The Ex Who Became His Obsession novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Charlic didn’t respond right away. He simply turned and looked at Leonard–his gaze heavy, dark, and unreadable.

But Alyssia didn’t turn around. She heard a sharp, muffled cough behind her–someone struggling to hold it back.

“Ms. Clairmont.” Joseph’s voice cracked with desperation.

Still, Alyssia didn’t look back. She didn’t want to see that man again. She didn’t want to think about the future she’d once imagined with him–a future already buried and gone.

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His triumphs no longer concerned her. His downfall wouldn’t matter to her anymore. He was just someone passing through her life now.

She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and said firmly, “Leonard, we’re done. You chose Milena. I chose my freedom.”

The room fell into dead silence. It was a long while before Alyssia heard Leonard speak, his voice low and emotionless, “Let’s go.”

Then he shook off the people holding onto him and strode out of the room without looking back.

“Mr. Rivera. Mr. Rivera, wait.” Joseph chased after Leonard, his voice panicked.

He caught up just in time to see Leonard lower the hand he’d been pressing to his mouth. Blood had seeped through his fingers. He clenched his fists and wiped the blood from his lips with his sleeve, as if it meant nothing.

Joseph and Leonard grew up together. Joseph’d seen it all–every piece of this broken story, from beginning to bitter end.

Joseph had watched Leonard’s temper flare since they were boys, but Leonard was nice to the people he considered his own.

To the world, Leonard was the Rivera family’s brilliant heir. To his subordinates, he was a man of unshakable power. But in front of Alyssia, he was just a man forced to beg for scraps of dignity, a man whose pride had already been torn to shreds.

‘Mr. Rivera…” Joseph’s voice trembled. His eyes welled up with tears.

‘Shut up,” Leonard muttered in a cold tone.

Ignoring Leonard’s order, Joseph insisted, “Please, let me take you to the hospital.”

Leonard didn’t answer. He just wiped the fresh blood from his mouth with his clean hand.

*****

After they left, the room finally fell quiet again. Alyssia walked to the bathroom and washed her hands. When she looked up in the mirror, she froze. She saw her reflection–her face streaked with blood.

The blood ran like tear trails, from her cheeks to her temples and behind her ears. One line of red even traced its way from the corner of her eye, as if her soul had bled through her tears.

She raised a hand in a daze, touching the half–dried streaks on her face.

‘Why is there blood on my face? I don’t remember getting hurt,‘ she wondered.

Behind her, Charlie dismissed his people and walked over.

“Relax. We’re safe now.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her toward him. His other hand held a damp

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Chapter 24

tissue. He began wiping the blood from her face with slow, careful motions.

Alyssia saw the raw skin on his knuckles–torn and split, the blood only just beginning to scab over.

“I’m so sorry, Charlie…” Her voice broke with guilt. “You almost got killed because of me…”

He replied in a gentle tone, “Don’t say that. You saved me, didn’t you?”

Charlie heard it all–her pleas and screams as well as Leonard’s madness. Every word, every threat had burned into his mind.

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The wardrobe collapsed, but one of Charlie’s feet had punched a hole through the bottom–just wide enough to crawl out. Even if it meant shredding both his hands, he wouldn’t stay trapped.

“I sent a message to my people the moment I was locked in. Told them to get upstairs right away,” Charlie added. “But honestly, you bought me the time I needed.”

Leonard had been posted outside the main entrance of Vanguard Media all night. Alyssia didn’t know that, but Charlie did. He even prepared for this.

Just as Charlie broke out of the wardrobe, his team burst through the door and clashed head–on with Leonard’s men.

Alyssia nodded faintly, glanced at the blood–soaked wipe in Charlie’s hand, and murmured, “You always think ahead.”

Charlie suggested, “I don’t think you should stay here anymore. Leonard knows this place. He might come back again.”

Alyssia shook her head, replying, “He’s already gone. He’s not coming back.”

Alyssia knew that when pushed too far, Leonard could lose control. But most of the time, he was cold and calculating, not reckless.

And with what she said to him just now, there was no way his pride would allow him to come back, not even to threaten her again.

Charlie didn’t say anything. There were things he hadn’t told Alyssia–things she had misunderstood.

She probably thought Charlie and Leonard got into a fight, and the blood on Leonard’s clothes had come from Charlie’s injured hand.

But the truth was–Leonard had already been bleeding by the time Joseph and his men dragged him back from the window. Charlie didn’t even lay a finger on Leonard.

And Leonard’s sudden departure? It wasn’t Alyssia’s final words that made him walk away–it was the fact that he was coughing up blood. He simply couldn’t hold on long enough to take her with him.

As for the blood on Alyssia’s face… It wasn’t from Charlie’s wounds. It dripped onto her face when Leonard pinned her against the window.

But Charlie would say nothing about any of this. He had his own selfish reasons.

If Alyssia couldn’t bring herself to sever things completely, he didn’t mind being the villain who cut the cord for her.

Even so, Charlie still gave Alyssia one last chance to be sure. He asked, “Alyssia, have you thought this through? There’s no turning back.”

Alyssia closed her eyes for a moment and then nodded. She knew there wouldn’t be a way back for a long time. For thirteen years, she’d been walking a one–way bridge in the dark–one step after another, never looking behind her.

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Chapter 24

In the hospital room, Milena was crying so hard that she could barely stay upright.

She choked out, “Mrs. Rivera, how could Alyssia do this? She keeps stirring things up between Charlie and Leon, pushing them to fight every time. We all grew up together. How could she do something so terrible?”

Beatrice stood with her arms folded, an unusual sternness darkening her eyes as she stared at her son lying on the bed, eyes closed in feigned sleep.

Milena’s voice buzzed incessantly in the background. “I just think it’s strange. How did Vanguard Media even get those recordings of my calls with Alyssia? Now I realize–she must’ve planned it from the start.”

She continued her tirade, not noticing the chill settling in the room. “Mrs. Rivera, I know your family raised Alyssia, and I don’t mean to sow discord, but how could she do this to Leon?

“She even went as far as faking news that we’re in a relationship? All these years, your family treated her with such kindness. Anyone can see that-

“Enough.” Beatrice cut her off with visible impatience. “Milena. I watched you grow up too. Since when did you become a gossip?”

Her tone was sharp, far less indulgent than usual. She wasn’t in the mood to play polite.

Milena covered her mouth, looking wounded, but still tried to defend herself. I’m just worried about Leon.”

There wasn’t a shred of courtesy left in Betreace’s voice Leon has a whole family. And if that’s not enough, there are thousands of Clairivera shareholders losing sleep over him too.”

She gave Milena a pointed look and added. ‘If you’ve got that much energy to spare, go worry about your sick grandfather instead.”

Milena finally understood where Leonard had inherited his venomous tongue.

She dabbed at her tears, her voice softer. “Im sorry, I didn’t mean to add to your stress, Mrs. Rivera. I just cared too much, I suppose.”

“You can go care somewhere else, then.” Beatrice let out a weary sigh as she sat down in the nearest chair, pressing her fingers to her temples.

She added, “Milena, do me a favor. Try acting like a sensible adult and spare me the drama, at least until my son’s stomach stops bleeding.”