MADDEST OBSESSION - Chapter 3: Chapter 3

The morning sun painted golden streaks across the vast windows, but there was nothing warm about the air inside Dominic Moretti’s penthouse.
Aria stood on the balcony, staring down at the city like she could somehow escape through the sheer force of her will. The sprawling streets below were alive — cars honking, people moving, a thousand lives playing out. Free. Unaware. Untouchable.
Unlike her.
Her cage was lined with silk, but it was still a cage.
“You’re up early.” His voice slid over her shoulder like silk and steel.
She stiffened, but didn’t turn. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“I didn’t sleep much,” she said coolly.
Behind her, she could feel him moving closer. Like a shadow that would always follow, whether she invited it or not.
His reflection appeared faintly in the glass. Perfect. Controlled. Imposing.
“You’ll adjust.”
Aria let out a bitter laugh. “Adjust? To what? Being a pawn? A prisoner? Or your personal trophy?”
Dominic’s hand rested on the railing beside hers. Not touching. But close. Always close.
“You speak like you have no power here,” he said softly.
She turned finally, fire sparking in her eyes. “Do I?”
He studied her for a long moment. “More than you realize.”
Her stomach twisted. What was this game? He could crush her at any moment, and yet, he dangled the illusion of power before her like bait.
“Don’t patronize me.”
His gaze darkened. “I don’t patronize, cara mia. I warn.”
Their eyes locked, electricity sparking in the small space between them.
“You’ve been trained your whole life to survive men like me,” he continued. “Your father saw to that. But here’s the truth you refuse to accept: I’m not your enemy.”
Her laugh was sharp. “You forced me into marriage. You hold my life in your hands. And you say you’re not my enemy?”
Dominic’s voice dropped, dangerously calm. “If I were your enemy, Aria, you’d already be broken.”
For a brief second, the raw honesty in his voice made her breath catch. She didn’t know which was worse — his threats, or his unsettling version of mercy.
A knock interrupted the heavy air between them.
“Enter,” Dominic called, not taking his eyes off her.
One of his men stepped into view, head bowed respectfully. “Boss. The Romano shipment arrived. There was… an incident.”
His jaw flexed. “Handled?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Leave.”
As quickly as he came, the man disappeared.
Aria crossed her arms. “Romano. Another family dragged into your bloody business.”
“Romano is not my concern,” Dominic said flatly. “Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
He smiled faintly. “There are always bigger games at play. You’ll see that soon enough.”
Aria’s stomach churned. She wanted no part of his world. But she was already waist-deep in it, whether she liked it or not.
“Come,” Dominic suddenly said, offering his hand.
“I’m not your pet to parade around.”
His eyes flashed. “No. You’re my queen. And it’s time people see that.”
Aria hesitated, then — hating herself for it — placed her hand in his. His grip was warm, strong, secure. Possessive.
He led her down the private elevator, flanked by guards. The ground floor was bustling with men — his men — standing at attention as they walked through the grand lobby.
Whispers followed them. Some curious. Some filled with thinly-veiled hostility.
The Moretti bride.
She could feel the weight of every stare, every judgment. In this world, she was both a threat and a target.
Dominic paused as they reached the car waiting for them.
“Do not mistake their silence for respect,” he whispered into her ear. “They are waiting to see if you’re weak.”
“And what if I am?” she challenged.
His eyes burned. “Then you won’t survive.”
The door opened and he guided her in, but this time, his hand lingered on the small of her back—a simple touch that made her skin prickle.
As the car pulled away, Aria stared ahead, forcing her breathing to steady.
This wasn’t just marriage.
This was war.
A war of power. Control. Obsessi
on.
And she was trapped inside it, playing a game where one wrong move could cost her everything.