บททั้งหมดของ Poison me softly : บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

“Dr. What exactly happened with my husband?”My stomach drops.I keep my face professionally attentive. While my mind moves very quickly wondering what exactly she’s thinking. “Do you mean the type of traumatic response he had to the attack?” I play dumb. “Because it is quite common after a physical incident of that severity for people to become emotionally erratic. The sudden decision to end therapy, the behaviour at the table this morning, all of that is consistent with—”“I mean whatever you did to annoy him.”She is not asking about what happened on the deck or what happened in his room. She is asking why her husband is irritated with his therapist.The relief I feel is significant enough that I have to be careful not to let it show too clearly.“I genuinely do not know.” I say. “But I will speak to him and apologise if I have said something that put him off. The last thing I want is for him to hold it against the sessions.”Brittany nods. “See that you do. You cannot stop workin

The clinic keeps me for most of the day.The ankle is not broken, which the doctor tells me with the mild satisfaction. It is badly bruised and has a deep cut along the outer bone where the chain caught it. They clean the cut, wrap the ankle, give me something for the pain, and tell me to stay off it for the rest of the day.By the time I am brought back to the island house, the afternoon has become evening.The house is lit up in a way it was not this morning. Bright lights are lit up all around, and there are cars in the lot.I count six before I stop counting. Expensive ones that cost more than most people’s annual income. Several are being attended to by staff.That’s when I remember the gathering Brittany had talked about. The one with a few people who were worried about Jude. I had forgotten it was tonight.I am helped to the entrance by one of the clinic staff who has been assigned to see me back. My ankle is wrapped and I am walking slowly and I am wearing a chance of cloth

Nobody moves for a moment. Not the guests watching from the hall, not Brittany, not Jude. Not me, who’d been inching away. Brittany is the first to recover.“Lotus.” Her voice is calm. Possibly more even than usual, which is a particular kind of frightening. “You have made your entrance. I think we have all absorbed the sentiment.”Lotus does not look away from Jude.He has not moved. “The thing about sentiment, is that it tends to come out eventually. Better in company than privately, I always think. “Lotus says pleasantly. “Guards.” Brittany doesn’t even need to speak loudly, and two men materialise from the edges of the gathering. “Take this woman out.” She commands. Lotus looks at them.Then she laughs.It is a real laugh, warm and entirely unbothered. The laugh of a woman who finds the situation more entertaining than threatening. “There is absolutely no need for that.” She smooths the front of her stained gown with one hand, still smiling. “I can see myself out. I have alw

Mae sent me those messages. Mae, who smiled the entire time she told me about a broken engagement and an arranged marriage and the ongoing tension, and then smiled even wider when I confirmed I understood what my assignment was.I pick my phone back up and look at the number one more time, wondering what I’d do with this.Do I confront her?The thought doesn’t sound right. All I can do for the night is go to bed, unsettled and even more wary of everyone more than before. ***The third day, and our last day at the island for Jude’s recovery comes quickly. I never thought I’d say I’d be glad that “vacation” was over, but I truly am.Better the Martinez manor than a house in the middle of nowhere. As Brittany instructed, I’d be having a therapy session with Jude everyday all through the week.That meant poisoning him, and increasing the dosage.I’d gotten efficient in spreading the poison, that I did it absentmindedly, then ingesting the antidote.Jude walks in.The atmosphere remind

Suddenly the people inside room went silent.I wondered if I’d just imagined the sounds of pleasure reverberating through the halls. Before I can move away from the door, it swings open revealing a bare chested Benjamin.His eyes look unfathomably cold.But when they moved over me, as if realising I was the one, they changed like a switch was controlling his expressions.“Oh doctor, what brings you here at this time?” Even though he smiles at me the way he usually did, I’ve already noticed it.His smile wasn’t warm.Danger was lurking beneath it. The persona he’d been showing was fake. “I just took the wrong turn.” I reply, backing away from the door. My eyes move past him, and into the room, and they clash with the female he’d been pleasuring in the bed.Mae.She scrambles to cover herself up with the bed sheets, and turns her face away in embarrassment. “I’ll be going.” I say hurriedly walking away. Benjamin gives me a look which I could tell was a warning. As I got to my room