Page 22 of Surrendering to the Obsession

Mia winced, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. “Just call me Mia,” she muttered quickly, flustered and mortified.

Alexander turned to her instantly, eyes locked on hers with sharp intensity.

“Youarehis sister-in-law. Why shouldn’t he call you that? Actually,” he added without hesitation, “he should just call you sister, to make it short.”

Harold’s eyes nearly flew out of his head.

“S—SISTER?!” he sputtered, every syllable coming out strangled.

Mia’s face crumpled in horror. “Oh God…” she whispered, covering her face with both hands.

Harold looked moments away from collapsing, so Mia grabbed his wrist in panic, fingers gripping him tightly.

“Come with me. Now. Before you have a heart attack,” she hissed under her breath.

Without waiting, she yanked him along, dragging him past the living room with surprising speed. Harold stumbled behind her, feet tripping over each other, his mouth opening and closing like he was trying to speak but could only manage silent shock.

Alexander’s eyes followed them, dark and brooding.

His hands slipped into his pockets, shoulders rigid, jaw clenched. He didn’t take a single step—but his entire posture was tight, coiled, and possessive, like a predator forced to stand still while someone else walked off with what was his.

Chapter 4 A Train Wreck

In the back of the house, a large pool shimmered under the afternoon sun, reflecting the sky like a glass mirror. Beyond it stretched a vast garden—rows of manicured bushes, splashes of flowers, everything beautiful enough to calm anyone.

AnyoneexceptHarold.

Harold stood there like he had just witnessed a crime. His chest heaved, his hands trembled, and his eyes were so wide they looked painful.

“Didn’t you say you got divorced after five years of marriage?” he demanded, voice shaking. “Now you’re telling me you married my cousin?”

Mia nodded with soft, innocent sincerity. “Yes, I did.”

Harold dragged both hands through his hair—hard—like he was trying to restart his entire brain. “And you’re telling me he married you because he couldn’t find a woman willing to marry him due to his bad reputation?” His voice climbed, the shock now bordering on anger.

“Yes,” Mia said again, nodding with calm, serious certainty.

Harold’s whole body jerked in disbelief. He took a dramatic step toward her, pointing at her with pure panic.

“Mia! Mia—my brother is not stupid! He doesn’t lack women!” he cried. “If he didn’t want to marry, he has a thousand escape routes! He wouldn’t sacrifice his life like this! He wouldn’t walk away from one train wreck only to marry another!”

Mia’s expression snapped.

“HEY! Who are you calling a train wreck?!”

Harold flinched so hard it looked like someone had thrown cold water on him. His shoulders jerked up, eyes widening as he stammered, “T-That’s not the point!”

He took a deep breath, puffed his cheeks out, then pointed at her again with renewed frustration.

“What I’m saying is—you fell into his trap! My brother set you up!”

Mia stared at him as if he had just spoken in an alien language. “A trap? Why would anyone set a trap forme?”

A small, coy smile tugged at one corner of her mouth as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not eventhatspecial,” she said, voice soft and slightly playful. “What would someone like him even want from me? I don’t have anything—I'm practically homeless, penniless.” She gave a tiny, self-deprecating laugh, as if the idea were laughable.

She closed her eyes, shaking her head in total disbelief. “No. No, no—impossible. Absolutely not possible.”

“It’s possible—” Harold began, but before he could continue, Alexander’s calm, commanding voice cut through his.