Flattered

"If you're going to make me a piece in your game, don't be surprised if I decide to play"

| Ardian |

I sat in the meeting room of the prison
Waiting for Miss Lowell to arrive
And when she did, she looked... calm
Causal. She wasn't in any office wear
She came in like a normal civilian

I heard she quit assessing prisoners after Ivelle
But seeing the case photos and the mark that now clearly sat across her neck, I could understand why.
Elion Abbot had a bad mark. A faded mark
But the red line running across Mrs Lowell's throat, taunted me

"Mr Ellison" she smiled, sitting down
"Mrs Lowell" I nodded

"So... you're talking to Ivelle" she said
"Yes" I confirmed
"How is she?" She asked
Why would she want to know? After what she did
"Fine" I said

"She's either angry or she's spiteful and manipulative. She's never fine" she crossed her arms over the table
"She's... calm" I opted for 
"I'm guessing she hasn't mentioned me" she said
"No"

"She doesn't like addressing what she's done. Only what she wants to do. She can't face up to her actions" she said
I nodded
"I noticed. She talks proudly of how people wronged her yet not of how she hurt them" I replied

"Then she'll never talk of me" she said
Like she was special. Did she still think she was special to Ivelle?
"Elion told me that she ruined your life" I said
"She destroyed my marriage" She said
I waited for her to go on

"I let my mind become clouded by sympathy and false pretences. She convinced me that she was willing to change, to better herself and the... the whole time she was playing me for a fool" she explained

"She made me believe that my husband was... fed up of me. And all the time I spent talking to her, trying to understand her, trying to help her... in the end he did become fed up with me. He left me" she said
"I'm sorry" I said
She shook her head

"I was obsessed with figuring her out. You know? Trying to be the one that understood her. And she made me think I did. But I didn't even scratch the surface. She's... vindictive. She's manipulative, she's always ten steps ahead even when you think she isn't" she sighed

"You spoke to Elion, you know she tried to escape" she said
"I read the report" I said
"She made it all the way to my office, just to kill me before she left" she chuckled
"She slit my neck, left me bleeding out on the floor whilst she tried to escape, they said it was a miracle I survived. A miracle I got my voice back. I'm just... living on miracles whilst that woman lives destroying others" she said

"You can't trust a single word that comes out of her mouth Mr Ellison" she said
"She's evil. Pure evil. And she'll have a plan for you. You need to leave her before she acts on it" she said
"She won't ruin me" I said determined

"I quit the prison work after her, the only true miracle I got? My husband stood by me after what she did, he nursed me, took care of me. I managed to fix my marriage because I cut her out of my life. That's what you need to do if you value yours" she said

I thought about it. Maybe she's right.

| Ivelle |

"What do you mean he's not coming?" I asked
Peter shrugged through the door
"He's in a meeting and then Mr Camona said he's going home. I'm sorry Ivelle" he apologised
Going home?

We were supposed to talk today
Maybe my little outburst put him off too much.

| Ardian |

I got home early. Thinking all the way back how I could make things up to Enora
But when I got home, flowers in hand, she wasn't here
She should have finished work an hour ago

I trailed through the rooms, confused
Until I looked in the bedroom to see the wardrobe doors left open, with little left inside of them
And her suitcase missing from above them

I checked my phone.
One missed call
One voicemail
One
I hit play.

"I knew you wouldn't answer. That's why I'm doing this. I... I can't take it anymore Ardian. It's too much for me to bare. I need some space..." she laughed after that
"What am I saying? All you do is give me space, you're never here anymore. And this new case. This woman... it's like your mind isn't even present anymore. It's completely consumed you" she said

"I'm staying at Daisy's for a few days. Maybe a couple weeks. I don't know yet, I just... don't call me" she said, before the call cut off
"Shit" I muttered, looking at the screen
No messages

She left.
She left... me.

I sat down, defeated and exhausted, before I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror
Last week I was happy

And now.
Now I'm bruised and exhausted and... alone.
In one week

•

I stood outside the door. Nervous
Because I wasn't sure what attitude would greet me after her actions last time.
I nodded to the guard, who let me in

And there she sat. Opposite side of the table
Me between her and door.
Handcuffed to the table. Like before
She was in her appropriate clothing
Like before

Hair pulled back and her face on show
Leaving every emotion and every action bare to me
I felt as if I had taken control back
At least physically

Right now. She was winning the mental war.

"Good morning" she said
I said nothing, pressing record on the recorder and opening my notebook
"This is all a little over dramatic isn't it?" She asked, moving her hands slightly
"Doctor Ellison?" She questioned confused
Nothing

If I stayed quiet, they often felt the need to fill the silence
And she was no different
Because this time was precious to her
She didn't want to waste the few hours she got with me

"Ardian, come on, don't be mad at me" she frowned
"Ardian" a harder tone
"I spoke to Doctor Lowell yesterday" I said instead
She straightened her back, intrigued
"And I also spoke to Mr Abbot over the weekend" I said, waiting for her reaction

It was a slight one. Only slight
But her face told me I was entering dangerous conversation
"And you believe everything they tell you?" She asked

"Are they lying?" I asked
"I don't know what they told you. But most likely. I did everything on record. I just... I did it because I didn't want loose ends. And they probably told you that I did it for... revenge or something stupid" she rolled her eyes

"So everyone's wrong... except you?" I questioned
"No. I can be wrong sometimes" she said
"When?"
"Well... I shouldn't have hit you" she said
I nodded
"And Doctor Lowell, do you think it was wrong to slit her throat?" I asked calmly

"I think it was wrong of her to trust me enough to give me means of escape" she said instead
"So it's her fault that you slit her throat" I stated. Not questioned
"Maybe. Is anyone really a victim if they walked themselves into it?" She mused

"Meaning?" I asked
"Meaning she sacrificed her marriage just to get inside my mind. She ignored her husband and worked late. So many nights she was sat across the table... looking at me the way you're looking at me" she said

"So I was right. I'm not special to you" I said
"Do you want to be?" She asked.
Head tilt. Feigned innocent intrigue

"No. I want to know why you constantly play games with peoples' minds. Why you can't ever open up and be honest" I said
"I do open up. Believe it or not Ardian, but everything I tell you is the truth" she said

"Why me?"
"Because I like you" she repeated
"You didn't like Doctor Lowell" I said

"No. She didn't entice me the way you do"
"You're smarter, quicker, you challenge me back the way no one else has so far. You're the best of them all Ardian" she said
Praise
Praise that was supposed to... make me feel smart?

Make me feel special to her?
Singling me out amongst the crowd
Because I'm smarter. I'm better
She had an obvious and yet brilliant way of making people want her approval.

"I'm flattered" I entertained her
"You should be. I mean... losing a girl like Enora, that must hurt, deep down. All to figure a girl like me out? Now that really is flattering" she said
How did she know?

She left me last night
I hadn't told anyone
I hadn't seen anyone
"You have people watching me?" I asked casually, writing down her responses
"I watch when I'm interested" she said

"The boring little teacher, run off to her sisters. And now you're all alone, in that big flat" she pouted
She knows where I live.
The thought ran down my spine and settled in my stomach.

"You're wondering what I'm going to do with that information? Don't worry, I won't hurt you Ardian" she said
"You cut Doctor Lowell" I pointed out
"That was unfinished business, I thought I was leaving" she said

"So if you had the chance to leave again. What is your unfinished business with me?" I asked
She smirked, ever so lightly
"I'd try to kiss you" she said bluntly

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