Fading Obsession (Book One)
Chapter 1
The Royal Grown and the Quiet Strom
The chaotic pulse of Brooklyn has been the backdrop of Tessa Rathor’s life for the past four years.
It is a span of time long enough to decipher the unspoken madness buried beneath the city's concrete lanes, yet never quite long enough to make her feel like she truly belongs.
Every street hums with relentless noise, and every night carries the restless movement of a city that refuses to slow down for anyone.
Somehow, in the midst of that endless rhythm, Tessa has learned to adapt and survive.
Hidden precariously between the crowded thoroughfares and neon signboards stands her small dress designing shop.
It lacks luxury and fame, but it is entirely hers—a sanctuary where every hanging fabric, every sketch scattered across the wooden table, and every sleepless night spent over patterns carries a quiet piece of her struggle.
In those four years, she has managed to form genuine bonds with only two people, Lily and Sophie.
Strangely, that tiny circle has always felt sufficient; she has never been someone who craves a crowd, finding it infinitely easier to trust when the world is kept small.
Family, however, is a completely different story.
After her mother’s passing, the world has transformed into a painfully hollow space, stripping away the warmth she needs most at an age when she is least prepared to lose it.
It is then that Nisha aunty, her mother’s closest friend, steps into her life like a silent blessing.
She welcomes Tessa into her home without a single hesitation, placing no conditions and never once allowing her to feel like an outsider.
More than mere shelter, Nisha aunty provides a profound sense of stability—a safe harbour where Tessa can finally breathe again.
And then there is Arav, Nisha aunt’s son.
Though no blood ties them together, he is family in every way that matters.
Arav has never viewed her as a burden; instead, he treats her with a level of care and respect she has rarely encountered elsewhere.
From the very moment she decides to open her modest shop, he stands firmly beside her, helping arrange the space, supporting her financially through the lean months, and anchoring her whenever self-doubt threatens to consume her.
Tessa’s world is undeniably small, consisting of perhaps four or five people, but within that restricted boundary, she has secured something rare—something that actually feels like home.
The sudden, rhythmic patter of rain slowly pulls her out of her deep thoughts.
Outside the expansive glass window of the shop, a heavy downpour washes over Brooklyn, sending tiny droplets sliding down the pane while the distant city lights blur into soft pools of colour.
The atmosphere inside feels strangely calm tonight, almost melancholic.
Tessa stands quietly by the glass, her hands wrapped tightly around a cup of hot coffee, letting the warmth bleed into her fingers as a profound exhaustion weighs heavily upon her.
It is a fatigue that goes beyond the physical, touching something mental and deep.
Lily and Sophie haven't dropped by the shop today, likely caught up in the demands of their own lives, as often happens.
A glance at the wall clock confirms it is nearly 9:30 p.m. usually; Brooklyn remains loud even past midnight, but tonight the city feels distant, empty, and strangely lonely.
After organizing a few remaining rolls of unfinished fabric near the counter, Tessa finally retrieves her bicycle keys and walks toward the entrance to lock up for the night.
Just as her fingers brush against the cold metal of the door lock, her phone vibrates, interrupting the silence. An unfamiliar number flashes on the screen. Frowning slightly at the unexpected interruption, she slides the bar to answer.
“Hello?” Tessa speaks her voice soft against the quiet room.
“Hello,” a woman’s voice replies from the other end, smooth and composed. “Did I reach the Tessa Fashion Shop?”
“Yes,” Tessa answers, shifting automatically into her professional tone. “You’ve got the right place. How can I help you?”
A brief, heavy pause follows before the woman speaks again. “I wanted to place an order for a dress… could you please tell me the price of this gown?”
Tessa adjusts the phone closer to her ear, maintaining her polite demeanor. “Of course. If you send me a picture of the gown, I’ll be able to calculate the estimate and let you know the price by tomorrow. Will that be okay?”
“No, that’s fine,” the woman answers calmly, and the call abruptly ends.
Even after the screen goes dark, something about the brief exchange lingers in Tessa’s mind.
The woman’s tone has been remarkably elegant, carrying the distinct undertone of wealth and absolute confidence.
It doesn't feel like a routine inquiry. If her instincts are correct, whoever this client is, she is prepared to spend a massive amount of money.
Almost fifteen minutes later, the phone vibrates again, signalling the arrival of the photograph. The moment Tessa opens the file; the breath catches instantly in her throat. Her eyes widen as she stares at the glowing screen in complete, stunned silence.
The gown is breath-taking. It is a white princess gown adorned with such intricate details and delicate embroidery that it appears almost surreal.
The sheer craftsmanship visible in the image looks expensive enough to leave anyone speechless; every layer of fabric flows with a regal, almost royal structure.
It looks less like a standard dress and more like a masterpiece created strictly for a queen.
For several moments, Tessa can do nothing but stare, a volatile mixture of nervousness and sudden excitement rushing through her chest.
She has never received a commission of this magnitude before.
Anxious to secure the opportunity, she quickly types out a reply to confirm the details. The response from the unknown number comes almost immediately: “Don’t worry about the cost. Just make it exactly like this.”
Reading those words, a profound wave of relief washes over her entire body.
Slowly, she leans back against the sofa inside the shop, closing her eyes as the tension leaves her shoulders.
This single order possesses the power to change things for her—perhaps not entirely, but certainly enough to let her breathe a little easier.
For a fleeting second, she considers calling Lily and Sophie to share the news, knowing they will likely scream louder than her out of sheer excitement.
But the accumulated exhaustion of the day hits her harder than expected.
Her body finally surrenders to the fatigue, the phone slipping loosely to her side as her eyelids grow too heavy to hold open.
Within minutes, a deep sleep claims her completely.
The next morning arrives with a quiet gentleness.
Soft sunlight filters through the fabric of the curtains, accompanied by the faint, comforting aroma of fresh coffee drifting through the room.
Tessa slowly blinks her eyes open, the haze of sleep still clouding her mind.
The first sight that meets her is Nisha aunty sitting quietly beside her, holding a sandwich.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” Nisha aunty says, her voice a familiar comfort. “I know you work a lot, but don’t push yourself too hard. It’s not good for your health.”
A small smile touches Tessa’s lips almost instantly.
Nisha aunty has always been this way—gentle, infinitely patient, and caring in ways that words can never fully articulate.
Sometimes Tessa wonders how someone can offer such selfless affection to another without expecting a single thing in return.
The warmth Nisha aunty extends always manages to fill the emptiness in her chest, piece by piece, ensuring that Tessa never truly has to face the cold absence of her mother, not even for a single second.
“Sweetie…” Nisha aunt’s voice gently disrupts her thoughts once more. “I’ll be going to Jersey City for about three… maybe four months. It’s for corporate training.”
For a brief moment, a quiet silence settles over the space. Yet, Tessa does not hesitate, not even for a fraction of a second.
“Yeah,” she replies softly, offering a reassuring nod. “Of course.”
A faint smile remains fixed on her face, masking the sudden heaviness that attempts to settle in her chest. “That’s… actually really good.”
And she genuinely means it. No matter how deeply she will miss Nisha aunt’s presence, seeing her move forward and succeed genuinely makes her happy—even if the sudden prospect of the house becoming empty and silent again frightens her just a little.
~