Page 57 of Ellie 1

I nodded and grabbed her bag that she’d dropped to the ground. I escorted her over to my car, thanking my lucky stars for this chance even as I felt guilty for being happy over her misfortune.

She mumbled another thank-you when I opened the door for her and she got in. I was just about to close it when Dr. Fitz stepped off the elevator.

And every hair on my body stood up when he locked in on Ellie in my car and seemed annoyed.

“I wouldn’t think you’d get off on four when your car is on five, Dr. Fitz,” I said, making it clear that I thought it was fishy. “And to be here so late when your schedule has been clear lately is… Convenient.”

He slapped on as pleasant of an expression as he could. “My vehicle is sort of between four and five at the end there.” He pointed as if I didn’t remember escorting him there already. “I normally get off on four and take the walk up instead of being lazy to walk down from five. You understand. We take the healthy options as doctors.”

“I do,” I confirmed, meaning I tried to take healthy options… Not that I understood him at all. “Well, have a good night then.”

“What’s going on here? Why is—” he started to ask but was cut off when Ellie reached out and closed the door, making it clear she wasn’t going to engage.

I took her lead. “Drive safe.” I jogged around and got in, starting the car right up and pulling out. I noticed the steam about coming out of Ellie’s ears as we drove by Fitz. “I don’t want to sound paranoid or—”

“Yes, he messed with my car,” she grumbled, adjusting her neck. “I’m aware.” She snorted a moment later.

“What?” I asked gently.

“I think I’m more pissed he already pulled this shtick on me andforgotI knew his tricks than I am that he fucked with my car.” She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I really need help if that’s why I’m mad.”

“I think you can be mad at both, and it doesn’t matter which one you’re more pissed about.” I mulled that over for a moment. “And the important part is what you’re going to do about it. Clearly, he’s not going to stop and—”

“He’ll turn it around and play the victim and use it to his advantage if I accuse him since it was with magic,” she grumbled. “I’m sure it’s back to normal. Asshole.”

I put it together. “He pulls the power out of the battery so it’s dead and plays the hero.”

“Yup,” she said, popping the P loudly in her annoyance. “It’s how I let anything happen. Needed a ride home in the rare snow and nothing in the fridge, so we stopped for food. I invited him to eat to be polite and…” She snorted.

“How did you find out?” I asked quietly.

“He mocked me about a year later,” she mumbled, her focus outside. “I mentioned that I heard he saved someone else in the parking garage and what were the chances. He laughed saying he really did help the guy, but mine was no accident and I really shouldn’t be so dense and trusting.

“It was the first time I skipped seeing him and thought of breaking it off.” She let out a huge sigh. “I should have listened to my instincts instead of letting him convince me it was charming and cute that he went to those lengths to get my attention. Especially after the way he mocked me.”

“That’s on him, not you,” I said firmly.

“I allowed it. I stayed.”

I thought about that for a moment but sighed. “I get that, but it’s not the same when someone is being emotionally abusive. When you’re with someone and supposed to trust them—everything gets murky, and it’s not you being a willing victim when they gaslight and manipulate you.”

She glanced over at me. “You’re speaking from experience.”

“I am,” I mumbled. “I got lost in that too and using everything against me. She picked apart everything I hated about my life and made me feel so validated about my family, but in reality, she was secluding me from anyone who would have helped. It’s not—the victim is the victim. It’s not black and white on what parts are our fault when it’s like that.”

“No, I suppose not,” she accepted. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry you went through that.”

“I’m sorry for both of us,” I whispered. I cleared my throat this time and tried to think of how to change the mood. This wasn’t how I wanted to spend my chance to have time with her.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of anything else besides work and that was a bad move too.

“I’m glad I got a chance to talk to you outside and off the record,” I muttered.

“What’s going on?” she worried.

“No, nothing, it’s just—Mandy is—”

“Ah yes, the first love,” she said, her tone ice cold.

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