Page 45 of The Cute Psycho

So I'd set about hacking her phone. It hadn't even been hard to find out her number, since Agosti isn't the best at keeping his communication with his sister a secret. One phishing message and I'd been sure she'd bite, after all, a naïve miss like her is the best target for such things.

But she hadn't. Instead, she'd replied with the most outrageous thing. She'd renounced herprizein favor of someone else. Only after a few, slightly embarrassing attempts, did I realize I was not in fact speaking with Catalina Agosti, but with her close friend, Assisi — Marcello's sister.

I'd been even more befuddled when her retorts had taken a humorous route, and I'd found myself compelled to continue the banter.

I certainly hadn't expected to enjoy sparring with her so much, or for so long. Given my limited interaction with the outside world, it had been just a way to get rid of my boredom.

But then I met her in the flesh... Well, that had been unexpected. For such a little thing, steeped in ignorance from those dogmatic teachings at Sacre Coeur, she'd certainly been intriguing. Her reaction to the mutilated nun had been simply astonishing.

I should have realized from her caustic replies to my messages that she wouldn't be just a regular miss. Where I would have expected her to run screaming at the sight of blood and organs, she'd taken it one step further by getting her hands dirty.

My lips twitch as I remember her elbows deep in the nun's guts. Considering it's one of the last things I remember from that particular encounter, it had definitely made an impression on me.

The last thing I can recall had been zoning in on her face, admittedly a very handsome face. But her birthmark, that red spot just above her eyebrows, had caught my attention and held it.

It had been like becoming hypnotized by that red. Then she'd had to actually smear blood on it, and I'd simply lost it.

When I'd woken up, though, something extraordinary had happened. I'd set my sight on her, and out of nowhere, Vanya had simply vanished.

I'd been dumbstruck by her sudden disappearance. I've lived withher by my side for the last twenty-two years. Not once had she just vanished into thin air. One way or another, she's always been with me. She may not always talk or interact with me, but she's never out of my vantage point.

Until Assisi.

I frown as I think about the crux of the problem. The moment Assisi had disappeared from my sight, Vanya had returned—in full force.

It wasn't until that moment that I'd realized just how refreshing it had been to have a moment of peace, without my sister constantly haunting me.

As soon as I'd made that observation, I'd sneakily made sure to see Assisi again before she left Sacre Coeur. And once more, Vanya had gone missing.

I have no idea how, or even why, such a thing would happen, but I need to test it one more time. Just to make sure it hadn't been a fluke.

I've tried to think what could have caused this mental break, since Vanya is, and has always been, part of my mind. I'd even asked Marcello what had happened while I'd been out. Everything to figure out what could have possibly triggered this connection between Assisi and Vanya.

Still... nothing.

The brain works in mysterious ways. Of that I am sure. But years of consultations with professionals, and not once has Vanya disappeared from my side. Then suddenly, one meeting with an inconsequential female and she's gone?

I must study this phenomenon in depth to get to the bottom of this. Because if I can permanently get rid of Vanya...

Not that I don't like having my sister around, but I've had decades with her by my side, and that can get tedious.

Parking my car just off the road, I take out a laptop to check the situation. Knowing Marcello, he would have upped security the moment he moved in. Still, that won't stop me. I bypass his cybersecurity, getting myself inside his framework. From there, it's easy to access the security cameras throughout the house.

I fast-forward through today's events until I catch sight of Assisi,seeing exactly which one is her room. Once confirmed, a brief calculation of angles and I spot the window to her room.

Second floor.

Luckily, I've had enough experience climbing buildings to make this a piece of cake.

Leaving my things behind, I skirt through the bushes until I'm at the back of Marcello's house. Identifying the window, I climb up using the relief of the building for support. As usual, Vanya is by my side, climbing at her own pace. When I reach her room, I use a small screwdriver to open the window, effortlessly swinging myself inside.

Marcello would have my head if he knew I'm spying on his sister.

A smile pulls at my lips at the hilarity of the situation. Still, I'm selfish enough that if I see an opportunity to get rid of my sister's ghost, I'll take it, regardless of whom I have to use to achieve my purpose.

The room is shrouded in darkness save for a beam of light from the moon. I carefully step inside, walking toward the bed in the center.

A small form is huddled in the middle of the bed, the sheet covering her entire body as she sleeps peacefully.

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