All Chapters of His Contracted Obsession: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Days passed, and even after being beaten nearly to death, I did what I had always done—I treated my wounds, swallowed a few painkillers, and forced myself to keep going. Because what else was I supposed to do? Lie in bed and wait for someone to notice? Wait for someone to come save me? No one was coming. No one ever did. So I learned to pick myself up, even when every part of me was begging to stay down. Before work, I stood in front of the mirror and carefully covered the bruises on my face. Foundation, concealer, powder—layer after layer until the swelling and discoloration disappeared beneath a mask that made me look almost normal. I stared at my reflection for a while, trying to convince myself that the woman looking back at me wasn't falling apart. If the manager saw the bruises, she'd ask questions. She'd want to know what happened, and I didn't have an answer I could give her. More importantly, I couldn't afford to lose this job. I needed the money. I needed somewhere to go, s

"Do you have any allergies or what flavor do you prefer, sir?" I asked while checking sa ibang available pastries namin.Tho i can see him looking straight into my face. I cleared my throat and continue what I'm doing."No allergies. Cheese." His face hasn't change. He still looked bored. Ano ba kasing ginagawa ng isang businessman sa maliit na coffee shop na ganito?"Then I'd recommend our Golden Cheese Danishes. It's flaky, with a creamy cheese filling and it pairs really well with coffee." I smiled after."Sure. one order of that and another black coffee with no sugar."I forced another smile and nodded. "Noted, sir. It will take just for 5 minutes."I kept myself busy behind the counter, carefully settling the warm Golden cheese Danish onto a small plate. The buttery aroma rose with the heat, rich and comforting, followed by the faint sweetness of cream cheese that lingered in the air.While pouring his black coffee, I let my eyes wander toward him for only a moment. He was still

I volunteered to take the tray back to the kitchen.Stupid.I didn't even know this house, and now I was standing in the middle of what felt like an endless maze of hallways, stairs, and identical-looking doors. I glanced behind me, already wondering if I should turn back, but the thought of admitting that I was lost made me sigh.Keep walking, stupid. You might be able to find the way.I continued down the hallway, trying to remember which direction I had come from. The house was too quiet, save for the faint sounds of footsteps somewhere nearby. Then, as I passed another corner, voices began to reach my ears.Or more like whispers.“Kaya nga…”“Maganda naman siya.”“Saang pamilya kaya siya galing?”“Based on her clothing, hindi siya mayaman. Baka inakit lang si Sir.”Napahinto ako.I quickly moved to the side of the wall, keeping myself out of sight. The last woman's voice carried a hint of disdain, the kind that made it sound as though she already knew everything about the person s

“Ryn!”Kayle immediately hugged me the moment she saw me in the locker room. “Are you okay na ba? I heard what happened on Wednesday. I'm sorry!” Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko, her eyes filled with concern.“No. That wasn't your fault.” I dismissed her apology and turned toward the mirror to fix my uniform. Today, I was assigned as a barista after Raj requested to replace me from serving the customers on the first floor. I used to work as a bartender, but when the manager urged me to serve on the floor, Raj—who was still a newbie back then—took over my old position.“Are you sure?” Kayle asked, still looking worried. There was something about the way she was looking at me that felt slightly off, but I shrugged it away and gave her a small smile. “I'm fine.” Work started soon after, and from the moment I stepped behind the counter, that strange feeling of being watched refused to leave. I kept looking around whenever I had the chance, but there was nothing unusual—only the usual custome

Sofia was loud about it.Loud enough that there was no way anyone in the neighborhood could miss the news.The Valencia house was too small for a proper celebration, but that had never stopped Hiraya from inviting people over whenever there was something worth showing off. By late afternoon, three plastic chairs had been placed outside, along with a small table covered with bottles of soft drinks, a tray of pancit, and a little cake with blue icing that read:CONGRATS, SOFIA!A few neighbors had come, mostly mothers from the nearby houses, each bringing their own stories, opinions, and gossip along with them.At the corner of the small yard, Sofia was surrounded by girls and boys her age. Her phone was in one hand, while the other held up the thick black envelope with the silver seal as though it were a trophy.“Full-ride daw!” she announced, laughing. “Ako lang nakakuha sa batch namin!”The girls around her immediately reacted with impressed murmurs.“Grabe!”“Wow, Sofia!”“Saan ka n