STARK OBSESSION

CHAPTER THREE

Are they seriously planning to trap me in a lifetime of misery by marrying me off to some random man I barely know?

No. Absolutely not.

I wouldn’t let them decide the rest of my life for me. I couldn’t. I had to act, and I had to act fast. The thought of spending even one day being used as a pawn in someone else’s game made my chest tighten. I had survived my mother’s death, endured my father’s betrayal, and suffered through my stepmother’s cruelty. I would not allow anyone to dictate my future—not even my own family.

Tomorrow morning, when everyone had left the house and I was left alone with the endless chores they always piled on me, I would escape. I would gather every last coin I had and run. Who cared about the final installment of my course? Freedom came first. My life came first. Anything else could wait.

“Mom! Dad! I’m home!”

Rae’s voice rang through the house, crisp and sweet. I clenched my fists so tightly my knuckles ached. Peeking just enough through the cracked door, I could see what was happening in the living room.

“Oh my goodness! Rae! Look, Michael, my baby is home!” Sasha practically leaped at her daughter, smothering her with kisses and laughter that made my stomach churn.

“Hahaha, Mom, I’m not a child anymore,” Rae said, hugging her back, her voice light and teasing.

“Come here, Princess,” Dad’s deep, warm voice boomed as he approached, arms open wide.

I froze. My heart sank. Watching them pour all their love on Rae while I had stood in the shadows, ignored, invisible… it hurt in a way I couldn’t even put into words.

It hurt because it was familiar. Always familiar. Every word, every touch, every smile they reserved for Rae was a sharp reminder that I had been erased, like I never existed in their eyes.

I pushed the door open slightly, slipping out unnoticed. My eyes fell on Rae’s car—the bright pink one that screamed her personality. Cute on the outside, poisonous at the core. Of course. I had learned long ago that appearances were deceiving.

I bent to lift a few of her bags, planning to return for the rest after stashing these safely, when a shadow fell over me.

Before I could even turn, a white cloth pressed over my nose and mouth, and the world dissolved into darkness.

When I came to, I was lying on a bed. My arms felt heavy, my head throbbing, and panic surged through me like wildfire.

“Where… where am I? Who are you?” My voice shook, small and desperate.

“Oh, where are my manners? I suppose I should introduce myself properly,” a calm, poised female voice said. A woman in a pristine lab coat stepped closer, gloved hands raised to show she meant no harm.

I took in my surroundings. White walls. Blue curtains. A drip stand beside the bed. Eight security men in suits at the edges of the room, silent and watchful. My pulse raced. Every instinct screamed that I was trapped.

My arm throbbed—oh no. The cannula. They’d drugged me.

“Ahh!!” I screamed, scrambling back on the bed, heart hammering.

“Calm down, calm down, Rory,” the woman said softly, her tone patient but firm.

I tried to steady myself, my mind racing. “What… what is this? Why am I here?”

“This is grandmother Noona,” the woman said, gesturing to an elegant elderly lady in a wheelchair. Her presence radiated authority, even in repose. “And I’m Feifei—the largest shareholder of this hospital.”

“Your name?” Noona’s eyes were sharp and penetrating, fixed on me like she could see straight through my soul.

“Rory… Rory Olive,” I murmured, wary, heart thundering.

Her lips curled into a faint, unreadable smile. “Rory Olive. Your father owes us a substantial sum of money.”

My stomach dropped. So this is about him. I’m being punished for my father’s recklessness.

“Everything, Rory,” Noona continued, her voice soft but carrying weight. “Your father offered us your mother’s houses as collateral. My husband accepted. Those houses are now ours. But we’re giving you a choice… a chance to claim them for yourself.”

My pulse quickened. “Choice? What… what are you saying?”

“You want to keep your mother’s houses?” Noona’s hands rested gently on my thighs, her eyes holding mine like she could see my resolve.

“Yes,” I said immediately, gripping the edge of the bed with both hands. My voice was steady, but inside, a storm raged. This was my mother’s legacy. My childhood memories. I wouldn’t let them be taken without a fight.

“Good. That’s the spirit,” Noona said approvingly. A guard approached with a thick file, sliding it across the bed to me.

“Now, Rory… you’re going to do something for us,” Noona said.

“I’ll do nothing!” I snapped, sitting up straighter despite my weakness. “If your grudge is with my father, deal with him. I am not your pawn. I am not Michael Olive.I am Rory. I am my own person, and I refuse to be used.”

Noona’s eyes twinkled faintly, almost amused. “You will, Rory… because the only way to keep what’s rightfully yours is to marry my grandson.”

My breath caught. My mind spun.

Marry… her grandson?

I gritted my teeth, determination igniting in my chest. I could do whatever it took to reclaim my mother’s legacy. If playing their game was necessary, I would play it—but I would do it on my terms. I would not surrender my pride. I would not surrender my freedom. And I would not surrender my life.

Whatever lay ahead, I would survive. I had no choice.

And somehow, someway, I would win.