Page 104 of Surrendering to the Obsession

“Where should I go? Which company should I go to?” she whispered, panic twisting every word.

She spun around again, her body trembling violently as she searched the dark road.

Chapter 18 Do You Hate Me?

It was still early when Mia’s eyes blinked open. She lay there for a moment, adjusting to the soft morning light. Then she turned onto her back and her gaze fell on Alexander.

His arm was wrapped firmly around her waist, holding her close. His breathing was deep and slow, completely soundless. He looked peaceful… almost boyishly soft compared to his usual cold presence.

She tried to gently slip out of his hold but his arm tightened instinctively around her waist instead, pulling her closer. His face nuzzled into the curve of her neck. His warm breath brushed against her neck, and she shivered.

Mia froze, her heart pounding, then slowly tried again. This time, she managed to ease out of his grasp. Once free, she lifted her head and looked down at him again.

Even like this—half-buried in the pillow, hair slightly messy, still lost in sleep—he was so handsome that she felt her breath catch. The longer she stared, the more unreal it felt. He was breathtakingly handsome in every angle. Relaxed, unguarded—he looked impossibly perfect. Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she simply watched him, unable to breathe properly.

She let out a soft, dreamy sigh and then grinned. It was the first time she had ever woken up before him.

She quietly slipped off the bed and picked up his shirt, pulling it over herself to cover her body. Then she looked around the room with curious eyes.

His room was nothing like the one she had moved into when she first started living with him. Her room had soft, feminine colors, pastels and flowers.

His room was clean, sharp, and cool-toned—color-coordinated, minimalistic, and impeccably organized. There was almost nothing personal in sight… except for a few race-car models neatly arranged inside one of the cupboards.

Mia walked toward them, her curiosity growing. From the detailed builds and the finish, it was clear these replicas were extremely expensive. Her eyes traced them, one by one, curiosity piqued, until something else caught her attention.

A single drawer wasn’t filled with the polished models. Instead, an album rested there, almost hidden.

She glanced back at Alexander, still asleep, and then at the album again. A slow, almost mischievous smile spread across her face. ‘Photographs from his past,’ she thought. ‘Why else hide it so carefully?’

Gently, she lifted the glass and pulled out the album. She set it down on the table and bent over it, eyes lingering on the worn brown cover as her heart fluttered with curiosity.

With a deep breath, she opened it… only to find that the first page wasn’t him.

It washer.

A photograph of her in her school uniform. From her last year of school.

Mia froze. Her hands trembled, her pulse spiking.

She turned the pages faster, each one revealing more: college days, the years she was married to James, the moments after she had left his house. Even the ones from the day she left James’s house. There wasn’t a single photo of him—only her.

Her heart dropped.

‘He knew me before I entered his house…’

A cold fear crawled up her spine.

How else could he have these pictures? Her hands shook as she closed the album quickly and slid it back exactly where it was. When she turned, Alexander was still lying there, eyes closed, breathing steady.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt that she was wearing, clutching it tightly. The fabric suddenly felt suffocating against her skin.

Quietly, trying not to make a sound, she stepped toward the door. Her hand reached for the handle, trembling slightly.

Before she could twist it, a large hand covered hers. Another pressed firmly against her waist from behind. Mia jolted in shock, her breath catching as she felt Alexander’s chest press against her back.

She spun around—and there he was, standing close, eyes heavy with sleep, hair tousled just enough to make him look impossibly dangerous and effortlessly alluring.

Before she could even react, Alexander dipped his head and pressed a soft, lingering morning kiss against her lips.