Chapter 10: Obsession
Jack didn't let go. His grip on Lucy's wrist wasn't painful. But it wasn't gentle either. It was firm. Certain. Unbreakable. Lucy's heart pounded as she looked down at his hand, then slowly back up at his face.
Something had changed. Not just in the situation— In him.
"Let go," she said quietly. Jack didn't move.
"You are not leaving." Her jaw tightened. "I wasn't asking." She tried to pull her hand away. But his grip only tightened slightly. Not enough to hurt.
But enough to remind her— He wasn't playing anymore. "Jack," she said, her voice sharper now. "Let. Me. Go." He stepped closer instead.
Closing the distance between them again.
Too close.
Too intense.
"You think you can just make a decision like that and walk away?" he asked. His voice was low.
Controlled. But beneath it— Something darker stirred.
"Yes," Lucy snapped. "Because it's my decision!"
Jack's eyes locked onto hers. "No." The word was final. Unyielding. Lucy felt something shift in her chest.
Not just anger.
Not just fear.
Something else.
Something she didn't want to name.
"You don't get to control everything," she said.
Jack tilted his head slightly. "I control what matters." "And this?" she challenged. "This matters to you?" Jack didn't hesitate. "Yes."
The answer hit harder than she expected. Lucy's breath caught. For a split second—
She didn't know what to say. Because she believed him. And that made everything worse.
"It shouldn't," she said quietly. Jack's gaze darkened. "But it does."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Lucy finally pulled her hand again—harder this time. Jack let go. But not because she forced him to. Because he chose to.
She stepped back immediately, putting space between them.
Her heart is still racing. "You're crossing a line," she said. Jack watched her carefully. "That line disappeared the moment you told me." Lucy shook her head.
"No," she said. "That doesn't give you the right to decide for me." Jack took a slow breath. As if trying to steady something inside himself. "You think this is just about you?"
"Yes!"
"It's not."
His voice was sharper now. More intense. More real. "That's my child," he said again. Lucy flinched slightly. Not physically. Emotionally. Because of the way he said it.
"And I'm the one carrying it," she fired back. Jack stepped closer again. "But you're not the only one involved. Lucy's chest rose and fell quickly.
"This isn't what I signed up for." Jack's expression hardened. "Neither did I."
That stopped her. For a moment. . Because he was right. This wasn't part of the deal for either of them. But that didn't make it easier.
"I had a plan," Lucy said, her voice softer now. More vulnerable. "My life… my career… everything was supposed to go a certain way."
Jack's gaze didn't leave hers.
"And now?" She let out a small, bitter laugh.
"Now everything is falling apart." Something flickered in his eyes. Not control. Not dominance.
Something closer to… conflict.
"It's not falling apart," he said. Lucy shook her head. "You don't understand." "Then explain it."
"I just did!"
Her frustration rose again. Mixing with fear. With confusion. With everything she was trying to suppress.
"You don't get it because this doesn't affect you the same way," she said. Jack's jaw tightened.
"You're wrong." Lucy frowned.
"How?"
Jack took another step closer. Slower this time. More deliberate.
"Because I don't walk away from things that are mine," he said. The word sent a chill through her.
Not because they were loud. But because they were certain.
"I'm not something you can own," Lucy said immediately. Jack didn't deny it. "I'm not talking about you." Her breath caught. Because she knew exactly what he meant.
"Don't," she said quickly. Jack didn't stop. "I'm talking about the child." Lucy turned away, running a hand through her hair.
"This is exactly why I don't want to tell you."
Jack's voice followed her. "And what did you expect? That I wouldn't find out?"
"I just needed time!" "For what?"
"To figure things out!" Jack stepped closer again.
Behind her now. Close enough that she could feel his presence without seeing him.
"You don't have time to ignore this," he said quietly. Lucy's hand clenched at her sides.
"I'm not ignoring it." "Then stop running from it."
She turned sharply to face him. "I'm not running!"
Jack's eyes locked onto hers. "You are." The tension snapped again.
Thicker.
Sharper.
More dangerous than before. Lucy's breathing became uneven. Her thoughts racing. Her emotions are spiraling. "Why are you doing this?"
She asked suddenly. Jack didn't hesitate.
"Because it matters." Her voice dropped. "Why?"
The question lingered. Different from the others.
Deeper. More personal. For the first time—
Jack didn't answer immediately.
Lucy watched him closely. Waiting. Searching.
But when he finally spoke— His voice was quieter. Less controlled. More real. "Because it's not just a situation anymore," he said.
Lucy's heart skipped. "What does that mean?" Jack held her gaze. "It means I'm not treating this like a contract." The words hit harder than anything else. Lucy stepped back slowly.
"No?" she said. Jack frowned slightly. "No?"
"This is still a contract," she insisted. "It has to be." Jack didn't respond. And that silence—
That silence scared her.
Because for the first time… It felt like he didn't agree. "You don't get to change the rules," she said. Jack's voice dropped again. "They were never meant for this." Lucy shook her head.
"I'm not doing this with you." she turned again—
Ready to leave—
To escape—
To think—
But this time— Jack didn't grab her wrist. He said something instead. Something that stopped her completely.
"If you walk away from this…" His voice was low."
Dangerous. Unfamiliar. Lucy froze. Slowly— she turned back. Jack's eyes were locked on hers. Unmoving. Uncompromising.
"…you're not just walking away from me,"
He said. Her heart pounded. "What does that mean?" Jack didn't look away. Not even for a second. "It means," he said quietly,
"You're walking away from something I won't let go of." Lucy's breath caught—
Her mind racing—
Her heart pounding—
Because for the first time—
She realized.…
This wasn't just control anymore.