Driven to Obsession

Chapter 10: The Outside World Part 1

The peaceful bubble that Olivia and Sam had created in the sanctuary of his penthouse was shattered as soon as they stepped out into the world. The transition from the intimate, private space they had shared to the bustling, chaotic streets of Miami was jarring, and Olivia could feel the tension creeping back into her shoulders as they made their way to the parking garage.

They hadn't talked much about what would happen next—about how they would navigate their relationship outside the walls of Sam's apartment. But Olivia knew that they couldn't stay in their bubble forever. Sooner or later, the reality of their lives would catch up with them, and they would have to face the challenges that came with being together in the real world.

As they drove back to the shop in silence, the weight of that reality settled heavily on Olivia's shoulders. She tried to focus on the road, on the familiar sights of the city, but her mind kept drifting back to the conversation they had that morning, to the promises they had made to each other.

One step at a time. That's what they had agreed on. But as much as she wanted to believe that they could take things slowly, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling that their relationship was moving faster than she was ready for.

When they arrived at the shop, the familiar sight of the building brought a sense of normalcy back into focus. The shop was her sanctuary, her place of comfort and control, and for a moment, she felt a surge of relief at the thought of returning to her routine.

But that relief was short-lived. As they pulled into the parking lot, Olivia's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, frowning when she saw a string of missed calls and text messages from Carlos.

*Where are you? Call me ASAP.*

*We need to talk—this is important.*

*Olivia, answer your phone.*

Her heart skipped a beat as she read the messages, a sense of dread settling in her stomach. Something was wrong.

"What is it?" Sam asked, his voice calm but laced with concern.

Olivia shook her head, her fingers trembling slightly as she dialed Carlos's number. "I'm not sure. Carlos has been trying to reach me—something's happened."

The phone rang twice before Carlos answered, his voice tense. "Olivia, where the hell have you been? I've been calling you all morning."

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, glancing at Sam, who was watching her with a worried expression. "I didn't see the calls until just now. What's going on?"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and Olivia could hear the sound of voices in the background. "You need to get down to the shop right now," Carlos said, his voice low. "There's someone here—some guy looking for you. He's been asking a lot of questions."

Olivia's blood ran cold. "What do you mean? Who is he?"

"I don't know," Carlos replied, his voice tight with frustration. "He won't tell me much, but he's been hanging around for the last hour, asking about you. Something about needing to talk to you—said it was urgent."

Olivia's mind raced, trying to make sense of what Carlos was telling her. Who would be looking for her? And why?

"I'm on my way," she said quickly, ending the call before Carlos could respond.

She turned to Sam, her heart pounding in her chest. "I need to get to the shop—there's someone there looking for me. Carlos says it's urgent."

Sam's expression hardened, his jaw tightening. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Olivia hesitated for a moment. The thought of facing whoever this was alone sent a wave of fear through her, but she didn't want to drag Sam into something that might be unrelated to him. She didn't want him to see her as weak, as someone who couldn't handle her own problems.

But then she looked into his eyes, saw the concern there, and she knew she couldn't push him away. Not now, not when things were starting to get complicated.

"Yes," she said finally, her voice steady. "I think I do."

Sam nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Let's go."

They parked the car in front of the shop, and as soon as Olivia stepped out, she saw Carlos waiting by the entrance, his face tense with worry. He looked up as they approached, his eyes narrowing when he saw Sam.

"Who's this?" Carlos asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

"This is Sam," Olivia said quickly, not wanting to get into details right now. "What's going on, Carlos? Who's here?"

Carlos glanced between Olivia and Sam, his expression unreadable. "He's inside—some guy named Mark. Said he needed to talk to you about something important. He's been acting... weird. I don't know, Liv, but I don't like it."

The name sent a jolt through Olivia's body, her blood turning to ice. Mark. It couldn't be...

Before she could process what was happening, the door to the shop opened, and a man stepped out into the sunlight. Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she recognized him, a wave of dread washing over her.

Mark. Her ex-boyfriend.

The man who had broken her heart and left her life in ruins.