LIKE LOVE OBSESSION

* warning*

This chapter contains elements of toxic relationships, emotional manipulation, and intense emotional conflict. Some scenes may be unsettling or triggering for readers, particularly those sensitive to themes of possessiveness, betrayal, and power dynamics. Reader discretion is advised.

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Ring, ring.

The sound of the phone felt like a slap to my senses, dragging me out of the fog that had taken over my mind. My heart raced in sync with the ringing, a strange dread coiling in my stomach. I knew who it was before I even looked, but still, I hesitated. My fingers were cold as I swiped the screen.

His name didn't pop up. It was Mom. A brief, hollow relief hit me before the disappointment washed over. It wasn't him. Of course, it wasn't. Sinister had walked away, vanished into his own world while I was left in the wreckage. But it still stung, the thought of him, the hope that I kept clinging to like some fragile thread that could snap at any moment.

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and answered the call. "Hi, Mom," I said, my voice a little too high, a little too shaky. I hated how she could hear it.

"Grey, where have you been? I've been trying to reach you," Mom's voice, laced with concern, reached through the phone.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just... just tired. I woke up late." I didn't even believe my own words.

She seemed to buy it. "Good, good. Listen, Ema misses you. She's been asking about you. Maybe you could visit sometime soon?"

My chest tightened at the mention of Ema. My little sister was the only part of my life that still felt real. "I'll try, Mom. I've got a lot of work to catch up on. But I'll try, okay?"

"Alright, honey. Take care of yourself. Love you."

"Yeah, love you too." The words felt hollow, like they didn't belong in my mouth. But I said them anyway, because that was what I always said. That was what I was supposed to say.

I hung up, tossing the phone onto the bed with a little too much force. It felt like the room was closing in on me, the silence pressing in on all sides. I had lied to Mom. I hadn't touched a single assignment, not even looked at them. I couldn't focus. My brain wouldn't let me. It kept circling back to him, to Sinister.

Why did it still hurt so much? The memories, the way he'd looked at me when we were together, when he made me feel like I mattered. Then he walked away. It wasn't even a clean break. It was like he'd peeled off his skin and left me behind, wondering what had gone wrong. Was I ever worth it?

I couldn't stay in that room anymore. The walls were suffocating me, and the thoughts in my head were starting to spin out of control. I grabbed my hoodie and slipped out of my room, locking the door behind me. The streets were eerily quiet. The world felt like it had fallen asleep, leaving me to my own demons.

That's when I saw the car. A sleek black Audi, parked just a few blocks away. My heart skipped a beat. I shook it off at first—probably just some random driver. But then, as I made my way down the street, I saw it again, creeping down the road, following me. I picked up my pace, but the car stayed right behind me, just far enough to remain a shadow, but close enough to make my blood run cold.

I tried losing it. Took random turns, ducked down side streets. But it kept appearing. Always just behind, a constant reminder that I wasn't alone. My stomach twisted, panic slowly creeping in. The car wasn't just driving past. It was following me, and the closer I got to losing it, the more the tension in my chest grew.

Finally, I ducked behind a corner, pressing my back to the brick wall, hoping the car wouldn't spot me. I held my breath, waiting. Seconds felt like hours. When I peeked out, the Audi had finally driven off, disappearing into the darkness. I let out a shaky breath, my heart still hammering in my chest, but the fear didn't leave. It stayed with me, gnawing at my insides.

And then I heard it.

"Are you looking for me, Petal?"

The voice was smooth, too smooth, and it hit me like a physical blow. I froze, my whole body going rigid. There was no mistaking it. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. I already knew.

Sinister.

The man who had shattered me. The man who had walked away with someone else. The man who had betrayed me with someone I dislike more than anyone else in this damn world.

I spun around, ready to lash out, but before I could even open my mouth, a strong hand clamped over my mouth. I struggled against the grip, panic flooding my veins, but then his eyes locked onto mine.

The storm in them made my knees go weak. Sinister. He stood there like he owned the world, like he owned me.

His lips curved into a cruel smile as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear. "Miss me, Petal?" His voice was dark, mocking, dripping with arrogance.

I tried to pull away, but he pressed me harder against the wall, his body pinning mine in place. His knee was wedged between my legs, and I could feel the weight of him, the heat of him.

"Don't pretend you don't want this," he growled, his voice low and rough, sending shivers down my spine. His lips crashed onto mine—forceful, demanding, and relentless. And he was right. I hated it, but he was right. I wanted this. I missed the way he smelled, the way his closeness could drown out everything else. But this was too much. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think—only feel him, overwhelming me, claiming me like I was something he owned. Like I was his.

I pushed against him, my hands shoving at his chest. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I finally managed to say, my voice trembling with anger Icant show him that i still want him. "After everything you did? You just think you can come back and pick up where we left off?"

His laughter was cold, mocking. "You think I walked away from you, Grey? You think I left you behind? You're wrong. I never left. You'll never get rid of me."

He leaned in again, whispering against my ear, "You were always mine. You just didn't realize it yet."

I recoiled, disgusted. "I was never yours, Sin," I spat, the words like venom on my tongue. "You betrayed me. You don't get to come back into my life like nothing happened."

His face twisted in mock sadness, a smirk playing on his lips. "I did what I had to do, Petal. You weren't enough. And now you're angry because you know it. But you'll come back to me. You always do."

I shook my head, fury burning in my chest. "I don't need you, Sin. Not now. Not ever."

He leaned closer, his lips brushing against my neck as he whispered, "You're lying. You've always needed me. I know you better than anyone, Grey. You're still the same girl who used to wait for me at night, who craved me just as much as I craved you. You're mine. Always have been. Always will be."

I pushed him away, my heart pounding in my chest, my hands shaking. "No. I'm done."

Sinister's eyes flashed with something dangerous, something dark. "You think it's that easy? You think you can just walk away?" His voice dropped lower, dangerous. "You'll come back to me. You always do."

But would I?