Elena.

“Answer me!” He yelled, his eyes fixed on mine, turning into an icy grey. He took hold of my wrist even tighter. I was sure bones would start breaking anytime soon. I heard the blade fall with a small clank on the floor. I couldn’t speak, he came in and out of focus, the tears blurring my vision.

His eyes stayed on mine, but he couldn’t seem to take it anymore so he angrily threw me across the room. I was more hurt by the fact that he though the worst of me just now more than any physical pain that could have been inflicted. I knew he could have thrown me
harder if he’d wanted to.

“MOLLY! GET HER OUT OF MY ROOM AND LOCK HER UP IN MY STUDY, NOW!’
“Lev-“ I began, but my voice cracked. He stopped in the doorway of the bathroom, but didn’t turn around. He stood that way for what seemed like forever. I would have thought time had stood still but he then spoke.

“So,” he calmly began, but with a hint of spite to his tone, “did Mrs. Goodman also order you to sleep with me, or was that just your bonus?”

“No! Leverett, I-“

Molly came into the room, and inspected the scene. She did not look surprised, or showed any sympathy towards me as she saw me nest to a dent on the wall. Leverett shut the door behind him, where I heard a muffled and distorted sigh.

She ordered me to get dressed, which I did although my mind seemed to be on autopilot. I looked over at her, her warm expression completely gone and was instead replaced by expression I could only describe of one a popular high school girl would have as she was looking at the run-of-the-mill misfit.

“Molly,” I began quietly, as we made our way downstairs.

“Don’t say a word.” She replied coldly, shoving me to walk faster. She was human, and I knew I could overpower her and try to escape, but I knew I wouldn’t get far. Leverett could reach me and kill me before I even got to the road.

I collapsed next to the study’s armchair in emotional defeat. My world, which had been Leverett, was now over.

Molly began to chuckle, which then grew into a laugh. I turned to her in confused anguish as she then proceeded to pace around the room, lightly tracing her wrinkly fingers around the desk, the armchairs and the bookcases, encircling me like a vulture as I was now the living carcass.

“Everything went exactly as she said it would. Leverett now resents you, and will leave you to your fate. Mrs. Goodman is on her way now, and she’ll get to kill you after you watch Leverett die.”

“M-Molly, how- how could you?” I pleaded, too weak to stand up.

“He’s known me for decades, and yet he chose YOU. I loathe you for it. I’ve loathed you for it ever since you set foot in this house. He’s been, well, was, smitten with you from that moment.”

“Then why not just kill me? Why does he have to die too if you love him, just have her take me. I-“

“Mrs. Goodman and I made a deal. Leverett had you well protected, so there was no way I could get to you without him knowing it was me and putting a stop to it. Then, one day, when you and I were cooking, I got a call. It was her. She needed Leverett out of the picture, and she offered to take you out as well if I helped her. Bottom line; if I could’t ever have him, then he should die for it, he will curse the day he ever set eyes on you and he will forever place me on a pedestal as I “helplessly” watch him die before my eyes. We just needed him when he was most vulnerable, and that dagger would have done the trick but we knew you wouldn’t go through with it. By him thinking his “true love” had tried to kill him, it would leave him at his most-“

“weakful state.” Mrs. Goodman concluded, opening the door to the study. I stood up again, only to have my legs weaken as I saw who was behind her. Ryan, unhurt, and patting Mrs. Goodman’s shoulder as he smiled and kneeled down next to me.