obsessed over you

chapter 8

Ethan sat in his office, leaning back in his chair with his phone pressed to his ear. His voice was calm but firm as he spoke to his assistant, Mark.

"Follow her every lead," Ethan instructed. "I want to know where she goes, who she talks to, everything. But make sure she doesn’t suspect anything."

"Understood, sir," Mark replied promptly.

Ethan glanced at the piece of paper in front of him, Kyra’s address scribbled neatly on it. He tapped his pen against the desk, his mind briefly wandering to her fiery attitude and the countless times she had challenged him without hesitation.

"Good," Ethan said shortly before ending the call. He sent a text with Kyra’s address to Mark and dropped his phone on the desk, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t know why he was doing this—why he couldn’t stop thinking about her—but for now, he needed answers.

---

Meanwhile, on a quiet road on the outskirts of the city, Jason drove back after visiting his mother. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the horizon. The road was mostly empty, save for a few scattered vendors and pedestrians.

As he drove, he spotted a commotion up ahead. An old woman was standing by the side of the road, yelling frantically, her hands outstretched as a man sprinted away with her purse.

Jason slowed his car, ready to intervene, but before he could react, a girl selling barbecue near the roadside sprang into action. She darted after the thief with surprising speed, her movements swift and confident.

Grabbing a stone from the ground, she hurled it with precision, hitting the man squarely on the back of his head. The thief stumbled and fell, clutching his head in pain.

The girl didn’t stop there. She marched over, hands on her hips, and began kicking the man’s side. "Who do you think you are, stealing from an old lady?" she yelled, her voice sharp with indignation.

The neighbors, who had gathered to watch, cheered her on as she bent down, grabbed the purse, and turned back toward the old woman. A few men approached and dragged the thief away, ensuring he wouldn’t cause any more trouble.

The girl handed the purse back to the old woman with a smile. "Here you go, Grandma. Be careful next time, okay?"

The old woman’s eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, dear. You’re so brave!"

The neighbors began praising the girl, calling her Abigail and marveling at her quick thinking. Abigail simply waved them off with a modest smile and returned to her barbecue stand, brushing off the attention as though it was nothing.

Jason, who had witnessed the entire scene from his car, was thoroughly amused. Intrigued by the girl’s boldness, he parked his car and walked over to her stand.

As he approached, Abigail glanced at him briefly before returning her focus to the grill. "What do you want?" she asked, her tone casual, as though she hadn’t just taken down a thief moments ago.

Jason chuckled. "I just wanted to meet the hero of the day."

Abigail rolled her eyes. "I’m not a hero. I just hate thieves."

Jason grinned, finding her attitude refreshing. "Fair enough. I’m Jason, by the way."

Abigail didn’t respond immediately, her focus on flipping the skewers. Finally, she said, "You buying or just talking?"

Jason laughed. "Alright, I’ll buy. How much for one?"

"Two dollars," she said without looking up.

Jason pulled out his wallet and handed her a bill. "I’ll take ten."

Abigail paused, her eyes widening as she looked at the money. "Ten? Are you serious?"

"Completely."

She blinked, then shrugged, quickly packing the skewers into a paper bag. As she handed them to him, she muttered, "Thanks for the business, I guess."

Jason chuckled again, taking the bag. "You’ve got quite the aim, by the way. Remind me not to get on your bad side."

Abigail smiled faintly, but didn’t reply. Jason walked back to his car, still grinning, impressed by the fiery girl who had just made his day a little more interesting.

Jason sat in his car, holding the bag of barbecue skewers Abigail had packed for him. The smell was irresistible, the savory aroma filling his senses. Without waiting, he reached into the bag, pulled out one skewer, and took a bite.

The moment the flavors hit his tongue, he froze. The juicy, perfectly grilled meat was seasoned with a blend of spices that was both bold and delicious. It was unlike anything he’d ever tasted.

He blinked, chewing slowly, before nodding to himself in approval. "Damn, that’s good," he muttered under his breath.

Unable to resist, Jason got out of his car and walked back to Abigail’s stand. She glanced up, slightly surprised to see him again. "What now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jason held up the half-eaten skewer. "Add ten more to my order," he said, his tone casual but firm.

Abigail smirked, clearly amused. "You’re not joking, are you?"

"Does it look like I’m joking?" he shot back with a grin.

Shaking her head with a laugh, Abigail quickly prepared the additional skewers. As she handed him the freshly grilled meat, she picked three extra skewers from the grill and added them to the bag.

"Here," she said. "On the house. For being my best customer today."

Jason nodded, a rare, genuine smile crossing his face. "Thanks."

She waved him off with a chuckle. "Don’t mention it."

Jason returned to his car, placing the bag on the passenger seat. He sat there for a moment, then pulled out another skewer. Bite after bite, he devoured the meat, savoring every piece.

Before long, the entire bag was empty, and Jason leaned back in his seat, satisfied and impressed. He couldn’t help but think about Abigail—the feisty girl with a sharp aim and a knack for grilling.

"Interesting girl," he murmured to himself, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Starting the car, he drove off, his mind still lingering on the girl who had unexpectedly caught his attention.

Jason stretched lazily, leaning back in his chair. "You know what? I’m too tired to drive back home. I’m crashing here tonight," he announced casually.

Ethan gave him a flat look. "You know this isn’t a hotel, right?"

Jason smirked, rising from his seat. "Could’ve fooled me with the size of this place." He started toward the guest room without waiting for a response, waving over his shoulder. "Don’t wait up, Ethan. I’m taking the guest room."

Ethan rolled his eyes, muttering, "You make yourself way too comfortable."

Jason stopped at the doorway and glanced back. "That’s what friends are for, right? Besides, your guest room has better pillows than my own bed. You should really consider giving me a key."

Ethan didn’t dignify that with a response, simply returning his focus to the files on his desk.

Jason grinned to himself as he pushed the door open and entered the guest room. The neatly made bed and spotless décor greeted him, and he flopped onto the bed with a sigh. "Yep, this is the life," he mumbled, pulling out his phone to scroll mindlessly.

Meanwhile, Ethan shook his head at his friend’s antics, knowing that despite Jason’s carefree attitude, he’d always have his back.

Ethan walked into his room, shutting the door behind him. He pulled out his phone and tapped on an app, his expression unreadable. On the screen appeared a live feed of Kira's apartment. His gaze softened as he leaned against the edge of his bed, his eyes tracking her every move.

---

I tossed my bag onto the chair and collapsed onto the couch, letting out a groan of exhaustion. The summer heat was merciless today, leaving me feeling sticky and drained. My dress clung to my skin, and I was too tired to even think about changing.

Dragging myself off the couch, I shuffled to the fridge, letting its cool air wash over me as I pulled out a bottle of juice. Twisting off the cap, I took a long sip, relishing the cold liquid sliding down my throat.

With the juice finished, I slumped back onto the couch, my limbs sprawled out like I was melting. My fingers lazily scrolled through my phone as I sighed in contentment.

Unbeknownst to me, every tired groan, every small movement, and every sip I took was being carefully watched through Ethan's phone.

I made my way to my room, shutting the door behind me with a soft thud. The weight of the day clung to me, and all I wanted was a hot shower to wash it away. Tossing my phone onto the bed, I stepped into the bathroom and shut the door, the sound of running water soon filling the small space.

---

Jason sat on the edge of his bed, his phone still in his hands, the live feed of Kira’s room playing on the screen. His gaze lingered on the closed bathroom door, a frown tugging at his lips as minutes stretched into what felt like hours.

She was taking longer than usual, and yet, he didn’t look away. His thumb hovered over the screen, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn it off.

When the bathroom door finally opened, his breath hitched. Kira stepped out in nothing but a towel, her skin glowing, and her damp hair dripping water down her shoulders. Jason swallowed hard, gripping his phone tighter as his pulse quickened.

Don’t take it off, he silently willed her, though he knew he should look away. But she did, letting the towel drop to the floor before she began applying lotion to her body, her movements slow and deliberate. Jason cursed under his breath, his heart racing as he forced himself to keep watching, unable to tear his eyes away.

Once she finished, Kira slipped into her nightwear, an oversized shirt that fell mid-thigh. She climbed onto the bed, her exhaustion evident as she slumped against the pillows, oblivious to the eyes that had been on her the entire time.

Ethan let out a low grunt, his frustration evident as he exited the app and tossed his phone onto the bedside table. Running a hand through his hair, he stood and headed to the bathroom, his movements brisk and tense.

The cold shower did little to calm the storm brewing inside him. The icy water cascaded over his body, but his thoughts refused to settle. Kira’s image lingered in his mind, vivid and unshakable.

After drying off, he stepped out of the bathroom, looking refreshed but far from composed. Clad in a pair of loose sweatpants and a plain t-shirt, Ethan lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

“What’s wrong with me lately?” he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with confusion. His chest tightened as he replayed the past few days in his mind, the way he’d been drawn to her despite his efforts to stay indifferent.

He closed his eyes, but instead of sleep, his thoughts were filled with questions he didn’t have answers to—and a face he couldn’t stop thinking about.

Ethan's phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling him out of his restless thoughts. He reached for it with a sigh, unlocking the screen to see a message from Mark.

Mark: A fight broke out at the bar earlier. It seems your brother is back in the country.

Ethan let out an annoyed hiss, his grip tightening around the phone. "Great," he muttered sarcastically. "The troublemaker is back."

He quickly typed out a response:

Ethan: Make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless in my name again. Keep an eye on him and call me if he steps out of line.

Hitting send, Ethan tossed the phone back onto the nightstand with more force than necessary. "Of all the people in the world, why do I have to share a face with him?" he grumbled, running a hand over his face.

His twin brother had always been a thorn in his side, causing trouble wherever he went and often dragging Ethan’s name into it because of their identical appearance. It was a never-ending headache.

"Just stay out of my way this time," Ethan muttered, switching off his phone. He leaned back against the pillows, closing his eyes as he tried—and failed—to shake off the frustration.