Chapter 4 ~ Obsessed

Jeslyn stood in front of the luxurious hotel where Leonel was staying. Her steps felt heavy, as if each stride toward the lobby brought her closer to ruin. It was eight twenty. She knew Leonel was already waiting.

At first, she truly hadn't wanted to come. Fear, shame, and anger had swirled inside her, nearly making her cancel countless times. But the echo of Leonel’s last message haunted her. His threat was too real to ignore.

Jeslyn couldn’t imagine what would happen if that photo got out. It wouldn’t just destroy her—it would destroy her entire family. Even though Jefran had cheated on her, there was no physical proof. But her? A scandal suggesting she had slept with her fiancé’s brother? That would be an unforgivable disaster.

With trembling breaths, she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to the top floor.

“Calm down, Jesse. You can face this and get it over with,” she whispered, taking deep breaths in and out, over and over again.

Ding!

The elevator doors slid open. With a weighted step, she walked out and headed toward the room where Leonel was waiting.

Standing before the door, Jeslyn hesitated. Her hands trembled. Was what she was about to do right or wrong?

“Come on, Jesse. You can do this!” she urged herself. At last, she forced herself to knock on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The door opened shortly after. Leonel stood in the doorway, dressed in a loose shirt and casual pants, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Twenty minutes late, huh?” he said, glancing at his wristwatch. “But I understand. You were probably busy wrestling with your conscience.”

“Is this how we're going to talk?” Jeslyn replied with a cold tone.

“Come in. Yesterday, you didn’t seem hesitant to come into my room,” he teased, making Jeslyn scoff in irritation and embarrassment.

Leonel closed the door after Jeslyn stepped inside. She stood awkwardly, not knowing where to begin.

“Huh?” Jeslyn gasped as Leonel suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“What the hell are you doing? You’re insane!” she cried, quickly pulling away and turning to face him, her eyes blazing with fury.

“Insane?” Leonel chuckled, crossing his arms. “I just missed my woman.”

“I am not your woman. I’m not yours!” she snapped.

“Really? Wasn’t I your first? And didn’t you tell me never to turn away from you?” Leonel took a step forward, and Jeslyn backed away cautiously until he grabbed her arm, halting her retreat.

“I marked your body, Jeslyn. You belong to me now,” he said with firm conviction.

“What do you want from me, Mr. Leonel? What happened that night—it was clearly a mistake. I was drunk,” Jeslyn said.

“But you remember everything, don’t you? You even enjoyed it,” Leonel replied smoothly. “A mistake? Fine, if you want to call it that. But wasn’t it the most beautiful mistake you’ve ever made? I certainly loved it.”

A smirk played on his lips. His sharp gaze made Jeslyn’s heart pound, whether from fear or intimidation, she couldn’t tell. All she knew was that she was incredibly nervous.

Jeslyn yanked her wrist free from his grip.

“I didn’t come here to listen to your nonsense,” she said sharply. “I came here because I don’t want you to ruin my life… or your brother’s.”

Leonel’s expression shifted, a touch more serious, though the smile didn’t fade entirely.

“I don’t intend to ruin anything,” he said calmly. “I just want to make sure you don’t pretend that night never happened. Because to me, it was more than just a drunken mistake.”

Jeslyn closed her eyes briefly, trying to steady herself. Her heart ached. She hated herself for the way her body still remembered that night, the way it had responded to his touch. But that wasn’t love. It wasn’t desire. It was a trap—a snare that now tightened around her neck.

“Leonel…” Jeslyn opened her eyes, staring at him directly. “I don’t love you. I’m going to marry Jefran. Whatever you think happened between us—it wasn’t real!”

“Ah, but sadly…” Leonel placed a hand on his chest, feigning hurt, “it was very real to me. And you know what’s worse? You can erase it all with one word—unreal—while I… I can still smell your hair on my pillow this morning.”

Jeslyn held her breath, her body tensing.

“You’re insane,” she whispered.

Leonel gave a small smile and walked over to the small table by the bed, picking up his phone. He turned the screen toward her, showing a saved file labeled: Jeslyn – That Night.

“No!” Jeslyn lunged forward, trying to grab the phone, but Leonel quickly lifted it out of reach.

“I won’t send it… as long as you stay mine.”

Jeslyn froze. Her chest rose and fell, breath uneven.

“You… you want to keep me hostage forever?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“If that’s the only way to keep you with me, then yes,” Leonel said, eyes locked on hers. “You can hate me. You can slap me, scream at me every day. But you’ll still be mine, Jeslyn. I’m not letting you go.”

Jeslyn stepped back slowly, her fists clenched at her sides. For the first time in her life, she felt like a puppet—strung up by invisible threads of guilt, fear… and blackmail.

“Why are you so afraid anyway? Jefran cheated on you too. At his own engagement party, no less—he kissed another woman. So why not do the same? Make me your affair. I don’t mind being second,” Leonel said casually, brushing a strand of her hair. “As long as I’m the only one who gets to kiss you… and sleep with you. No other man is allowed to touch you!” he growled, his tone dark and possessive.

Jeslyn swatted his hand away, this time harder.

“You’re seriously messed up,” she spat, her voice low but fierce. “If you think I’ll make you my affair, you’re gravely mistaken. I don’t belong to anyone—not even you!”

Leonel stepped closer, but Jeslyn didn’t back away. She stood tall, even though her knees were weak and her heart thundered.

“I may have made a huge mistake that night, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you control me forever,” she said, her eyes burning. “I don’t regret the night itself—I regret trusting you. I thought you still had some humanity left. But you’re nothing more than a predator.”

Leonel exhaled slowly. His gaze darkened, as if a shadow had fallen over his face.

“So what now? You want to leave? Call the cops? Go ahead. But you know the risk if those photos and videos get out. You know what’ll happen to your reputation… and to Jefran,” he said with a sly smile. “He’ll be ruined. Not just as your fiancé—but as a man betrayed by his own brother.”

His words struck Jeslyn like a whip. She bit her lower lip, holding back a scream.

But beneath the fear, courage began to rise. She realized that Leonel only had power over her because she let him. If she kept living in fear, she’d always be his puppet.

“I’ll leave tonight. But not because I’m giving in. I need time… to think,” Jeslyn said, her voice steady. She met his eyes with a fierce determination she had never shown before. “You can’t control me with threats, Mr. Leonel.”

She turned and walked briskly to the door. Leonel didn’t stop her. He simply stood there, letting the door close behind her with a soft thud… a faint, mysterious smile curling on his lips.

“This just got more interesting. Damn… I want her even more,” he muttered.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

“Find me everything on Jeslyn Edgar. Her daily routines, her friends, hobbies—every detail.”

Then he ended the call.

“You’ll be mine, Jeslyn…”

***