Chapter 1
“Babe, is your husband back in the country?”
Scarlet Benson had just finished a retinal reattachment surgery. After scrubbing out and emerging from the operating room, she unlocked her phone, only to see a call from her best friend, Lucy Rosen.
“I invited you out for dinner today, and you ignored me. Why didn’t you tell me your husband’s back?”
Scarlet shut her locker and headed out. “I just got off the table. I didn’t know he was coming back today.”
“What?” Lucy blurted out. “That guy didn’t tell you he was back?”
“He never does,” Scarlet responded.
They had been married for barely half a year when William Cooper left for Nevaia without ever talking it through with her. He came back once or twice a year at most, and every time, she only found out after he had already landed.
William was undeniably brilliant. In just a few years, Bova Capital, the firm he founded, had become a legend on Wellton Street and a success story everyone talked about.
At 27, he was named one of the 50 most influential figures in global finance and appeared on the cover of The Banker magazine. Scarlet learned all of this the same way everyone else did—through financial news.
“I’m… speechless. Your husband’s return is all over the news. The ladies at my office have been gossiping about it all morning. Meanwhile, you’re completely in the dark.” Lucy sent her a screenshot of a headline and added, “Look at him. Personality aside, your husband is one hell of a looker!”
The Cooper family, one of Lebavia’s most affluent families, had always been a favorite subject in the local financial media. People had been following William’s movements obsessively in recent years. The press seemed to know more about his schedule than Scarlet did as his wife.
The photo had been taken at the airport. A Gulfstream G650 was parked at a private terminal, and a tall man was walking down the stairs.
No words could fully express how handsome William was. His features were sharp and well-defined. His brow, eyes, and nose were beautifully sculpted. Under the bright afternoon sun, his presence was impossible to ignore. His bespoke suit accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, and he carried himself with great poise.
His assistant, Chris Hemworth, walked behind him, leaning in to report something. His secretary, Helen Knight, followed them with his luggage and a solemn expression.
Meanwhile, William looked relaxed, almost languid, probably worn down by the long flight. His profile carried a faint trace of boredom.
Scarlet stared at the photo. William was back, and she found out even later than Lucy.
“I suppose you’re definitely not joining me for a meal tonight, huh?” Lucy grumbled. “I just got my bonus and wanted to treat you.”
“Don’t worry,” Scarlet reassured her. “You’ll get your turn. Let’s go out another day.”
After ending the call, Scarlet realized it was already dark outside. She had been on her feet all day and hadn’t had a proper meal. Starving, she hurriedly hailed a cab home to the villa they shared at Wolke Bay.
Doctor’s hours were unforgiving. Scarlet usually got off work late, and with a housekeeper at home, she rarely cooked. Plus, she was genuinely bad at it.
William’s timing couldn’t have been worse. Scarlet had recently let go of the housekeeper. It would be disastrous if he returned home to no dinner at all.
Scarlet turned on the stove, followed online recipes, and made a few dishes. It took her nearly two hours. When the food was finally on the table, she checked the time. William still wasn’t home.
Scarlet sat at the dining table and waited for almost another hour before calling William. The call didn’t go through, and the message she sent via WhatsApp went unanswered.
Scarlet had waited so long that her hunger subsided. By 10:00 pm, William still hadn’t returned.
Scarlet hesitated over whether to put away the now cold food. While scrolling through her feed, she came across a post Shaun Thompson had just shared. The caption contained only two words. “Welcome back.”
Scarlet tapped on the photo. The background resembled a private club, decadent and brightly lit. William’s circle of friends was there.
William was also in the picture. He had taken off his suit jacket, and two of the buttons on his fine dress shirt had been undone. His collar hung slightly open, and he looked relaxed.
The photo was taken from the side. His long legs were crossed, his hand resting on the armrest. He held a cigarette loosely between his slender fingers.
A woman in a tight short skirt sat close beside him, gazing at him with unmistakable interest. William looked at ease, a faint smile playing at his lips.
Scarlet closed the app, picked up her cutlery, and ate the food that had already gone cold. After she finished eating, she cleaned the kitchen and went back to her room to shower and rest.
…
Everyone was in high spirits inside the private club’s lounge as they welcomed William back. Shaun personally poured him a drink and raised his glass. “Here’s to your return, William!”
It was a bottle of Hennessy Paradis, a premium cognac and a century-limited edition that never hit the market. Shaun’s grandfather, John Thompson, had hoarded it for years and never brought himself to open it. So, his beloved grandson snuck it out to celebrate his best friend’s return.
“Are you leaving again this time?”
William lounged against the couch. “Do you want me to leave?”
“Of course not! I’ve been waiting for you to come back every day.”
One of the guys beside them laughed and teased him. “Don’t you know how devoted Shaun is to you? He misses you more than your wife does!”
Shaun kicked him. “Shut the hell up!”
William lifted his ornate glass and smacked Shaun lightly on the back of the head. “Why do you miss me? Does your ass itch or what?”
“Hell no. My grandpa’s on my case every day,” Shaun grumbled. “It’s boring as hell without you around.”
“By the way, where’s Scarlet? Is she not coming tonight?” someone asked.
Shaun shrugged. “Why would you invite her when we’re out drinking? She’d only ruin the mood.”
It was no secret that William had no feelings for Scarlet. The marriage existed in name only. None of them had ever truly regarded her as the lady of the Cooper family.
The woman beside William caught on and inquired, “Mr. Cooper, you’re married?”
William cocked his brow before lifting his cigarette and taking a drag. Then, he smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Is my wedding ring not shiny enough?”
The woman only noticed the ring on his ring finger.
As he raised his hand, his collar fell open just a touch. Light crept in, catching one sharp line of his collarbone while the rest remained hidden in shadow. He looked lazy, yet effortlessly charming.
Her cheeks warmed as she looked at him, and curiosity stirred. What kind of woman was lucky enough to become his wife?
“What’s your wife like?” she asked.
William casually leaned back. “My wife?”
There was a glint in his eyes that could easily be mistaken for tenderness. “She’s not as pretty as you.”
No woman could remain unmoved while being looked at like that and called beautiful. Her heart began to race, hammering against her ribs.
“Oh, please. Don’t fall for his lies. You won’t find a woman prettier than his wife anywhere in Lebavia.”
The pink bubble burst. The woman looked at William, who bit lazily on his cigarette. A relaxed smile crept onto his face as he didn’t deny it.
Her heart sank. So, he had just been teasing her.
William was probably tired. He looked drained, and he wasn’t even in the mood to smoke. So, he stubbed his cigarette out in his glass, grabbed his jacket, and rose from his seat.
Shaun, who was pouring him another drink, froze. “Are you leaving already?”
William looked bored out of his mind. “I’m tired. Have fun without me.”
…
Scarlet had a habit of sleeping with a light on. She was stirred awake by the sound of the door opening.
Under the dim glow of the bedroom floor lamp, a tall man stood with his back to her, facing the mirror in the walk-in closet. A faint smell of alcohol hung in the air.
Scarlet sat up groggily before coming to her senses. It had been more than half a year since she last saw him. Even his back felt unfamiliar.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d be back?” she asked.
William turned around to look at her.
She sat on the bed, still half asleep. Her nightgown hung loosely, the thin straps nearly slipping off her shoulders.
Her skin was naturally fair. Back in school, even after a week of military training under the blazing sun, she would only turn slightly red and recover in a matter of days.
The soft lavender nightgown made her look like fragile porcelain. Her collarbones were delicate, and a luminous emerald pendant rested against her pale neck.
William unbuttoned his shirt with one hand. “What, are you hiding someone at home?”
Scarlet was about to ask the reason he hadn’t told her, yet she was rendered speechless. Her sleep-fogged mind couldn’t keep up.
He didn’t seem to care about her answer. He grabbed his pajamas and went into the bathroom to take a shower. Scarlet sat on the bed for a while, listening to the sound of running water as she gradually became wide awake.
End of the Contract,Start of His Obsession
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