Savage Obsession: The Remorseful Tycoon Wants A Second Chance

Thea Dawson had just learned she was pregnant.

Leaving the hospital, she could barely contain her excitement as she clutched the test results and hurried to call her husband, Jerred Willis.

"Jerred..." Her voice trembled, her palms damp against the paper in her hand. "I... I need to tell you something."

On the other end of the line, Jerred's response carried an unexpected chill. "Interesting. I have something to say to you, too. Make sure you're back home by seven."

Before Thea could reply, the line went dead, leaving her with the flat tone buzzing in her ear.

A tightness spread through her chest.

Something about Jerred's voice was amiss-it was far colder than usual.

She drew in a steadying breath and patted her cheeks, forcing a small smile. She urged herself not to think too much about it.

Jerred was the CEO of Braptin's largest multinational company; the weight of constant pressure was bound to make him feel frustrated sometimes. His cold tone didn't necessarily mean he was upset with her.

When the clock struck seven, Thea was already seated at the perfectly set dining table, her eyes flicking to her watch as each minute dragged.

Wanting to ease what she imagined might have been a grueling day for Jerred, she had carefully prepared all of his favorite dishes.

Yet, to her surprise, the man who prided himself on punctuality was late today.

An hour later, at last, the front door of the house opened.

Jerred stepped inside, his presence immediately filling the space with authority. The evening chill clung to his coat as he shrugged it off and passed it to the waiting maid.

Thea stood quickly, her smile soft and welcoming. "What kept you so late?"

"Got held up with something," he answered curtly.

With a folder in hand, he moved toward the table, his stride composed. He then lowered himself into a chair, legs crossing with casual elegance. "You said you wanted a word with me?"

His unreadable eyes lingered on Thea, cold and probing, while the untouched food sat between them. His voice was cold as he said, "Go ahead; say it."

His icy demeanor made her fingers curl against her lap, and the news of her pregnancy stuck in her throat.

Her lips twitched into a forced smile. "You also said you wanted to tell me something. Why don't you start first?"

For a long beat, he didn't answer. His stare remained locked on her, steady and suffocating. Then, in a voice slow and deliberate, he said, "Jaylynn's back."

Thea felt those words crash over her like an icy tide, leaving her stunned.

The Jaylynn he mentioned was none other than her cousin, Jaylynn Dawson.

Jaylynn had grown up alongside Jerred, their deep bond forged from childhood.

A year ago, Jaylynn had been the one destined to become Jerred's bride.

But for reasons unknown, Jaylynn had vanished the night before the wedding.

To shield both families from scandal, the Dawson family had dragged Thea out of her quiet countryside life and thrust her into Jerred's arms instead.

Thea had always known Jerred's heart belonged elsewhere. The moment Jaylynn returned, she'd be expected to step aside.

She had just never imagined that day would come so abruptly.

Her fingers curled around the crumpled pregnancy test results hidden in her pocket. "So..."

Her voice trembled as her eyes flicked to the document on the table. "Is that a divorce agreement you've brought?"

"It isn't," Jerred replied, his tone flat. "I'm not filing for divorce-at least not yet."

A faint breath escaped Thea's lips, but the brief relief tightened into dread just as quickly.

His words carried the weight of inevitability, hinting that her marriage was already counting down to its end.

With her chest tight, Thea let out a quiet sniffle. "Then what is this document..."

"Jaylynn told me she disappeared because she thought she was dying," Jerred said evenly. "She didn't want to burden me with her illness. She didn't come back to rekindle anything between us this time."

He then slid the document across the table toward Thea, unfolding it with deliberate precision. "She needs your help."

Thea froze for a moment. Her gaze then dropped instinctively to the page.

The bold heading made her pulse stutter-it was a bone marrow compatibility report.

Her eyes traced the lines until the truth slammed into her chest: her bone marrow was a perfect match for Jaylynn's.

As her eyes traced the words, a stab of pain shot through her chest.

She racked her memory, unable to recall ever having such a test.

Except...

Her throat tightened as she pieced it together. Forcing down the rising pain, she lifted her eyes to Jerred, sorrow etched across her face. "Two months ago, when your assistant said I needed a check-up... was that test for this?"

Jerred gave a clipped nod. "That's right. I kept it from you because Jaylynn's return had to remain confidential."

Each word that left his lips struck her heart with brutal force.

That check-up-the only time in over a year of marriage he had shown even a shred of concern toward her-hadn't been about her at all.

She had been elated then, convinced it meant their relationship was finally moving forward.

Now, in hindsight, she must've seemed both pathetic and laughable at that time.

What she had once believed was a breakthrough in their relationship now revealed itself as nothing more than Jerred arranging a test for the woman he had truly cherished all along...

Lifting her head, Thea locked eyes with Jerred across the table he hadn't even noticed she had painstakingly set. "I'm not doing it," she declared, her voice firm.

Her fingers drifted protectively to her still-flat belly.

The tiny life in there, just two months along, was too fragile and too precious to endure something like this.

Jerred was caught off guard by her outright refusal, his expression hardening as his brow knitted together. "I'll arrange for the best medical team. Everything will be handled with precision. You won't be at risk. Jaylynn's situation can't wait."

Thea held his gaze, her composure steady despite the storm gathering inside her.

After a long, tense silence, she drew a breath and said slowly, "Jerred... I'm pregnant."

Jerred's taunt sliced through the room like a blade. "You'd spin any excuse just to avoid donating bone marrow to Jaylynn."

Silence lingered for a beat before he added with a mocking curl of his lips, "We've been using protection for an entire year. You can't possibly be pregnant."

Thea's face froze. Then, her expression turned into a strained, bitter smile.

Her mind flitted back two months, to that day his assistant had dragged her out for the so-called check-up. That night, Jerred had shocked her by waiting for her at home with an extravagant bouquet of scarlet roses.

He had drunk a lot, and their intimacy had been wild.

She had reminded him of using protection, but Jerred, reeking of alcohol and grinning wickedly, had leaned close to her ear and murmured, "Tonight, I want to be closer to you."

Swept along in the deceptive haze, Thea had believed every gesture from him-the flowers, the sudden tenderness, even the intimate recklessness-meant he was finally softening toward her.

Only now did the truth hit like a bucket of ice water. All of it-the odd check-up, the roses, the intense passion-hadn't been for her at all. It was because Jaylynn had returned.

Only Jaylynn could unravel Jerred, the man who was usually so composed and reserved, driving him to act impulsively. He had forgotten about everything the next day because he had been too drunk.

Thea's silence only fed Jerred's conviction that her pregnancy was nothing more than an excuse to dodge the bone marrow donation.

"Thea," he called out, his brows drawing tight as his voice hardened. "I know you've never felt any real bond with Jaylynn, even though she is your cousin."

While speaking, he set a sleek black card down on the table, the gold-embossed J gleaming under the light. "There's ten million on this card. Consider it compensation."

Thea's eyes lingered on the glittering card, a self-mocking smile breaking across her face.

In their year of marriage, every allowance, every so-called gift Jerred had ever offered her had barely amounted to a single million.

Yet for the woman he truly cherished, he could toss away ten million as if it meant nothing.

"If you want something else instead," he added, his tone flat. "Just name your terms."

Jerred pressed on when Thea stayed silent. "If you agree to donate, I'll make sure you're compensated in every way I can."

Lifting her gaze, Thea studied Jarred as if he were a stranger.

His distant, businesslike tone reduced the moment to nothing more than a cold negotiation.

Their shared year-the fleeting tenderness, the fragile warmth-suddenly felt like a story she had invented for herself.

Yet the undeniable truth was that she carried his child.

Bitterness welled in her chest when she thought about that, her lashes lowering as she shut her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them again, determination steadied her expression. Her voice came firm as she said, "I don't care how you think of me because of this. I'm not donating my bone marrow."

Jerred's brows drew tight, but Thea's gaze only sharpened with a fierce resolve. "If you think I'm heartless or selfish, we can end this marriage."

The title of Jerred's wife had never truly belonged to her-and neither had his love.

The only thing she could claim without question was the fragile life growing inside her.

She would never risk her child's safety for Jaylynn, a woman who meant nothing to her.

The atmosphere in the dining room grew heavy, silence pressing down like a storm waiting to break.

A sense of unease stirred in Jerred's chest; he had a nagging fear that something precious was slipping away from him.

For a year, Thea had played the obedient wife-soft-spoken, accommodating, smiling as she accepted every request he tossed her way.

Tonight, though, she was transformed into something fierce, bristling with defiance, challenging him at every step, and even daring to throw divorce in his face.

Just then, the suffocating quiet was shattered by the abrupt ringing of Jarred's phone.

"Jaylynn." He quickly answered the call, his voice shifting at once-gentler, almost tender. "What's wrong?"

The house was so quiet that Thea, sitting rigid at the table, could hear the fragile, trembling voice on the other end of the line.

"Jerred, I'm in so much pain..." Jaylynn sobbed, her voice breaking. "When I tried to stand, I banged my hand against the metal frame of the bed. The IV came loose, and blood's spilling everywhere. Am I not going to make it through the night..."

"I'm coming over now." Jarred's reply was urgent.

He stood abruptly, chair scraping against the floor, and while murmuring words of comfort into the phone, he strode toward the door.

As he reached the doorway, he paused, turning back to glance at Thea, who was still frozen in place.

His voice stayed calm, but his words were edged in steel. "Marriage isn't some toy you toss around when you're upset. I'll pretend I didn't hear that talk about divorce. As for the bone marrow donation, I expect you to think it over seriously. I won't be back until later. Don't wait up; just get some rest on your own."

With that, he strode out, the heavy door soon slamming shut behind him.

The crash of wood meeting frame splintered Thea's chest, as if the sound itself had cracked her heart.

Her eyes drifted closed, and her trembling hand moved protectively across her belly.

"Baby," she whispered softly, voice quivering with fragile strength. "Don't be afraid. Mommy will protect you."

Given that Jerred had chosen Jaylynn over her, she decided at that moment that she would never choose him again.

Outside, rain hammered the windows, the steady roar filling the night.

Thea lay restless beneath the covers, her body shifting, sleep refusing to come. A year of memories with Jerred replayed in her mind, unbidden and relentless.

Their grandfathers were close friends, binding the Dawson and Willis families together. That bond had placed Jerred in her life when she was very young.

Even as a boy of eight, Jerred had carried himself with a solemn maturity, dressed sharply in a black suit, aloof and distant from the world around him.

At five, Thea had been his opposite-bright, clingy, always tugging at his sleeve, desperate to pull his attention her way.

Jerred's innate courtesy never let him brush her aside. He had stayed near, tolerating her chatter, even taking on the quiet role of her protector.

One summer afternoon, her reckless play had ended in disaster when she tumbled into a lake, sinking under frigid water. Jerred had leapt in without hesitation, dragging her to shore and forcing breath back into her lungs.

When her eyes finally fluttered open through the haze of cold and fear, she thought she was staring at an angel as her eyes landed on Jerred.

After her parents' tragic accident, though, she was left in her grandparents' care, and the Dawson family came to see her as a burden.

They carried her off to the countryside, and from then on, she had never again returned to Braptin nor crossed paths with Jerred.

It wasn't until a year ago that her uncle finally tracked her down in the small, weathered cabin where she had been living all that time.

People all assumed she had married Jerred to escape the hardships of life in the countryside and to claw her way into wealth and status.

But only Thea knew the truth-how her heart had pounded with joy when she first learned she would become Jerred's bride.

Even so, she understood the marriage for what it was: a fleeting dream granted by fate, fragile and short-lived.

Now came the moment to wake up from that dream.

Outside the house, the storm raged across the night sky, lightning splitting the darkness while thunder rolled like cannon fire.

Curled beneath her blanket, Thea pulled the covers tighter around her, her heart gradually calming down.

The next morning, it was the shrill buzz of her phone that pulled her from sleep.

Jerred's mother's voice cut through Thea's drowsiness like a blade, dripping with disdain. "Still in bed at this hour? How did my son end up stuck with someone so lazy like you?"

For a full year, Thea had endured Maggie Willis' barbed remarks without a word in return.

Her silence had never come from weakness.

She had held her tongue because clashing with Maggie would only make Jerred's life harder.

As the head of Braptin's most powerful company, he already shouldered enough weight; she had never wanted to add family strife to his burdens.

But today, something inside her shifted. She was done enduring something like this.

Maggie's scorn only deepened. "If my family hadn't been desperate last year, I'd never have agreed to you marrying my son. You don't deserve to be with him. You'll never be good enough for him-"

Thea sat up, her voice calm but edged with steel. "You're right. I've never been worthy of Jerred. But marriage isn't only about one person; it's about both of us."

Drawing a steady breath, she continued, "If I'm such a disappointment, then tell your son to divorce me and marry someone you think is worthy. Jerred married me a year ago because he had to, but now, those problems your family was facing are gone, aren't they? He can divorce me."

Maggie froze, her tongue knotted. She was stunned by Thea's retort.

She couldn't believe that the woman who had always been submissive and quiet now had the guts to snap at her.

Was Thea out of her mind?

Just then, Thea's voice echoed again, sharp and unyielding. "Did you really call me just to scold me, Maggie? If you have that much free time, maybe use it to convince your son to divorce me. I'm not wasting another second on you. I'm going back to bed. Bye!"

She ended the call in one decisive motion, leaving Maggie no chance to reply.

Maggie's fury spiked when Thea ended the call, her chest heaving.

Not only had Thea brushed off her scolding, but she'd also dared to show not the slightest shred of respect toward her.

That insolence gnawed at Maggie until her temper boiled over.

Seething, she dialed Jerred's number. The instant he answered, she unleashed her rage, exclaiming, "Has your wife lost her mind? I called to wake her up, but she snapped at me instead-told me to tell you to divorce her! Who does she think she is, acting so arrogantly?"

In the hospital corridor, Jerred stood motionless, gaze drifting to the rain-washed leaves outside the window. A faint crease deepened between his brows as frustration pricked at him. "Thea really said that?"

"She did!" Maggie spat the words like daggers. "Jerred, I've told you over and over again this past year to divorce her, but you always make excuses to avoid it. Now that she's the one bringing it up, it's the perfect chance. I don't care what excuses you have; you need to end your marriage to her now! Do you have any idea how many people in high society laugh at our family behind our backs just because you married her? You-"

"Mom," Jerred interjected, his frown remaining. "The storm last night probably kept Thea awake with all that thunder. She was probably just in a bad mood."

He flicked his eyes to the glinting metal watch on his wrist, then added evenly, "It's only seven, and there's nothing urgent today. Why disturb her rest?"

As the words left his mouth, his gaze shifted toward the ward's doorway, where a frail figure in a hospital gown stood leaning against the frame.

His expression tightened, and he lowered his voice. "Something's come up. I'll hang up now."

Sliding the phone into his pocket, he walked toward Jaylynn. "Why are you out of bed?" he asked, his voice edged with concern.

Looking pale and weak, Jaylynn offered him a faint smile. "I overheard your mom saying Thea wants a divorce... Is it because of me?"

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at him. "Jerred... Should I never have returned?"