Francis_Oluchi

Love. Devotion. Obsession. How far would you go to keep the one you love?

Ella Williams has spent her life surviving. Orphaned at five and raised by an abusive aunt, she clawed her way out of darkness, building a thriving business and a life of independence. But one thing has always remained just out of reach—Zack Sinclair, her best friend and secret love. He was the one person who made her feel safe, the one man she thought would eventually see her.

But he never did.

For years, she watched him cycle through women, never once realizing that she was right there, waiting. And just when she finally starts to let go, when she allows herself to look beyond him—she meets Leo Carter.

Leo is everything Zack isn’t. Steady. Devoted. A man who looks at Ella like she’s the only woman in the world. For the first time in her life, she feels wanted. Chosen. Loved.

And she will do anything to keep it that way.

But love, for Ella, isn’t just affection—it’s possession.

When Zack realizes his own feelings too late, when Leo’s mother and best friend disapprove, when old flames from his past try to return, Ella doesn’t see these as mere obstacles.

She sees threats.

And threats must be eliminated.

As her obsession grows, the line between love and madness blurs. She has fought too hard, suffered too much, to lose the only man who has ever made her feel whole. And if she has to manipulate, destroy, or even kill to keep Leo by her side, so be it.

Because in Ella’s mind, Leo isn’t just the love of her life.

He is hers. Forever.

But what happens when the perfect obsession turns into the perfect nightmare?

The Perfect Obsession

The slap came hard and sudden, the sting biting deep into my cheek. "You ungrateful, filthy child!" Aunt Evelyn's voice sliced through the air, cold and venomous. My ribs ached from her earlier kicks, but I bit back the tears. Crying only made her angrier.

"I didn't mean to spill the milk," I whispered, my voice trembling. "It was an accident, I swear—"

"Liar! Just like your mother." Her sneer twisted into something crueler. "I feed you, clothe you, and this is how you repay me? Stealing my money, wasting food?"

"I didn't take anything," I gasped, my breath shallow as fear pressed against my chest. "I didn't—"

Her hand struck me again before I could finish, and I stumbled back, hitting the wall. "Stop your excuses. One day, you'll learn to appreciate what little you have."

The kitchen fell silent except for the sound of my ragged breathing. At five years old, I didn't fully understand why my parents were gone or why Aunt Evelyn hated me so much. I only knew this: survival meant silence.

The nightmares never left me, even as I grew older. Some nights, I woke up gasping, Aunt Evelyn's voice still echoing in my head. But I always reminded myself—I was free now. No more cowering, no more beatings. I built a life for myself, carved out something that was mine alone.

At 26, I had a thriving lip care brand, a loyal customer base, and over a million social media followers. I owned my own apartment, a walk in store for my brand and was financially independent—a far cry from the terrified child Aunt Evelyn tried to destroy.

The buzz of my phone broke my thoughts. Zack flashed across the screen. A smile tugged at my lips despite myself. Zack Sinclair—my best friend, confidant, and secret love since college. He had swept through my life like a whirlwind of charm and chaos, dragging me out of my shell and forcing the world to notice me.

"Hey, Zee," I teased when I answered.

"Don't call me that," he groaned, laughing.

"Then stop calling me when I'm working."

"You love it," he shot back. "Listen, I've got this company party coming up, and you have to come. No excuses."

"You're not that busy." His voice softened. "Come on, Ella. I need my wingman—or wingwoman, whatever. It won't be fun without you."

I sighed. Zack's charm was impossible to resist, and he knew it. "Fine," I relented. "But only because you're begging."

"You won't regret it," he promised. "See you Saturday."

After hanging up, I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts drifting. Zack had always been a ladies' man—charismatic, successful, and infuriatingly attractive. He changed girlfriends faster than most people changed outfits, never staying tied down for long.

Still, I couldn't help hoping that one day he'd see me differently—that maybe, just maybe, I was the one he'd been searching for all along. But those were foolish dreams, the kind I kept locked away.

Because dreaming about Zack meant risking heartbreak—and after everything I'd been through, I wasn't sure my heart could take it.

Chapter One: A Past That Lingers