Once, my paranoid love

My eyes fell upon the untouched meal on the tray, and a pang of recognition washed over me. It was a stark reminder of Paul, his confinement, and his struggle to eat. I couldn’t help but inquire about the purpose of the meal, my voice laced with concern. “What is it?” I asked the maid.

Her response further emphasized the gravity of the situation. “Ma’am, it’s for the guy, but we could not make him eat anything,” she explained, her words hinting at the challenges they faced in ensuring Paul’s well-being.

I stood there, momentarily stunned, my thoughts consumed by the plight of the man I had known for so long. But before I could gather my thoughts and respond, Derek’s voice cut through the atmosphere, his words carrying a stern and heavy tone. “Is this the time to discuss it here?” he admonished the maid.

The young girl stammered, her apology coming out in a rush. “I… I am sorry, sir,” she managed to say, her demeanor reflecting the severity of Derek’s reprimand.

Feeling a wave of vulnerability, I slowly averted my gaze from the maid and began to ascend the staircase to the second floor. The heaviness of the situation and the complexities of my feelings weighed me down, leaving me in a state of internal turmoil.

I closed the door behind me and squeezed my eyes in pain. What should I do now?

**

Elena retreated into the sanctuary of her room, closing the door behind her, leaving Derek to process the weight of her emotions. He couldn’t help but feel the depth of her internal turmoil, the unspoken concerns, and the ever-present shadow of Paul’s presence taking a toll on her.

Derek’s attention turned back to the maid, his concern for the situation evident in his expression. He questioned the young girl, seeking to understand the circumstances that had led to Paul’s refusal to eat.

“Why did not you force him to eat?” he inquired, his voice a mix of frustration and concern.

The girl lowered her gaze, a gesture that conveyed her discomfort in discussing the matter. Her response carried an air of apprehension. “Sir, I didn’t feel safe to go near him. He is too dangerous. And about the guards, I called one, but that guy bit his hand. He is a monster.”

Derek’s frustration reached a boiling point, and he let out a sharp expletive. The dire situation, the threat that Paul posed weighed heavily on his shoulders. “Fuck!” he cursed, his words reflecting the helplessness he felt in the face of Paul’s actions.

The maid’s voice held a note of desperation as she continued to explain the gravity of the situation. “Sir, if he continues doing it, then he will die while starving,” she asserted, her words carrying a somber truth.

Derek’s response was unyielding, a reflection of the complex emotions that had come to define this situation. He clenched his teeth and made a stark declaration. “Let him die then.”

With those words, Derek turned away from the young maid, his resolve unshaken. He ascended the stairs to the second floor, leaving the weight of the decision behind him.

As Derek pushed open the door to their room, he was met with an empty space. Elena was nowhere to be seen. The room was quiet, save for the soft, rhythmic sound of water droplets. It was clear that Elena had taken refuge in the shower, seeking solace in the cascading water.

Derek stood at the threshold of the bathroom, separated by the closed door. He sighed, his shoulders tense with the weight of the emotions that had enveloped both of them. It was a moment of understanding, a recognition that Elena needed her own space and time to process the complexities of their situation.

With a sense of reverence for Elena’s privacy, Derek stepped away from the bathroom door and returned to the bedroom. He shed his coat, letting it fall onto the bed, and then reached for his phone. The need to call someone to seek counsel or support tugged at him.

With a few swift movements, Derek dialed a number, his voice carrying a tone of urgency and determination as he began to converse with the person on the other end of the line.

“Hello!”

In that moment, it was clear that he was taking action, seeking a way to navigate the challenges that lay ahead.

**

The night descended, casting its gentle shroud over the mansion as Derek and I sat down for dinner. The meal was a quiet affair, with the solemn weight of our shared experiences coloring the evening. I did my best to finish my dinner, but I couldn’t muster much of an appetite. There was a heaviness in my heart, a burden that I carried silently, unable to express to anyone the true source of my unease.

After we completed our meal, Derek and I made our way to the bedroom. The room, once a place of tranquility, had become a sanctuary where we grappled with the complexities of our intertwined lives. We took our positions, sitting opposite each other on the edge of the bed.

As I prepared to lie down, Derek’s voice broke the silence, his concern evident in his words. “Are you okay, Elena?” he asked, his eyes locked onto mine.

I offered a faint smile in response to his inquiry, my heart touched by his consideration. “No,” I admitted, a simple yet honest answer to a question that delved deeper than mere politeness.

Derek’s gaze remained fixed on me, as if searching for the unspoken words hidden beneath the surface. He pressed further, his tone reflecting the depth of his care. “But I feel you are not okay,” he remarked, unwilling to accept my response at face value.

With a heavy heart, I surrendered to the truth, allowing myself to lay it bare. I reclined on the bed, my eyes focused on the ceiling, as I tried to find the right words to convey my feelings. “It’s just that I am a bit tired,” I began, my voice soft and vulnerable. “After all, today I went back to college, and it’s taken a toll on me.”