His Forbidden Obsession

Because of her

(Callum)

“f**k,” I muttered, dragging both hands down my face. What the hell had I done?

Clara Stone.

The woman who had been in my thoughts every night since last week; skin against leather, lips on mine, breathless in the back seat of my damn car.

The woman I couldn’t forget, the woman I thought of as I stroked myself in the shower this morning.

Was my student.

Of all the people in this city, of all the reckless decisions I could’ve made, I had to choose her.

That night I saw her, I felt my whole word stop but I knew I just wanted a distraction, a way of cooling my nerves as I had just come into a new city. Just a warm body to take the edge off. I wasn’t looking for a connection, all I wanted that night was a release but instead, I got more than I bargained for.

Now, she wasn’t just a distraction anymore. Who was I kidding? The moment I pushed into her and felt her tight walls around me, I knew I was a goner. She was a line I’d crossed without knowing, and now I was fighting to keep my emotions in check. I was now stuck fighting like hell to keep my emotions buried beneath professionalism and protocol.

I couldn’t put my career at risk,not again.

She was still standing in the lab when I walked out as her gloves dangled from her fingers. Her mouth was parted like she had something to say. I didn’t stop. Couldn’t. If I looked back, if I looked at her one more time, it would show. And there were already cracks forming in the fake mask I wore to hide my emotions.

I turned the corner, heading straight into the empty staff corridor, trying to calm my thoughts, and then I remembered him.

That little s**t, Ethan.

Hovering over her, trying too hard to impress her, leaning in like he already had the right to even look at her. His fingers brushing hers as if that was his place now.

If I had my way, I would have flung him out of the window.

I remember my jaw clenching before I could stop it.

Jealousy burned like acid in my throat. It was irrational and Immediate and I absolutely couldn’t deny it.

He wasn’t even doing anything wrong. He was just talking to her but I wanted to knock that smile off his face.

I wanted to put my hand between them, shove him back and remind him that Clara wasn’t his to look at like that.

But she wasn’t mine either. She was never mine to start with.

I took a deep breath and headed into my office to cool down before the next class. As soon as I closed the door behind me, my phone beeped in my pocket.

I pulled it out expecting a message from the school admin or a lecture schedule but the name that flashed on my screen immediately awakened the demons I thought I had buried.

Ariana.

The reason for my new start in a new country. The woman who almost ruined my life and my career.

What did she want now?, I thought to myself as I swiped across my screen to answer the call.

“Callum,” I heard her say as soon as I picked up. “Where are you? I’m worried about you,”

“It’s not of your business. What do you want now?,” I replied harshly, which was exactly what she deserved.

A wave of silence washed over us. “Are you okay at least? You sound….troubled,”

I chuckled darkly in disbelief. I couldn’t believe she was asking me this. “Really? You’re asking me this? Have you forgotten why I had to leave Australia or do you have amnesia?,”

“Callum..,” she started but I immediately cut her off.

“Don’t you dare. You are the reason I had to live my whole life in Australia and move to the United States. All because you couldn’t control your freaking emotions,” I replied as thoughts of what she did to me flashed through my head.

“I still love you,” she whispered. “I didn’t stop. I don’t think I ever will.”

I closed my eyes. God, she had always known how to hit where it hurt.

“Please,” she added, voice breaking. “Can we just talk about it properly?”

“I can’t,” I said, low and final. “Not now, not ever,”

And before she could say anything else, I ended the call.

I stared at the screen for a long second, the room suddenly felt too quiet, too cold. My past was chasing me, and now my present was a mess but I couldn’t let it spiral out of control.

I slammed the drawer shut and walked over to the window as I slid my hands down my pockets. Sunlight poured through the half-closed blinds, slicing the floor into narrow stripes. My head throbbed as I nursed a heavy headache, a result of my stress.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts and I wondered who that was.

I turned to the door with a frown on my face. “Yes?”

The door opened to reveal Roxie. Not the person I expected to see.

I watched as she stepped inside, looking just a little too put together with her hair tucked neatly behind her ear, lips glossed, lab coat folded over her arm like she was trying to remind me she was one of the serious students. Typical of a first ranking student.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” she said with a smile.

I raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you be in class?”

“I finished early. Thought I’d drop by just to check in.”

“Check in?” I asked in surprise.

She stepped in farther. “About Clara, actually. I don’t mean to pry, but I noticed she seemed… off after today’s session. She said she was fine, but I don’t think she is. And you seemed a little angry too. I figured maybe something happened.”

I didn’t need this now. What was she getting at?

I leaned against the desk. “Did she ask you to come?,”

“Oh, no. Nothing like that.” She laughed, brushing invisible dust off her sleeve. “I just thought, you know, as one of your more… attentive students, I’d let you know what I observed. In case it’s something that affects her academic performance.”

Of course she did.

I forced a smile. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

She tilted her head, clearly encouraged. “I just want to make sure things are smooth this semester. I know it can’t be easy, managing a new program in a new country. I know you’ll probably prefer being in an Operating room somewhere performing a life changing surgery instead of being stuck with first year medical students,”

Her voice softened, like she was trying to forge some personal connection. Something beyond student and teacher.

“Thank you Roxie but I derive joy in training the next generation of doctors,” I replied as her smile widened.

“Now, Was there anything else?” I asked, already flipping a file open.

She paused. “No. Just… wanted to help.”

“Appreciated,” I replied.

She left reluctantly, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

As soon as she was gone, I let out a long, quiet breath. My chest was tight.

Clara. My present.

Ariana. My past.

And now Roxie playing whatever little game she thought she was smart enough to get away with.

I stood up again, pacing the small office.

Roxie’s little visit had made me realize one thing. I couldn’t afford distractions. Not from students. Not from memories. Not from Clara.

What I had with her that night, I never should’ve had. She was a line I never meant to cross. But I’d crossed it so thoroughly, I wasn’t sure there was a way back.

And still… I wanted her. I wanted her so damn bad it hurt.

But I couldn’t have her.

Not without risking everything I’d built from scratch. Not with Ariana sniffing around again, waiting for me to trip up. Not when one wrong look could set this entire institution ablaze.

I had to cut this off now. Stay away. Shut it down.

Even if it killed me.