"Where can your obsession finally lead you?" Aris Sandoval was such a good-for-nothing type of a Casanova, but behind his charming looks that were effortlessly used to leave trails of brokenhearted women wherever he went, lies an obsessed heart longing for an extraordinary woman from his past. Will he still continue his mysterious obsession, once he found the right love with a different woman?
DISCLAIMER
Any reproduction, distribution, or usage of this work in whole or excerpt form, in any online or offline media, using technology now known or hereafter invented including photocopying, mobile technology, and recording are all forbidden without written and signed permission from the author.
The story is written in English. However, please be advised that English is not the first language of the author. The author did not know the story of "The Little Mermaid" as well so please do not compare. The author assures you that this is not a typical or cliché type of mermaid story.
While El Nido, Palawan exists in the Philippines, all characters and events in this book are products of the authors imagination and have no relation to any namesake. All incidents in this body of work are entirely fictional and are in no way related to anyone who is known or unknown to the author.
Plagiarism is a crime and therefore, punishable by law.
Copyright, Nihc Ronoel
All Rights Reserved 2020
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MYSTERIOUS OBSESSION
"Where can your obsession finally lead you?"
Aris Sandoval was such a good-for-nothing type of a Casanova, but behind his charming looks that were effortlessly used to leave trails of brokenhearted women wherever he went, lies an obsessed heart longing for an extraordinary woman from his past.
Will he still continue his mysterious obsession, once he found the right love with a different woman?
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PROLOGUE
His P.O.V.
I was playing at the back part of the ship that we were cruising on for our short trip to El Nido, Palawan when all of a sudden...
"Mom, Dad... help!" I cried when I fell from where I was.
It would be a few rapids away and we would be docking at the nearest port when I accidentally slid off along the stern to the sea while reaching for my brand-new PlayStation Portable or PSP. If only I were able to carry my orange life jacket or rubber ring, I would no longer be in this state of immediate danger.
I wanted to calm myself as much as possible but no matter how much I tried, my mind already panicked. It blinded me from all the possible things I could think of at the moment.
"M-om! D-ad!" I wasn't able to scream gradually as I was being distressed by the waves to be eventually lured by the sea. The freezing seawater even contributed more to the fear and foreboding anxiety that I was feeling. Not to mention that the cruise ship was already sailing far away from me.
I didn't know how to swim and I already drank too much salt water, but I was still trying to pull myself up while raising my hands, even though I was descending after all. I was still hoping that someone could see me in my current situation-silently praying that someone could save me in case my parents wouldn't be able to do so.
I was still young. I wanted to live and enjoy life to its fullest. But as the waves continued to lure me, I started to lose my breath and cognizance. It came to a point that I began to give up my chances of survival. I slowly shut my eyes as I already accepted my fate. Whether I liked it or not, I would be going to face my death right at this moment.
But before everything went black, I knew, I saw a golden object... something that was shimmering from afar.
[UNEDITED]
"How long do you have to convince yourself that you don't love her anymore?" David believed to have been hurt by the same woman twice, leaving him with no other option but to hate her for the succeeding days of his life.
"Could you ever forgive that someone who ruined your past?" Diane is trapped in the past she can't even remember. How can she live her life again once she figures out what really happened?
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, “Who will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.”
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.