FROM HUMILIATED BRIDE TO HIS OBSESSION

Episode9

Zoey pov

Every camera was pointed at us… and he pulled me closer

Even before the car stopped, I could hear voices shouting cameras clicking like a storm that wouldn’t stop.

My fingers tightened in my lap as the black car slowed down, my heart started beating faster, harder, like it was trying to escape my chest.

I didn’t need to look outside to know what was waiting, but I did anyway and I instantly regretted it. Flashing lights exploded across the window, and people were everywhere, lined behind ropes, leaning forward and shouting my name.

“Zoey! Zoey over here!”

“Is it true you’re dating him?”

“Did you cheat on your fiancé?!”

My stomach dropped, it felt like Deja vu like I was back at the wedding again, standing there humiliated, everyone watching, whispering, judging.

My breath started shaking, I couldn’t do this, I really couldn’t.

My hand trembled slightly against my dress, then suddenly I felt a warm hand on my hand, I froze. I hadn’t even noticed him move. His thumb brushed lightly over my finger, grounding me in a way I didn’t expect

“Stay with me,” he said quietly, his voice was calm, too calm like none of this chaos outside touched him at all and somehow that steadiness pulled me back.

I swallowed, forcing myself to breathe, I could do this. The car came to a complete stop, the driver stepped out and opened the door, Christian stepped out first, he moved as he belonged out there, like the cameras, attention, the noise was all normal to him.

He didn’t rush, didn’t hesitate he simply stepped into the chaos like it was his world. He tuned and looked at me, my heart skipped, this wasn’t just stepping into his world anymore, this was stepping into the spotlight and there was no hiding from it.

I stepped out of the car and everything exploded, lights flashed, voices overlapped, questions, accusations, curiosity all thrown at me at once

- “Zoey”

- “Look here”

- “Are you really with him”

- “Answer us”

My breath caught in my throat, this was too much my body wanted to shrink, and I wanted to disappear, to run. Then I felt a hand pressed firmly on my waist.

Christian pulled me slightly closer to his side, enough to remind me I wasn’t standing there alone. The noise didn’t stop, the cameras didn’t stop but something inside me steadied.

My heart was still racing, but now there was something else mixed in and that was my awareness of him, of his hand resting at my waist, of how close we were, of how everyone could see it.

Heat crept up my cheek, this was part of the act, I reminded myself, still, it didn’t feel fake. I straightened slowly, lifted my chin, and forced my shoulders back.

If I was going to be watched, I wasn’t going to look weak again. Christian adjusted beside me, positioning us like he knew exactly where we would stand.

We started walking together and every step felt like stepping into a new version of myself.

The path ahead looked endless, a red carpet, flashing lights, endless eyes watching every move. I became aware of everything, the way I walked, the way I held my head, the way his hand stayed firmly at my waist.

It was overwhelming and strangely controlled, like I was part of something carefully planned. Then Christian leaned closer, so close I felt his breath near my ear.

My body reacted instantly, a soft shiver ran through me “Smile, they’re watching,” he whispered.

I forced myself to smile, at first it felt stiff, fake, like I was wearing something that didn’t fit but something changed, the smile softened, became easier and more natural because somehow with him beside me it didn’t feel like I was pretending alone.

A reporter shouted louder than the others “Christian! Is she the one?” Everything slowed, Christian stopped and instead of looking at the cameras, he looked directly at me.

“Yes, she is” he said, it was simple but it hit me like something heavy, like something too real.

My heart stumbled because that didn’t feel like acting.

The doors closed behind us and the noise faded but not completely. Inside was quieter and softer but the attention was still there, eyes followed us as we walked, whispers floated through the air, and I felt all of it pressing against me.

“They’re staring,” I muttered under my breath. “They’re supposed to,” Christian replied calmly.

Discomfort settled in my chest, I didn’t belong here, everyone here knew that, so why was I standing as if I belonged here

A woman passed by and whispered just loud enough, “gold digger.” The word cut through me.

My expression almost cracked, and I felt Christian’s hand tighten at my waist “Ignore me,” he said quietly.

His voice wasn’t soft, it was firm and protective. And something about it made the word hurt less.

And that meant more than I wanted to admit, for the first time since stepping into that room I didn't feel completely alone.

We moved to a quieter corner, away from the crowd and the noise, i let out a slow breath I didn’t realize I was holding, “I didn’t think it would feel like that,” I admitted.

“Like what?” He asked, “Like I was on display.” He looked at me “You are”

“Does it ever bother you?” I asked

“No” the answer came immediately, like he didn’t even need to think about it then after a short pause “you will get used to it.”

Something about that felt heavier than it sounded, like getting used to it meant losing something along the way.

I studied him, this world didn’t just give him power it demanded something from him too. Something I couldn’t fully see yet.

His gaze dropped briefly to my lips, then his eyes lifted back to mine and everything went still, the space between us felt smaller.

He stepped closer, enough to make my heart flutter. This wasn’t supposed to feel like this but standing there with his hand resting on my waist and his eyes locked on mine.

With everything around us fading into the background, I couldn’t tell anymore where the act ended and something real began.