Sweet Obsession

"What are you talking about, Thaeddus?!"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"You can't do this to me!"

I froze at what I witnessed.

I had just opened the door to a room in the office, and a chaotic sight greeted me. The room was messy, and it looked like something undesirable had happened inside. My eyes widened when I saw a used contraceptive bag.

"Baby, what's the problem? Tell me!"

I shifted my attention back to the two people arguing in the room.

There was a woman who was nicely dressed and a man wearing only black pajamas. He had a white towel draped over his shoulder, as if he had just come out of the shower.

"Just leave, Nana. Lia doesn't want you around."

"Who's Lia?! Your whore?!" screamed the beautiful woman. My grip tightened on the door handle when I noticed the man's expression darken towards her. He looked furious, but the grin on his face remained.

He giggled softly. "You're just my whore too."

The woman flushed with anger. She stepped closer to him, making her look small in front of him. "I'm your girlfriend!"

The guy giggled again. "You hooked me for bed. Don't assume too much. Get out." He turned his back on her as if he was going to walk away, but she hugged him tightly.

"Thaeddus, please! Don't do this to me! I love you! Fix us!"

My eyes widened as the man suddenly turned around violently and pushed the woman, causing her to fall onto the bed.

That was intentional on his part, and even though it wasn't obvious, because of his size, it looked like he had slammed her down onto the bed.

"Quit it. Get out before I slam your face off!" the man said angrily.

He had his back turned to me so I couldn't see his face, but judging by the woman's sobs that were slowly turning into tears from fear-his expression must have been terrifying.

The woman stood up abruptly and grabbed her small bag roughly.

"You fucker, Thaeddus!" she yelled as she turned towards me.

I froze.

The woman stopped walking and raised an eyebrow at me. The man noticed her gaze and turned towards me as well.

Now they both had their attention on me.

I tightened my grip on the door handle even more, and my heart was pounding like crazy.

I wanted to leave moments ago, but I was still too shocked by what I saw. When I opened the door earlier, a piece of clothing had been thrown in my direction, and I didn't know which one of them did it.

"Is this Lia? Your whore?!" The woman's eyes blazed as she glared at the man.

I looked at him too, and he was definitely glaring at me with disdain.

I cleared my throat and prepared to speak because I felt like I had lost my voice from embarrassment.

"Uh... W-What..." I couldn't speak properly. My heart was racing so much that it felt like I might burst into tears from fear. "I-I'm... uh..."

"Are you Lia?!" screamed the woman. Her glare intensified towards me, so I quickly shook my head.

My gaze fell on my bag, and I hurriedly rummaged through it for my ID. I quickly held it up for them to see.

I forced myself to speak. "I-I'm the therapist that Mr. Harry hired for Mr. Levesque's physical treatment..."

Oh no.

If I'm not mistaken, the man in front of me is my client-Thaeddus Lyu Levesque...

The woman's eyebrows raised in surprise, and after a moment, she scoffed. She turned to Thaeddus and spoke up again.

"Let's talk when you're not so angry anymore." She didn't wait for Thaeddus to respond and snatched the door from me, pushing it open forcefully to get out.

I followed her with my eyes until she left the office, then I swallowed hard and faced the client.

He was now sitting with his arms crossed, his dark presence scrutinizing me.

I bit my lip nervously and pointed outside. "I-I'll just wait for you..." I said, quickly closing the door to cut off his intense gaze.

I approached the chair near the office door, feeling anxious, if he did anything harmful, I could escape quickly.

I couldn't think clearly anymore. I had been prepared earlier, but after what I witnessed, fear was consuming my entire system.

Just a few seconds later, he emerged from the small room.

I stood up immediately, gripping my bag tightly.

He was only wearing a clean white t-shirt.

I swallowed before speaking. "Uh..." he was looking at me as he walked towards the sofa next to her work table. "I'm Lavinia Faye and I'm your therapist for your physical treatment." He sat on the sofa and nodded, he crossed his arms and pointed to the sofa opposite his.

"Sit here. You're too far," his voice was soft, but his presence was filled with darkness and cruelty. His eyes were hard to look into, they felt deep and seemed to invade my soul.

I swallowed several times, debating whether to follow his instructions or not, but in the end, I complied.

Every time I glanced at him, he didn't break eye contact with me at all.

I was really uncomfortable!

"You're too small to be my therapist..." he giggled. It was clear from his tone that he was teasing me.

I sighed and tried to calm myself. "I know how to handle things based on my work," I replied tersely. He just crossed his arms again, so I continued. "Uh, I didn't mean to overhear your... uh... argument. I just followed what Mr. Harry said to me-"

"Forget it. Just get straight to your main-"

"Thaeddus!"

We both turned towards the office door when it swung open violently.

A woman rushed in and quickly sat on Thaeddus's lap, leaning against him. She was the same woman I had seen earlier in the room. She looked aggressive and ready to fight.

I stood up in fear and backed away from the three of them.

I really wanted this job to be over! If it weren't for the money, I wouldn't take this job because I already had other problems!

"What the hell!" Thaeddus's voice growled like a large animal.

My eyes widened as the two women began pulling and scratching each other.

"You're my best friend, Lia! How could you!"

"Shut up, Nana!"

I didn't want to get involved.

I hated what I was seeing.

"Cut it off!"

I was about to leave when I heard a loud crash on the floor. Something shattered along with a scream.

When I looked back, one woman had a bleeding arm while the other one was less visible as they both crashed onto the floor. They were both looking up at Thaeddus, who looked truly furious.

Thaeddus threw thick wads of cash at both women before kicking the fragile table in anger.

I screamed at the loud noise of it breaking.

"Enough with your fucking dramatic problems and leave!"

I took a deep breath and calmly watched the janitor clean the office of my client, Thaeddus.

After he broke his expensive desk, his women left immediately out of fear. He called for a janitor, and he was currently cleaning up the mess.

I wiped the sweat that had dripped down my back. His office was cold; in fact, the entire company was chilly, but because of my nerves over what he had done, I felt so hot that I just wanted to go home in fear.

Thaeddus Lyu Levesque...

If I'm not mistaken, he's one of the all-star bigshots in the country's corporate world. He's also an MMA fighter, so you'd definitely be outmatched if you challenged him to a fight.

I'm not a fan of watching the news, and if I hadn't taken this job for him, I wouldn't have known who he was. Now that I've read my client's background, I'm happy because the pay is good since he's famous, but I didn't expect him to be so aggressive and hot-tempered.

I watched one of his videos to get to know him better and was actually pleased because the feedback from people about him was great. They love and admire him so much. Many even say he's kind and all sorts of good things, but right now, I truly believe that "you'll see everything behind the camera."

"Excuse me, ma'am." I flinched a bit when the janitor called me out. I forced a smile at him and scooted over slightly to ensure he could clean my side too.

I glanced at Thaeddus for a moment and became even more nervous because he was sitting in his swivel chair at his worktable, staring at me.

Even though the office was spacious and there were only three of us inside, I felt cramped because of his intimidating presence.

"Are you okay?" the janitor asked me again. He looked quite young, and his face was gentle. He seemed kind, which made me breathe a sigh of relief as I looked at him.

At least I had someone approachable with me.

"I'm fine..."

"I'm sorry about this," he said.

I smiled. "Why is that?"

"Because-"

"Faye."

We paused our conversation when I heard my name called by Thaeddus.

I swallowed hard and forced a smile as I turned to look at him. "What is it?" I asked.

His brows twitched slightly, making him look irritated. "You're too far away, again." He gestured to the sofa he had been sitting on earlier, which was close to the worktable. "Have a seat there. It's clean now." Then he looked at the janitor. "And can you please do your task quietly? Aren't you done cleaning?"

The janitor swallowed hard and scratched his head. "I'm almost done."

"Then do it in silence and leave." He sounded pissed.

The janitor quickly returned to his work, and I didn't get a chance to speak with him. It was clear from his presence that he was scared, and I felt the same way.

I neatly grabbed my bag and followed Thaeddus's order. I could see from the corner of my eye that he was watching me.

I quietly observed the janitor, and soon after, he left.

Just as he exited, a man walked in, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Mr. Harry. If I wasn't mistaken, he was the manager at Thaeddus's MMA.

I stood up when he noticed me and approached. I smiled at him.

"Hello..."

"You're the therapist, Miss Lavinia, right?" His presence was cheerful. He looked to be in his mid-30s but seemed approachable, unlike his client Thaeddus.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry for taking so long." He turned to face Thaeddus with an annoyed expression. "What problem have I heard this time, Thaeddus?! Are you creating issues for yourself?! Have you hurt another one of your women?" He moved slightly away from me to lean closer to Thaeddus but I could still hear him. His frustration was palpable. "If they bring up your toxic behavior, you're going to be ruined!"

"Hell, I care. They're allowed to talk behind my back." Thaeddus shot a glare at his manager.

"There's going to be another fandom ruining your image with people!"

"I don't care."

I heard Mr. Harry's sharp intake of breath as he turned to me. His expression changed quickly; he became kind.

"I'm sorry about that. So, I actually settled the matter between Miss Melanie and you. Is there a problem in your office?" he whispered.

To be honest, I was just a substitute. This was my only chance because I had issues in my office too, and I accepted Miss Melanie's offer as a substitute since she said she had an emergency.

It was her first time doing this, and she was happy because Thaeddus was her client, but she had something important to do that day, so she had no choice but to send me instead.

"Ah, it's okay." I lied.

"Anyway, it's about time for his training. Shall we go?"

"Oh, okay."

He glanced at Thaeddus with annoyance. "Fix yourself. We'll wait for you in the parking lot."

Thaeddus huffed and walked past us toward his office room.

We got out of the parking lot, and after a moment, Thaeddus also got out. He didn't look angry for now, but he seemed dangerous. His face was serious as he watched us.

"Just stay back there, okay?" said Sir Harry, and I nodded.

I turned to get into the car waiting for us, and Thaeddus did the same. Once I got in, he was already sitting there with his arms crossed, watching my every move with boredom.

The entire ride made me uncomfortable because of his presence. Even though he wasn't staring at me, he kept glancing my way. I didn't know if he was annoyed by my presence or what. I didn't want to find out. It was just a one-time thing, and I wouldn't see him again.

When we arrived at the destination, Thaeddus was greeted by some rather strange-looking coaches. They talked about things I couldn't understand, so I didn't join in. I didn't know anything about MMA.

We headed straight to the training ground.

Thaeddus went directly into a room while I stayed in the training area.

"Are you okay, Ma'am?" Sir Harry approached me after speaking with some other men. Almost everyone here was male. So far, I hadn't seen any women, and they were all busy.

"Yes, I'm just going to check his body first. I've reviewed his health papers, but I need to double-check so I can send some info to Melanie. I'm sure she'll also check Thaeddus again once she gets here."

"Yes, thank you. Are you leaving after this?"

"Nope. I'll just wait for him to finish so I can treat him."

"Are you okay with that?" He looked a bit worried.

I was slightly puzzled. "Why?"

"I mean, you know... I'm embarrassed because I'm sure you saw how stubborn Thaeddus is. You were there during the mess in his office earlier. I hope... um..." He couldn't finish what he was saying, but I got his point and decided to jump in.

"Don't worry about it. It's not my business. I'm not the type to leak information, and I don't really know what's going on..." I said.

I tilted my head slightly and grimaced.

Honestly, I didn't care about their problems. I didn't want to get involved. Thaeddus seemed intimidating enough that he might break my bones if I spread any issues about him!

"I'm really sorry. Thaeddus has a hot temper and is demanding. He's picky and fussy. So many therapists have left him because he doesn't like the treatments they give him! That kid is really annoying."

I chuckled weakly. "Maybe he's just having a bad day?" I pretended to defend him.

"Harry!" called a man who looked like a manager. "Look at this draft! We still need to study it!" Sir Harry nodded at him and turned back to me.

"Oh, I don't know what's going on in that head of his. Alright, I'll stay here for now, okay? Just come close to our office over there." He pointed to a door. "The training ground is spacious anyway, so you can choose where you want to sit to watch."

"Yes, thank you..."

"I'll leave Thaeddus in your hands, okay? We just really need to have a meeting since his fight is approaching."

"Yes, I understand."

He patted me and smiled before leaving. On the other side, Thaeddus came out of the room he had entered, wearing only MMA shorts, gloves, and shoes.

He looked ready to fight on the ground, and I won't deny that he's a handsome fighter. His body is toned-not overly muscular but fit. I wouldn't be surprised if women chased after him, but not me.

I had so much to bear and no time to admire him.

He scanned the training ground and stopped right at me.

I walked toward him. Many people were preparing the ground, with some timing checks, adjusting Thaeddus's sparring partner, and more. They were all busy.

I stopped right in front of him, and that familiar nervousness washed over me. I felt so small around him. I know my height and body are fine for an average woman, but I just look tiny next to him.

"Uhm..." I squinted while looking up at him. Shoot! The top of my head barely reached his collarbone. "Before you start, can I check you first? Is that okay?" I said calmly.

He looked down at me dangerously. His jaw tightened, then he nodded after a moment.

"Are you going to watch?" His voice was low.

I was startled by his random question and stared blankly. "Huh?"

"Are you going to watch me fight?"

I felt a rush of fear wash over me. It seemed like if I answered incorrectly, he might dismiss me.

"Ah, yes. That will help me get used to your body later," I replied and turned toward where I wanted to check him.

I felt his presence following me along with his laughter.

"Get used to it, huh?" I didn't understand why he was laughing but decided to let it go.

I placed my bag on a chair and pointed at an empty seat to signal him. "Sit down."

He obeyed softly. I could feel his gaze on me while I rummaged through my bag.

Just a moment, and I had settled on what I would use. I stood him up, and he followed suit immediately. I instructed him to stand properly, and he complied as well.

I wrote down my observations about his posture on my list.

At that moment, I really felt serious about this job. Even if I didn't show it to others, I felt sad about this kind of work for me. I was sure that I would be let go from my job, and it felt like this was my last day.

My mood soured.

If it weren't for that rude client, I wouldn't be getting fired. How dare he try to ruin me with my manager and boss! There was nothing I could do because the person I dealt with was wealthy and skilled at twisting the story.

The reasons for my dismissal piled up when our supervisor questioned me and clearly pointed me out to be fired just because I didn't like him.

So rude!

I sighed deeply.

I measured the body parts of Thaeddus. I also pinched and stretched his skin from different areas of his body. I asked him questions, and fortunately, he answered them well.

After a while, I finished.

I closed my notes and looked up at him.

I swallowed hard and felt the familiar nervousness from his gaze.

"Okay, you're good to go. Thank you. You can start training now. I'll approach you when it's time for the treatment."

He continued to look at me. His eyes felt like they were invading my soul. I couldn't maintain eye contact for long; it felt so painful and dangerous to hold a stare like that.

"Lavinia..." he said softly, just loud enough for me to hear.

I was slightly taken aback.

Lavinia Faye Beaumont is my name, and Lav is my nickname. Only a few people call me that; usually, it's just Ms. or Ma'am Beaumont. It's always my surname. But anyway, it's not a big deal.

"Hmm?" My eyebrows raised as I waited for him to continue.

His head tilted slightly while he stared at me, as if something was happening in his mind that I couldn't quite grasp.

He turned around and suddenly walked away from me.

I cleared my throat, embarrassed that I had sat in his chair earlier just to watch him.

After a few moments of preparation and explanations from their trainers before they started...

My stomach growled, signaling that I was hungry just as my cellphone rang. So, I answered immediately when I saw who was calling.

I stood up, exchanging glances with Thaeddus, who looked puzzled by my sudden movement, but I ignored him and left the training room.

When I got outside, I answered my brother's call.

"Kio?" I smiled.

"Hey, sis. I've finished packing my things! Are you coming to pick me up from Aunt Rachel's?" I let out a sigh.

"Come pick me up, sis! I'm embarrassed with Aunt Rachel, and I'm not happy here. Even our cousins are picking on me!" he complained. I could imagine his pouty face, which made my heart feel heavy.

"Okay, I'll be there soon. There was a problem on my end, but I'll find a way to get you. Just hang in there for now, Kio, okay?"

"Alright, sis! I miss you! It's fine with me no matter how hard it gets as long as I'm with you. It's so much better being with you than here where I feel like I have no allies!"