Attachment 423

In Chapter 423 of “Attachment 423,” titled “Absolutely Obsessed,” Elias grapples with the haunting memory of Mina, a girl whose beauty he glimpsed beneath her cloak. Despite being physically restrained by his men, the image of her delicate features and expressive eyes clings to him, causing a whirlwind of emotions. He questions why she would conceal such beauty, reflecting on the possibility that she might have been hiding from him out of embarrassment or fear. The intensity of his feelings leaves him disoriented, leading to a moment where he is sharply brought back to reality by his friend Ezra.

As the chapter unfolds, the focus shifts to the election proceedings in Montrose, where Elias is supposed to be concentrating on the ballot counting. However, his mind remains preoccupied with thoughts of Mina. He struggles to maintain his composure and fulfill his responsibilities as Alpha while feeling an overwhelming desire to understand her motivations for hiding. The juxtaposition of the election’s seriousness against his personal turmoil illustrates his internal conflict, as he grapples with both duty and an unexpected obsession.

When the election results are announced, revealing Aiden Knight as the new leader, the atmosphere in the room is charged with excitement and relief. Despite the cheers surrounding him, Elias’s thoughts remain fixated on Mina, leading him to wonder if he will ever see her again. This concern intensifies his frustration, as he feels an inexplicable longing for someone he barely knows. The chapter concludes with Elias retreating to his quarters, where he is unable to escape the image of Mina, feeling both frustrated and captivated by her beauty. His longing is palpable as he expresses a desire to see her once more, highlighting the emotional turmoil that has taken root within him.

**Chapter 423 Absolutely Obsessed**

**ELIAS**

Even now, I could still feel her presence lingering beneath me, a ghost of a moment that refused to fade.

My men were hauling me away, gripping my arms like I was some drunken fool being ejected from a bar. Yet, the memory of that instant clung to me tenaciously, an indelible mark on my mind. The image replayed in my thoughts, circling relentlessly.

What… in the absolute hell was that?

The hood had slipped just enough for a fleeting moment. A gust of wind had danced through her hair, revealing what she had concealed all along.

“I’m not hallucinating,” I whispered to myself, trying to convince my racing heart. “I can’t be. It’s impossible.”

But maybe, just maybe, I was. There was no conceivable world where Mina could look like that beneath that cloak.

Why would she hide such beauty?

Why would anyone?

Her features were etched into my memory—delicate lines, those clear, expressive eyes, a softness she had hidden so fiercely that I now questioned if I had imagined the whole thing. When Calista had hinted that Mina possessed something “unimaginable” beneath that fabric, I had assumed she meant something trivial, perhaps a peculiar haircut or an embarrassing blemish.

Not… that.

Whatever that was.

My thoughts spiraled out of control, so much so that I didn’t realize I had come to a complete stop until I felt a sharp slap on my cheek.

My head jerked to the side, and I turned slowly to face Ezra, who still had his hand raised, a mix of concern and annoyance on his face.

“You really,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “just slapped your Alpha?”

Ezra pressed his lips together, a defensive posture. “You wouldn’t snap out of it,” he replied. “You were staring into the void for a full minute. We thought maybe a deer had kicked you in the head.”

“I’m the one who got kicked in the head?” I hissed incredulously. “Did you even see what happened? There was—”

I faltered, my words trailing off as I struggled to articulate the chaos in my mind.

Her.

Ezra let out a frustrated exhale. “Alright, sorry, Alpha. Anyway, it’s time to count ballots. Everything’s collected.”

I shook my head, raking my fingers through my hair in a futile attempt to dislodge the image from my thoughts. It was no use.

“It’s already obvious who’s going to win,” I muttered to myself, frustration creeping into my tone. “We all know who Montrose wants.”

Ezra shot me a look that clearly communicated his intention to slap me again if I continued down this path of nonsense. “We still have to count fairly,” he reminded me, his tone firm.

I groaned, knowing he was right.

Integrity, fairness, all that noble stuff I had sworn to uphold?

Yeah. Fine. Okay.

With that, we set off toward the newly constructed center of Montrose. Outside, people milled about, their warm breaths forming little clouds in the biting cold.

My mind should have been entirely focused on the election, but all I could think about was—had she been hiding from everyone? Or just from me?

Was she embarrassed? Afraid? Shy?

Once again, I grappled with the question of why she would choose to conceal herself.

And worse still…

I didn’t think I could bear the thought of never seeing her face again.

Damn it.

As we stepped into the center, workers bustled about, moving crates filled with ballots and inking stamps with the urgency of a ticking clock. My men and I proceeded to the counting hall, which had already been cleared and arranged with long tables, ready for the task ahead.

The work commenced.

Box after box was opened. Slips of paper were sorted, tallied, and checked with meticulous care. Voices murmured counts, confirmed each other’s findings, and logged the numbers with precision.

My body was in motion.

My hands sorted through the ballots.

My mouth barked orders.

Yet my mind remained anchored to that porch, in front of a house, with a girl whose glare felt like it could toss me into a river.

Ezra nudged me again, his concern palpable.

“You good, Alpha?” he asked, his voice low.

“No,” I replied, the honesty slipping out before I could stop it.

He snorted, clearly amused.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, the final numbers were compiled. Ezra handed me the top sheet, the official result glaring back at me.

I scanned it, and to my dismay, I felt no surprise.

“Aiden Knight,” I muttered under my breath, the name heavy in the air.

Montrose’s new leader.

The room erupted into cheers, a wave of relief washing over the gathered crowd.

Even as the cheers faded, the name hung in the air, lingering like a ghost, even as the team began organizing the confirmed ballots into sealed crates for public display the following day.

Aiden was the kind of person who could stand at the back of a battlefield yet somehow become its focal point. He had been fighting the Roses long before the public even recognized them as a threat. I respected that tenacity.

Now in his thirties, he had entered the battalion in his early twenties, one of the youngest officers in the country, rising through the ranks with remarkable speed. He had no family connections to bolster his rise, but his competence spoke volumes.

He was too noble, though, too proper. We wouldn’t get along as friends. Yet, even with our differences, I would have cast my vote for him too if I were a Montrose citizen.

I had met him properly just once, about two months ago. He had the demeanor of someone who would apologize to a lamppost if he accidentally bumped into it. It was admirable, but still…

I was taller.

And, obviously, more handsome.

His only rival was a Rose, a desperate figure scrambling to distance himself from the horrors of Azalea and her son. He stood on stages, proclaiming his “ignorance” and “lack of involvement.” But the people of Montrose were not fools. They had lived through enough to recognize a Rose pretending innocence when they saw one.

So, the election wasn’t a battle; it was merely a formality.

Ezra leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Should we prepare the announcement, Alpha?”

I tore my attention away from the numbers and nodded, already mentally compiling lists. “Yeah. Get ready to announce it to the public tomorrow morning. And—” I pointed toward the door, my mind racing ahead. “Prepare food for the entire country. This win will turn into a festival whether we want it to or not. Let’s get ahead of it.”

Ezra blinked, taken aback. “The… whole of Montrose?”

“Were you planning to feed half of it?” I raised an eyebrow, my tone incredulous.

He groaned, muttering something about my sanity, then nodded reluctantly and marched out to coordinate with the kitchen staff and the local council.

As tasks were distributed, the hall gradually emptied. My men filed out to oversee security for the following day. After a few more moments, the room finally settled into silence.

I stood there, hands resting on my hips, staring at the empty tables, my mind still fixated on her.

I rubbed my temple, frustration bubbling inside me. “No way. This is ridiculous. It’s actually ridiculous.”

I made my way out of the hall and headed toward the quarters assigned to me during my stay in Montrose. The guards saluted as I passed, and I nodded in acknowledgment, my mind still elsewhere.

My body moved on autopilot.

Upon entering my quarters, I shut the door behind me and released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The room was warm from the crackling fireplace, the blankets neatly arranged. I kicked off my boots, tossed my jacket onto a chair, and collapsed onto the bed.

The mattress cradled me, soft and inviting. My muscles surrendered instantly to the exhaustion that washed over me, but something else surged within me.

The moment I closed my eyes, her image materialized once more.

Mina.

The cloak half-fallen, her hair swept aside by the wind I had created in my haste, her face glowing in the fading afternoon light.

Goodness, she—

“Fuck,” I muttered into the pillow, frustration mingling with longing. “Why would you hide that face?”

It was utterly unfair.

She should have been the one plastered on posters, celebrated for her beauty.

She had no right to look like that and then act like she was an inconvenience to the world.

I groaned louder this time, burying my face deeper into the pillow.

“I want to see her again.”

In the aftermath of the election, as the celebrations began to ripple through Montrose, Elias found himself grappling with a tumult of emotions that transcended the political victory. The image of Mina haunted him, a vivid reminder of the connection he yearned for but felt was perpetually out of reach. Her beauty, a revelation that had shaken him to his core, ignited a fire within him that he could no longer ignore. It was not simply a fleeting attraction; it was an obsession rooted in the depths of his soul. The chaos of the election faded into the background, replaced by a singular focus: the need to understand why she had hidden herself away and how he could bridge the chasm that separated them.

As he lay on his bed, the warmth of the room contrasting sharply with the chill of his unfulfilled desires, Elias realized that this was more than just a passing infatuation. It was a longing for connection, for understanding, and for the chance to truly see the person behind the veil. He felt a sense of urgency, a pull that urged him to seek her out, to uncover the reasons for her retreat into the shadows. In that moment, amidst the echoes of cheers and the weight of his responsibilities, he understood that the path forward was not just about leading Montrose; it was also about confronting his own feelings and taking a step toward the unknown. With a resolute heart, he vowed to find Mina, to unravel the mystery of her concealment, and perhaps, in doing so, discover a part of himself that had long been buried.

**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**

As the dust settles on the election results, Elias finds himself grappling with more than just the political landscape of Montrose. The looming presence of Mina haunts him, a specter of beauty and mystery that he can’t shake from his mind. In the next chapter, readers will witness Elias’s internal struggle intensify as he navigates the complexities of his newfound responsibilities while wrestling with the undeniable pull he feels toward her. Will he muster the courage to confront his feelings, or will the weight of his duties keep him tethered to the shadows of uncertainty?

Moreover, the political atmosphere is charged with tension following Aiden Knight’s victory. With the Roses still lurking in the background, the stakes are higher than ever. As Elias prepares for the public announcement, he must also strategize against potential threats that could undermine the fragile peace in Montrose. Expect unexpected alliances to form and secrets to unravel, propelling the story into a whirlwind of intrigue and passion. Will Elias find a way to balance his heart’s desires with the needs of his people, or will he lose both in the process? The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the heart of Montrose, where love and loyalty collide in a battle for the future.

Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.