Billionaire’s Wicked Obsession

The silence between us felt like a whirlpool, pulling me deeper into suffocating uncertainty. Pierce's words echoed in my head, crashing against the walls of my logic, which desperately tried to deny everything.

"Do you still choose me?"

I didn't know how to answer.

My eyes fell back on the contract in my hands. The words on the paper were so clear, so real. My name and his, bound in an agreement that I had no knowledge of until today. How could my life have been decided long ago without me knowing? How could someone be promised to another without their consent?

I looked up, meeting Pierce's gaze that swallowed me whole. There was tension there, hope, and a hidden fear behind his confident expression.

"Elsie..." his voice was softer this time, as if trying to soothe something fragile.

I bit my lip, feeling a tightness in my chest. "What really happened?" I finally asked, my voice barely steady.

Pierce let out a deep breath, as if he had anticipated this question. "Elsie, I won't lie to you. This all started long before you knew me. I was bound by a deal I couldn't escape—and you… you were part of it."

My chest tightened. "Why me? Why not someone else?"

He held my gaze for a long moment before finally answering, "Because only you could save me."

His words sent a fresh wave of confusion crashing over me. "Save you from what?"

Pierce didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, closing the already thin distance between us. My breath caught as he reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek with a warmth that oddly calmed me.

"From my own destruction," he whispered.

I froze, searching for truth in his eyes. There was something in his voice that sounded too raw, too honest—like he was truly afraid of losing something.

Or someone.

Me.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady the frantic beat of my heart. "So… all this time, I was just part of that deal?"

Pierce shook his head quickly. "No, Elsie. I would never see you as just an agreement. Maybe it started that way, but everything changed when I met you. When I got to know you. I want you to believe that what I feel is real. I want you to know that I want you—not because of this contract, but because I can't imagine my life without you."

I remained silent, letting his words seep into my mind. I wanted to be angry, to reject everything, to say that this wasn't fair. But… a part of me also wanted to believe him.

I didn't know which was more terrifying—the fact that I had been promised to someone without my knowledge, or the fact that maybe, just maybe, I had already fallen into a trap I couldn't escape.

Pierce was still watching me, waiting.

And I knew, this was the moment.

I had to choose.

I gripped the contract tighter, as if pressing it hard enough would somehow change the reality within it. But no. The words remained the same—clear and undeniable. My name and his, bound by an agreement I had never even known existed until today.

Pierce still stood before me, his eyes pulling me into a whirlwind of emotions I couldn't quite decipher. I could sense the unease beneath his calm exterior, as if he himself wasn't sure how I would react.

"I don't know what to say," my voice barely above a whisper.

Pierce took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "I know this is hard to accept. I know it sounds like I betrayed your trust. But Elsie, I don't want you to see this as something that forces you. I want you to know that even if this contract never existed… I still would have chosen you."

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to calm the storm inside my mind. "But you didn't tell me sooner. You kept this from me."

"I was afraid," he admitted honestly. "Afraid you would see me as someone who only claimed a right over you without giving you a choice. Afraid you would hate me."

I looked up, searching for truth in his eyes. "And what happens if I refuse?"

Pierce clenched his jaw. I could see how the question struck him deeper than he had expected. "Then I will accept your decision," he said, his voice softer. "I won't force you. I don't want you to be with me just because of this damn contract."

I bit my lip, my hands unconsciously crumpling the paper. Everything I thought I knew about my life now felt like a lie. But even so… I couldn't deny something within me—something that made me want to believe in him.

I stared into Pierce's eyes, searching for certainty that might never exist. "Tell me one thing," I whispered. "Do you regret this?"

He exhaled before answering, his voice filled with sincerity that sent a shiver through my chest. "No. I've never regretted meeting you, Elsie. Not for a single second."

My heart pounded. His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning.

I knew—there was no turning back from this.

This was the moment I had to choose.

The room felt smaller, as if the walls were slowly closing in, pressing against my lungs until my breath became shallow. I stared at Pierce without blinking, searching for something in his eyes—a crack, a lie—but all I found was sincerity that cut deeper than any deception ever could.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my racing heartbeat. "So, all of this was decided long ago?" My voice was barely more than a whisper.

Pierce nodded slowly, as if afraid his answer would break me further. "Yes," he admitted. "But I wasn't the one who started it, Elsie. I never intended for you to be part of this agreement. I only…" He exhaled heavily, as if struggling to find the right words. "I only lived with its consequences."

I clenched my fingers around the contract, feeling the paper tremble slightly in my grip. I wasn't sure if it was the paper shaking or my own hands. "And now you're telling me? After all this time?"

Pierce took a step closer, but I instinctively moved back. I wasn't sure I could handle his presence right now.

"I wanted to tell you sooner," he said, his voice carrying something dangerously close to regret. "But I was afraid, Elsie. Afraid of losing you before I had the chance to show you that I chose you—not because of this contract, but because I wanted to. Because I want you."

His words hit me like a tidal wave, breaking down every defense I had built. I lowered my gaze, staring at my name printed in bold letters on the paper, right beside his—a stark reminder that my fate had been decided before I even knew it.

I could run. I could tear this paper apart, throw it away, pretend I had never seen it. But that wouldn't change the fact that I was here, standing in front of him.

And what hurt even more… was that I wasn't sure if I wanted to run.

"Elsie," Pierce called my name, his voice both gentle and firm.

I lifted my eyes to meet his once more.

"I won't force you," he said. "But I need to know. Now that you know everything… what will you do?"

The choice was in my hands now.

And I wasn't sure if I was ready to answer.

The room felt even smaller, as if the air inside had become too heavy to breathe. I remained where I stood, my fingers gripping the edge of the contract, which now felt more like a burden than just a piece of paper.

Pierce kept his gaze on me, his eyes filled with something difficult to decipher—regret, hope, or maybe both.

"I know this is hard to accept," he said, his voice softer this time, as if afraid his words would hurt me even more. "But I never saw you as part of the deal. I never considered you as something I had to have just because of this contract."

I shook my head slightly, my eyes locking onto his. "Then how do you see me, Pierce?" I asked quickly, my voice sharper than I had intended.

He let out a slow breath, stepping closer without hesitation. There was no more pause, no more doubt.

"You are my choice," he finally said, his voice so deep it resonated in my chest. "I may be bound by this contract, but my feelings for you were never part of an obligation. I want you to know that, Elsie."

My chest tightened, as if thousands of emotions were swirling inside me without control. I lowered my gaze, staring at my name written on the contract. The words felt like chains—but what terrified me even more was the fact that I didn't entirely want to break free from them.

I could leave. I could tear this contract apart and end it right now.

But I stayed.

I was still standing in front of him.

Pierce slowly lifted his hand, his fingers nearly touching mine, but this time, there was no hesitation. His touch warmed my skin, as if reaffirming his presence in my life.

"I know this isn't fair," he said softly. "I know you have every right to be angry. But I'll ask you once again, Elsie…"

He looked deep into my eyes, his voice almost a whisper, yet so strong it pierced straight into my heart.

"Now that you know everything… do you still choose me?"

I looked back at him, without doubt.

"Yes."

My answer was firm. Certain.

No hesitation. No confusion.

I chose him.

Pierce stared at me as if he couldn't believe the answer that had just left my lips. For a moment, I saw the tension in his shoulders ease, though his gaze was still filled with emotions too complex to decipher.

"Elsie…" his voice was barely a whisper, as if he was afraid that speaking too loudly would shatter something fragile between us.

I remained still, unmoving. My heart pounded so hard it echoed in my ears, but I didn't regret my answer.

I had chosen him.

Maybe I should have been angry. Maybe I should have felt betrayed by the fact that I had been part of an agreement I never even knew about. But as I looked at the man standing before me, I knew that my feelings for him couldn't simply be erased by a piece of paper.

Pierce stepped closer, cautiously, as if afraid of pushing me too far. His fingers reached out, brushing against my cheek with a gentleness that made my breath hitch.

"You don't regret your answer?" he asked softly, his eyes searching mine.

I shook my head. "No."

For a moment, something deep and unspoken passed between us.

I could see the way Pierce's expression shifted—as if something inside him had finally broken free, as if a weight that had haunted him for so long had been lifted, even if only slightly. But in his silence, I knew this wasn't over yet.

"Then let me prove to you that this isn't about a contract, that it isn't about a deal." His tone was firmer this time, his determination clear.

I looked at him, my eyes searching for the truth in his words.

"How will you prove it?" I asked finally, my voice calmer than I had expected.

Pierce lowered his head slightly, leaning in closer, until I could feel his breath against my skin. His gaze was unwavering, filled with conviction.

"By staying by your side. By making you believe… that I choose you. Not because of a contract."

I inhaled deeply, letting his words sink into me.

I didn't know what would happen next. I didn't know if I could truly forget the fact that I had been promised to him without ever having a say in it. But there was one thing I knew for sure—I wasn't going to walk away.

I had chosen him.

And now, all I could do was wait and see if he would truly keep his promise.

The silence between us was so thick that I could hear my own heartbeat. I had already made my decision—I had chosen him. But choosing him didn't mean that all my doubts and fears had vanished instantly.

Pierce was still standing in front of me, his gaze sharp yet filled with sincerity. It was as if he was waiting for something—either certainty or my courage to truly trust him.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in my chest. "Pierce... I want to believe in you." My voice was soft, but every word that escaped my lips was undeniable truth.

A faint smile appeared on his lips—not a victorious smile, but something deeper, more human. As if he realized that even though I had chosen him, there was still a long journey ahead of us.

"That's enough for now," he said gently, as if understanding that I needed time.

Suddenly, his fingers moved, touching my chin lightly and lifting my face so that my eyes met his. "I won't force you to trust me all at once, Elsie. But I will prove everything, little by little."

My eyes searched his, looking for the truth in his promise. I wanted to believe. I wanted to be certain that I wasn't just a part of a deal he had made years ago.

"Pierce..." I bit my lip, hesitating before finally asking, "If I hadn't chosen you earlier, what would you have done?"

He didn't answer right away. For a moment, his expression hardened, as if imagining a scenario where I had rejected him. But at last, he sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck.

"I would still love you."

My heart pounded faster.

"I would still find a way to make you see that I am not just a man bound by a contract with your name on it. But if you chose to leave..." He swallowed, his eyes dark and serious. "Then I would wait. For as long as it takes."

I stared at him for a long time. There was sincerity in every word he spoke, and somehow, little by little, the walls around my heart began to crumble.

Maybe I still couldn't fully understand everything. Maybe the past that surrounded us still held many secrets yet to be uncovered.

But for now...

I chose to believe.

And Pierce chose to prove that I wouldn't regret choosing him.