Page 87 of Surrendering to the Obsession

Just then, his phone buzzed again.

Unlocking it, he froze.

A message from Gabriel appeared, along with photographs. The first showed Mia’s side profile; her face wasn’t fully visible, but he recognized her instantly. He straightened in his seat, disbelief and anger twisting together. The next image made him clench his fists: Mia, kissing another man.

Gabriel’s accompanying message confirmed it, filled with mockery. ‘Weren’t you searching for this woman all over the city? Look—she’s cheating on you with some roadside bastard. I always told you she has character issues. She probably already cheated on you before your divorce. Look at her now, kissing a man right after the divorce, spending her nights with someone else.’

Rage exploded through James. He muttered under his breath, disbelief cracking his voice, “I invited you to dinner… and you’re eating with another man?Kissinghim?”

A harsh, humorless laugh escaped him, mingled with fury. His hands shook, slamming onto the steering wheel. His vision narrowed on the photos, chest heaving with uncontrollable anger. “Who knew you could smile like this with someone else?” he whispered through gritted teeth. His fingers clenched the phone until it creaked.

Without a second thought, James opened Mia’s new contact number and typed:

‘Mia, where are you? I want to see you right now.’

***

Mia sat across from Alexander, the remnants of dinner before her, wiping her hands. She glanced down at her phone just as it buzzed with a message. Opening it, she saw James’s words glaring back at her:

‘Mia, where are you? I want to see you right now.’

Her heart sank, a flicker of frustration crossing her face. ‘Why is he still haunting me like a ghost?’

She ignored the message, silenced her phone, and set it aside.

But then the screen lit up again—a call this time, James’s name flashing insistently.

Mia immediately glanced at Alexander, who was sitting across from her, gazing out the window at the city. Silently, she cut the call and blocked James’s number, setting her phone aside again. Alexander’s eyes shifted toward her.

“Is something wrong?” he asked softly, reading the tension on her face.

“Everything’s fine,” Mia replied, smiling. “Are we having dessert?”

“Do you want ice cream?” Alexander asked, tilting his head.

Mia nodded, and he smiled warmly. He signaled a waiter to bring their dessert.

Meanwhile, James sat in his car, waiting impatiently for a reply. When Mia didn’t respond, he tried texting again, but the message failed to send. Frowning, he stared at the screen in disbelief—and then shock hit him: she had blocked him.

“You blocked me?” he muttered under his breath, a growl of disbelief and rage escaping his throat. “Are you worried I’ll ruin your perfect little date with that… man?!”

His hands trembled, gripping the phone so tightly it shook. With a harsh twist, he hurled it out the car window. It shattered into pieces, glass scattering like shards of his fury.

James’s chest heaved, eyes burning with uncontrollable anger. Within moments, he slammed the car into gear, gripping the steering wheel as if it were the only thing keeping him tethered to reality. His foot pressed hard on the accelerator, and the car roared into the streets, a storm of rage behind the wheel.

***

Mia and Alexander stepped out of the restaurant hand in hand. The crisp night air brushed against her face as they descended the stairs together. She paused when she noticed Alexander suddenly pulling something out from behind his back.

A large bouquet of roses, vibrant and fresh, mixed with delicate baby’s breath, and a gift bag nestled carefully in the middle of it. Her eyes widened.

“When did you get this?” Mia asked, eyes wide with shock.

Alexander met her gaze, his lips curving into a tender smile. “It’s my first dinner date with my wife. How could I come empty-handed?”

He handed her the bouquet, the petals brushing gently against her fingers. Mia grinned, closing her eyes for a moment as she inhaled its sweet, heady fragrance.

Curiosity sparked, she carefully lifted the small gift bag nestled within the bouquet, her fingers trembling slightly with excitement. She peeked inside, and several little velvet boxes revealed themselves, glinting in the soft streetlight.