[BL] Obsessed with Him, Surrendered to His Voice

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Fear of Losing You

~Reynold’s POV~

My breath hitched. Shock and terror locked my jaw tight, leaving me unable to find a single word.

Frederick let out a slow, mocking shake of his head, a harsh scoff slipping past his lips. ”You dare lie to me, Reynold?” he asked coldly. ”Who was that man who just dropped you off? I’m asking you a question.”

”I’m sorry,” I stammered quickly, my hands trembling as I clutched my bag. ”I didn’t mean to lie to you... My friend wanted us to go out, so I went along. I didn’t realize how late it was getting.”

Frederick stared at me, his gaze completely unyielding. ”I’ll ask you one more time. Who was that man?”

I kept my eyes fixed on my hands, my throat tightening. ”Just... a friend. He only helped me get home, that’s all. There’s absolutely nothing between us.”

”Young people and their lies,” he muttered, a bitter edge creeping into his voice. ”I thought you were different, but I was wrong. You’ve barely been alone for twenty-four hours, and another man is already dropping you off. What would happen if I left you alone for a whole week? You’d probably start bringing them right inside my house.”

”No, I wouldn’t!” I protested, panic flaring in my chest. ”I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I wanted to come back with Julian, but things got complicated... I’m sorry.”

Frederick stood up from the sofa, towering over me.

”Your car will be delivered here tomorrow. If you don’t know how to drive, I’ll hire a driver to take you wherever you need and teach you along the way. But I honestly don’t know how to feel right now, knowing you spent your entire day out and came back riding in another man’s car.”

Desperate, I took a step closer and reached out to him. ”Trust me, I didn’t do anything! We just went out for a drink. Nothing happened.”

”Did you give him your number or not?”

I froze, unable to meet his eyes right away.

”It... it was just a number. I’ll block him. We haven’t even talked.”

Frederick’s expression hardened, and his eyes narrowed as he stared at me. ”So you gave him your number.”

”I told you, I’ll block him,” I said quickly.

He let out a quiet scoff and stepped closer, his presence making me instinctively hold my breath.

”That’s not the point, Reynold.” His voice was low and controlled. ”I told you to let me know before bringing anyone into this house. You didn’t just ignore that, you lied to me about where you were.”

I lowered my head. ”I didn’t bring him inside. He just dropped me off outside.”

”I know,” Frederick replied coldly. ”And that tells me you’re only getting started. One day, you’ll invite him inside, won’t you? Isn’t that the reason you had him drop you here in the first place? So he’d know where you live?”

I lowered my head again, unable to find anything else to say.

”Look at me,” he said.

Slowly, I raised my eyes to his.

Frederick studied my face for a long moment before letting out a quiet sigh. ”I’m not angry because you went out with your friend,” he said. ”I’m angry because you thought you had to lie to me.”

”I’ll delete his number now, and I won’t ever lie to you again. I’ll tell you everything.”

Frederick let out a humorless laugh and shook his head. ”You don’t even have to. Tomorrow morning, I’ll be gone. You can stay here, and I’ll still provide everything you need until you graduate, but I won’t be coming back here again.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. ”Please, I’m sorry.”

”We aren’t anything,” he cut in, his voice dropping into a flat, distant tone. ”You might think I’m overreacting, but I can’t tolerate lies, no matter how big or small, when I’m being completely sincere with you.”

He turned away and headed toward the stairs.

Panic seized me. I rushed forward and grabbed his hand before he could take another step.

”I’m sorry, Mr. Corvin! It won’t happen again, I swear—”

”I know,” Frederick interrupted softly, gently pulling his hand from my grip without looking back. ”It’s not like we’re bound by anything. We have no contract, no real ties. I’m not trying to take your freedom away or hold you down, Reynold. I just...” He paused, his voice quieter. ”I don’t want to be part of it anymore.”

He finally looked at me. ”I don’t even have the right to be angry because nothing binds us, neither love nor a contract. The best thing is to let you be. You’re young, and I have no right to stop you from being yourself.”

”No, Mr. Corvin, please...” I pleaded.

But Frederick didn’t stop. He turned and slowly walked up the stairs, disappearing toward the master bedroom.

I stood frozen in the middle of the grand, empty living room, listening as his footsteps faded away.

For a long moment, I couldn’t move.

Then my knees finally gave out.

I sank onto the plush sofa and curled into myself as the tears finally broke free, hot and heavy down my cheeks. A crushing wave of regret washed over me, choking me from the inside out.

I shouldn’t have done it, I sobbed silently into the cushions, the cruel reality of my foolishness setting in too late.

I finally had everything, and I ruined it all.

After crying until my throat felt raw and my chest ached, I finally forced myself to stand. I wiped my face with the back of my hand and slowly walked upstairs, dragging my feet toward the master bedroom.

When I pushed the door open, Frederick was sitting against the headboard of the massive bed. His phone was pressed to his ear, and his voice was low and steady as he spoke in rapid, crisp terms about business. He didn’t even glance my way when I entered, continuing his conversation as though I were nothing more than a ghost.

Panic and desperation clawed at my chest. I didn’t know how to fix this or how to bridge the sudden, freezing distance between us. The only language we had ever truly shared, the only way I knew how to beg for his forgiveness,

was through physical intimacy.

With trembling hands, I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. I stripped off my clothes piece by piece until I was standing completely bare except for my boxers. I climbed onto the edge of the mattress.

I crawled quietly toward him.

Frederick shot me a sharp sideways glance. His eyes were cold and distant, but he didn’t stop me.

I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.

It baffled me, even in my own mind. Why did it hurt so badly to hear him say he would still provide for me from afar? Rationally, I should have been thrilled to have the house, the car, and the financial security without any strings attached.

But instead, a heavy, suffocating weight pressed against my chest.

It wasn’t about the money anymore.

The terrifying truth was that I had started to care about him. The thought of Frederick walking out of my life completely felt like having my heart torn apart.

I crawled to his side, careful not to disturb him while he was still on the phone. Then I gently rested my head against his bare chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as I waited for him to finish.

He didn’t wrap his arms around me, but he didn’t push me away either.

The minutes felt like hours until he finally murmured a brief goodbye into the phone and dropped the device onto the nightstand.

I immediately raised my head and looked up into his unreadable eyes. Before he could say a word, the words spilled out of me in a desperate rush.

”I’ll do it. I’ll sign the contract, Mr. Corvin. And I promise I’ll never lie to you again or do anything that will make you angry with me.”

Frederick fell completely silent, his expression blank as he stared down at me. The silence stretched on, each passing second making my heart pound harder.

”I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking as I apologized again and again. ”Please, just tell me what I need to do—”

”Reynold, stop.” He finally interrupted, his voice flat and devoid of warmth. ”I’m not angry anymore. But I’m still leaving tomorrow. And as for the contract, you don’t have to sign it just because you’re trying to make me stay.”

”No!” I quickly shook my head, panic rising in my voice. ”It’s not like that. I’ve been thinking about signing the contract for a while. I was just waiting for the right time, and... I think now is the right time. I’m ready to sign it. I swear.”

Frederick let out a slow, heavy breath and looked away from me toward the dark window.

”I don’t want the contract anymore, Reynold.”

”Why?” I choked out, tears stinging my eyes all over again.

”I’m not angry,” he repeated, his voice somehow colder than anger itself. ”I just want some space. And I’m leaving anyway because I have businesses to run. While I’m gone, this house is yours. Do whatever you want. Live your life however you please. You don’t have to check in with me anymore, because we won’t be sharing a bed or having an arrangement like this again.”

”No, please,” I sobbed, closing the distance between us and reaching up to cup his face. ”I’m sorry...”

I leaned in, trying to kiss him, but Frederick caught my wrist.