Captive Obsession

Chapter 26: Fractured Bonds

The aftermath of Ruby’s meltdown left the mansion in eerie silence. Broken glass glittered on the floor like scattered stars, furniture lay toppled, and the air was thick with the acrid scent of fear. Jennie was still trembling in Jisoo's arms, her fragile state rendering her unrecognizable from the domineering figure Lisa had been grappling with for weeks.

Lisa hovered at the doorway, her face pale and her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. Rosé stood just behind her, one hand on Lisa's shoulder as if steadying her. Both had heard the commotion from the other wing of the house and rushed to the scene, only to stumble upon chaos.

The mansion was eerily quiet as Jennie’s body lay motionless on the cold marble floor. The storm outside intensified, lightning illuminating the shattered remnants of the living room. Jisoo cradled Jennie's hand, whispering reassurances that Jennie likely couldn't hear.

"She’s back," Jisoo murmured to herself, though the quiver in her voice betrayed her uncertainty. "It’s Jennie. I know it is."

Auntie sobbed softly into Uncle's chest, while he looked toward the front door, half-expecting another disaster to strike.

Before anyone could regain their composure, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor. Lisa and Rosé burst into the room, their faces painted with concern. Lisa froze at the sight of Jennie's limp form, her chest tightening with panic.

“What happened?” Lisa asked, her voice rising with fear. Her wide eyes darted between Jisoo and the shattered remains of the living room. “What’s going on?”

“It’s Ruby,” Jisoo said, her tone grave. “She almost destroyed everything... and Jennie’s barely holding on.”

Lisa knelt beside Jennie, her fingers trembling as she brushed Jennie’s hair from her face. "Ruby?" she whispered, shocked with her voice cracking. "What did she do this time?"

Rosé approached cautiously, placing a hand on Lisa's shoulder. “Lisa… there’s something you need to know about Jennie. Something Jisoo has been trying to tell us.”

Jisoo stood, drawing a deep breath. “Lisa, Rosé, you both deserve to know the truth.”

The room felt smaller as Jisoo spoke, recounting every dark detail—the emergence of Ruby, Jennie’s alter, who had orchestrated every chilling act of violence to eliminate anyone who threatened Jennie's obsession with Lisa. Ruby had become Jennie’s shield, her weapon, and her prison.

Lisa’s expression shifted from confusion to disbelief, and finally to a mixture of horror and heartbreak. “She… she did all of this for me?” Lisa’s voice was barely audible.

“Not Jennie,” Jisoo corrected. “Ruby. But Jennie let it happen because she’s so consumed by her obsession with you.”

Lisa’s head spun. Her heart ached for Jennie but recoiled at the thought of the darkness Ruby represented. Memories flooded back—the night Jennie had taken her, the suffocating intensity of her love, the way Ruby’s voice seemed to seep through Jennie in moments of rage.

Rosé spoke up, her voice tinged with unease. “If Ruby’s still in there, Jennie’s not safe… and neither are we.”

Lisa shook her head vehemently. “No! Jennie’s more than Ruby. She’s still the person I…” Lisa hesitated, the weight of her emotions crashing down. “I care about her. I can’t abandon her now.”