Billionaire’s Wicked Obsession

The sun peeked through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the bedroom. Elsie stirred slightly, her body still nestled in the warmth of the blankets. The past few months had been a whirlwind, but for the first time in years, she felt stable—secure.

Pierce was already awake, sitting at the edge of the bed, watching her with that familiar intensity in his gaze. He had always been an early riser, disciplined in a way that fascinated Elsie.

"You're staring," she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "You're beautiful when you sleep. It's hard not to."

Elsie rolled her eyes, but the blush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her. She pulled the covers over her head, only to have them yanked away just as quickly.

"Hey!" she protested, her sleepy pout making Pierce chuckle.

"Come on, lazy girl. You have class in an hour," he teased, standing up and stretching. His toned body moved effortlessly, and Elsie had to force herself to look away before her thoughts wandered too far.

"Fine, fine," she grumbled, pushing herself up and running a hand through her hair. "But you're making me coffee."

Pierce smirked. "As you wish, princess."

The morning passed in a blur of rushed sips of coffee, hurried notes, and a frantic search for her misplaced phone. By the time Elsie reached campus, she barely had time to breathe before being swept into the chaos of her lectures.

But something felt different today.

The whispers. The lingering stares. The occasional giggles from groups of students as she walked past.

Elsie frowned. Had something happened?

It wasn't until her best friend, Naomi, practically slammed her notebook on the desk next to her that she got her answer.

"Oh my God, Elsie, have you seen this?!" Naomi hissed, shoving her phone into Elsie's hands.

Elsie blinked, adjusting her focus to the screen. What she saw made her stomach drop.

A picture. Of her.

With Pierce.

From last night, outside their apartment.

It was nothing inappropriate—just a simple moment of him pulling her close as they walked. But the caption beneath it sent ice through her veins.

"Mysterious professor seen getting cozy with a student—who is she?"

Elsie's breath hitched. "What the hell…?"

Naomi leaned in closer, her expression a mix of excitement and concern. "Girl, this post has already gotten over five hundred comments. People are going insane trying to figure out who you are."

Elsie swallowed hard. This was bad. She had been careful—so careful. But someone had seen them, and now the entire campus was buzzing with rumors.

She could already imagine the scandal this would cause if it reached the administration.

Her hands trembled slightly as she set the phone down. "I need to go."

Naomi grabbed her wrist. "Elsie, wait—"

But she was already on her feet, grabbing her bag and rushing out of the lecture hall.

Her mind raced.

She had to find Pierce.

Now.

Elsie walked quickly through the campus hallway, ignoring the curious stares that seemed to pierce her from every direction. Her heart pounded hard, not just from fear but from the anger bubbling inside her.

Who took that photo? Who spread it?

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she headed toward the faculty building where Pierce usually taught. But just as she was about to reach the door, a voice stopped her.

"Elsie."

She turned and found Pierce standing at the end of the hallway, his expression calm, but his eyes sharp. As if he already knew everything.

Elsie swallowed hard and quickly walked toward him. As soon as she was close enough, Pierce grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty faculty office. The moment the door shut, Elsie couldn't hold back anymore.

"You've seen it, haven't you?" her voice trembled, her eyes searching his face for answers.

Pierce nodded slowly. "Yes. I've known since this morning."

Elsie blinked. "Then why didn't you tell me?!"

The man let out a long sigh before crossing his arms over his chest. "Because I wanted to handle this the right way. Not by panicking and acting recklessly."

"But this isn't just about you, Pierce!" Elsie stepped closer, her voice dropping but full of emotion. "It's about me too. Everyone is talking about us. I can't even walk through the hallway without feeling like I'm being judged!"

Pierce gazed at her intently, then gently took her hand and held it tightly. "Elsie, listen to me. I won't let this hurt you."

"But what if they report us?" Elsie whispered, her eyes growing hot. "What if the university starts investigating? What if—"

"I'll handle it," Pierce cut in firmly. "I won't let them come after you."

Elsie bit her lip, trying to control the whirlwind of emotions inside her. She wanted to trust Pierce, but the reality of so many eyes watching her made it hard to breathe.

As if he could read her mind, Pierce raised a hand and gently touched her cheek. "I won't let them take something precious away from me," he said softly, his voice gentle yet unwavering.

Elsie's heart trembled.

"What do we do now?" she whispered.

Pierce looked at her for a moment before exhaling and saying, "We face this together."

Elsie knew that from this moment on, her life would never be the same again.

Elsie stared at Pierce, her eyes still filled with anxiety. His words were reassuring, but deep down, she knew the outside world wasn't that easy to face.

"But what if they really report us?" her voice was weak, almost a whisper.

Pierce didn't answer right away. Instead, he took a deep breath and held Elsie's hands tighter. "If that happens, I'll take full responsibility. No one will touch you, Elsie."

"But that's not fair..." Elsie lowered her gaze, guilt starting to creep into her heart. "It's my fault too. I also—"

"Elsie." Pierce gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You didn't do anything wrong. We didn't do anything wrong."

Suddenly, a loud knock on the door made Elsie flinch.

"Pierce! I know you're in there!"

Elsie held her breath, immediately recognizing the voice—Professor Callahan, one of the most respected faculty members.

Pierce remained calm. He glanced at Elsie before finally walking toward the door and opening it.

Professor Callahan stood with a sharp expression, his eyes quickly darting to Elsie, who was still standing in the middle of the room.

"I need to talk," he said, his voice low but firm.

Pierce crossed his arms. "Sure. About what?"

Professor Callahan scoffed before stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. "Don't play dumb, Pierce. Your pictures with Elsie have already spread. This isn't just some cheap gossip anymore—it could ruin your reputation. And the university's reputation too."

Elsie felt her body tense. Her breath hitched, and the professor's piercing gaze only made her more nervous.

Pierce stood his ground, showing no sign of fear. "I don't care about my reputation," he said flatly. "But I won't let anyone attack Elsie."

Professor Callahan narrowed his eyes. "You do realize this could lead to serious consequences, don't you?"

"If the university wants to investigate, let them. I'll explain everything," Pierce answered firmly.

Elsie looked at him, her eyes wide. "Pierce..."

Professor Callahan let out a long sigh. "I hope you know what you're doing." He then turned to Elsie. "And you, Elsie. Think carefully before you act. The academic world isn't as kind as you think."

With that, he turned and left, leaving the room heavy with tension.

Elsie remained frozen, her heart pounding.

Pierce walked up to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I told you, I won't let this destroy us."

Elsie bit her lip, her eyes searching his. "I'm just... scared."

Pierce caressed her cheek softly. "I know. But we'll get through this together."

Elsie stared at him, searching for certainty in his eyes.

And for the first time since this chaos began, she felt a little more at ease.