Page 82 of Surrendering to the Obsession

The thought alone nearly tore him apart.

He hit the steering wheel hard with his fist, breath shaking.

His mind wasn’t stable. Thoughts kept crashing into each other, chasing themselves in circles that never ended. His heart raced so violently that it almost hurt, beating out of rhythm with his breathing.

‘Why would she get married to someone else?’ He couldn’t understand it.

“There is no way…” he muttered, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “She would never marry anyone after leaving me. Never.”

His breath shook.

“We were together for five years… she lived with me… she loved me. We were happy. We were perfect. She is my wife.” His voice cracked. “I gave her everything. No one can give her what I gave her.”

His chest constricted. “Didn’t she write in that album that she would celebrate Christmas with me?” His thoughts spiraleduncontrollably. His vision blurred. He blinked rapidly, chest rising and falling too fast, almost like panic.

The car suddenly jerked to a halt as he slammed the brakes at the side of the road. Tires screeched. His hands shook so badly he could barely control them, barely hold the wheel.

He dragged the small paper toward him again, staring at the number on it. His breath caught, stuck in his throat.

“Did you get scared because of that kidnapping?” he whispered hoarsely, brows pulling together, voice trembling. “Is that why you married somewild bastard?” His jaw clenched painfully. “No… no, there is no way you married someone else. You’re my wife!”

His chest heaved, his lungs burning with the fury he couldn’t release. He slammed his palm against the wheel.

“How could it all die… just like that?!” He repeated the words, voice sharp and jagged, the anger coursing through him like wildfire. “Why the hell did you get married to someone else?! If you were scared, you should have come to me! I would’ve protected you. I am your husband. I am the one who keeps you safe. Why would you go to another man?! Why… why another man?”

His chest burned—hot, tightening, furious.

He slammed his fists against the steering wheel, teeth gritted, eyes wet. His breaths came in harsh, ragged gasps. “She probably married him just to make me furious… to punish me… to make me chase her,” he growled under his breath. “She couldn’t swallow her pride and come back home, so she married some random goddamnfucker.” The thought burned like acid in his chest.

His teeth ground together as he fought to breathe. But then—

Her face flashed in his mind. Her voice. The way she stood in front of him that night, protecting him despite everything.

“She loves me. She’s stubborn, yes… but she loves me,” he whispered, his eyes softening for the first time since morning. “She even risked her life for me. She loves me. She’s just… stubborn.”

A deep, shattering breath left his lungs.

“She must be angry,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead as he tried to calm himself. “She never stayed mad at me for long in five years… she won’t now. I’ll make her understand and bring her back home.”

He swallowed hard, steadying himself.

Then he pulled out his phone. His fingers, still shaking, hovered for a moment, then typed out a message to the number on the paper.

***

On the other side of Manhattan, Mia sat on the plush couch in the Graves house. The soft hum of the TV filled the room. That’s when a faintdingmade her glance at her phone.

She lowered the TV volume, leaned forward, and picked up her phone. A frown formed on her face when she saw it was a text from an unknown number.

Confused, she tapped it open.

The message made her blink twice.

“Mia, this is James. Are you alright? Are you still scared because of the incident last week?”

Her frown deepened, her thumb hovering over the screen.

James wasn’t the type to show concern for anyone so openly—especially not her.