Gabriel's Obsession

Heartfelt confessions

Amelia's POV

I lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Gabriel's room was a paradox—elegant yet strangely comforting, much like the man himself. The soft scent of his cologne lingered in the air, wrapping around me like an invisible presence, making it impossible to forget where I was.

And who I was with.

Being around him stirred emotions I didn't know how to name. Whenever he was near, an odd sense of security settled over me, a warmth I couldn't quite push away. But was it love?

No.

It couldn't be love.

My family had cared for me—or at least, I had believed they did. But their betrayal had shattered something fundamental inside me, leaving behind a void where my trust used to be. And somehow, in the wreckage, Gabriel had become my anchor.

That realization unsettled me more than I cared to admit.

But amidst the confusion swirling in my mind, another name surfaced—one I had buried beneath the chaos of my captivity.

Mark.

My first love.

I had forced thoughts of him into the background, telling myself I had no choice. But now, I couldn't ignore the ache in my chest at the thought of what he must be going through.

He had to be hurting, wondering what had happened to me, searching for answers that didn't exist. Did he think I was dead?

Guilt twisted inside me.

I needed to see him. I had to.

The connection I shared with Mark was something different, something untouched by manipulation and control. And while my feelings for Gabriel were growing complicated, tangled, impossible to unravel. I needed clarity.

I needed to confront my past before I could understand my future.

And that meant talking to Gabriel.

I had to ask him about Mark, about how he had arranged for him to attend a prestigious university. And more than that, I had to tell him I needed to see Mark.

I had to face the truth.

Even if I wasn't sure I was ready for what it would reveal.

The soft creak of the door pulled me from my thoughts.

Gabriel entered, his presence effortlessly filling the space as he set his belongings aside. His eyes found mine, curiosity flickering within them.

"You looked deep in thought," he observed, his voice smooth but laced with quiet intrigue.

I hesitated, inhaling deeply before speaking. "I've been thinking... I need to see Mark."

The moment the words left my lips, something shifted.

Subtle, but unmistakable.

Gabriel's expression stilled, his jaw tightening, his shoulders tensing as if bracing for something unpleasant. The easy warmth he had carried into the room moments ago had all but vanished.

Still, I pressed on. "He deserves an explanation, especially after I disappeared so suddenly. I can't stop thinking about how devastated he must be."

A silence stretched between us, charged and unreadable.

Then, his expression smoothed into something carefully blank. "I understand your concern," he said evenly, "but Mark is doing fine. I made sure he was admitted to one of the best universities. He's in a good place."