My Devil Ex-husband's Obsession

Taylor's POV

My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles ached as I navigated the street that led either to my destruction or revelation.

I fought with everything in me to keep the tears from spilling down my face. It should not have surprised me, and yet I did not know why it was hitting harder now than it had before.

At last I reached the house. My phone rang, and I answered, hearing my sister's low voice.

"Are you there yet?" she asked, whispering.

The words felt heavier than they should have, but I answered anyway. "Yeah. I am." I closed my eyes.

"Okay. I waited for your arrival. I will go in now," she said, and then hung up.

I was so lost in my thoughts the phone slipped from my hand onto my lap. Slowly my gaze drifted back to the house and I threw my head back, a dull ache forming at my temples.

How could this happen to me? When I was little I watched my parents argue every single day and I promised myself I would never live the same life. So when I married Devon I kept quiet to avoid fights. Yet nothing had prepared me for this moment.

Maybe I am not enough for a man. For the past month he has been giving all manner of excuses to avoid coming home, even when I had just endured my miscarriage. He has been absent from my life in ways I never imagined. What hurts more than the absence is the timing. A child had to appear now.

Last week he missed my appointment at the hospital for the pregnancy test. He must have lost hope, but I did not. Now that I was positive he missed the moment to be with his ex-girlfriend.

This hurt like hell. I had noticed the excuses and I had sent Bri to uncover his secret. Disappointed, I found out that he had been seeing his ex-girlfriend.

What had I not done? What did she have that I did not? That may sound cliché, but the question raced through my mind.

What has our two-year marriage done to push him away? I needed answers and I doubted he would give any.

Ring. Ring.

"What happened, Bri? Are you in?" I asked, ready to move.

She answered in a frustrated tone. "This is the third time we have come. I am getting tired. They are not around."

Numb of feeling, I said, "Oh. We can try another day. Are you coming back?"

"Of course not. I am heading to my cafe. It is not far from here."

"Sure. Thank you. I am leaving."

My head throbbed from stress. I should be at my office working or preparing for my baby's arrival, but fate had decided to punish me by turning me into a lowlife detective.

With one last sigh I started to turn the car back when I noticed another vehicle parked on the street. I had never seen that car before, but it looked like the exact car I had put on a wishlist for my birthday.

That bastard. Did he buy her the car that was meant for me?

I grabbed my purse and walked quickly toward the house. Voices drifted through the open windows, the sound of people arguing in the home Bri had confirmed earlier as empty.

"What the hell? Why did she lie to me?" someone shouted.

My fingers tightened around the doorknob and when I pushed the door open the sight slammed into me.

Devon sat on the couch and Ivy, his ex-girlfriend, sat beside him. Bri stood in front of them, shouting, and I assumed she was accusing them of god knows what.

As soon as they saw me I felt Devon's presence drain away. My eyes were cold and dead and I knew they told him I had nothing left to give. I had not planned to show emotion, so I would not break.

"Do you realize what I am going through? I dodged her all week. Bitch, why are you staring at me like that?" Bri spat.

She faltered and I took my time studying her. So all this while she had not been on my side, but working with my husband. The devil did have his workers.

"Well, bitch, stare all you want but it doesn't cut short the ten thousand dollars I'm getting!?" Bri sneered.

Rage rose up before I could stop it. I said, "So that was all it took for you to go to hell and work with him?"

She froze and slowly turned away.

"Taylor!" Devon said softly as he rose to his feet.

I lifted a finger and hushed him. "I did not ask you to open your dirty mouth. You have no right to talk to me."

Bri stood trembling. Why was she shaking? Of course I could not bring myself to harm her.

"I trusted you for months with this blast and you betrayed me in this way? For how much? Ten thousand? A whopping ten thousand!" I said, smiling with mockery before continuing. "You should be happy. That would get you a Lamborghini in a split second."

Her eyes dropped to the floor and she avoided my stare. It was absurd that I could have exposed them weeks ago and put an end to this marriage.

"You disgust me," I said.

Suddenly Ivy pushed forward, furious as ever. "You have no right to talk to her like that. You are the disgusting one here."

My gaze slid to Ivy's face and I scoffed. "You do not have to patronize me. I have prepared for this day for months. What else do you have to say? I am a woman who does not have time for her husband, a workaholic, a snob. Huh? Go ahead and perform the little script you wrote for yourself," I said, pointing toward her pockets.

Kissing my teeth I passed by her, brushing her shoulder as I walked straight to the devil in his den.

"You have one minute," I commanded, holding my emotions in check.

He knit his brows and immediately understood. Clearing his throat while I glared into his eyes, he began, "I can explain, but not right now. You should not have come here."

"Shut your trap. Do not play the manipulation card. How dare you question me? You are the one caught up in this mess, Devon West!"

A few minutes before I had decided not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me hurt. But I could not hold it anymore. I needed answers.

"So why have you been coming here for the past months? What am I missing? Huh, Devon?" I demanded, eager for an explanation.

In a sudden move he cupped my face and said, "We should go home. You are tired."

Just as I felt myself ready to explode, my eyes landed on a door that led into a room decorated like a child's.

I moved closer and he gripped my hand to pull me back, but I slipped free and ran into the room.

"Ah!" I yelled, covering my mouth with my palm.

My eyes could not lie to me. This was a room for a little child. Is this the reason he had been coming here? He had an illegitimate child with his ex.

Earlier I had sworn I would not cry, but my emotions were no longer containable. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

A year ago his father had suggested that he get back together with his ex to secure an heir and apparently he had done it. I could not believe I had trusted him all those days.

"You should leave, Taylor. Please," he shouted from behind me.

I staggered back, forcing the tears that had already escaped into submission. I thought I could walk away, but this changed everything. He had betrayed me in the worst way possible, striking at one of my deepest insecurities. If he had waited he would have had his prayers answered.

I turned without speaking, my hands trembling as I reached into my purse for the papers and threw them at his face.

"What? Tell me. Is this a divorce letter? You can't do this to me?" he yelled, trying to grab my hand. I flinched.

I needed to get out of there. I felt my sanity fray. It was too much to bear.

I could hear his pleas as he followed me.

"Babe. Let her go," Ivy begged Devon.

"Shut up. I can handle this," he shot back in anger.

I reached my car and he grabbed my wrist, forcing me to turn toward him.

"We can fix this. Please. Listen to me," he pleaded.

"If you touch my hand one more time I will make sure to kill you. Let go, you devil," I said, my voice shaking with barely controlled fury.

"Why are you calling me that?" he asked.

My lips trembled as I spoke. "Because you are just like him. You are a devil in an angel's form. The only difference between the two of you is your faces."

I got into my car, locked the doors, and drove away. My subconscious took over the steering while my conscious mind clung to the horror I had witnessed.

This changed everything. Could I live with the constant reminder of his betrayal? It would break me for years.

I picked up my phone and dialed the doctor. "Hello. I would like to come in for a favor. A horrible one. Now."

3 Years later

Taylor

GRAND HOTEL

I had been there for eleven months. Eleven long months of being invisible.

People said internships were meant to be stepping stones, but for me, it felt more like quicksand. I fetched coffee, I rewrote press drafts a dozen times, and I smiled through meetings where no one remembered my name, just "the intern."

No one talked to me unless they needed something. And even then, it was clipped, transactional. I didn't mind. Friends were a luxury I couldn't afford, not anymore. Not after losing almost everything , my marriage, my home... and nearly myself.

Everyone thought getting yourself back after a divorce was quick and sudden, but that shit only happened in TV shows and not in reality. It was hard taking yourself back up when your whole life had been controlled by your husband's money. Everything was taken away from me and even if he hadn't asked, I wouldn't keep any of his things in my life.

My shift started at 7:30, but I always came in earlier. I had to. My daughter's daycare opened by six, and if I didn't leave by five on the dot, I missed her pickup and faced judgmental stares from strangers who thought they knew what kind of mother I was.

That day was no different. I was tired, running on nerves and cheap coffee. My inbox was overflowing, my legs ached, and my name hadn't been said once all morning.

The elevator dinged open, but no one stepped out. Typical. They were all too busy pretending not to notice me carrying three iced coffees, a rolled-up media banner, and a tablet buzzing non-stop in my bag.

My heels clicked sharply against the marble floors as I hurried toward the conference room, five minutes late, sweat already dampening my blouse.

"Intern," my supervisor barked before she even got the door fully open, "where's the revised pitch deck?"

It was still in my inbox. Untouched. Because I had spent the last hour fixing a typo on the CEO's statement that wasn't even my damn job.

Fakely, I offered an apologetic bow, swallowing the urge to scream. "You should do your job and not me."

"Don't offer me an apology and return these coffees. They don't drink coffee!" she said casually, like I hadn't climbed heaps of mountains to get here.

I gave her a bow and started walking away. This was a regular day for me...the harassment and the disrespect. I knew all this was for my daughter, Ashley. Our lives would be perfect in a few months. I believed in hard work; that's why I worked as an intern in the day and, at night, as a restaurant worker.

Then, of course, someone bumped into me. I stumbled. The paper cup in my hand splashed all over my blouse. Gasps, then snickers.

"Oops," the girl said with a laugh, "that's not sorry at all. You should really watch where you're going."

Laughter trailed behind her, followed by whispers that weren't even subtle. I stood there, soaked and silent.

This was a regular thing for me.

Minutes later, my phone lit up. A message. Eyes shifted toward me. A few girls glanced over, then suddenly one walked up, all smiles.

"Hey! Congrats," she said too sweetly. "You're finally moving up, huh?"

I flinched when she touched my arm. She noticed. Her smile faded.

"Ugh. Never mind. No wonder no one likes you. Get a promotion and suddenly you're too proud to say thanks."

Before I could respond, my boss stepped out of his glass office.

"Can I have your attention?" he said.

"You all know we've had an intern for a long time now. Um...um...what's your name again?"

"Taylor," I replied weakly.

"So...effective immediately, Tayli has been promoted to a full-time PR Assistant."

Silence, then awkward applause. I lowered my head.

It should have felt like a win. But it didn't feel like that. I could feel the piercing gazes of people dug into me.

Nevertheless, I rubbed the feeling off and tried to live my moment.

-

Henry, my boss, decided to throw a dinner in my honor. He said it was to "officially welcome me to the team." But we all knew it was more about PR than appreciation.

Still, I smiled, nodded, and said thank you. I'd been an intern for a year, and now, finally, I had a permanent spot, maybe a seat at the table, but not necessarily a voice yet.

The night came quickly. I wore the only black dress I owned that still fit. Nothing flashy. Just simple. My friend, Lara, promised to watch my daughter. It was the only reason I even showed up. I hated leaving her, but I told myself this was for us. For a better life.

The hotel's private dining space was grand: glass chandeliers, velvet seats, the scent of red wine and expensive cologne hanging in the air. People turned when I walked in. Compliments floated by, but they slid off me like oil. I was thinking about whether Lara had managed to get her to sleep yet... if she'd asked for me.

If I could have wished for anything, it was for this dinner to go as smoothly as planned.

Then, the air shifted.

I saw him.

Devon. He walked in like he owned the room. He probably did. I froze at first, my heart thudding so loud I could barely hear the background jazz. I ducked slightly behind the menu, but then straightened myself. No. I wasn't that woman anymore. He didn't deserve that power over me.

But what the hell was he doing there? I had heard he had gone to the Philippines for the past three years and now the minute he came back, he had to flaunt his face.

Suddenly, a toast was raised for me.

"Here's to Taylor!"

"Cheers."

Glasses clinked. Laughter echoed.

And that's when they noticed him.

I didn't need to look. I could feel him. His eyes, watching me.

I turned slowly, and sure enough, our eyes locked across the table.

Time didn't slow. It stopped.

Every damn memory hit like a slap. The mornings I waited for him to come home. The nights I cried in a cold bed. The moment I saw him, half-dressed, in Ivy's apartment. The betrayal. The pregnancy. The divorce papers I signed with shaking hands.

Beads of sweat were forming on my head but I wiped them off. And as predicted, I became more uncomfortable than ever. Rage boiled over me. I didn't want to see his phony face or even feel his presence.

It hadn't reached up to twenty minutes when, in typical Devon fashion, he sent over a million-dollar gesture, a rare tuna delicacy, flown in, fresh.

"A gift from Mr. Devon for the lucky intern!"

Everyone gasped and started to ask questions that were disgusting to answer.

"Wow!"

"Do you know each other?"

"Is he your sugar daddy? I knew he was cheating!"

A gift. For me. How dare he? Did he think I was someone he could buy off?

I stood, my blood boiling.

I walked straight to him, ignoring everyone's stares. "Don't ever pull that stunt again," I said through gritted teeth, my voice low, steady, dangerous. "Not now. Not ever."

"I don't need your fucking pity... what type of games are you playing with me, find another player!" I snapped.

He didn't respond, just looked at me like he wanted to say everything and nothing at once.

I turned to walk away, and that's when Ivy entered.

Slowly, I shifted my gaze to them and saw her clinging to his arm, laughing like she was the only woman in the world, and looking at me like I was the dirt beneath her heels. She blinked at me and slowly kissed him on his neck.

"Hey... congrats loser!" she mouthed and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Out of everything odd, the thing I found most off was that Ivy was dressed like me , my favorite dress, favorite hairstyle and purse. Why does she have to pretend to me?

People started whispering at the table... speculating, pitying, mocking.

"Oh my God! She looks so beautiful with him."

"They are the perfect couple!"

"God knows why that little wuss came to his table! She's not even in his league!"

I slammed my hand on the table. "Enough. Just stop."

The room went quiet. Ivy smirked, probably thinking she'd won. She kept leaning into Devon, acting like a scene from a soap opera. But he wasn't looking at her.

His eyes were on me.

All night.

My palms were sweating. My chest was tight. Henry kept refilling my glass, maybe trying to calm me or distract me. I didn't know. All I knew was I felt dizzy. Too hot. Too exposed. Why was Devon there? Why then?

People started to leave. One by one. Until it was just Henry and me.

I couldn't walk straight. I was stumbling.

"I'll help you," Henry said, slipping his arm around me. "Just rest in the lounge."

We walked into a quiet hallway. My head was spinning. Every step made my legs shake. My breaths came fast, shallow. This isn't right. Something's wrong.

But something felt... off.

He led me to a small room. Dim lights and a couch.

I turned to thank him...and he kissed me.

No. No. I pushed back, but my limbs were heavy. I couldn't think clearly but...I couldn't believe the promotion was a ploy.

Then, he pushed me on the couch. His hands were on me now. I tried to speak, but everything was blurring. My pulse thundered in my ears. Adrenaline screamed through my veins. I pushed back, stumbled, nearly fell.

"Just stay quiet. We'll be done in a few minutes!" He said kissing me on my lips as he unbuttoned his trousers.

I'm not... I'm not scared of you!" I spat, voice cracking. "Don't touch me!"

He smirked. "You don't have a choice."

Then everything paused.

The door burst open with a crash. Devon's voice roared. "Get your hands off her!"

Then suddenly...I saw someone's fist on Henry's face.

Immediately, Henry stumbled back.

My eyes were blurry but I could see Devon, shaking his fist and biting his lip.

Henry lunged again, but Devon met him with a swing that sent him stumbling back into the wall. The thud made my ears ring. My hands trembled, gripping Devon's shirt. Heat, fear, and adrenaline twisted through me like a storm.

"Are you okay?" Devon's eyes searched mine, burning with concern and something else, anger, relief, something I couldn't name.

"I... I'm fine," I whispered, barely audible. My legs buckled, and Devon caught me, holding me tight. The world tipped, spinning, flashing in fragments of sound and light.

"Focus on me. Only me," Devon said, voice cutting through the haze. "You're safe now... just hold on."

Groggily, I said, "Let me... let me go!"

"Don't pass out," he whispered, my eyes barely open. "Not now..."

He held me tighter.

My body went heavy. Darkness curled at the edges of my vision. Every sound, every movement, felt distant. I tried to speak, tried to fight, but the energy drained from me, like I was sinking into a black sea.

"The devil... he'll rot me in hell... I don't trust him! He will do something to me! "

Then everything went black.

.

.

Taylor

I woke up to silk sheets and city lights pouring in from a glass wall.

This wasn't my apartment. It wasn't even close.

I sat up quickly, heart pounding, clutching my chest. But then I realized... my clothes were still on. Nothing was out of place.

Wiping my dry eyes, I released a sigh and tried to piece together what had happened after Devon came. But my memories were in disarray. I couldn't remember anything.

What had really happened to me?

Then I saw it.

A note on the bedside table, placed next to a white envelope and a gold-trimmed business card.

"You passed out before I could explain. I didn't touch you. I never would. Where the hell have you been for the past four years?"

Beside it was a check for $100,000 and a number scribbled on the back.

Collateral damage, huh? Rage boiled over me. What did he think I was again? Was he too stupid to see I was satisfied with my life? For years I had lived peacefully without seeing his face, and now that he had come back, my peace had been disrupted in just a day.

I grabbed my phone and dialed the number.

He picked up on the second ring.

"You arrogant piece of trash," I spat before he could say a word. "What gives you the right to walk back into my life, throw money around like you're buying forgiveness? You're not my savior... you're the reason I had to be saved in the first place."

"Try this again with me and I will fucking kill you, piece of shit!"

He was silent. Not even a breath.

I didn't care. I hung up.

I would make him realize that coming back into my life was a dreadful mistake.

--

Work felt like walking through fire. I avoided Henry like he was contagious. I could still see the bruise Devon had left on his jaw. I wanted to scream it to the world, but instead, I kept my head down and pretended nothing had happened.

I stood outside the office, the cool air doing little to calm the storm inside me. Henry's voice called me in.

"Taylor, a word."

I followed him into the corridor. His black eye was still swollen, proof of what had happened.

"You've been avoiding me," he said, his voice low, accusing. "And now you're making noise in the office?"

I clenched my fists. "You tried to take advantage of me."

He chuckled darkly. "Is that what you're telling people now? You begged me to stay after the dinner, Taylor. You were drunk and all over me. If anything, I was the one trying to walk away."

My heart slammed. "That's a lie."

He stepped closer, his voice cold. "You think they'll believe you over me? One word, and your little promotion's gone. In fact... consider it suspended. Indefinitely. You're clearly not ready for the responsibility."

A few murmurs rippled from the hallway. People were listening and watching.

"You know I worked hard for this. Why are you taking it away from me? I deserve this!" I yelled at the top of my voice.

"Raise your tone at me again and I will throw you out of here!" he replied coldly.

I wanted to speak out more, degrade him, and make him regret ever trying to assault me, but I couldn't. I needed this money to pay him back. He had given me the ultimatum of two weeks to repay him. I needed to protect my family.

So, I stared at him, the rage in my chest bubbling up. "You coward."

The rest of the day was a blur. Everyone's eyes were on me, asking about what had happened yesterday between me, Henry, and Devon. I prayed that the day would move faster so I could get out of this shithole to my daughter, the only person giving my life purpose.

I was back to running around to get coffee for my boss.

Until I heard the tiny voice behind me.

"Mommy?"

I turned. My daughter stood by the door, clutching Lara's hand. Her hair was still wet from the rushed bath. Her shoes were mismatched. But she smiled like nothing else mattered.

Lara was my friend who worked in the same restaurant as me but during the daytime. Because of what had happened to me, she had decided to watch over her. She is a friend to die for. After the divorce, she had helped me rebuild my life. I loved her.

I knelt down. "What are you doing here?"

"I got worried," she whispered. "You didn't come home."

Lara apologized. "I'm sorry. She wouldn't listen to change her shoes or dry her hair. She wanted to see you so bad!"

A smile played on my lips, and I said, "I'm sorry, Ashley. I promise I'll get home early to read you more bedtime stories!"

"Yay!"

"My coffee, intern!" one of my bosses commanded.

I stood up, facing Lara. "Thank you for bringing her, but I'm quite busy..."

Then the screen in the lounge lit up.

It was the midday news, a segment on powerful CEOs returning to America.

My breath caught when I saw his name flash across the screen.

"Devon West!"

The man they called 'The Shark in the Philippines' was back in the U.S.

And my daughter... she stared at the screen in awe.

"Mommy," she said, tugging at my sleeve, "why can't I have a daddy like him?"

My heart cracked clean in two.

Then the final blow hit: the host announced a major collaboration between our company and Devon's.

And right on cue... he walked in.

Sleek suit. Dark gaze. And a smirk that saw right through me.

I could barely breathe.

People stood, whispering, clapping.

Suddenly, Ashleyran towards the screen again, smiling. " That's the man! He is the man! "

I turned to Lara. "Take her. Take her home. Now."

"But Tay..."

"Now."

She saw my face and didn't argue.

As the doors closed behind them, Devon looked at me like he already knew.

Hell had only just begun.