Page 79 of Surrendering to the Obsession

Instead, she drew in a slow breath, forcing herself to calm down as she softened her expression. Tears gathered in her eyes, and when she finally spoke, her voice trembled with practiced innocence.

“James…” she whispered, sounding small and pitiful. “You and I have known each other for years. Even if we can’t be together… we’re still friends, aren’t we? After everything between us… I don’t deserve to be treated like this.”

James sighed heavily. His patience was thinning.

He turned his chair toward her and spoke in a quiet but cold voice:

“Kylie… there needs to be a limit. You and I both know you never wanted to be friends with me. From the beginning, your intentions were never friendship.”

“If you knew that from the very start, then why didn’t you say anything when you were married to Mia all these years?” Kylie snapped, her voice sharp and trembling. She looked him straight in the eyes, hurt and rage mixing together. “James… you were there for me for five years. Every time I called you, you came. So why are you pretending now that I don’t mean anything to you?”

Her voice cracked. “It’s not like I forced you to be with me back then. But you were there for me, James. Always.”

“I was just being a good friend,” James insisted, jaw tight.

Kylie let out a cold, disbelieving laugh. “A good friend?” she shot back. “Agood friendwho rushes to a woman’s side in the middle of the night? A friend who drops everything the second she calls?”

She placed her hand on his shoulder again, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she leaned in closer, her breath brushing his cheek. Her voice softened with a practiced seduction.

“James… we’re both single now. We can finally be together. Isn’t that what you wanted all along?”

Her eyes locked onto his. “You and I both know you’ve always liked me. Isn’t that why you were always there whenever I called? What other reason could there be?”

James’s face twisted with discomfort. “Kylie… everything I did was because you were a friend. Nothing more.”

But the words came out weak, almost hollow. Even he could hear how unconvincing he sounded. His thoughts tangled.

He had never truly accepted Mia… never even tried. Kylie had always been a constant in his life. He had long assumed a woman like her would be his wife someday. Instead, he married Mia—a young, simple, clueless girl, far from the accomplished, enviable woman he had imagined by his side.

Since it was just a business marriage, it was easier for him to ignore the commitment than to face the truth: even though Mia wasn’t what he had pictured as his wife, she had captivated him from the very first glance.

He kept running from Mia, avoiding her, letting someone else fill the space that should have been hers. He spent his time with Kylie, even when Mia needed him most.

This refusal to face his feelings, to accept Mia as his wife, had led him to make terrible mistakes. He had chosen to run, to focus on anything and anyone other than her—and that choice had always ended with Kylie.

James finally grabbed Kylie’s wrist and pushed her hand off his shoulder. His eyes burned with annoyance and something darker. “I’ve repeated this a thousand times, and I’ll say it again,” he snapped. “There was nothing between you and me. I never led you on. I never promised you anything.”

Kylie’s face twisted in pure anger. The softness vanished instantly. Her whole body went rigid as heat boiled under her skin.

‘He used to listen to me. He used to do anything I asked. He used to come running the second I called. The moment Mia disappeared, I thought he’d finally choose me. I was sure of it. But he’s even colder now. As if I don’t even exist…’

Her nails dug into her palm as she clenched her fists. Rage flickered sharp and ugly in her eyes.

Just then, the office door swung open.

A man rushed in, breathless. “Mr. Sinclair!” he said urgently. “I found a sign of Madam’s whereabouts!”

The entire office had been living through hell for the past few months. James’s first and only priority had been finding Mia. James had turned into a different man—obsessed, aggressive, constantly demanding updates about Mia. Every time a report came in, the entire office held its breath.

The pressure, the tension, and the fear had almost broken everyone… because James was no longer the controlled, icy man he used to be.

Finding Mia had become his only priority.

And now—

They finally had a clue.

James shot out of his seat so fast the chair rolled back and hit the wall. He tossed the files in his hands onto the desk with a loud thud and rushed toward the man, his steps sharp.