I was bored out of my mind, so I started dating a guy. Turns out, he was an obsessively possessive psycho. He locked me up in his sprawling mansion, personally washing my face and spoon-feeding me every day. His only demand was that I could never, ever leave him. My eyes practically lit up. Are you telling me this kind of jackpot actually exists? He was a possessive psycho, and I was a lazy, affection-starved girl. It was a match made in heaven. 01 Today marked the fifth day of my imprisonment in Caleb Sterling’s mega-mansion. I was lounging lazily in a hanging egg chair, soaking up the sun, sipping a glass of ’82 Château Lafite, and feeling delightfully drowsy. So comfortable. God, this is the life. I genuinely couldn't understand why the female leads in those romance novels always tried so hard to run away. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of the main gates swinging open. A sleek black Porsche slowly pulled into the courtyard. Caleb was back. I immediately vaulted out of the hanging chair, sprinted back to the master bedroom, and threw myself onto the massive California King bed. I curled my body into a tight ball, squeezed my eyes shut, and forced out two pitiful tears. Slowing my breathing, I waited quietly for Caleb to come in. The doorknob turned without a sound, and Caleb silently padded over to the edge of the bed. I cursed him in my head. This guy literally makes zero noise when he walks. If his tall frame hadn't blocked the sunlight and cast a shadow over me, I wouldn't have even known he was there. Despite my internal grumbling, I kept my eyes gently shut, my brows furrowed in distress, leaving tear streaks on my pale cheeks. It was a picture of pure, tragic melancholy. Anyone who saw it would feel their heart break. Aside from my breathing, the room was dead silent. If I couldn't feel the burning intensity of his gaze on me, I would've thought Caleb dropped dead. Just as I was about to lose my patience and curse him out, Caleb finally moved. He let out a soft, ragged sigh. His warm palm gently cupped my cheek as he muttered in a low voice, "Do you really want to leave me that badly?" I made my eyelashes flutter right on cue, then slowly opened my eyes, staring directly into Caleb's gaze. He didn't have time to hide the deep loneliness in his eyes. He looked so fragile, like he might shatter at a single touch. Acting perfectly, I jolted backward in "fear," my eyes rimmed red. I put up my guard while secretly observing him. Caleb stared at his empty hand lingering in the air. He froze for a second before slowly pulling it back. He forced a bitter smile. "You don't want to see me? Did I disappoint you by coming back so early?" I bit my lip hard and glared at him coldly. My face showed nothing but silent disgust, while my inner voice was screaming: Why the hell did you come back so late?! What took you so long? I missed you to death! Caleb seemed used to my coldness. He frowned, looking at my almost-bleeding lower lip, and ordered coldly, "Let go of your lip." I didn't move. Suddenly, he leaned down and captured my lips with his. Fireworks practically exploded in my brain. My entire being was enveloped by his scent. But, of course, I didn't forget my "character setting"—I struggled fiercely. The more I struggled, well... the harder he kissed me. It wasn't until I tasted a hint of copper in my mouth that Caleb finally pulled away. He brushed a thumb over my swollen lips, his expression melting into pure tenderness. "What do you want to eat? I'll go cook." I gave a cold huff. "I'm not eating." He just smiled, scooping me up into his arms like a child. He carried me steadily down the grand staircase, rattling off a menu of dishes entirely unbothered by my lack of response. I rested my head on his broad shoulder. Where he couldn't see, I licked my lips, absolutely hooked. Good lord, Caleb was so freaking hot just now. God knows how much I love this kind of overbearing, forceful romance. Caleb set me down on the plush living room sofa, arranged a spread of fresh fruits and snacks in front of me, and turned on the massive TV. He kissed my forehead, his tone incredibly gentle. "Don't eat too many snacks, okay? Dinner will be ready soon." How is this man so perfect and domesticated? Whoever marries him is going to be the luckiest girl alive. Oh wait, that's me. I frowned, keeping my mouth shut. The kitchen had an open layout, meaning Caleb could see me the second he looked up. It had been like this for all five days. Aside from today, when he absolutely had to leave for work, I had to be within his line of sight at all times for him to feel at ease. Otherwise, he would lose his mind—smashing things, hitting his head against the wall, self-harming. 02 Caleb and I met online. We chatted for a while, and once we got familiar, he asked to meet up. I rejected him without a second thought. I was too lazy to exist, let alone put on makeup and leave my apartment. Unless I was starving and needed groceries, I didn't go outside. But Caleb was relentless. During a video call, he "accidentally" showed off his perfectly sculpted abs to tempt me. I suddenly decided that going outside wasn't such a bad idea after all. But I regretted it right after we met. When I tried to break up with him, Caleb’s eyes went completely red. He gripped my hands tight and begged me to grant him one last request: to go somewhere with him. I figured it was the last time anyway, so I humored him. And that's how I ended up locked in here. Caleb hugged me tightly from behind, his expression dark and sickly obsessive. "Harper, now you can never leave me." I looked around the ridiculously luxurious mega-mansion. An entire accent wall was encrusted with rare blue and pink diamonds. The 5,000-square-foot walk-in closet was stuffed with designer jewelry, bags, and haute couture. The bathtub alone was bigger than my entire old apartment. My heart was beating so fast it practically leapt out of my chest with joy. Caleb showed me around room by room. "I prepared all of this for you. Do you like it? As long as you don't leave me, you can have anything you want." Like it? I freaking love it! Why would I ever leave? This is literal paradise! I forced down the corners of my mouth that were desperately trying to curve upward and asked coldly, "What is the meaning of this? Are you imprisoning me?" Imprison me, please! You're a psycho captor, and I'm a girl with severe social anxiety. It’s perfect! Caleb seemed unable to handle that word. He panicked, explaining desperately, "No, I just want to be with you forever, Harper." He confiscated my phone and gave me a modified new one, cutting off all my contact with the outside world. Caleb stayed by my side 24/7. I could do whatever I wanted, but there was one ironclad rule: I could never leave his sight. The second he couldn't find me—even for just a few seconds—he would go completely feral. I had "attempted" to escape a few times, getting caught by Caleb every single time. I did it on purpose. I was intentionally triggering his paranoid, possessive streak. I figured it out early on: Caleb had a deeply obsessive personality. If he were in a novel, he’d be the textbook yandere male lead. And I loved his toxic, do-or-die level of obsession. I just didn't know how long this extreme devotion would last. So, I couldn't let my true feelings show. If I acted too happy, he might lose interest. After all, the things you can't quite grasp are always the most tantalizing. From then on, I lived a life where I didn't even have to lift a finger. My only job was lying in bed playing video games. When I got hungry, someone fed me. When I needed to use the bathroom, someone carried me there. Thank god for Caleb. Otherwise, I would've never experienced such luxury in my life. I was born deep in the backwoods of the Ozarks. My parents pumped out seven daughters before finally getting their precious golden boy, "Junior." I was the fourth daughter, the most ignored, the most invisible. Freezing, starving, doing grueling farm chores, and acting as a punching bag for Junior—that was my daily routine. So, I ran away. I ran to a city where no one knew me to start a new life. I worked odd jobs to put myself through school, constantly terrified that my family from the backwoods would come drag me back. Because of that, I was deeply insecure and affection-starved. I wanted a lot of love, and a lot of money. Caleb gave me a mansion to live in, endless cash to spend, he was incredibly hot, and he loved me to a terrifying degree. I couldn't escape this maze-like mansion even if I tried—and trust me, I didn't want to. And those leeches from my hometown could never find me here. What the hell did I have to complain about? "Baby, dinner's ready." Caleb walked over, but when he saw me staring blankly out the window, his face darkened. "Thinking about running away again?" 03 I acted like he "startled" me, shrinking back against the glass. Tears welled up in my eyes. "Yes. I just don't want to be trapped with a monster like you." Even though I was "terrified," I bit my lip to hold back my tears, pretending to be brave. I looked exactly like a tragic, unyielding heroine who refused to bow to wealth—a fragile white flower caught in a storm. Brilliant, Harper. You are a generational acting talent. The pacing was absolutely flawless. I mentally patted myself on the back. Caleb recoiled as if he'd been struck, muttering, "Monster? "Harper... you think I'm a monster? But before, you clearly said you liked me the most..." His eyes grew bloodshot. He took a massive stride forward, cupping my face with both hands, desperate for validation. "You said you liked me!" I turned my face away, my 98-degree lips spitting out absolute ice. "Who could ever like a monster? I hate you. I—" Before I could finish, my lips were ruthlessly crushed. He kissed me with the ferocity of a tiger tearing into its prey. Beautiful! Caleb, you really are a well-trained guard dog. I absolutely loved this suffocating feeling, like I was being kissed to death. Whenever I was craving a heavy make-out session with Caleb but couldn't just ask for one, I would intentionally provoke him like this. It made him lose control, go feral, and kiss me senseless. After about ten minutes of aggressive kissing, Caleb's emotions finally leveled out. I was left gasping for air. He licked the tears off my cheeks, his voice dangerously low. "Harper, please don't hate me." My tears weren't fake acting this time—they were squeezed out from the sheer intensity of it. God damn, that was a brutal kiss. Hurt like hell, but felt so good. Caleb's lips were already swollen and red, with a few fresh scabs. I didn't even need a mirror to know what my own mouth looked like. As if the intense interlude hadn't just happened, Caleb smiled brightly, scooped me up, and sat me at the dining table. I stared "coldly" at the spread of gourmet dishes, secretly swallowing my saliva. Caleb really knew how to cook. After being "forced" to eat a massive meal "against my will," Caleb smirked in satisfaction. He carried me upstairs, in a fantastic mood. "Our Harper is such a good girl when it comes to eating. You never mistreat your own stomach." Me: "..." Was I that obvious? I thought I was showing great restraint. 04 Aside from that one day when an emergency forced him into the office, Caleb never left the house again. He stayed locked inside this castle with me, terrified I would escape. I cried, I screamed, I begged him to let me go. None of it worked. I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I stayed directly beneath his eyelids. I can't even describe how amazing these past few days were. I threw tantrums whenever I wanted. If I felt like smashing priceless vases or designer jewelry, I did it. Caleb’s only concern was whether I might accidentally cut myself on the shards. If I was in a bad mood because I lost a ranked match in my video game, I’d slap Caleb across the face. I’d glare at him and say, "It's your unlucky breathing that made me lose! This is all your fault!" Caleb would lower his head and whisper, "I'm sorry." I'd snap, "I need to use the bathroom. Carry me." Caleb would put down whatever fruit he was peeling for me and steadily carry me to the en-suite. Sometimes, the "Defeat" screen would pop up, and before I could even react, Caleb was already leaning his face in close, offering his cheek for me to slap. Truly a perfectly trained good boy. He would only ever ask if my hand hurt from hitting him. When I got tired of acting or bored with video games, I would go to the kitchen and cook aggressively. From dusk till dawn, and dawn till dusk, nonstop. No matter how crazy I acted, Caleb accepted it all with a loving smile. It was as if anything I gave him, even abuse, was a blessing. But I didn't like how peaceful and complacent things were getting. There was zero challenge, no waves to ride. Plus, with me being so quiet lately, Caleb seemed to be dropping his guard and getting too comfortable. That wouldn't do. Life was getting a bit too cozy. I needed to periodically stimulate him, keep him anxious and terrified of losing me. Otherwise, a comfortable wolf turns into a docile dog. So, I decided to play with fire again. I was going to escape. I meticulously engineered the perfect plan. It had to show my absolute, unwavering determination to run away, which would trigger Caleb's paranoia. But it also had to result in me "accidentally" getting caught by Caleb, so I could return and continue enjoying my billionaire lifestyle. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Just thinking about it made me rub my hands together in excitement. Caleb, sitting nearby, asked cautiously, "Harper, what are you thinking about? You look so happy." I instantly suppressed my rising smirk. "Nothing. This web novel I'm reading is just really good. I'm going to leave a like for the author." As soon as I said that, Caleb suddenly leaned his head over, staring at my phone screen. "What are you doing?" Caleb said with dead seriousness, "I'm memorizing the author's pen name. I'm going to find her and pay her ten million dollars to write stories exclusively for you every day." Me: "..." My mouth twitched. I let him read a few lines of the book. Watching him study the screen like he was taking the SATs, I couldn't resist teasing him. "Don't you think the male lead in this story is exactly like you? Extremely controlling, possessive, and constantly going crazy." Caleb nodded. "Does the male lead eventually live happily ever after with the female lead? Does that mean I get to be with you forever too?" Me: "..." Is that really the takeaway here?! 05 I put my plan into motion. I stopped crying and throwing tantrums. I ate, drank, gamed, and cooked normally, acting like a completely ordinary couple with Caleb. Because of this, Caleb relaxed his iron grip slightly. I was finally allowed to disappear from his line of sight for a few minutes at a time. When he wasn't paying attention, I snuck into the closet and found the purse I had on me the day he locked me up. Inside were the anti-anxiety meds I used to carry everywhere. I raised an eyebrow. After I escaped the backwoods, I had terrible insomnia, constantly terrified I’d be dragged back. A doctor had prescribed me these heavy sedatives. I never thought they’d come in handy like this. That night, I handed Caleb a mug of warm milk. "Drink?" Seeing that I had made it myself, Caleb didn't hesitate for a second and chugged the whole thing. Clatter. The mug hit the floor, and he collapsed instantly. "Caleb. Wake up." I slapped his cheek twice, joking, "If you don't wake up, I'm leaving." The man on the floor didn't twitch. I clicked my tongue. Wow, these meds really don't mess around. The keys to the front gate were in his safe. I tried my birthday as the passcode, and it popped right open. Seriously, it was exactly like the cliché psycho CEOs in novels. I was going to just bolt, but looking at Caleb lying on the hardwood floor like a dead pig, I sighed. Considering how well he had treated me, I used every ounce of my strength to drag his heavy body onto the bed and tuck him in. Then, I walked out like a boss. The moment I stepped out the front gates, I let out a string of curses. This damn mansion is literally built halfway up a mountain! It was the dead of night, in the middle of nowhere. I added a huge tip on the Uber app, but no one was taking the ride. How long was it going to take me to walk down these winding mountain roads? My legs were going to snap. By the time I reached the bottom, Caleb would probably wake up and catch me. What was the point of this? Was I trying to experience the Little Mermaid's pain of walking on land? Just as I was debating whether I should turn back, go to sleep, and pretend none of this ever happened, high beams flashed in the distance. I waved my arms frantically and hitched a ride, spinning a random sob story. The driver introduced himself: "I'm Ethan. What's your name?" I discreetly sized him up. He looked like a fresh college grad—clean-cut, casual clothes, driving an average sedan. "I'm Harper Smith. I got into a fight with my boyfriend, and he kicked me out." I lowered my head and let out a few soft sobs. Ethan instantly went into panic mode, handing me tissues and aggressively cursing out Caleb. "What kind of guy does that?! Kicking his girlfriend out in the middle of the night on a mountain? That's so dangerous! He's absolute trash." Ethan righteously comforted me the whole drive down, but I just asked him to drop me at the nearest bus stop. After waving Ethan off, I took a cab straight to the night market. After being force-fed wagyu beef and lobster by Caleb for days, I was desperately craving some good old-fashioned greasy street food. Fully stuffed, I made my way back to my old, crappy rental apartment. It was exactly how I left it, just covered in a thick layer of dust. I didn't have any friends or family who cared about me, so my disappearance hadn't been noticed by a single soul. After getting used to a 5,000-square-foot custom mattress, this rock-hard rental bed was sheer torture. By now, the sun was starting to peek through the blinds. Damn it, what is wrong with Caleb?! Why hasn't he come to catch me yet? I was dying of anxiety. Yes, I wanted to escape, but I didn't want the escape to be successful! I did not want to leave my billionaire mansion to become a street rat again! Why wasn't Caleb waking up? Did I put too many pills in his milk? Or was I truly just too much of a mastermind, and Caleb couldn't outsmart me? Right when I was on the verge of stressed tears, the door to the rental apartment was violently kicked open. Caleb stood in the doorway, radiating a terrifying aura. Seeing Caleb, I let out a massive sigh of relief, then happily "fainted" right into his arms. 06 When I woke up, I was back in the familiar, luxurious surroundings. Caleb had finally caught me. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had almost accidentally said goodbye to my life of endless wealth. He was standing right beside the bed, his face terrifyingly dark. That was when I noticed a nasty gash on his temple. It was covered in dried blood. "What happened to your head?" Caleb closed his eyes, saying dismissively, "I rolled down the stairs and hit it." I stayed silent. Looks like I really went overboard with those meds. Overdosing on that stuff causes sudden blackouts and severe dizziness. He must have stumbled trying to come after me. I tried to sit up, only to hear the clinking of metal. I looked down and realized my wrist was bound by a pair of cold handcuffs. I licked my lips. A surge of excitement vibrated through my bones. What is this? Forced confinement play? Oh, I love this. I instantly put on my "cold" face. "What is the meaning of this? Let me go." Caleb stroked the metal chain, his voice deathly low. "This is the punishment for Harper being a bad girl. Now, you can never leave me." Punishment? Oh, I consider this a reward. I hadn't expected this fake escape to yield such fantastic bonus content. The handcuffs were lined with soft velvet so they wouldn't chafe my wrists. That night, Caleb held me in a suffocatingly tight embrace. The metal chains clinked softly every time I moved, until I eventually fell into a deep sleep. From initial crying and struggling, to eventual cold indifference—I cycled through all my acting phases, but Caleb absolutely refused to unlock the cuffs. After satisfying my craving for drama, I started getting bored. Lying in bed all day was making my back ache. So, I started begging him, pretending to submit, and whispering every sweet nothing I could think of. "Caleb, please unlock it. I promise I won't run away again." "Caleb, I've really thought it through. Take it off, and let's just live a good life together." Caleb ignored my pleas entirely and instead asked abruptly, "Who was the guy who drove you down the mountain?" I paused for a second before realizing who he meant. "I don't even know him! I just begged a random passing car for a ride. Don't go hurting innocent people." After I explained, Caleb's dark expression finally lifted a little. And after a lot of relentless coaxing, he finally took the handcuffs off. However, his surveillance over me became suffocatingly strict. He practically glued himself to my side, acting completely paranoid 24/7. I had trained him exceptionally well. But it wasn't enough. I wasn't fully satisfied. If you want a relationship to stay spicy, a good game of cat-and-mouse is mandatory.
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