture was rigid, spine straight, chin lifted in defiance. Every muscle in her body felt coiled and alert as she stared at Bella, who stood a few steps inside the apartment like she had every right to be there.

Lena did not move.

She did not offer a seat.

She did not gesture toward the couch.

She did not even blink.

The tension between them thickened, heavy and suffocating, stretching the space until it felt smaller than it was. Lena refused to shift her stance or soften her expression. 

Internally, she was hyperaware of everything—Bella’s breathing, the way her heels rested on the floor, the faint smell of perfume lingering in the air.

She would not give this woman even a second of visible discomfort or weakness.

Bella broke the silence with a short, amused chuckle.

“You’re not going to offer me a seat?” she asked, lifting a brow as she took another deliberate step farther inside, deliberately invading Lena’s space. “Or should I just stand here all night?”

Lena scoffed openly.

“There’s no need,” she replied coolly, her lips curling with disdain. “You won’t be staying long enough to get comfortable.”

Bella waved a dismissive hand as if the comment hadn’t landed. A smug smirk settled onto her face, slow and calculated.

“I didn’t come for pleasantries,” Bella said. Her voice sharpened slightly. “What I have to say is far more important than sitting down anyway.”

Lena exhaled sharply, impatience flashing across her face despite her restraint.

“Then say it,” she said flatly. “And leave my house immediately.”

Bella’s smile widened.

She tilted her head, studying Lena with open curiosity, like someone examining a puzzle they already believed they had solved.

“I know what’s been happening between you and Adrian,” Bella said.

Lena didn’t react.

Bella continued, her tone smug and accusatory, jealousy threaded through every word. “You conveniently reinserted yourself into his life after the divorce. You’ve been circling him, reminding him of what he lost. And now suddenly, I’m the problem?”

Lena’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk.

She shook her head slightly, more amused than offended. “You’re funny,” she said calmly. “This? This is just you getting a taste of your own medicine.”

Bella stiffened.

Lena’s voice remained steady as she continued. “You barged into my life once. You interfered in my marriage. You played a role in tearing it apart. And now you’re shocked that the tables have turned?”

For a brief moment, Bella’s expression darkened. Her jaw tightened, irritation flashing across her face before she smoothed it over with a practiced smile.

“Adrian was always mine,” Bella said sharply. “You were just a placeholder. Someone he settled for until I was ready.”

Lena laughed—an open, genuine laugh that echoed lightly in the room.

She shook her head in disbelief. “You really believe that, don’t you?” she said. “Adrian is not a prize. He’s not property. And he’s certainly not something to be claimed.”

Bella’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“If I hadn’t stepped aside back then,” Bella snapped, “you would never have married him.”

She leaned forward slightly, her voice lowering as she began to hint at intimate details meant purely to provoke. “And you would never have tasted his dick…”

Lena cut her off immediately with a mocking laugh.

“No,” she said firmly. “We’re not doing that. Whatever you think you’re trying to prove, it’s not working.”

She met Bella’s stare head-on. “There is nothing happening between me and Adrian.”

Bella crossed her arms tightly, refusing to retreat. “You still want him,” she insisted. “You still have feelings for him.”

Lena rolled her eyes.

“Caring doesn’t equal wanting,” she replied coolly. “My intentions aren’t romantic. They’re corrective.”

Bella’s jaw clenched.

“You disrupted my life,” Lena continued evenly. “I returned the favor. That’s all.”

Bella forced another smile, brittle and tight.

“Since you think you’re so smart,” she said, “let me enlighten you.”

Lena arched an eyebrow, feigning interest. She gestured casually with one hand. “Go on.”

Bella stepped closer, lowering her voice dramatically. “I’m pregnant.”

The words landed like a dropped glass.

For just a second, Lena’s composure cracked. Shock flickered across her face—quick, involuntary. Then it vanished.

She replaced it with a neutral, almost bored smile.

“Oh,” Lena said flatly. “Congratulations.”

Bella blinked. “That’s it?”

Lena shrugged. “I wish you luck.”

The lack of reaction clearly irritated Bella.

“So you don’t care?” she demanded sharply.

“No,” Lena said simply. “I don’t. I’m only just having fun with him. Nothing serious.”

She walked toward the door, opening it and stepping aside. “Leave.”

Bella glared at her, fists trembling. “This isn’t over.”

Lena raised an eyebrow. “Believe whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Bella stormed out. Lena slammed the door behind her.

Alone, Lena leaned back against it, closing her eyes as she exhaled deeply.

Pregnant?

The word echoed in her mind, but she refused to dwell on it.

She straightened, steadying herself.

She would not let Bella see doubt, fear or hesitation.

The following morning, light filled Adrian’s kitchen.

He sat at the table, staring down at his untouched coffee. His shoulders sagged under the weight of the last month, his posture heavy with exhaustion.

Bella’s claim. Lena’s face. Milo’s innocent trust.

Mavin’s words echoed in his head. “You need certainty.”

Adrian picked up his phone, He hesitated for just a moment before making a call.

Meanwhile at Bella’s Apartment, Bella lounged on her couch, flipping through a magazine, a satisfied smirk on her lips.

When Adrian’s name appeared on her phone, her smile widened.

She answered, sounding so sweet. “Oh baby, you finally called after a while. Do you already miss me?”

“We’re going to the hospital,” Adrian said coldly, going straight to the point. “11 o’clock.”

Panic flashed across her face as she sat up properly on her couch.

“Is that really necessary?” she asked quickly.

“Yes,” he cut in. “Be ready.”

Without saying anything else, the call ended.

Bella stared at her phone, her confidence evaporated.

She immediately stood up and began pacing, checking the clock to see it’s almost the time he mentioned, then grabbed her phone again to make another call.

“I need to see you,” she whispered urgently before hanging up.

Standing before the mirror, she smoothed her hair.

“I won’t let him ruin this,” she muttered as her eyes hardened with determination.