Chapter 17LOVE OR OBSESSION?RYAN,I wanted to stop.I wanted to do the right thing—to turn away, to focus, to face Emily. But I couldn’t.The obsession had already taken root, wrapping itself around my thoughts like ivy, suffocating every rational decision I tried to make. It wasn’t just curiosity anymore. It was something darker, something that pulled me toward Elena in ways I couldn’t explain.Something that was becoming impossible to ignore.Eddy and I strolled down the hallway after lectures, the usual chatter of students filling the air. Laughter, hurried footsteps, the occasional slam of a locker—it all blurred together into meaningless noise. My mind was elsewhere, trapped in a maze of questions that led back to only one answer: Elena.She had been missing from school for days now, and no one seemed to be talking about it. Professors came and went all the time, but something about her absence didn’t sit right with me. It felt... off. Like a piece of the puzzle had been ripped
Chapter 0018MIND GAMES...ELENA,Becoming Emily’s tutor was not an easy task.I had known from the moment I accepted the position that it wouldn’t be a smooth ride. But I had underestimated just how deep the hostility between us ran.It wasn’t just resentment—it was something more. Something deliberate.Emily had been watching me, studying me, and though I couldn’t prove it, I knew she was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.And yet, I couldn’t understand why.I wasn’t with Ryan. I never had been. It was Ryan who had been obsessed with me, not the other way around. If anything, I had spent the majority of my time pushing him away.So why did Emily seem so fixated on me?The first day of our lessons arrived too soon, and despite my unease, I forced myself to move with confidence. Whatever game Emily was playing, I refused to let her see my doubts.As I stepped into the study hall, a strange hush settled over the room. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long shad
CHAPTER 0019 THE UNVEILING RYAN, Curiosity ate at me—relentless and unshakable. It lingered in my thoughts like a constant hum, refusing to fade. At first, it was just a quiet warning, a voice in the back of my mind telling me to stay away. But the more I ignored it, the stronger it became, growing into an obsession I couldn’t escape. I knew I should have stopped thinking about her. I knew I should have walked away. But no matter how much I tried, it was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her. Every time I tried to focus on something else, her name echoed in my mind, drawing me back into something I had no business being part of. Now, as I gripped the steering wheel, the city outside blurred into streaks of neon lights and shifting shadows. New York stretched endlessly before me—a rush of honking taxis and hurried pedestrians—but none of it mattered. I wasn’t part of that world. My mind was locked on one thing. One person. Elena. I had no reason to go near her
Chapter 0020WEB OF CONTROLEVAN,I knew something was off the moment Mr. Damian requested Elena. There was an edge to his voice, a subtle condescension that grated on my nerves. He made it seem like a favor, as if he were offering her some grand opportunity. But I knew better. This wasn’t about Elena’s skills. It was about proving a point—to me.Mr. Damian had always been difficult, impossible to impress, but I never expected him to seek out Elena personally. The moment I realized why, irritation turned into something darker. He wanted her to tutor his daughter. That was it. Not because he respected her, not because he thought she was better suited for anything beyond this—but because she was convenient.And yet, as much as I resented it, I saw the advantage. If she worked for them, she would be in their home, close enough to hear things I couldn’t. She would have access to conversations, information—leverage. This could be useful. No, it would be useful.The first day of her lessons
Chapter 0021BOUND BY LOVE OR OBSESSION...RYAN,I stood outside her house again. I told myself I wasn’t stalking her, that I wasn’t obsessed, that I wasn’t violating every unspoken rule by standing here in the dark, watching. But deep down, I knew the truth. I had followed her here—just like I had trailed her to work, to the café she always stopped at, to the bookstore she visited on weekends. I had memorized the rhythm of her life, traced the patterns of her existence like an addict chasing a high.I couldn't stay away, no matter how hard I tried. Not after discovering the truth—she was connected to my family, and I needed to know how. Elena was married to my uncle. That knowledge alone had carved something hollow inside me, leaving a raw, gaping wound festering with unanswered questions. What happened to Jonathan? Who was the man she married? Why did she stay? None of it made sense. The Elena I knew—brilliant, strong-willed, passionate—would never allow herself to be trapped. So wh
Chapter 0022TWISTED DEVOTION.RYAN,I barely remembered getting back to my car.One moment, I was inside that house, drowning in the suffocating tension between us, searching—begging—for something in her eyes. A flicker of the past, a crack in her armor, any sign that she wasn’t as indifferent as she pretended to be. That she wasn’t lying to me. That the connection we had wasn’t just an illusion I’d built in my mind.And then, in the next breath, I was outside.The night air hit me like a slap—cold, sharp, cutting through the heat burning beneath my skin. I barely noticed.My fingers curled around the steering wheel, squeezing so tightly that my knuckles ached, the pressure sending sharp jolts of pain up my forearms. My pulse pounded at the base of my skull, a brutal, unrelenting beat that refused to settle. Each breath came too fast, too sharp, pulling in the scent of damp pavement, gasoline, and the faintest trace of her lingering on my skin.I was drowning in it.The scent of her.
Chapter 0023BETRAYAL IN THE DARK.EVAN,I couldn’t shake the shock from my mind. Who the hell was that guy, and why had he rushed to save her? The question burned through me, feeding the fire already raging inside. My fists clenched at my sides, my pulse hammering as I glared at Elena. My breath came in sharp, heated bursts.She brought him here.That realization hit harder than anything. This wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a coincidence. She had brought him—to my house, into my space—as if she had the right."So, you have the audacity to bring your boyfriend into this house?" My voice was low but laced with fury, dripping with venom. "You date children now? And you come here to hurt me?"Elena’s eyes widened, and she took an instinctive step back. I saw it—the flicker of fear in her gaze. A dark satisfaction curled inside me.Good. She should be scared."I—I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.I scoffed, stepping closer, closing the
Chapter 0024SHATTERED VOWS.ELENA,My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. No matter how hard I tried to still them, the tremors wouldn’t go away. My back remained pressed against the cold wall where Evan had cornered me, his fury seared into my mind like a brand I couldn’t erase.The moment his fist slammed into the wall—just inches from my face—something inside me shattered. Fear, raw and unfiltered, coiled in my chest, suffocating me from the inside out. It was as if all the air had been forced out of my lungs, leaving behind nothing but a hollow ache and the echoes of his rage.I had seen Evan angry before. I had seen him reckless, dangerous even. I knew what he was capable of. But tonight was different. Tonight, I saw something in his eyes that I had never seen before. Something dark. Something possessive.I wrapped my arms around myself, struggling to breathe. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out rational thought. He had looked at me like I was his possession, something that b
Chapter 96 FAMILY COURTELENAI never thought I’d set foot in a courtroom again—not after everything I’d been through. But there I was, seated beside Ryan in a cold, echoing chamber that reeked of perfume, arrogance, and rehearsed lies. The polished wood, the artificial light, the judge’s impassive gaze—it all felt like a twisted theater where the truth was only allowed to speak if it wore the right suit.Sasha sat across from me, her strawberry-blonde hair curled to perfection, lips painted in the shade of deception. And Jason—God, Jason—looked smug in his tailored suit, his arm draped behind Sasha as if they were some power couple instead of the pair of vipers they truly were.They weren’t here for justice. They were here to humiliate me.To ruin me.To steal something that never even existed.The judge called the session to order, and I swallowed the dry lump in my throat. My palms were sweaty, but Ryan reached over and held my hand beneath the table, grounding me. His thumb brush
Chapter 95THE MASK FALLSELENAThe house looked different in the daylight. Smaller. Less imposing. But it still held ghosts.My heels clicked against the marble as I stepped into my childhood home. It had been years since I’d last stood inside these walls, and yet the scent of roses and old secrets hadn’t changed. The antique grandfather clock ticked steadily in the hallway, echoing like a countdown.Ryan lingered in the foyer, silent but close. I hadn’t asked him to come. He came anyway. And I needed that—needed him near in case I shattered.“My lady,” the butler said as he approached, eyes wide in surprise. “You’re… you’re here to see Mrs. Sinclair?”“She’s not a Sinclair,” I said, coldly. “She never was.”He swallowed hard and led us to the sunroom.There she was.Lounging in a cream sweater, pale as porcelain, her hair swept back into a tight chignon, sipping Earl Grey like it was any other Wednesday. My stepmother—Caroline.“Elena,” she said warmly, standing as if she’d been wai
Chapter 94UNCLE'S OFFERELENAThe press conference was televised live. Every major network covered it—New York Post, Sinclair Daily, even Morning Sunrise. It wasn’t just a statement. It was a performance.Jonathan Sinclair stood at the podium, flanked by two security guards and a wall of glistening flags behind him. The backdrop of the Sinclair Tower added to the spectacle. His silver hair was impeccably combed back, his bespoke charcoal suit flawless, and his voice—steady, calculated—commanded the room.“To the public, to our shareholders, and most importantly, to my beloved niece, Elena…” His voice dipped lower. “I offer not just an apology, but a promise.”I watched from the living room couch, fists clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white. Ryan stood behind me, pacing like a caged wolf.“I have made grave mistakes,” Jonathan continued. “The death hoax, the manipulation—it ends now. I was a desperate man trying to protect this empire, but in doing so, I forgot what truly matte
Chapter 93THE SILENCE BETWEEN USELENA,The hospital wing was too quiet. Not peaceful—never that—but sterile in a way that felt false. The kind of silence that clung to your skin, made your heartbeat echo like a warning, made every step feel too loud. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, humming a nervous tune, casting sharp shadows on the linoleum floor as I moved slowly down the corridor, my boots clicking like accusations.Everyone had told me not to come.“She’s dangerous, Elena.”“You don’t know if she’s still under Jonathan’s control.”“Let Adrian handle it.”But they didn’t understand.I had to see her.Not for revenge. Not for answers.For closure.Evelyn had once been my closest friend. My confidante. My shadow. The one who brushed my hair back after surgeries, who whispered comfort into the void when I forgot who I was. When I’d lost everything—my sight, my freedom, my sense of self—Evelyn had stayed.Until she didn’t.Until she betrayed me.She had lied to me. Lied so beaut
Chapter 92SAFE ISN’T SAFEELENA, The silence in the safehouse was deceptive. Too perfect. Too still.Even the wind, which howled outside like some long-forgotten spirit, couldn’t penetrate the oppressive quiet that pressed against the walls. I sat upright in bed, every sense on edge. The floor beneath me vibrated with the faintest creaks, the kind old houses made as they settled into themselves—but this wasn’t just an old house. This was supposed to be a fortress. Hidden. Secure. Untouchable.Yet my pulse said otherwise.I pressed a hand against my stomach. The baby—just a whisper of life—rested within me, and already, my instincts were sharper. Louder. Every inch of me screamed that something was wrong. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt watched. Hunted. Like prey in a cage disguised as safety.I slipped on a hoodie, not bothering with shoes, and crept out of the room. The hallway yawned before me, long and dimly lit by a single emergency bulb hanging above. Shadows danced along the
Chapter 91Womb & WarELENA,The weight of the test in my hand was like the weight of the world. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The moment the two pink lines appeared, my vision blurred. I stared at the small strip, numb to the tremor in my fingers, unable to process what it meant.Pregnant.A child.My first instinct was to panic. A baby meant vulnerability—something I couldn’t afford. It meant ties to this world, to Ryan, to the monstrous family that still lurked in the shadows. It meant another complication I didn’t need. But then, amidst the panic, something else stirred—something deeper, something softer. A flutter of hope, or was it dread disguised as it?I pressed the back of my hand to my lips, feeling the burn of unshed tears in my eyes. How could this happen now? How could I possibly bring a child into this chaos, this war?I sank back onto the edge of the bathroom sink, my breath coming in shallow bursts. The darkness outside the window seemed to press in closer, the c
Chapter 90Blood Oaths & BusinessRYAN'SThe boardroom smelled like power—aged mahogany, expensive cologne, and the unspoken stench of betrayal. Ryan stood at the head of the long glass table, every eye on him, most of them cold and calculating. His hands gripped the back of the chair in front of him, knuckles pale against the leather. The Sinclair name was stitched into every corner of this room, from the monogrammed coasters to the gold-embossed folders. But so was the rot his uncle left behind.“I know Jonathan is still pulling strings,” Ryan said, voice calm, controlled. “And I’m done pretending otherwise.”Silence. A single cough from the far end. Then Mr. Caldwell, the CFO, adjusted his tie and narrowed his eyes. “That’s a serious accusation, Mr. Sinclair.”“It’s not an accusation. It’s a statement of fact.”He slid a thin folder across the table. Inside were photos—grainy but clear enough—of Jonathan Sinclair walking into a private residence just weeks ago. Beneath that, survei
Chapter 89The Ghost in Her EyesELENA,The silence after the video ended was louder than any scream. It settled over the room like dust in a tomb—heavy, stale, suffocating. Not even the steady hum of the old cabin's heater could cut through it. All I could hear was the phantom echo of Jonathan's voice: "My perfect heir." The words played on loop, like a dirge inside my skull.Ryan didn’t let go of my hand. His grip was firm, tethering me to the present, but my mind was already unraveling, pulling threads I didn’t know were loose. That girl—the one with eyes like mine and Jonathan’s sharp, predatory posture—she couldn’t be mine. That wasn’t possible. I would have remembered. I would have felt something. Wouldn’t I?But I didn’t. I didn’t remember a pregnancy. I didn’t remember holding a baby. I didn’t remember her.I wasn’t even sure I remembered me.“She looks like him,” I whispered, my voice hollow. “But… there’s something in her eyes. Something I know.”Ryan didn’t respond immediat
Chapter 88Fractures & FlashbacksELENA,The safehouse was too quiet.Nestled deep in the Catskill Mountains, this secluded cabin had been chosen for its obscurity, but all I felt was the suffocating silence that wrapped around me like a shroud. I stood by the frosted window, staring out at the moonlit outline of pine trees. Somewhere, far in the woods, an owl hooted, but I didn’t flinch. I was beyond flinching now.Behind me, the crackling fire in the hearth offered warmth, but it was a false comfort, unable to reach the cold, stillness that had settled deep in my bones. My hands rested on my stomach—flat, still secret. I hadn’t told Ryan yet. I wasn’t even sure if I could.Ryan.He was pacing in the living room, sharp, calculated steps echoing in the stillness. He hadn’t slept in two days, not since we fled the burning hideout. His appearance was a far cry from the immaculate man I had once known. His shirt was half-buttoned, sleeves rolled up in haste, and his hair was a wild mess