The Spiteful Bride, Marry to Rival's Son-Chapter 100

SOMETHING SHE NEVER EXPECTED

The flight was long but smooth. By the time Stefan’s private jet touched down, Mia was already half-asleep on his shoulder. The moment they checked into the hotel, they didn’t even talk...... they went straight to bed.

The day had been heavy. The air, the new city. Sleep came fast.

When Mia finally woke, the sun was sliding across the sky. She sat up to stretch but noticed Stefan wasn’t in bed again. It was becoming like an habit. A second later, he walked out from the balcony, shirt unbuttoned, holding two mugs of warm tea.

"Good. You’re up," he said with a soft smile. "We have somewhere to be."

Mia raised a brow. "Already?"

He nodded and handed her a mug. "Let’s get ready."

She dressed comfortably, thinking it was probably a quick stop to meet someone—or maybe tour an enterprise like they discussed. But when they pulled up in front of a luxurious jewelry store, Mia frowned slightly.

"Jewelry?" she asked, turning to Stefan. "I already have enough."

"I know," he said with a playful shrug. "But I want to do something special. For you."

She opened her mouth to protest again but stopped. The way he looked at her, gentle and sincere.....it melted the resistance in her chest. So she just nodded and followed him inside.

He picked pieces himself, asking her opinions, slipping a delicate bracelet on her wrist like he’d done it a thousand times. Every gesture was careful, thoughtful. It wasn’t about the gold or diamonds.... it was about the way he watched her, like she was the only sparkle he needed.

After that, he drove her to a high-end clothing store.

"You’ll end up spoiling me," Mia teased as she tried on a flowy dress.

"You deserve it," he said simply.

But what caught her completely off guard was when Stefan slowed down in front of a baby store on their way out.

Mia blinked. "Why are we stopping here?"

He didn’t say anything right away. His eyes were fixed on the small display, tiny socks, little hats, pastel-colored onesies.

Then, quietly, he said, "I’d love for us to have a child someday." Her chest squeezed at the softness in his voice. He looked at her, half smiling.

"So... how’s the baby doing?" he joked, glancing at her stomach.

During her kidnapping they’d fooled everyone into believing she was pregnant. Till now, most blogs still post about it.

Some say it’s because of her stature, others insinuated she had a miscarriage. But Mia didn’t care what they all thought, all that matters was that the message was passed successfully has expected.

She let out a surprised laugh, playing along. She placed her hand on her flat belly and said, "The baby’s doing well."

They both laughed, the moment light and oddly sweet.

But not far off, across the mall, two men stood quietly behind, sunglasses on and phones pressed to their ears.

"She’s picking baby clothes," one of them reported. "Both of them. Smiling and laughing."

Samuel’s voice crackled through the phone. "That’s enough. Head back."

Stefan, from the far end, had already noticed them. His eyes caught the flicker of movement, the too-casual posture of two men trying too hard not to be seen.

Mia noticed the change in him immediately. She followed his gaze.

"We’re being watched, aren’t we?" she asked softly, her voice low.

He nodded once. "Never expected less from either of them"

They were walking toward another section of the building, Stefan holding Mia’s hand, when she suddenly paused in the hallway.

He stopped too, turning back to look at her.

Mia didn’t mean to say it out loud..... it just slipped out.

"That talk... about wanting a baby... was it just because you knew we were being watched?" Her voice was quiet, unsure, almost guarded.

Stefan looked at her for a second, then stepped closer, gently cupping her face in both hands. His eyes locked with hers..... serious and steady. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"No," he said. "I was dead serious, Mia."

"I want that life with you. A family. A home. Not because of who’s watching or what’s expected. Because I want you in every way."

Butterflies exploded in her stomach. She hadn’t expected such a clear, honest answer. His words made her heart swell in a way she hadn’t prepared for.

He kissed her forehead softly, then whispered, "Now come on. I want to introduce you to someone important."

Still recovering from the moment, she nodded and followed him.

They stopped in front of a door marked private. Stefan opened it and led her inside.

The room was quiet, elegant, and smelled faintly of rich leather and cologne. It wasn’t flashy, but everything inside.... from the shelves lined with thick law books to the framed accolades..... spoke of quiet power.

Sitting behind a large desk was a man in his late fifties, maybe early sixties. He had salt-and-pepper hair, sharp features, and an expression that said he had seen it all and still wasn’t impressed. Yet when he saw Mia, his expression softened a little.

Stefan nodded toward him.

"Mia, meet Mr. Arnold Weston."

Mia stepped forward politely and greeted him. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir."

He gave a small smile and motioned toward the seat in front of him. "Likewise. I’ve heard a lot about you."

Mia sat, a little surprised but composed.

As they spoke, she slowly realized who he was.... one of the biggest shareholders in a top U.S. law firm. The kind of man people only talked about in business whispers. The kind of man who didn’t show up unless it mattered.

And here she was, sitting across from him.

Not just as Stefan’s wife. But as his partner. And she has never been more proud of herself.

The meeting with Mr. Weston had gone better than Mia could have imagined. He was sharp but kind, thoughtful in his words. They didn’t just talk business.... they talked visions, dreams, strategy. And before they left, he promised to be in touch again soon.

The entire drive back to the hotel felt unreal.

Only four more signatures, and the foundation of MSS’s future would be locked in place.

Everything was falling into place ..... perfectly.

When they got back to their suite, the sun had already begun its descent behind the city. Mia kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the couch, stretching her arms above her head as Stefan checked his phone.

He turned to her after a moment. "I have to head out."

She blinked, surprised. "Now?"

"Just for a bit," he said. "Another potential associate wants to meet. Short notice, but I want to hear what he has to say. I’ll be back before midnight."

Mia gave a small nod. "Okay. Be careful."

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Then he was gone.

Mia spent the next few hours going through emails, checking in with Elena and Mose, and reviewing the partnership files. At some point, she made tea, sat by the window, and tried to calm the nervous flutter she couldn’t explain.

Stefan was always on time. Always. But now, the clock read 12:47 a.m.

And he still wasn’t back. She tried his number again. Still nothing. Not even a ring.

Her heart thudded a little louder.

She stood up, paced. Checked the window. Sat down again. Then stood once more.

Maybe he’s just delayed... maybe it’s traffic... or a longer meeting.

But even as she told herself that, it didn’t sit right. Stefan didn’t just not check in. Especially not with her. She went through their last chat which was hours ago, him informing her he had gotten to his destination. Then nothing.

Just as she reached for her phone again, it buzzed with a soft beep.... a new message.

Mia’s breath caught. She rushed to it, opening the screen quickly, thinking maybe it was him explaining everything.

But what was staring at her was something she never expected.