The CEO's Secret Obsession-Chapter 140: Another Interruption

Benjamin’s hand stilled on the desk.

"Careful," he warned quietly.

Olivia scoffed. "She is rearranging rooms, ordering staff around, making decisions without consulting anyone—"

"Anyone?" he cut in, sharp now. "Or without consulting you?"

Her lips parted. "Benjamin—"

"That house," he said, voice firm, rising just enough to end the discussion, "is Pauline’s."

The words landed heavy.

"She lived there long before you," he continued. "She left it by choice and now she has returned by choice."

Olivia shook her head, incredulous. "I have lived there for twenty years."

"And yet, it was truly never yours." Benjamin said calmly, "This house belongs to Pauline and my mother more than anyone, even me."

Silence crashed between them.

"You don’t get to question what she does in that house," he went on. "She doesn’t need permission, she doesn’t need approval and she certainly doesn’t need to explain herself."

Olivia’s voice trembled despite herself. "You are letting her erase me."

Benjamin stood slowly and deliberately.

"No," he said, meeting her eyes at last. "I am reminding you where you stand."

Her breath hitched.

"I have tolerated a lot," he added. "I won’t tolerate disrespect—especially toward the woman who is still my wife."

That word—wife—cut deeper than anything else he could have said.

Olivia swallowed hard, fury and fear warring on her face. "So that’s it?"

Benjamin stepped past her, opening the door.

"That’s all," he said. "I am too tired for this."

She turned as he left, voice sharp with desperation. "You are choosing her."

He paused only once, without looking back.

"I never stopped."

The door closed softly behind him and Olivia stood alone in the study, enraged.

And the worst part? She could do nothing about it.

Not yet, at least.

Given the situation, all she could do was wait the right moment.

....

[Alexander’s Room]

Alexander pushed open the door to his old room, stepping aside to let Evelyn enter first.

She paused the moment she crossed the threshold.

The room wasn’t grand in the way the rest of the mansion was. It was quieter, warmer and lived-in.

Bookshelves lined one wall, trophies from school and early competitions sat neatly arranged, and framed photographs covered the dresser.

"This—" Evelyn murmured, slowly walking in. "This doesn’t look like you at all."

Alexander leaned against the door frame, watching her with a faint smile. "That’s rude."

She turned, smiling softly. "I mean—it does. Just not the you everyone else sees."

She picked up a photo frame.

A much younger Alexander stood in it, awkwardly tall, arm slung around another young boy’s shoulders which she assumed was Lucas and both of them grinning like idiots.

"Oh my God," she laughed. "Did you both have that haircut voluntarily?"

Lucas’s voice echoed faintly in her head already, defending it.

Alexander groaned. "That picture is slander."

She moved closer, scanning another photo—Margaret standing proudly behind a teenage Alexander, her hand firm on his shoulder.

There was also a picture of young Alexander with another man.

"Is that your grandfather?" When he nodded his head, she smiled, "You look a lot like him."

Alexander picked up the frame and smiled, "Everyone used to say that."

She looked at all the pictures one by one. "You were loved," Evelyn said quietly.

He looked away for a moment. "Still am."

Her gaze softened.

She turned back to him, suddenly aware of how close they were standing.

The air felt different here—private, unguarded.

"This was your safe place," she said. "Wasn’t it?"

He nodded. "Until it wasn’t."

Evelyn reached out instinctively, smoothing the edge of his sleeve, her touch gentle and familiar. "You have it back now."

Alexander’s breath hitched just slightly.

"Having you here helps," he said honestly.

She smiled, then without thinking, leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

Her lips lingered on his cheeks for a while and then—

Alexander turned his head just enough that her lips brushed the corner of his mouth instead.

They both froze.

Then Alexander chuckled under his breath. "Dangerous move."

"Maybe I am feeling brave today," she replied, eyes shining.

This time, when he leaned in, the kiss was slow and warm, unhurried and unassuming, just enough to say ’I am here’ without needing anything more. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Her hands rested against his chest and his arms settled lightly around her waist.

Then—

The door flew open.

"YOU ARE BEING COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE—"

"ME? YOU ARE THE ONE WHO—"

Lucas and Patricia stormed in mid-argument and stopped dead.

The silence was brutal.

Evelyn jumped back like she had been caught stealing.

Alexander sighed, eyes closing briefly. "I knew peace wouldn’t last."

Patricia blinked and then grinned. "Oh. We interrupted something."

Lucas crossed his arms. "Wow, it seems like someone’s fetish of making out in his childhood bedroom has come true."

Evelyn covered her face. "This is so embarrassing."

"Nope," Patricia said cheerfully. "This is my favorite version of you."

Alexander shook his head, amused despite himself. "You two cannot enter a room quietly, can you?"

Lucas shrugged. "We have a reputation to maintain."

Patricia smirked. "Also, you were gone too long."

Evelyn peeked through her fingers, laughter bubbling up now and the moment diffused into something light and safe again.

Alexander slipped his hand into hers, squeezing gently.

The moment was interrupted but not ruined and somehow, that made it perfect.

....

[Garden]

The garden was calm in the way only old places could be.

The same stone bench, the same rose bushes Margaret had insisted on keeping alive even when no one else cared and the same small iron table where tea had once been a daily ritual instead of a rare indulgence.

Pauline sat across from Margaret with fingers wrapped around her teacup, though she hadn’t taken a sip in a while.

For the first time in days, her shoulders were relaxed.

Margaret watched her quietly.

"You look different," she said at last. "Not lighter, just steadier."

Pauline smiled faintly. "I feel like I have stopped running."

Margaret nodded, as if that answered something she had known all along.

They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the rustle of leaves, the distant sounds of the house coming back to life.

Then Margaret spoke again, gently.

"When are you planning to tell Alexander?"

.....