His Lovable Klutz (Completed)

Segment Seventy.

♥ Curiosity Killed The Cat ♥

      "You can walk?!"

      Stefan's voice boomed across the room, echoing off the marble floors and the high, vaulted ceilings. His eyes were wide with shock, disbelief mingling with the deep well of anger that had been festering inside him. His gaze locked on Tessa.

      "Stefan, please, let me explain—" Tessa began, her voice shaky, her hand reaching out toward him as if to offer some kind of comfort, but Stefan recoiled as though her touch was poison.

      "Don't touch me!" Stefan yelled, stepping back, his chest heaving with the force of his rage. "You've been lying to me this whole time, Tessa?"

      Tessa's hand dropped to her side, and her eyes filled with tears as she saw the fury in Stefan’s expression. "I—I didn't mean for it to go this far. I just—"

      "Bullshit! Don't give me that!" Stefan cut her off, his voice sharp as a blade. "Tell me the truth, Tessa! All of it, right now!"

      Tessa's shoulders slumped as she realized there was no escape, no more room for the lies she had built around herself.

      "I did have an accident, Stefan. But it wasn't as severe as I made it out to be. I… I paid Dr. Miller to fake his report, to say that I couldn't walk. I just wanted to be close to you, Stefan. I missed you so much, and I thought that if you were around, if you were taking care of me, you'd remember what we had…"

      Stefan stared at her, his face twisted in disbelief and disgust. "You made me believe that you couldn't walk just so you could manipulate me into spending time with you? You're unbelievable, Tessa. Do you have any idea what you've done?"

      Tessa's voice quivered with desperation. "I'm sorry, Stefan, I just—"

      "Sorry? You're sorry?" Stefan's tone dripped with bitterness. "Do you know what your little game has cost me? I've been trying to help you, out of guilt, out of some twisted sense of responsibility, and all the while, you've been playing me for a fool. My relationship with Coby is hanging by a thread because of you! She's the woman I love, the mother of my child, and you've been sabotaging that with your lies!"

      Tessa took a step closer, her eyes pleading. "Stefan, I love you. I've never stopped loving you. I know I messed up in the past, but I'm different now. I want to make things right between us. We can start over, I'll do whatever it takes—"

      "Start over?" Stefan snapped, his anger flaring anew. "You think I want anything to do with you after this? I love Coby, Tessa. Deeply. She's everything to me. She's carrying my child, she's been by my side through everything, supporting me, helping me heal. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me, and you—you've tried to destroy that."

      Tessa's face crumpled as she tried to keep the tears from spilling over. "I can change, Stefan. I swear, I can be different. I'll even accept your child—our child—if it means you'll give me another chance. I just can't let you go."

      Stefan's eyes narrowed, the fury in his gaze like ice. "You're a manipulative bitch, Tessa. You don't care about anyone but yourself. You've been using everyone around you to get what you want, and I'm done with it. I'm done with you."

      He turned to leave, his mind already racing with the thought of getting away from her, of running back to Coby and making things right. But Tessa wasn't ready to let him go. She lunged forward, grabbing his hand.

      "Please, Stefan, don't leave me!"

      Stefan yanked his hand out of her grasp, shoving her away with a force that sent her stumbling back onto the couch.

      "Don’t touch me!" he roared, his voice filled with a cold fury that left Tessa stunned.

      Without another word, Stefan stormed toward the door, his mind filled with the overwhelming need to escape. But Tessa scrambled to her feet, running after him, her voice filled with desperation.

      "Stefan, please, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

      Stefan didn't stop, didn't even slow down as he threw the door open and stepped outside. He was nearly to his car when he heard Tessa's footsteps behind him, heard her calling out his name, her voice thick with tears.

      And then, from across the street, another voice pierced the air.

      "Stefan!"

      It was Coby.

      Stefan froze, his head snapping toward the sound of her voice. His heart lurched in his chest as he saw her standing on the other side of the street, looking at him with wide, confused eyes. She took a step forward, her voice carrying over the distance as she called his name again.

      But before she could take another step, the screech of tires filled the air, followed by a sickening thud. The world seemed to slow down, the sounds of the city fading away as Stefan watched, his heart plummeting into his stomach.

      Coby was lying on the asphalt, her body twisted in an unnatural position, blood pooling beneath her. The cab that had hit her had skidded to a stop a few feet away, the driver already leaping out, his face ashen with shock.

      "No!" Stefan's voice tore from his throat, raw and filled with agony as he ran toward her, the world around him blurring into nothingness. "Coby! Coby!"

      He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands trembling as he lifted her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. Her face was pale, her breaths coming in shallow, ragged gasps, and her eyes fluttered weakly as she looked up at him.

      "Coby, please, stay with me," Stefan begged, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. "I'm so sorry, baby, I'm so sorry. Coby look at me. I love you. I love you, I can't lose you. I can't live without you."

      Coby's vision was fading, the edges of the world growing darker, but she managed to smile, a weak, pained smile that broke Stefan's heart all over again.

      "You… love me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

      "Yes, Coby, I love you," Stefan said, his voice desperate, pleading. "I love you so much, Coby Cooper, I need you to stay with me, please."

      Coby's smile widened, just a fraction, as she looked up at him, her vision blurring as the sounds around her began to fade, Stefan's words echoing in her mind, growing fainter and fainter until they were nothing more than a distant hum.

      And then, everything went pitch black.

      To Be Continued...