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CHAPTER 43 - ELENA
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2025-04-01 20:46:16
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CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 44 - ELENA
The Bentley rolled to a stop in front of my house, its glossy black finish practically shimmering in the late afternoon sun. I swear, Cameron could make even a car look like it was designed for royalty—if royalty was obsessed with appearances and deeply in love with his own reflection.I pasted on my best “I’m-so-happy-to-see-you” smile, the one I used when I had to pretend everything was fine. Walking toward the car, I made a big show of admiring the roses climbing up the stone pillars by our gate. I didn’t actually care about the roses, but they looked good for show. Like everything else in my life.Cameron was perched on the hood of the Bentley, looking like he was the king of the world. His dark eyes narrowed against the sun, and for a moment, I almost forgot how much I couldn’t stand how predictable he was. Perfect suit. Perfectly styled hair. The guy could probably make a paper bag look like high fashion. And me? Well, I was just stuck here with him, the guy I was supposed to m
Last Updated : 2025-04-01CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 45 - ELENA
One breath in. Two breaths out. Okay, Elena, time to compartmentalize. Because if I actually felt all the feels right now, I’d probably spontaneously combust.That was it. Done. Finito. End of the line. My relationship with Cameron was officially sunk, and I was standing at the edge of an emotional cliff, one misstep away from plunging into a full-on meltdown.So, obviously, I did what any reasonable person would do: I walked to class like everything was fine.My feet felt like lead as I trudged toward English, the brick behemoth of boredom and alliteration.But honestly, the thought of dissecting Shakespeare’s misery felt mildly better than dissecting the flaming wreckage of my almost-relationship with Cameron. I slid into my seat just as the late bell rang, the sound of it practically smacking me in the face.Mrs. Davison, bless her heart, didn’t even bother with the raised eyebrow. She was probably so used to me walking in late at this point.I sat down, zoning out as she rambled o
Last Updated : 2025-04-02CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 46 - ELENA
The tension in the room crackled like static, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears as I stepped even closer to Noah. His presence was overwhelming, but in the best way possible, like a magnet pulling me toward him. The air between us felt thick, heavy with anticipation, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the world outside that room ceased to exist.Noah’s hand reached out hesitantly, like he wasn’t sure if I would let him touch me. His fingers grazed my arm, sending a shiver down my spine.“Are you sure?” His voice was rough, barely above a whisper, but the sincerity in it made me freeze. He wasn’t just asking if I was sure about the kiss but about the entire mess we were tangled in. About Tiffany, about my feelings for him, and maybe even about his own feelings for me.I swallowed hard, every word that had been stuck in my throat for so long finally fighting to come out. I wanted to tell him that I was sure—that I wasn’t confused about how I felt anymore. But
Last Updated : 2025-04-02CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER ONE - ELENA
The roar of laughter erupted like a thunderclap in Blackwood Academy’s cafeteria, rippling through the air and bouncing off the marble floors. It was the kind of laughter that fed off humiliation, the kind that kept the hierarchy intact.I leaned back in my chair, lazily swirling the tip of my straw in my sparkling water, my expression a perfect mask of disinterest. But inside? I was waiting for it. The inevitable moment when Noah Carter would scramble to his feet, cheeks burning, head down—just another nobody who knew better than to challenge the order of things.But he didn’t.He just… sat there.Noah Carter—the school’s charity case, the lone scholarship kid in a sea of privilege—was sprawled out on the floor, his pathetic excuse of a lunch scattered around him like a crime scene. A sad little sandwich, an apple rolling aimlessly across the tiles.My lips curled into a slow, satisfied smirk. Too easy. A well-placed foot, a barely-there trip, and gravity had taken care of the rest."
Last Updated : 2025-03-17CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER TWO - ELENA
I slammed my fork into the porcelain plate, the sharp clatter slicing through the silence of the dining room."Elena, darling, must you make such a racket?" My mother’s voice, smooth as silk but just as sharp, cut through the morning air. "You’ll wake your father."I bit back a retort, knowing full well that my father was long gone, likely engrossed in some high-stakes deal to further solidify our family’s fortune. Instead, I stared at my plate, gripping my fork until my knuckles turned white. "I apologize, Mother. Just… not very hungry."She barely spared me a glance, her blonde hair perfectly styled, her silk dressing gown unwrinkled, her plate of meticulously arranged fruit untouched. "Nonsense. You need to keep your strength up. You have a charity dinner today, and you know how important it is to leave a good impression."I sighed, already dreading the afternoon’s forced smiles and hollow conversations.Then came the inevitable. "Speaking of outings, Cameron called yesterday. He’s
Last Updated : 2025-03-17CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER THREE - ELENA
I slammed my textbook onto the scarred surface of the teacher's desk, the abrupt thud echoing in the nearly empty classroom. Mr. Harrison, a man whose patience rivaled the vast, flat landscape of North Dakota itself, looked up from his stack of papers, his brow furrowed with a weariness I knew I was adding to."I need a new partner," I stated, my voice tight with barely contained frustration.Mr. Harrison sighed, the kind of sigh that carried years of managing teenage egos. "Elena, I can’t change your partner.""But Mr. Harrison," I persisted, my fingers drumming an impatient rhythm against the desk, "Noah and I are just not compatible. We can't work together.""Everyone can work together, Elena. It’s a group project, and cooperation is part of the learning experience." He set down his pen and gave me a look that bordered on amused patience."Besides," he added, his tone softening slightly, "Noah is a very bright student. I think you could learn a lot from him."I bristled at the impl
Last Updated : 2025-03-17CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER FOUR - ELENA
The day of our presentation came faster than I expected, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was going to ruin it.Noah had put everything into this project, carrying the weight of our partnership, while I had contributed little more than glares and silence. And now, that effort would be my weapon of choice.The projector screen flickered in front of me, a distorted reflection of the presentation we—no, he had spent weeks perfecting. The class sat waiting, a sea of expectant faces. Mr. Harrison stood at the front of the room, arms crossed, and a faint, knowing smile played on his lips. He saw right through me; I was sure of it. But that didn’t matter. I just needed to make this believable.I cleared my throat, putting on a bright, overly cheerful smile."Okay, so," I began, my voice just a touch too high-pitched. "As you can see, our initial projections regarding social class were slightly... exaggerated."I trailed off, feigning confusion. The room was silent, save for the low
Last Updated : 2025-03-17CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER FIVE - ELENA
The air inside the country club felt stifling, thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and overpriced cologne. I pushed my lobster ravioli around my plate, barely tasting the creamy sauce that once would have been my favorite.The laughter, the clinking glasses, the effortless chatter of people who had never known real struggle—it used to feel like home. Now, it just grated.Across from me, Cameron reached for my hand, his tanned fingers curling around mine with the same easy confidence he carried in everything he did.Once, that touch had been comforting, like that was all I needed. Tonight, it felt like a weight, a heavy weight."Everything alright, Elena?" he asked, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. He was concerned, genuinely so, and that only made the guilt of my thinking twist tighter in my stomach."I'm fine, Cam. Just tired," I said, pulling my hand away to swirl my fork through the mess of sauce and pasta on my plate.It was a lie, one I had been telling so often late
Last Updated : 2025-03-17
Latest chapter
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 46 - ELENA
The tension in the room crackled like static, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears as I stepped even closer to Noah. His presence was overwhelming, but in the best way possible, like a magnet pulling me toward him. The air between us felt thick, heavy with anticipation, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the world outside that room ceased to exist.Noah’s hand reached out hesitantly, like he wasn’t sure if I would let him touch me. His fingers grazed my arm, sending a shiver down my spine.“Are you sure?” His voice was rough, barely above a whisper, but the sincerity in it made me freeze. He wasn’t just asking if I was sure about the kiss but about the entire mess we were tangled in. About Tiffany, about my feelings for him, and maybe even about his own feelings for me.I swallowed hard, every word that had been stuck in my throat for so long finally fighting to come out. I wanted to tell him that I was sure—that I wasn’t confused about how I felt anymore. But
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 45 - ELENA
One breath in. Two breaths out. Okay, Elena, time to compartmentalize. Because if I actually felt all the feels right now, I’d probably spontaneously combust.That was it. Done. Finito. End of the line. My relationship with Cameron was officially sunk, and I was standing at the edge of an emotional cliff, one misstep away from plunging into a full-on meltdown.So, obviously, I did what any reasonable person would do: I walked to class like everything was fine.My feet felt like lead as I trudged toward English, the brick behemoth of boredom and alliteration.But honestly, the thought of dissecting Shakespeare’s misery felt mildly better than dissecting the flaming wreckage of my almost-relationship with Cameron. I slid into my seat just as the late bell rang, the sound of it practically smacking me in the face.Mrs. Davison, bless her heart, didn’t even bother with the raised eyebrow. She was probably so used to me walking in late at this point.I sat down, zoning out as she rambled o
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 44 - ELENA
The Bentley rolled to a stop in front of my house, its glossy black finish practically shimmering in the late afternoon sun. I swear, Cameron could make even a car look like it was designed for royalty—if royalty was obsessed with appearances and deeply in love with his own reflection.I pasted on my best “I’m-so-happy-to-see-you” smile, the one I used when I had to pretend everything was fine. Walking toward the car, I made a big show of admiring the roses climbing up the stone pillars by our gate. I didn’t actually care about the roses, but they looked good for show. Like everything else in my life.Cameron was perched on the hood of the Bentley, looking like he was the king of the world. His dark eyes narrowed against the sun, and for a moment, I almost forgot how much I couldn’t stand how predictable he was. Perfect suit. Perfectly styled hair. The guy could probably make a paper bag look like high fashion. And me? Well, I was just stuck here with him, the guy I was supposed to m
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 43 - ELENA
The air between us was thick with something unspoken, something electric. My heart pounded as Noah took a step closer, his hand hesitating midair before brushing against my damp cheek. His touch was feather light, but it sent a jolt through me nonetheless.His dark eyes burned into mine, intense and searching.“Elena,” he whispered.And then, he kissed me.It started slow, hesitant, like he was testing the waters. His lips barely brushed against mine, soft and cautious. My brain screamed at me to stop—to think, to remember why this was a bad idea—but my body had other plans. Before I knew it, I was kissing him back, my fingers gripping the front of his shirt like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.The kiss deepened, turning urgent. His hands slid to my waist, pulling me closer until there was nothing between us but heat and the scent of rain. The cold, the dampness, the fact that we were still standing outside the school—it all faded into irrelevance. There was only
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 42 - ELENA
The fluorescent lights of Blackwood Academy buzzed with a frantic intensity, a jittery hum that matched the absolute chaos inside me.I kept my distance from Noah. It was deliberate, painful, and a complete failure because my eyes kept betraying me. Noah was a gravitational force, and I was some weak celestial object being yanked into his orbit, no matter how hard I fought it.Across the crowded cafeteria, beyond the endless chatter of teenagers and the questionable-looking pizza, I caught glimpses of him. His dark, unruly hair, the way he leaned back in his chair, laughing at something Liam said. His smile—ugh, his stupid, unfair, heart-wrecking smile. It wasn’t my fault I kept looking. My eyes had their own agenda.Kissing him yesterday after three painfully long weeks had been like taking a sip of forbidden nectar. No, scratch that—it was like rewarding myself with an entire chocolate cake after dieting for months. And then what had I done? Told him we couldn’t do it again. Idiot.
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 41 - NOAH
My brain was still short-circuiting from her lips, from the way she was way too close, from the fact that she smelled like vanilla and something dangerously addictive.I cleared my throat, trying to regain some sort of sanity."Elena," I started, but my voice cracked like a damn idiot. Great. Real smooth.She grinned like she knew exactly what she was doing to me. Spoiler: she did."What?" she asked innocently, tilting her head, her fingers still playing with the hair at the nape of my neck.I narrowed my eyes. "You can’t just… ambush me in the library and—" I gestured between us, still trying to breathe normally.She smirked. "Why not?""Because—" I hesitated. Shit. Good question.Because I was supposed to be staying away. Because she was engaged. Because her boyfriend could literally end me.But instead of saying any of that, I just exhaled. "Because I wasn’t prepared for that."Her smirk softened into something smugger—if that was even possible. "Good."I blinked. "Good?"She stepp
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 40 - NOAH
Elena walked away, and suddenly, the cafeteria noise surged back into my ears—a chaotic blend of chatter, laughter, and clattering trays. I hadn’t even noticed it had faded when she was here.My gaze followed her across the room. Cameron’s arm was already slung over her shoulders like he owned her. Asshole. He shot me a look—possessive, smug, a silent warning.I took a sip of the drink she’d brought me, the sweetness sticking to my tongue, but it didn’t cut through the bitterness in my mouth. Stupid move, Elena.Bringing me a drink in front of the whole school? In front of her boyfriend?A mistake. A reckless, impulsive mistake.And yet, my fingers tingled where hers had brushed mine.I’d imagined that touch too many times. Too damn many. I missed the softness of her skin, the heat of her body pressed against mine. I missed the way she shivered under my hands, the way her lips parted when I—Stop."Idiot," I muttered under my breath."Talking to yourself again, Noah?"Liam dropped int
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 39 - ELENA
Lying in bed that night, I stared at my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen. I shouldn’t have been doing this. I didn’t even know why I cared.But the image of Noah’s exhaustion lingered in my mind—the quiet weight in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders, the way he barely reacted when I handed him that coffee earlier.Before I could second-guess myself, I typed out the message.Are you okay?I hit send and immediately regretted it.Seconds passed. Then minutes.Nothing.I exhaled sharply, tossing my phone onto the bed beside me. Maybe he wouldn’t reply. Maybe he was asleep. Or maybe he just didn’t care.I rolled onto my side, trying to push the thought of him away, but my mind refused to settle.And then, just as my eyes were drifting shut—Buzz.My breath caught as I grabbed my phone, my heart pounding for reasons I refused to acknowledge.I hadn’t expected a response.But he answered.Noah: No.A simple word. Just two letters. Yet, something about it made my chest tighten.
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 38 - ELENA
The rest of the day passed by in a blur. I barely heard anything my teachers said or noticed the stares I got from some of my classmates. My mind was stuck on two people—Noah, who walked away, and Cameron, who left me with a warning.By the time the final bell rang, I was drained, but instead of heading straight home, I found myself lingering in the hallway. Noah was nowhere in sight. I hadn’t seen him in any of my classes after lunch.I chewed the inside of my cheek, debating whether to go looking for him. Again.Why do you care?I didn’t have a clear answer. Maybe it was because I’d seen that flicker of something in his eyes before he turned his back on me—like he wanted to say something but didn’t. Maybe it was the exhaustion on his face, the way his shoulders sagged when he thought no one was watching.Or maybe I was just being stupid.I sighed, gripping the strap of my bag tighter before turning toward the exit. I didn’t make it two steps before someone grabbed my wrist.“Elena.”
