Page 69 of Obsessing Over His Favorite
Her eyes shifted from the table back to his face. In a calm, distant voice, she said, “I’m running late for the office. I need to go. You can have the breakfast.”
She moved toward the door, but before she could reach it, he stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
His eyes locked onto hers. It was clear he wasn’t pleased with her words or attitude. “If you don’t eat breakfast, you’re not leaving this house.”
She raised an eyebrow, annoyance flickering across her face. “Seriously?”
“Try me,” he said, his gaze so intense it felt like he’d tie her to a chair and feed her with a spoon if he had to.
Emily let out a frustrated sigh, turned, and walked back to the table. She sat down heavily in one of the chairs and looked over the spread.
“You don’t have to finish it all,” he added quickly, excitement flickering in his voice. “Just eat whatever you want. Leave the rest.”
She glanced up at him briefly, then began to eat. It was early, and her appetite was thin, so she ate quickly, leaving much untouched.
“I’m full,” she said abruptly, standing and heading for the door.
“I’ll drop you off at work,” he offered, rising and following her.
She spun around, eyes flashing with irritation. “Can you please stop? I told you, I don’t want anything from you. You’re just bothering me.”
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. I won’t follow you.”
“Thank you,” she said sharply, then left the house.
As she stepped outside, she glanced back and saw Lucas sitting in the chair she’d just left, eating the leftover breakfast without a hint of hesitation.
***
“I’m surprised you even came to the office today,” Jacob said, settling onto the table in her office with a smug grin as he looked down at her.
She paused, her pencil hovering over the jewelry design she was coloring. Slowly, she raised an eyebrow, a frown knitting between her brows. “Why would you think I wouldn’t come today?”
Jacob shrugged casually. “It’s nothing serious, just... you and Lucas aren’t exactly the happiest combination. You’d always do whatever he asked. Since you left with him yesterday, I thought that was it—you weren’t coming back. I figured you’d be going back to him and getting back together.”
Emily’s expression tightened, clearly annoyed by his assumption. She gave him a sharp look. “I’m not going back to him. I already told you—I’ve broken up with him.”
Jacob folded his arms and leaned closer, his eyes fixed on the intricate design she’d been working on. Then he looked back up at her face, curiosity mixed with skepticism. “Alright, then tell me—why did you break up with him?”
She set down her pencil, the silence filling the room. Looking directly into his eyes, she asked with genuine confusion, “Why does everyone want to know why we broke up? It’s Lucas who flaunts Amelia everywhere. Isn’t it obvious why I’d want to end things with a man who made everyone believe Amelia was hisgirlfriend and not me? Why does everyone think I’m not serious about this breakup?”
Jacob straightened his back and fixed her with a knowing look, a smug smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You were madly in love with him, Emily. You saw nothing but Lucas and what he wanted. You gave him everything he wanted and did whatever he asked, no matter what. So it’s no surprise that when you say you broke up, it doesn’t quite feel real. Every time you said you’d leave him, you were the first to go back.”
Emily stood up, disbelief flashing across her face. “I was the first to go backevery time?”
Jacob nodded. “Yes. You were insecure about Amelia. It often ended in fights between you and Lucas.”
She shook her head slowly. “I can’t believe it. I’ve never felt this insecure before. I’ve had plenty to be possessive about in my life, but never like this. I never cared who stayed close or who walked away.” She glanced down at her design on the table. “But with Lucas… it was like I was the villain. The jealous one. The one who wanted too much.”
Jacob sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair as he searched for the right words. “I know you weren’t like this before.”
He paused, his eyes softening with sympathy. “But when a man makes you feel insecure, those feelings don’t just disappear—they stick with you.” He shook his head slowly. “I don’t blame you. Lucas acting like Amelia was his girlfriend while treating you like the enemy—it’s no wonder you felt torn apart.”
Her eyes shifted back to him, meeting his gaze.
Jacob’s voice grew quieter, almost reluctant. “Honestly, I always thought you’d walk away much sooner. But you were so in love, you stayed through all of it.” He leaned forward slightly. “He never cheated on you, though, no matter how close Amelia was.”
He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “So now, with you finally giving up on Lucas, it’s obviously a shock to me and everyone else that you’re the one who walked away. Especially since you’ve never done that before.”
