HIS FRAGILE OBSESSION

Chapter 3

The heavy rain had finally slowed down to a soft drizzle by the time Hazel made it back to her small, rented room on the edge of the

city.

The room was tiny, with peeling wallpaper near the single window and a squeaky wooden bed. But tonight, as she kicked off her damp shoes and wrapped herself in a warm sweater, the cramped space felt a little brighter.

Her phone began to buzz frantically on the small wooden table.

It was Vinny—her best friend and practically her only support system in the city.

Hazel picked up the call, pressing the phone to her ear with a huge, uncontrollable smile spreading across her face. "Vinny!"

"Hazel! Tell me everything!" Vinny’s excited voice blasted through the speaker. "Did you get the basic internship? Did they throw

you out? I was stressing out all afternoon!"

Hazel let out a soft, breathy laugh, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "You won't believe what happened, Vinny. It... it feels like a dream. I didn't get the internship."

"What?!" Vinny gasped, her tone dropping instantly into panic. "Oh no, Hazel... are you okay? What about your rent? Don't worry, we'll figure out something!"

"Vinny, listen to me!" Hazel interrupted, her voice shaking with pure happiness. "I didn't get the internship because... because the CEO himself offered me his Personal Secretary position!"

The line went dead silent for three whole seconds.

"Wait... WHAT?!" Vinny screamed so loudly that Hazel had to pull the phone away from her ear. "The CEO? Nicholas Vance?! Are you insane? Is this a joke?"

"No, I swear it's not a joke!" Hazel giggled, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I made a mess, Vinny. I ended up on the private executive floor by mistake, wet from the rain, leaving water marks on his marble floor. He looked so angry at first... I was terrified he would call security."

"And then?"

"And then I panicked and practically begged him not to cancel my interview. I told him how desperately I needed the job," Hazel recalled as she remembered his sharp, dark eyes staring down at her. "He just stared at me for a few seconds... and then told his manager to cancel my research interview and make me his personal secretary instead."

Vinny paused for a second, her tone shifting from complete shock to a sneaky, mischievous grin.

"Hold on a second, Hazel..." Vinny said slowly, teasing her. "Why on earth would a ruthless, multi-billionaire CEO cancel an interview and personally hire a soaked, nervous girl as his private secretary on the spot? Huh? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Hazel’s cheeks flushed crimson instantly. "Vinny! Shut up!"

"I'm serious!" Vinny laughed on the other end. "The famous Nicholas Vance doesn't even look at people twice, and he just picked you out of nowhere? Babe, did you cast a spell on him with your wet-cat look?"

"Are you crazy?!" Hazel exclaimed. "It's nothing like that! It was just pure luck. He literally mentioned that the position was empty right now, that's it! Besides, do you even hear yourself? He is a massive, powerful billionaire, Vinny, and I am just a simple, small-town girl who can barely pay her rent. He probably doesn't even remember my name!"

"Hmm, keep telling yourself that, my innocent little friend," Vinny chuckled warmly. "But hey, whatever the reason, this position pays a fortune! You can pay off all your overdue rent! You can actually buy proper groceries!"

"I know," Hazel whispered, her eyes softening as the relief settled deep into her bones. "I was so shocked I couldn't even say thank you properly before he walked away with his team. But Vinny... it feels like a miracle."

They talked for another twenty minutes, with Vinny hyping her up, joking around, and giving her advice on what to wear for her first day, before they finally hung up.

Just as Hazel set her phone down on the table, a heavy, aggressive banging vibrated through the thin wooden door.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Hazel froze, her smile instantly fading. She recognized that rough, impatient knock anywhere. It was her homeowner, Mr. Henderson.

Swallowing hard, she walked over slowly and opened the door just a few inches.

Mr. Henderson stood in the dimly lit hallway, smelling heavily of stale beer and tobacco. He leaned against the door frame, his small, bloodshot eyes scanning her with an unsettling look that made her stomach twist.

"Mr. Henderson..." Hazel said, trying to keep her tone firm. "I told you, I will have your rent money very soon..."

"I don't want to hear another excuse,' Hazel," he grunted, pushing the door open further and forcing his way into her small room. "Your rent is two weeks overdue. You keep giving me excuses, but excuses don't pay my bills."

Hazel took a step back, maintaining a safe distance. "I got a job today! I promise I will clear all the pending amount within a couple of days."

Mr. Henderson let out a dry, mocking laugh, taking a step closer to her. "A couple of days? Hazel, my darling, you said that last week. Look, I also offered you a clean way out before, didn't I? And you refused like you had better choices. But you don't."

He smirked, looking her up and down. "Give me one night a week. Just you and me. No rent, no deadlines, no worries. You want to keep a roof over your head? You pay for it—one way or another."

A wave of intense anger and utter disgust flared inside Hazel. Her face burned red with indignation.

"Again, How dare you?!" she shouted, her voice trembling with rage. "You are disgusting! Get out of my room right now!"

Hazel stepped forward and tried to shove him toward the exit with all her strength, but he barely budged. Instead, his face twisted in anger. Before she could react, he grabbed her chin rough in one hand, squeezing her face painfully, and lunged forward, forcing a harsh, unwanted kiss onto her lips while she frantically struggled, pushing against his chest.

She managed to yank her head back, gasping for breath, her eyes blazing with pure fury. "Get out!"

Mr. Henderson wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a menacing smile lingering on his face. He leaned in close to her ear, his voice low and threatening.

"You have until tomorrow evening, Hazel baby," he growled, his breath hot against her skin. "Either you hand over every single penny you owe me by tomorrow evening, or I will throw all your belongings into the gutter or..... I will take every inch of you myself. The choice is yours."

He turned around and slammed the door shut behind him, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Hazel stood frozen by the door, her whole body shaking violently. She scrubbed her mouth with the back of her sleeve, tears of rage and disgust welling in her eyes as she locked the deadbolt.

Wiping her mouth repeatedly, Hazel walked over to her desk, needing something to distract her mind from the sickening encounter. She opened her laptop to clear her pending freelance work, her hands still trembling on the keyboard.

Ding.

A crisp email notification popped up at the top corner of her screen.

The sender's address read: Human Resources Directorate – Vance Enterprises Headquarters.

With unsteady fingers, Hazel opened the message.

CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT: EXECUTIVE PERSONAL SECRETARY

Dear Ms. Hazel,

We are pleased to formally confirm your appointment as the Executive Personal Secretary to the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nicholas Vance, effective tomorrow.

Reporting Time: 9:00 AM Sharp.

Location: 25th Floor, Executive Wing, Vance Headquarters.

Primary Responsibilities: Managing Mr. Vance’s daily schedule, handling confidential files, preparing meeting briefs, and ensuring strict executive protocols.

Executive Benefits & Accommodation:

Due to the demanding nature and unpredictable hours of the Executive Secretary role, Vance Enterprises has fully allocated a company-maintained luxury apartment for your residence.

The apartment is located in the Prime Executive District—placed equally at a convenient ten-minute distance from both Headquarters and Mr. Vance's private residence for emergency availability.

Hazel stared at the screen, reading the Executive Benefits & Accommodation section over and over as the words sank in.

A fully furnished luxury apartment... available immediately.

The suffocating fear and disgust from moments ago shattered, replaced by a sudden, overwhelming wave of pure relief. A loud sob escaped her lips, and tears poured down her cheeks; not from fear this time, but from absolute freedom and gratitude.

"Finally, I can leave..." she whispered to herself, bursting into tears of joy as she buried her face in her hands. "I can leave tomorrow morning... I'll never have to see that disgusting man again."

She didn't have to face him tomorrow evening. She didn't have to live in terror.

Hazel quickly signed the digital contract online and submitted it.

Without wasting another second, she pulled her old suitcase out from under the bed. With a light, liberated heart, she began frantically packing her few belongings....her clothes, her books, her small framed photo, getting everything ready to move out first thing in the morning.

Wiping her tears away, she walked over to the window and looked out at the city lights.

Hazel pressed a hand against her chest, her breathing finally slowing down to a calm rhythm.

"Thank you, God," she whispered softly into the quiet room, her eyes closing tightly. "Thank you so much for saving me from such a ruthless monster."

Setting her alarm for 6:00 AM, Hazel curled under her blanket for her final night in the room. As sleep finally came over her, she felt a profound sense of safety and hope, ready to leave her past behind and step onto the 25th floor tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, high above the dimly lit city, the executive office of Vance Enterprises was steeped in absolute silence.

Nicholas Vance stood by his grand mahogany desk, the faint glow of a monitor casting sharp shadows across his carved features. He was staring at the screen, watching a surveillance video play on a loop—his dark eyes tracking every single movement on the display with quiet, intense focus.

Without taking his eyes off the screen, his long fingers reached down to open a thick, unlabeled black file resting on his desk. He gently brushed his thumb over a photograph tucked inside, his touch surprisingly slow, almost lingering, before he quietly closed the folder.

A soft knock broke the silence, and his chief manager stepped into the office, holding a tablet.

"Mr. Vance," the manager reported respectfully, bowing his head. "The official confirmation email has been sent to Ms. Sterling, and the executive luxury apartment key card access has been updated. Everything is done as you ordered and this is another key card for the same apartment. "

"Good, keep it here," Nicholas replied, his voice low, smooth, and emotionless as he gestured for him to leave.

"Goodnight, sir," the manager said, quickly exiting and closing the heavy double doors behind him.

Left alone in the quiet room, Nicholas didn't turn back to his desk. He slowly walked toward the floor-to-ceiling glass window, watching the distant city lights blurred by the rain.

"Hazel Sterling...," he repeated her name softly under his breath, testing the sound of it in the empty office.

Looking out into the dark night, a faint, unreadable smile touched the corner of his lips.