Within Temptation

Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N: Hey all! I've been super busy with things. But, I just wanted to give you all something to read and move the story along a little. :)

Thanks so much for reading & enjoy!

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Within Temptation- Chapter Twenty-Two

"I don't deserve it? Ha, we'll see about that" Katherine commented, her hand opening the door as she took a step out into the hallway. But was stopped when she heard Stefan's voice.

"Why do you want my company so badly, Katherine! Just tell me the truth, for once in your life. Tell me that-." Stefan began to say as Katherine pivoted on her heels and turned back around to face him once again, stepping back into his room and shutting the door behind her.

"You want the truth? Fine, I'll be completely honest with you and tell you the truth. I slept with Mason Lockwood when we were together and I had a son. I got pregnant with another man's child, Stefan. That's why I faked my own kidnapping, made everyone believe that I was dead because I couldn't face you and tell you that instead of being the loyal wife that you deserve. That, I screwed up again, that I have a weakness for very powerful men and because of it, everyone around me suffers. I want your company because I want to leave something behind one day for my son to have and I want to move on with my life, from the mess that I've made, I want to come clean about it all. You're right, I don't deserve it one bit. But, my son deserves a future and needs to be well taken care by his mother, at least I can do something right- for him." She explained to him, watching as he stood near the door, his face contorting into a scowl as tears began to run down Katherine's cheeks.

"I should have known that you were up to no good. Why Mason Lockwood though? Why wasn't I not good enough for you? Was it because Elijah and Mason, promised you way more things than I ever could? I worked day and night, I worked relentlessly to make us work and this is how you repay me? By, cheating on me- not with just one guy- But, two. I'm sorry, Katherine. I really am. But, that won't change my answer. I'm not giving you a dime and even if I did hand you over Dasells, I know for a fact that the company would go belly up within a few years time. Because, you'd be careless with it. Just like you are with everything else in your life. All you care about is yourself!" He shouted at her, rubbing his face over his hands vigorously as he exhaled deeply and watched her cross her arms over her chest.

"You are wrong. I care about my son and I cared about you, Stefan. I did..We just- you worked too much and I hated it. It was like we were living in two different worlds, completely. I loved you once, I won't deny that. I want you to know that I did...I really did and I thought we would make it, that we could make it. But, it wasn't you, Stefan. It was me, I was the problem...I've always wanted more than you could give me..." Her voice trailed off as she wiped away the tears from her rosy cheeks and inhaled sharply when Stefan asked her a question, a demanding tone in his voice.

"Does Mason know that he has a son? Are you sure the child is even his or have you been trying to pass him off as mine?" Stefan asked her, his eyes locked on to Katherine's face. He could sense the fear in her voice when she cleared her throat and spoke. "He has no idea that Ethan is his child. I never got the chance to tell him, and I don't plan on telling him. Ethan's just fine living without a father figure in his life, Stefan. He doesn't need that. He just needs a mom, who will stop at nothing to give him the life he deserves. That is all I want, Stefan. All I want is for him to be looked after, if something were to ever happen to me. I want to fix my wrongs by him." Katherine explained, watching Stefan's face soften a little as he smiled at her and exhaled deeply.

"You want me to just hand over my company to you after everything you've done to me, because you suddenly feel you want to be a decent person? Katherine, I know that you're trying to be all motherly now. And, I get it. I do. You hid out, you lied and cheated about everything to everyone and now, once you had a baby, you have a need to feel responsible. I get it. However, you've done nothing to show me that you actually deserve a part of Dasell's. I'm sorry. But, once I divorce you, I'm making sure that you only get what you're entitled too, absolutely nothing more than that." Stefan commented, watching Katherine inhale a deep breath as she turned back towards the front door of his bedroom, opening the door with tears in her eyes.