Obsessive Short Stories & Independence Redemption Novels

“Mom, Dan, I received an offer from an overseas university. I plan to take it.” Lucille Shaw’s voice was soft in the silent living room, like a single drop of water rippling across a still pond. Her mother Victoria exclaimed with joy, "Really? Congratulations! When are you planning to go?" “In Ten days.”

Three days before the wedding, the church called to inform me that my fiancé had changed the date. When I went to ask him why, I walked in on him throwing a bachelor party with his friends. "Samuel, this was the day Claire personally chose. Why would you suddenly change it?" someone asked. Samuel Gordon stubbed out his cigarette, looking utterly nonchalant. "Because that day happens to be Janet's birthday," he said. "I need to celebrate it with her." The room fell silent in shock. "Aren't you afraid Claire will find out and kill you? Have you forgotten what she did before?" At the mention of my name, Samuel gave an icy snort. "That was all in the past. Claire loves me to death now. She even took three bullets for me once, so how could she ever bring herself to hurt me?" I stood at the doorway, watching the snow fall behind me, and let out a long sigh. Five days later, he stood in an empty church, frantically calling my phone. "Did you forget? It's our wedding day!" "I didn't forget," I said. In another church, wearing a wedding gown, I was saying "I do" to another man.

I was born with something broken inside me. I was also the biological son of the wealthiest family in the country. When I was fourteen, the Hayes family finally brought me home. By then, I had already come up with over a hundred ways to get rid of Nathan Hayes—the fake heir who had taken my place. But he turned out to be the only person in the entire Hayes family who truly cared about me. The only one who ever protected me. He used to say he was a knight, and I was a fallen prince. And a knight's duty was to protect his prince. I laughed at him for being naive. For being kind in the most impractical way possible. Yet he still helped me take control of the Hayes family. He helped me become the head of the most powerful conglomerate in the country. He even helped me find true love. Then he stood by and watched me find happiness. When his mission was finally complete, Nathan could have left after changing my fate. But he chose to stay. Instead, he married a woman who promised to love him for the rest of his life. Then, after another business trip overseas, I came home to the news of his death. I rushed back as fast as I could. But by the time I arrived, all that remained was his broken body. My brother was dead. And I lost my mind. I knew then that the darkness inside me no longer needed to stay hidden. Everyone who had hurt him would be buried alongside him.