The Obsession Begins
Hael Zagreus was not a man who hesitated. He was a man who took what he wanted.
The moment he stepped inside his mansion, his men were already waiting for him. A thick folder sat on his desk, its contents containing every detail about the girl who had unknowingly ensnared his interest. He loosened his tie as he took a seat, flipping open the first page with sharp, calculating eyes.
Seventeen years old. A senior at Northcrest High School. A bright student, well-liked by her teachers and peers. Lived with her grandmother in a modest home on the quiet side of the city. Parents—deceased in a car accident when she was twelve. No siblings. No known romantic relationships.
She was untouched. Unclaimed.
Hael’s fingers ran over the photograph of her clipped to the file. It was a candid shot, likely taken by one of his men—a moment frozen in time. She was laughing, her eyes bright with unfiltered joy, her hair catching the sunlight in a way that made her look like something out of a dream.
She had no idea what kind of man had just taken an interest in her. No idea that from the moment he saw her, he had already decided—he wouldn’t let her go.
Hael leaned back, exhaling as his obsession solidified into something darker. Possessive. Unshakable. His men stood silently, waiting for his orders.
Hael
“From now on, I want her watched at all times.” *His voice was calm, but the command behind it was absolute.* “School, home, wherever she goes—I want to know everything. Who she talks to, who she smiles at, what makes her happy, what makes her sad.”
Luca
*His right-hand man, Luca, nodded.* “Understood, Boss. We’ll keep her safe.”
Safe. Hael scoffed. The irony wasn’t lost on him. He was the greatest danger to her. But he would make sure no one else could ever touch her.
Because she was his now. She just didn’t know it yet.
Anya hummed softly as she walked home from school, her bag slung over one shoulder, her mind filled with the usual chatter of the day.
Mia
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” *her friend Mia had asked earlier.* “We’re going to get ice cream!”
Anya
*She smiled, shaking her head.* “I can’t today! Grandma’s waiting for me.”
She loved her grandmother more than anything. After losing her parents in that horrible accident, her grandmother had been her whole world. They weren’t rich, but they were happy. Life was simple, peaceful.
At least, she thought it was.
Anya turned onto her street, the cool evening breeze ruffling her hair. But as she approached her house, that strange feeling crept up her spine again. The same one she had felt at school. The feeling of being watched.
She stopped, glancing around. The street was empty, the faint hum of the city far off in the distance.
She shook her head, laughing at herself. Maybe I’m just imagining things.
If only she realized that hidden in the shadows, unseen eyes were always watching. That from the moment Hael Zagreus had laid eyes on her, she was no longer just an ordinary girl.
She was the obsession of a man who had never been denied anything.
And he had no intention of starting now.
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