𝐕𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

Chapter 53: A Web of Secrets

Alexander

The morning light crept through the curtains, but I was already awake, lying beside Scarlett. Her soft breaths were the only sound in the room, a stark contrast to the thoughts that swirled violently in my mind. The events of last night replayed in my head like a film on loop — the way her voice trembled when she spoke about Kai, the fear in her eyes when she mentioned his control over her.

I gritted my teeth, suppressing the anger that surged through me. The bastard. The man who had made her feel small, trapped, and powerless. The thought of him even breathing the same air as Scarlett made my blood boil. I had promised her I would protect her, and now I knew I had to keep that promise. But that promise meant more than just shielding her physically — it meant destroying the hold Kai had on her mentally, emotionally, and in every other possible way.

She stirred beside me, her body curling closer to mine, her fingers unconsciously gripping my shirt as if seeking comfort even in her sleep. I gently ran my hand through her hair, watching as she relaxed again. I couldn’t let her go back to the world where Kai existed.

Not after last night.

And not after everything she had finally revealed to me.

I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her, and made my way to the window. The city was already awake— cars moving through the streets, people bustling about their lives. But for me, today marked the beginning of something darker, more dangerous. Today, I was going to end this—Kai wouldn’t know what was coming for him.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. A single message lit up the screen: "We’ve found him."

I stared at it for a long moment, my thumb hovering over the screen before I tapped it open. There it was — the location I’d been waiting for, the key to unraveling Kai’s web of lies and manipulation. The man who had made Scarlett feel like she was his possession. He thought he could escape my notice. He was wrong.

But this wasn’t just about Kai. It was about Scarlett. I had to do this for her— to make sure she knew she was free.

I glanced back at her sleeping form, feeling an unfamiliar tightening in my chest. Last night’s confession still echoed in my mind. I hadn’t planned on telling her that I want to marry her, certainly not like that. But as soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I couldn’t take them back. And I didn’t want to.

For years, I had kept my emotions locked away, telling myself that love was weakness. But Scarlett… she had made me feel alive again, made me want things I never thought I could have. And now that I’d admitted it, there was no turning back. I wasn’t going to lose her to anyone —especially not to a man like Kai.

I quickly dressed, keeping my movements quiet as I made my way toward the door. I needed to handle this situation before Scarlett even knew what was happening. She had been through enough. She deserved peace, and I was going to give it to her.

---

The office was buzzing with its usual morning energy by the time I arrived. Employees were moving about, their heads down, focused on the day ahead, oblivious to the storm that was brewing beneath the surface. They greeted me with the usual mix of awe and fear, something I had cultivated carefully over the years. Control was everything in my world, and it was the reason why I had climbed to the top. But today, it wasn’t business on my mind. It was Kai.

I walked into my office, closing the door behind me, and sat down at my desk. The polished mahogany felt cold beneath my fingers as I leaned back in the chair, staring out at the city skyline. My thoughts shifted between Scarlett’s vulnerability and the growing threat that Kai posed. The fact that he was still out there, thinking he had some claim over her, made me feel like I was seconds away from snapping.