When Obsession Wears a Ring
Tessa and Raymond’s marriage was never about love, it was convenience, appearances, and expectations. Raymond, with his conventional charm and striking handsomeness, was admired by everyone, but his heart was never fully hers.
He had always been drawn to Danielle Green. He claimed she was just a friend, but Tessa knew better. Every secret outing, every hidden smile all carved wounds into Tessa’s heart, leaving her feeling invisible in her own marriage.
The tipping point comes when Tessa stumbles upon a post online, a wave of public scolding aimed at her for supposedly breaking the home, for being the obstacle to Danielle. In a blaze of frustration and humiliation, she serves Raymond divorce papers. But instead of freeing her, Raymond refuses. He offers her silly, manipulative terms to meet him, seduces, and taunts her, proving he will never let her go easily.
Fueled by a mix of rage and determination, Tessa begins to reclaim her power. She finds herself drawn into a complicated dynamic with Derek, Raymond’s best friend, a man with his own history of tension with Raymond and secret feelings for Tessa. The attention stirs something in her: attraction, validation, a hint of revenge. It ignites a spark Raymond cannot ignore.
For Raymond, it is only the beginning. The thought of losing her shook him to the core. He begins to fight for her in ways he never has, even as his love twists into jealousy and obsession.
When Raymond finally drops the mask, revealing the man beneath the arrogance, the man terrified of losing her, Tessa is forced to ask herself the question she swore she’d buried:
Can love truly be reborn in the depth of hate, or is his devotion just another chain designed to keep her bound?
Basahin
Chapter: Chapter 35 - It's YouMarcus stared at the photo on his phone, and for a long moment, he couldn’t breathe.It was her. Tessa. The same face he’d watched over coffee, the same laugh he’d memorized in the way it rolled soft and warm across the morning air but now framed in a context he couldn’t escape. Blind spots, shadows. She was married and recently escaped from her husband. There was so much information to consume, things he never dared to imagine about her.He blinked twice, hard, shaking his head like he could wipe away the image, but it refused to disappear. His stomach clenched, hot and tight, curling into knots that seemed impossible to loosen. His chest felt heavy, a weight pressing down, and for the first time that morning, Marcus realized he was shaking.He had never wanted to feel panic in the way he did right now. Not for a stranger. Not for someone he had met, laughed with, and walked home. Heck, he had barely had that much of an interaction with anyone else like he did with Tessa. And yet her
Huling Na-update: 2025-11-07
Chapter: Chapter 34 - Look Who's HereTessa had just dropped the wilted lavender into the bin when she heard a soft knock on the door. She frowned, glancing at the clock. She wasn' expecting any guest. The housekeeper was done cleaning and had already left hours ago.Without giving much thought to it, she crossed the room and opened the door.Marcus stood there, dressed in a black, well-fitted polo and joggers, holding a fresh bunch of lavender. His smile was warm, a little nervous.“Hi,” he said.For a few seconds, she didn’t respond. She was just… looking.“This is weird,” she managed finally. “Hi, Marcus. What are you doing here?”He rubbed the back of his neck, the lavender shifting slightly in his hand.“Uh, I just wanted to drop this with you. I thought tjhat maybe yours might’ve faded by now.Tessa tilted her head. “And you guessed right.”His smile broke, sheepish and warm. “Good. I was hoping that didn’t sound creepy.”“It’s only creepy if you say you’ve been watching me through the window.”“I mean…” He looked u
Huling Na-update: 2025-11-04
Chapter: Chapter 33 - Little GesturesIt was the small gestures that mattered: the way he kept pace with her stride, the way he pointed out a mural painted by teenagers who were not yet famous, the way his voice softened when they crossed a small canal.He didn’t pry so much. There was a carefulness to him that wasn’t about distance but about patience. He watched the way she moved, like someone cataloging beauty rather than hunting it. In return, she noticed curious things about him: the freckle near his ear, the ink smudge on his thumb, the way he hummed under his breath when a saxophone played in a corner.At her door, the walk slowed into a hush. The apartment looked small from the outside, a tall window with chipped paint and a balcony barely big enough for a chair. She hesitated, fingers on the key. In the time he unlocked the door, Marcus found a way to make the moment significant without making a spectacle.“So,” she said, voice low and easy, “are you going to tell me the story behind the pockets’ lavender someday,
Huling Na-update: 2025-10-28
Chapter: Chapter 32 - Lavender Morning“Is there something admirable about the menu?” Tessa turned to face the bearded man leaning closer to her.“Huh?” She raised an eyebrow.“I mean, you’ve been staring at the poor thing for minutes. Ordinarily, I would have let you take your time but my sight is a bit foggy and I need breakfast else I risk fainting.” He made a weird face that sent Tessa over the moon with laughter.He was younger than she first thought, late twenties, maybe early thirties with a loosened scarf and a very expressive face that Tessa found to be quite intriguing.“No,” she said, cheeks warm. “I was just deciding. It’s that intense a choice, apparently.”“You’re in a foreign city. When you’re unsure, order the thing that sounds like the most fun to say,” he said with a small laugh. “I’m Marcus, by the way.”“Tessa,” she answered with a smile, because politeness mattered even when she wanted to retreat into the safety of anonymity.He nodded, like he’d been waiting for a name to attach to the expression he’d
Huling Na-update: 2025-10-28
Chapter: Chapter 31 - I Will Find YouThe first page was dated roughly two years ago. Her handwriting, small, elegant, and impossibly flawless, filled the lines.“He brought me flowers today. Yellow lilies. Said he saw them and thought of me. Maybe things are changing. Maybe this time, I won’t have to keep waiting for him to look at me like I matter.”He swallowed hard and turned the page.“He’s been distant again. I don’t know what I did. Sometimes he comes home and doesn’t speak to me for hours. I sit on the balcony and pretend not to care, but every time I hear footsteps, I hope it’s him coming to find me.”Another page. Another truth.“Danielle called again. He didn’t tell me, but I saw her name flash on his phone. I keep pretending I don’t notice. I keep pretending it doesn’t hurt.”He read until the words blurred. Each page felt like a wound reopening, one he didn’t even know existed. She had written about their mornings, their dinners, the quiet spaces between them and how those spaces grew into walls.And then, ne
Huling Na-update: 2025-10-22
Chapter: Chapter 30 - The JournalRaymond hadn’t slept well in a week. Anytime he closed his eyes, he was faced with scary pictures. The first was a recurring dream of Tessa alone and trapped in a muddled space, crying bitterly. He could see her through what appeared like a maze, but he couldn’t reach her.Morning bled into afternoon and still, there was no word from the man he’d hired. It’s been a week now. He sat in his study, surrounded by scattered papers and a cup of coffee that had gone cold.He had always prided himself on control, control of emotions, control of business, control of outcomes, which was one thing he had picked from his father… But control meant nothing when it came to Tessa.He picked up his phone and dialed her number again. He knew what to expect. His previous attempts had led him straight to voicemail and he had left countless notes. First urgent and demanding, then soft and pleading, then coaxing, then emotional and humbled. He had tried everything just in case she finally got to listen to
Huling Na-update: 2025-10-22
Chapter: A night with a stranger We got to his house faster than I expected and I was a bit pleased to discover that his place was not quite far from mine.His apartment was cozy and tastefully furnished with cream paintings and well decorated walls. The whole place screamed class and the art paintings on the wall said the same too."Welcome to my humble abode." He said, placing enough emphasis on "humble." I laughed quietly and then responded;"Your house is beautiful and trust me, there's nothing humble about this place." I replied and he flashed a smile in return, sat on the cushion and started untying his shoe lace, apparently in a bid to pull it off. "Should I pull mine off as well?" I asked with curiosity."Of course, what were you thinking?" He asked with a stony solid expression. "Oh, Okay." I responded and stared down at my heels. I didn't like waking barefooted but this wasn't my place and I sure wasn't in a place to call the shots. As soon as I bent over in an attempt to unzip the first shoe, he burst ou
Huling Na-update: 2023-05-09
Chapter: A Friend from far away His name was Raymond but he preferred being called 'Ray' by his closest pals because according to him, Ray sounded much more cool and befitting for a handsome hot guy like him.He was also funny, smart, and very thoughtful. We sat in the car for a very long time and while at it, I unburdened my heart to him in a way I had never done with anyone, not even with Catherine. He was very understanding and occasionally rubbed my back gently while I was ranting to him. We took a walk thereafter while he devoted his time to telling me stories that made me laugh so hard like never before. Before long, I was feeling like a different person and there were little or no troubled memories left from the previous event.As we drove home, Ray played Johnny Drille's songs and we sang along at the top of our voices. I found out that we had similar tastes in music and a whole lot of other things. When we got to the driveway that led to our apartment, he stopped the car, turned off the music, and started
Huling Na-update: 2023-04-13
Chapter: Maybe one dayChapter FiveThe voice that came on next was the most melodious I've ever heard. The intense undisguised passion underneath his tone made my eyes water. I was still drooling when Pete called me again, this time, shaking my shoulders a little. "What's wrong with you Aurora?" He asked with a stern face and a very low voice that I could barely hear. "I don't understand Pete, what are you trying to say?" I asked with all innocence. Next thing I knew, I was being dragged out of the hall like a child, and with my super uncomfortable heels, I struggled to maintain my balance when he finally let go. "What's the meaning of this, Pete?" I asked with anger written all over my face. As far as I was concerned, the only thing I did wrong was admiring a hot guy with a nice voice which was not wrong at all compared to what Pete did the ladies on campus. "You slut! How dare you embarrass me in front of everybody." Pete snapped angrily. The right response eluded me and I stood staring helplessly an
Huling Na-update: 2023-04-08
Chapter: It Looks a Lot Like LoveThe only thoughts in my head were those of Pete and how he was going to lose both balance and focus the minute he sets his eyes on me. I had a lacy red slightly below the bum insanely hot dress on with very high silver stiletto heels and of course, lots of silver accessories. Catherine did my makeup as she insisted that I needed to own the show and in her own words, show Pete exactly what he would have missed with his cowardice." I couldn't fathom how she was so quick to attribute Pete's actions to cowardice not like I was going to challenge the statement because, yunno my flawless face-beat was not something I was willing to risk over Catherine's extremely wild temper. "Now turn around and tell me what you see girl," She said while swirling my chair around to face the mirror. To say I was speechless was an understatement, the face that stared back at me was not mine. A few drops of tears fell before I could hold them in. This was the closest I've ever been to perfection. "Do I se
Huling Na-update: 2023-04-04
Chapter: A glimpse of sorrowChapter Three.The weekend came so fast with me seeing less of Pete and less of Mr. Stranger. Pete did a good job of avoiding me the few times I saw him in school. He never called me, when I called, it went straight to voicemail which he never responded to. I pretended to be okay about it at first but deep down, I was starting to get worried. I knew he was eventually leaving me for good this time. We've had a few brawls in the past but none has ever left such an indelible mark on me. The experience I had this past week was one I would never forget in a hurry. The trauma alone... Oh God!"I have to call him," I said out loud and before I could allow my head to process the thought, I was already dialing his number."Please pick up Pete" I was pacing up and down my small room while my heart keep thumping loud, threatening to fall off my chest. First, second, and third ring and there was no response. My feelings were clouded with intensified thoughts of losing him.Catherine pushed op
Huling Na-update: 2023-01-13
Chapter: It takes two to play the gameChapter TwoI can’t imagine how we managed to reach safely in one piece after that insane episode of ‘reckless driving with Pete.' If there was something worse than a terrible driver, that would be Pete. He had zero understanding of road signals and whenever I try pointing it out to him, I was sure to be slandered by him. Correcting him was pointless so I made sure to stay in my lane and avoid having a verbal battle with him.‘Okay, we are here now?’ he said with a straight face ‘Are you not going to get the door' I asked innocently. ‘Get the door for you? Do you not have hands my darling? He asked with a stern face and deep tone laced with anger.‘Okay, let’s not make this an issue. You are upset so how about we talk about whatever it is later after my test.’ I tried kissing him but he quickly turned away his face. ‘See ya later Aurora and thanks for the ride, Pete.' Catherine said and hopped out of the car almost immediately. I should have followed suit but I figured I should fi
Huling Na-update: 2023-01-06
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