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CHAPTER 57 - ELENA
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2025-04-06 21:17:41
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CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 58 - ELENA
The final exam ended on a quiet Thursday afternoon.Everyone burst out of the hall like waves crashing onto shore—laughing, shouting, and hugging each other like they’d just won the lottery.It should’ve felt like freedom.But all I felt was… empty.I stepped into the sunlight, blinking against the brightness. The world looked too cheerful for how heavy my heart felt.Cameron found me before I could even take a breath.“There she is!” he grinned, sliding his arm around my shoulder. “It’s over, babe. You did great. I can feel it.”I tried to smile. “Thanks.”“Let’s celebrate tonight, yeah?” he asked. “No more exams, no more stress. Just you and me. Steak or sushi?”“Sushi’s fine,” I replied quietly.I wasn’t hungry. I wasn’t excited. I wasn’t anything.Cameron kissed my temple. “That’s my girl.”I nodded, but my mind was already far away. I was barely listening. All I could feel was this strange ache in my chest, like something was missing—like something had been missing for weeks.The
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-07CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 59 - ELENA
The lake house was quiet.Too quiet.The kind of quiet that made your ears ring. That made you feel like something important was missing.I stepped out of the car, wrapping my arms around myself as the cool evening breeze brushed my skin. The sun was setting, painting the sky in soft orange and pink, and the lake mirrored it so perfectly it almost didn’t feel real.Cameron came around the car and grabbed our bags. “Beautiful, right?” he asked, flashing me a grin. “I told you you’d love it here.”I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah. It’s really pretty.”He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “This weekend is for us. No wedding talk, no phones, just peace. You need it. We need it.”“Right,” I murmured, looking at the still water ahead of us.It was stunning—calm, quiet, perfect. But that was the problem. It felt like one of those vacation houses you see in fancy travel ads. Too clean. Too perfect. Like someone had set it up for a photo shoot and forgot to add real life.I took a deep breath. Th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-07CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 60 - ELENA
The next morning, the sun had already risen when I woke up to the sound of Cameron humming in the kitchen. The warmth of the sunlight trickled through the curtains, nudging me awake. I stretched, the heavy weight of the night still clinging to my mind. I wanted to stay in bed to avoid whatever this day would bring. But the scent of food reached me, too tempting to ignore.I dragged myself out of bed and padded downstairs. The smell of sizzling eggs and warm pancakes greeted me like an old friend, pulling me forward. Cameron was moving around the kitchen with an energy I hadn’t seen in a while, his hands working quickly, whistling a cheerful tune that felt almost out of place in the tense quiet of the weekend.When he turned around and saw me standing in the doorway, he grinned widely. “Good morning, beautiful. I made us breakfast.” He practically beamed, his smile too bright, too eager, like he thought this morning would somehow fix everything.I forced a smile, masking the knot in my
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-07CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 61 - ELENA
The morning sun touched my face like a warm kiss, soft and calm. I stood on the porch of the lake house, holding a mug of hot coffee between my hands. The air was cold and clean, the kind that made you breathe deeper. I looked out at the lake, still and shining, like a huge mirror holding the sky. It was so beautiful it almost hurt.I didn’t want to leave.Inside, Cameron was still sleeping. His face looked softer in the morning light—relaxed, peaceful, not the sharp, driven man I knew in the city. I watched him through the open door for a moment. He looked truly happy here.A tiny ache curled in my chest.Was I really about to ruin that? Could I keep pretending? Keep smiling while my heart slowly pulled in another direction?He shifted under the covers, then opened his eyes and smiled like a boy seeing sunshine for the first time. “Morning, beautiful,” he said, voice still rough with sleep. “God, this weekend… it was perfect. Don’t you think?”I walked back inside, sat at the edge of
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-08CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 62 - NOAH
Tiffany’s damn Instagram. That’s where it all started.A stupid picture. One that hit harder than it should have.Elena, glowing like the sun, laughing on a boat. Her hair was tied in that loose bun she always did when she wasn’t trying, and somehow, she still looked perfect. Next to her was Cameron, grinning like he’d won the world. His arm was slung around her shoulders like she belonged to him.And maybe she did.“My friend and her husband-to-be, weekend vibes! #POWERCOUPLE,” the caption said.I stared at the post for a full minute, my thumb frozen mid-scroll. Then I just tossed my phone onto the bed like it had burned me.Elena is getting married.Something clenched in my chest. Tight. Ugly. A mix of anger and sadness and longing that made me want to scream.I couldn’t sit still. Couldn’t breathe.So I grabbed my hoodie and walked out. I didn’t know where I was going until my feet took me straight to Kade’s.Kade’s place had always been a little chaotic. Mismatched furniture, post
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-08CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 63 - NOAH
I threw my fists at him again and again, the sound of flesh connecting with flesh ringing in my ears. Every punch was like a release, each blow taking away a piece of the suffocating weight I’d carried for so long. His face, his chest, his body—nothing was off-limits.I heard Martha screaming in the background, her voice desperate and pleading, but it was like her words were muffled by the roaring fire inside me. I couldn’t stop. I didn’t want to. He needed to feel every ounce of the pain he’d put us through.Then, I heard someone yelling for help, a voice rising above the chaos, but I couldn’t make out the words. My focus was locked on him, on making him pay for everything he’d done to our family. He had torn us apart and broken us down, and I wanted him to feel it.But then, I felt strong hands grabbing me, pulling me back. Mrs. Rodriguez, our neighbor, and two other men were forcing me away from him. I struggled, my chest heaving, adrenaline still pumping through my veins. But the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-08CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 64 - ELENA
The phone felt so heavy in my hand, like it didn’t want me to call him. I stared at Noah’s name on the screen, my finger hovering over it. My heart was beating too fast, my chest too tight.But I had to do this.I took a deep breath and pressed the call button.It rang once. Twice. Then—“Elena?” His voice was soft but tired.I closed my eyes. Just hearing him say my name made my throat ache. “Hey,” I said. My voice didn’t even sound like mine. It was small. Weak.He didn’t say anything right away. The silence made me even more nervous.“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you,” he finally said. There was something in his tone. Distance. Maybe even pain.“I know,” I whispered. “I just... I needed to call.”“Why?”I looked down at the floor. My fingers gripped the edge of the couch. “I need closure.”That word felt so silly compared to how I really felt. Like I was trying to clean up a mess with one small sentence.Noah was quiet again.Then he sighed. “Elena, I don’t know... I’m just tire
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-09CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 65 - ELENA
My phone buzzed in my hand again. Another message from Mother. Probably about the luncheon with Cameron’s aunt.I didn’t even look at it.Just thinking about Cameron made my chest tighten. That life—polished, perfect, planned—felt like a heavy weight crushing me from the inside.I couldn’t breathe.The knot in my stomach twisted tighter, becoming a dull, constant pain. Each breath felt sharp, like I was dragging glass into my lungs. Marry Cameron.The words spun in my head over and over, louder each time, like someone was screaming them inside me.Marry Cameron. Marry him.No. I couldn’t. I didn’t want this.My hands shook as I unlocked my phone. It took me three tries. My fingers were ice, my face burning hot, like my body didn’t know how to react.I scrolled to Tiffany’s name. My thumb hovered over the call button.Please pick up. Please be home.I pressed the button. The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times.“Hello?” Her voice finally came through—light, sweet, and familiar.I let
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-09
Bab terbaru
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 91 - ELENA
The room was quiet now, save for the soft rustle of fabric as I gathered my things. The aftermath of what had just happened still hung in the air, an unspoken understanding between us, but I couldn’t shake the weight in my chest. My heart was racing, a mix of emotions—confusion, longing, and a bittersweet sense of peace.I stood by the window, my fingers brushing against the cool glass, watching the early evening light stretch across the sky. The room felt too small, too intimate, like it was closing in around me.The reality of what we had done was setting in. I had to leave. I had to face the rest of my world, the chaos outside this safe little bubble we’d created. But Noah—Noah was right there, watching me, his eyes full of that familiar intensity.“Don’t go yet,” Noah’s voice was low, thick with something I couldn’t quite place, but I felt it in my chest. He was still sitting on the bed, his legs tangled in the sheets, his body so still, as if he was trying to hold onto the moment
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 90 - ELENA
WARNING!!!! “I thought you weren’t ever coming back,” he said, voice low and sharp. “So what changed?”I swallowed hard. “Everything.”He didn’t respond. Just stared at me with those guarded eyes, the ones that used to be warm when they looked at me.“Noah,” I said again, stepping forward, “please just give me five minutes.”“You disappeared, Elena.” His voice cracked, full of pain and resentment. “You texted me that morning, and then you were gone. Your father took you. I knew that. But then weeks passed. No calls. No messages. Nothing. What was I supposed to think?”“I tried,” I whispered. “He took everything—my phone, laptop, tablet. He even changed the locks in my room. I wasn’t allowed out. I was a prisoner in my own home.”Noah’s jaw clenched. “Why didn’t you run?”“I couldn’t. Not at first. I was scared. He was watching everything I did.”“Still—” His voice broke. “You could’ve found a way.”“I did,” I whispered. “Eventually. Stella—my maid—risked everything to sneak me a burn
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 89 - ELENA
The legal battle was just beginning, and the acceptance letter from the University of North Dakota, while incredible, felt like a dream I wasn’t allowed to hold onto for too long.I sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at my laptop like it might vanish. The glowing email sat open, still unread all the way through. A new life.But all of it now felt so… far away.How was I supposed to focus on college classes and dorm rooms when my world was on fire?My fingers trembled as I closed the laptop. I hugged a pillow to my chest and let out a shaky breath.I couldn’t cry. Not again.I heard a knock on my door.“Elena?” It was Julian, my brother.“Come in,” I called softly.He peeked in, his expression a mixture of concern and exhaustion. “Hey... I just wanted to check on you.”I nodded, trying to smile. “I’m okay.”He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “Liar.”A small laugh escaped me. “Maybe a little.”He walked over and sat beside me. “You don’t have to act like you’ve got this al
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 88 - ELENA
The crisp white envelope felt like a punch straight to my chest.Court Summons.I stared at the bold letters, my hands trembling. It was real. Everything I’d planned, everything I’d dared to dream—it was finally happening.I was taking my father to court.A tremor ran through me, but it wasn’t fear. It was something sharper. A strange, shaky kind of defiance. This was it. After years of being treated like I didn’t own my own life, I was finally standing up for myself.And I wasn’t turning back.Then my phone rang.I jumped, fumbling to pick it up. The screen flashed: Ms. Brenner.“Hello?” My voice cracked, and I hated that it did.“Elena,” Ms. Brenner said, her voice firm but urgent. “We need to talk. Can you come into the office right away?”My heart dropped. “Did something happen?”“Yes. The summons has been officially served. Your father’s lawyer just reached out to me.”I swallowed hard. “Okay. I’ll be there soon.”My chest tightened, and I grabbed my phone, scrolling until I saw
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 87 - NOAH
Days turned into weeks, and the waiting nearly drove me insane.Every morning, I’d wake up with a sliver of hope in my chest, rush to check my email, only to be met with silence. And then I’d do it again ten minutes later… and again.I must’ve refreshed that inbox a thousand times a day. It felt like my entire life was sitting in someone else’s hands—waiting to be stamped with either a yes or a no.I started dreaming about it.Some nights, I saw the words Congratulations, you’ve been accepted blinking on the screen like they were meant just for me. Other nights, it was the opposite. A simple, cold rejection. Or worse—no reply at all. Those nights were harder to shake off. They stayed with me, like a weight I couldn’t shrug.One evening, I was back at the diner, elbow-deep in soapy water, scrubbing plates and trying not to spiral.The clatter of dishes and the hum of conversation around me couldn’t drown out the thoughts running wild in my head.That’s when Maria noticed.“You okay, N
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 86 - NOAH
I sat on the edge of my bed, the old springs groaning beneath me like they understood just how tired I was.The room felt smaller than usual, like the walls were pressing in on me, squeezing out the last bit of air I had left. I needed a break. I needed a plan. I needed something.The diner job hadn’t made me rich. Far from it. It just kept me going.Kept food in my stomach, rent barely paid, and my head above water. Barely. But somehow, I had scraped something together. Real money. Not a lot, but enough to make me feel like maybe—just maybe—I could start over.Then there was the cash Kade had given me.I hated thinking about it. About him. About where that money came from. It made my skin crawl. Taking it felt like swallowing glass. But I’d needed it.I couldn’t have cleared all my debts without it. I couldn’t have shaken off everything that was holding me down. As bitter as it was, it helped. And I needed to move on.I emptied my pockets and laid out the bills and coins across my bl
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 85 - NOAH
The bank. It kept replaying in my head like a bad memory that wouldn’t go away.I saw Elena every time I closed my eyes—her face, the way she would have reached out for me, and her voice calling my name as the car drove off. And I just stood there, helpless. Like a fool. Like a coward.They took her like she didn’t matter. Like she was just something to be collected and returned to a prison.The guard had said something that day. I don’t even remember the exact words anymore. Something about how they had the right.Something about her family. It didn’t matter. Nothing he said could explain it. Nothing could make it okay.I don’t remember how I got home. Cars honked, people yelled, and the world kept moving, but I didn’t care. Everything felt far away. Like I was underwater and everyone else was still breathing air.When I walked into the house, it felt colder.The kind of cold that had nothing to do with weather. The couch where she used to sit felt emptier. Her mug was still on the t
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 84 - ELENA
I barely made it to the end of the hallway before the tears started stinging my eyes.I wasn’t crying because of the slap—though it did hurt, and the sting was still fresh on my skin. I was crying because everything inside me felt like it was breaking apart. But also… finally falling into place.I stepped outside the mansion into the cold evening air, letting it fill my lungs like freedom. My steps were slow and shaky. I didn’t know where I was going—I just needed to get away from those walls, that house, and their voices.Then my phone rang.The screen lit up with a name I hadn’t seen in weeks.Julian.My brother.I almost let it go to voicemail. But something inside me said, Pick it up.So I did.“Hello?” I whispered.“Elena,” came his voice, rough and tired. “What the hell are you doing?”I blinked, caught off guard by his tone. “Excuse me?”“Do you have any idea what you’ve just started?” He snapped. “I got ten missed calls from Dad. Mom is blowing up my phone. I leave town for tw
CRUEL OBSESSION CHAPTER 83 - ELENA
I poured my heart and soul into that application like it was my lifeline.Every section, every word—I gave it my full attention. But it was the essay that really cracked something open inside me. The moment I began typing, it felt like the dam I’d been holding back for years finally broke.Tears rolled down my cheeks. Not the kind that came from sadness—but the kind that came from release. From finally speaking my truth.“I want to study people,” I typed, my fingers trembling as they danced across the keyboard. “Because for so long, I’ve been surrounded by people who never really saw me.”I stopped and stared at the screen. That one sentence said everything.My parents never saw me. Not really. They saw a trophy daughter. A future heiress. A social puppet they could dress up and parade in front of their world.They never noticed the quiet girl who loved books, who asked questions, and who dreamed about simple things like bike rides and real love.I sniffled and wiped my face with the
