Once, my paranoid love

The guilt was suffocating, threatening to consume Robert as he replayed the missed opportunities, the moments when he could have reached out, listened, and understood. Instead, he had unknowingly contributed to her suffering by allowing it to go unnoticed.

Robert’s gaze turned inward, his thoughts a labyrinth of self-recrimination and sorrow. He had to confront the painful truth that he had been too preoccupied with his own concerns to see his daughter’s silent cries for help.

**

“Today is your registry, boss,” Obin announced with a touch of hesitation, standing at the threshold of Derek’s spacious office. The room was adorned with opulent furnishings, a testament to Derek’s success as a businessman. His eyes remained fixed on a document spread before him as he continued to sign each page with a practiced hand.

“Yes, I know, but I’m not attending,” Derek replied coolly, his gaze remaining fixed on the task at hand. He seemed unfazed by the significance of the occasion, his voice carrying a tone of detachment.

“But sir,” Obin began to protest, concern etched across his features, “It’s your registry, and your presence-”

Derek interrupted him without looking up, his voice carrying a note of finality. “Obin, go get her and inform everyone about our rule. I don’t want any issues in the future.”

Obin cleared his throat, mustering the courage to speak his mind. “Boss, may I ask why? Your absence today, it’s going to raise eyebrows, and people will talk.”

Derek finally lifted his eyes from the documents and fixed his gaze on Obin. His steely blue eyes bore a depth of determination that was characteristic of him. “Obin, I’ve signed every piece of registry paper. My commitment is not dependent on a ceremony. I’ve made my decision.”

“After we’ve registered, take her to my new residence. After all, she’ll be my wife. I’ll take full responsibility for her,” Derek stated with a sense of authority that left no room for debate. His eyes bore a rare hint of vulnerability, hidden beneath his usually composed exterior.

Obin, who had been tasked with overseeing the registry ceremony, nodded in understanding. It was clear that Derek had made up his mind, and his words were not to be questioned. “Understood, boss. I’ll make sure everything is arranged accordingly.”

However, in a momentary lapse of judgment, Obin couldn’t help but express a thought that had been gnawing at him. “Boss, Mr. D’Suza’s daughter is stunning,” he blurted out, his voice tinged with admiration and intrigue.

Derek’s stern glare silenced Obin instantly, and he stammered an apology. “I-I am sorry, boss. I didn’t mean-”

Derek cut him off with a wave of his hand and stood up abruptly. “No need to apologize, Obin. Just remember the rule I mentioned earlier.”

With that, Derek exited the room, leaving Obin to contemplate the enigma that was his boss. As the door closed behind him, Derek’s thoughts swirled in a tumultuous storm, revealing a glimpse of a hidden side to his character.

“She may be attractive, but she is not as attractive as that girl is,” Derek thought to himself, the memory of a night spent with an unknown girl haunting his thoughts.

The memory was a vivid one, a secret he had kept buried deep within him. It was a night of passion and desire, a night when he had allowed himself to be vulnerable in the arms of a stranger. The girl had been a captivating enigma, a temporary escape from the rigidity of his life.

As he walked through the corridors of his room, Derek’s mind replayed the events of that fateful night.

The memory of their connection was intoxicating, and Derek couldn’t help but compare it to the arranged union that awaited him. He was about to marry Mr. Robert’s daughter he barely knew.

As he reached the window overlooking the sprawling city, Derek contemplated the choices he had made. His life had been a series of carefully calculated decisions, always driven by pragmatism and control. But that night, with a stranger whose name he never learned, he had allowed himself to be swept away by desire and emotion.

**

[The scenario changed to D’Souza’s mansion]

I stood before the mirror, wearing the gown my father had given me. The fabric draped elegantly around my figure, the soft blush hue a stark contrast to the dark red lipstick I had applied meticulously. My hair, left open, cascaded in loose waves down my back, partially concealing the secret I harbored.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

I had made a conscious choice not to expose my back. It wasn’t just about modesty; it was about hiding the marks of someone’s brutality that had once consumed me. Paul’s tender kisses and love marks, his brutality remnants of a passionate affair that had both thrilled and haunted me, were etched there. I had parted my hair strategically, a veil of silk and strands that shielded me from the memories of those intimate moments.

As I stood there, lost in my thoughts, someone unexpectedly opened the door. The intrusion startled me, and I turned to see Pom. She wore a polite but curious expression, as if she had stumbled upon a secret.

“Ma’am,” Pom began tentatively, her voice laced with uncertainty. I greeted her with a friendly smile, acknowledging her presence. “Yes, Pom?”

She stepped further into the room, her eyes studying me with a hint of admiration. “You’re looking stunning, ma’am.”

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of gratitude at her compliment, a small respite from the weight of the secrets I carried. “Thank you, Pom.”

“Come on, let’s go,” I replied to Pom, my voice filled with enthusiasm, my face beaming with a carefully crafted smile.

As I looked at myself in the mirror one last time, I couldn’t help but take a deep breath, the weight of the moment settling over me. My marriage, a union that had been arranged for reasons known to my family, was the path I needed to tread now. It was a commitment, a choice I had made for the sake of tradition, responsibility, and a future that lay shrouded in uncertainty.

The gown clung to me, its soft blush hue concealing both my figure and the secrets that resided within. Dark red lipstick accentuated my lips, a bold statement that contrasted with the emotions I kept hidden. My hair, partially obscuring my back, served as a reminder of the intimate moments I had once shared with another.

But as I took that final look in the mirror, I knew it was time to leave behind the past and embrace the future that awaited me. My heart was a whirlwind of emotions, a mix of anticipation and trepidation, but I had made my choice, and there was no turning back.

**

After absorbing the shocking revelations from Elena, Robert sat on the couch, his mind a tumultuous storm of emotions. The weight of what he had just learned pressed down upon him, and he struggled to comprehend the extent of the pain Anne and her son had inflicted on his beloved daughter.

His thoughts were consumed by a single, relentless idea: to confront and punish the man responsible for Elena’s suffering, Paul. The rage that coursed through him was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was a father’s fury, a primal instinct to protect his child from harm.

In that moment, Robert felt an overwhelming need to take matters into his own hands, to seek retribution for the injustice that had been done to his daughter. He envisioned confronting Paul, his fists clenched, and his eyes burning with a vengeful fire.

As he stewed in his thoughts, lost in the maelstrom of anger and despair, a housekeeper appeared as if from thin air, her presence breaking the suffocating silence of the room. She spoke with a cautious tone, “Sir, Mr. Obin is here.”

The interruption jolted Robert out of his reverie, and he took a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure. Obin’s unexpected arrival was a reminder that he needed to handle the situation with a measured approach, to seek justice through lawful means, rather than succumbing to the violence brewing within him.

“Okay,” Robert replied to the housekeeper, his voice strained but controlled. He nodded, signaling that he would meet with Obin shortly.

As the housekeeper left the room, Robert knew that he had a long and challenging road ahead. He had to be the pillar of strength for his daughter, to support her through the difficult journey of healing and justice.

It was at that moment that Obin arrived. His timing was impeccable, as if he had sensed the urgency of the situation. Robert’s gaze remained fixed on the floor, his thoughts a tumultuous storm that refused to abate.

Elena, still sequestered in her room, was undoubtedly grappling with her own anguish. Robert knew that he needed to find a way to support and protect her, to be the father she needed in this dark hour.

With a heavy sigh, Robert tore his gaze away from the floor and turned his attention towards the approaching figure of Mr. Obin. He stood up, his heart heavy but determined, and walked outside to meet the man who had come to offer his support and guidance.