His Silent Obsession.

Chapter 5 — The Bodyguard

Tiana’s POV:

I woke up irritated.

Not the normal kind.

Not the “I didn’t sleep well” kind.

The deeper kind.

The kind that sat in your chest and refused to move.

I stared at my ceiling for a few seconds, blinking slowly as everything from yesterday came back all at once.

The crash.

My dad.

The conversation.

The decision.

A driver.

A bodyguard.

I let out a slow breath.

“…Right.”

I sat up, running a hand through my hair before swinging my legs over the side of the bed.

Today was going to be annoying.

I could already feel it.

But I wasn’t just going to accept it.

No.

If they thought I was going to make this easy—

they didn’t know Tee at all.

******

By the time I got dressed and stepped out of my room, I was already prepared.

Prepared to argue.

Prepared to refuse.

Prepared to make it very clear that I was not okay with any of this.

I walked through the house with purpose, my expression set, my mind already forming the exact words I was going to use.

“This is unnecessary.”

“I don’t need this.”

“I’m not doing this.”

Simple and direct.

I reached the front door and paused for a second, exhaling once before opening it.

Because I knew someone would be out there.

Some random security guy.

Probably overly serious.

Probably annoying.

Probably someone I would not get along with.

Good.

That would make this easier.

I pulled the door open.

Stepped outside.

And froze.

There he was.

Leaning casually against the car like he had been there the entire time.

Like he belonged there.

Like this wasn’t out of place at all.

My stomach dropped slightly.

Recognition hit instantly.

Sharp.

Unavoidable.

Him.

The man from last night.

The one I hit.

The one who didn’t react.

The one who just watched.

My expression shifted without permission.

Shock.

Then anger.

Then disbelief.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

He didn’t move.

Didn’t react.

Didn’t even look surprised.

Of course he wasn’t.

He just straightened slightly, pushing himself off the car before reaching for the passenger door.

And opening it.

Like this was normal.

Like I was expected.

“Get in.”

That was it.

No explanation.

No acknowledgement.

Just that.

I stared at him.

“You’re serious.”

No response.

“You’re actually serious right now.”

Still nothing.

I let out a disbelieving laugh, shaking my head.

“No. Absolutely not.”

He didn’t argue.

Didn’t try to convince me.

Didn’t even respond.

He just stood there.

Holding the door open.

Waiting.

Like he had all the time in the world.

I folded my arms, irritation rising again. “This is a joke.”

Silence.

“I’m not getting in that car.”

Nothing.

“Did my dad seriously send you?”

No answer.

I scoffed. “Wow. Of course he did.”

Nothing.

That was starting to get to me.

Because he wasn’t pushing.

He wasn’t forcing anything.

He wasn’t even reacting.

He was just… there.

Waiting.

Like he already knew how this would end.

I shifted my weight slightly, narrowing my eyes.

“You don’t even work for me.”

No response.

“I didn’t agree to this.”

Nothing.

“I don’t need a bodyguard.”

Silence.

I let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through my hair. “Say something.”

A pause.

Then.

“You’re going to be late.”

I blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“You have a class.”

I stared at him.

“You think I care about that right now?”

“No.”

“…Then why say it?”

“Because you will later.”

I opened my mouth.

Paused.

Closed it again.

“…That’s not the point.”

“It is.”

I frowned slightly. “No, the point is you’re standing in front of my house acting like this is normal.”

“It's very normal.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It is now.”

I let out a short laugh. “You sound just like him.”

He didn’t respond.

Of course.

I shook my head again, glancing away for a second before looking back at him.

He hadn’t moved.

Still holding the door.

Still calm.

Still waiting.

And something about that..about how unbothered he was made this harder than it should have been.

Because if he argued, I could argue back.

If he pushed, I could push harder.

But this?

This quiet patience?

It wasn’t something I could fight the same way.

I clicked my tongue slightly, irritated. “You’re not even going to try to convince me?”

“No.”

“…Why?”

“Because you’ll get in eventually.”

I stared at him.

“…You’re very confident.”

“Who isn't?”

I scoffed. “f**k you.”

“You don’t like being told what to do.”

I frowned slightly. “No, I don’t.”

“But you also don’t like being late.”

I blinked.

“…What?”

“You’ll choose.”

I stared at him for a second longer than necessary.

And I hated that he was right.

I hated that he saw that.

That he noticed.

That he understood just enough to use it.

I exhaled sharply, looking away again.

“This is weird.”

No response.

Of course.

I stood there for a few more seconds, debating.

Arguing with myself.

Staying would prove a point.

Getting in would annoy me less.

And I hated that those were my options.

I turned back to him.

He hadn’t moved.

Still calm.

Still waiting.

Like he knew.

“…I don’t like you.” I said flatly.

“I know.”

That answer came too easily.

I frowned. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s arrogant.”

“Accurate.”

I stared at him.

Then shook my head.

“…You’re actually annoying.”

No response.

Again.

I let out one last frustrated breath before walking toward the car.

Not because I wanted to.

But because standing there any longer felt like losing in a different way.

I stopped right in front of the open door.

Paused.

Then looked at him.

“This doesn’t mean I agree with any of this.”

“I didn’t say it did.”

I held his gaze for a second.

Then got in.

The seat felt too comfortable.

Too normal.

Like this wasn’t completely insane.

I hated that.

He closed the door without a word, walking around to the driver’s side before getting in.

The engine started.

The silence settled in immediately.

Heavy.

I leaned back slightly, crossing my arms as I stared out the window.

“This is temporary." I said.

No response.

“I’m not doing this long-term.”

Nothing.

“I mean it.”

“We’ll see.”

I turned my head slightly toward him, narrowing my eyes.

“No. There’s nothing to see.”

He didn’t look at me.

Just focused on the road.

Calm.

Unbothered.

Like always.

And that made something in my chest tighten slightly.

Because suddenly this didn’t feel like a one-time thing.

Didn’t feel like something I could just argue my way out of.

It felt set.

Real.

I looked away again, jaw tightening slightly.

Because for the first time since this started it actually hit me.

I was stuck with him.

And somehow that was worse than the crash.