Chapter 35

Adeline, a psychiatrist operating in the rarefied atmosphere of elite dysfunction, was a woman of a certain age who had met Williams during her ascent to power. Tonight, she had violated every norm of her practice. She wore none of the dark, neutral clothing that usually protected her from her patients’ emotional storms. Instead, she had dressed in something that felt like a calculated gamble with the devil, a silk piece from Black by Vera Wang, one of the rare dresses from that elusive line. It clung to her waist and opened into a slit that revealed her long legs wrapped in black lace stockings. Her bare feet pressed against the polished floor. Her hair had been loosened, so it framed her face.

The apartment was not just tidy; it had been re-staged. Furniture was slightly displaced to disorient, and the air was thick with a narcotic, pleasant scent, a deliberate sensory assault designed to fray the edges of Williams’ control.

She stood there, frozen for a second, her exhausted face instantly registering shock at the visual disruption. She exchanged a quick, bewildered look with Romaric, who, ever vigilant, scanned the seductive interior before gesturing for her to enter. Williams stepped inside, and the heavy door clicked shut, leaving Romaric outside as the sentinel.

She scanned the room, her eyes darting over every altered detail. The apartment maintained its base of dark classicism, but the soft, strategically aimed lighting and Adeline’s hyper-sexualized presentation were a difficult, destabilizing puzzle. She did not interpret this change as positive; on the contrary, it felt like an ambush. She suffered the confusion in silence, moving stiffly to a nearby armchair and adjusting the crisp lines of her suit as if seeking comfort in the order of her own clothing.

Adeline settled opposite her, crossing her exquisitely laced legs and staring with an unnerving absence of emotion. Williams returned the gaze, forcing her posture rigid.

In a soft, almost purring voice, Adeline offered, “Williams, would you like some tea?”

“Water, thanks.”

“Of course.” Adeline rose with liquid grace and brought a glass of cool water, extending her hand.

“Put it on the table, thank you,” Williams snapped, adjusting nervously, her exhaustion making her instantly irritable. The command was a defensive reflex, a refusal of physical contact.

“Okay.” Adeline placed the glass on the low table. As she bent, her long, dark hair fell forward in a curtain. She returned to her seat, carefully pulling her hair back, then crossed her legs again. She picked up a small leather notepad. “Delighted to see you again, Williams.”

Williams observed every meticulous detail, her expression a mask of stony disinterest. After a slight, conscious lift of her eyelashes, she returned Adeline’s greeting, her eyes pointedly avoiding the glass of water. “Delighted to see you too, Adeline.”

Adeline began the session. “How was your day?”

“Good. And yours?”

“Same. Well, last time, we were talking about something important before the interruption.”

Williams, playing the game of control, asked coolly, “What were we talking about?”

“I was asking you if it had ever happened to you to find someone who deserved your admiration.”

Williams remained completely still. Her inner world narrowed instantly: first, the image of herself in front of the mirror, the only person deserving of such reverence, then the annoying presence of Adeline. “Admiration? Not really. I take great care of my patients. I think that’s my priority.”

Adeline delivered the psychiatric thrust, her smile professionally gentle. “Then our sessions will never end, since you’re currently prioritizing your work over satisfying your mother’s mandate. Would I be correct in surmising that you enjoy my company?”

Williams looked at her and offered a meticulous, cold smile. “That’s true, I hadn’t thought of that, as it is the least of my worries.”

“Do you enjoy my company?” Adeline insisted, the tone hardening, turning subtly provocative.

Williams’ demeanor snapped. She gritted her teeth, her patience dissolving. “I deal with visible details, not fictional thoughts. Moreover…”

Before the tension broke fully, Adeline’s phone rang. “You’ll excuse me for a moment,” she said, abruptly standing and rushing out of the room.

Outside, she silenced the device. There was no incoming call, only a programmed alarm she had set. Romaric, startled by her sudden exit, ran toward her.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes. Take this.” She handed him a small pager. Then she whispered the chilling instructions: “If it vibrates, knock sharply on the door. If, after a moment, no one answers, then open the door and come in immediately.”

Romaric paled but nodded. There was no room for hesitation. He knew he had no choice but to trust Adeline, who had been Williams’ psychologist for years and Madame Kai’s most trusted confidante.

Back in the room, Adeline sat down, her posture proudly composed, ready for the final ascent. “You can continue.”

Williams glared, the interruption having successfully destabilized her. She reached out, snatched the glass of water, and drank it in large, frantic gulps, then slammed the empty glass back onto the table. She adjusted her outfit, attempting to reclaim her power with excessive confidence. “If you’re so busy, Adeline, you could have spared me this meeting.”

Williams had regained that dominant voice, strained but instantly intimidating. Adeline, however, was not the least bit impressed. She noted the slight trembling of Williams’ fingers, the overly defensive posture, the eyes roving desperately over her face to hunt for emotion. At this point, Williams was losing her calculated manners.

Adeline ignored the complaint and continued, looking pointedly toward the door at a distance. “Williams, could you tell me about the high-profile intervention at the hospital? Are you stressed?”

“Did you listen to anything I just said?”

“Ah, apologies for the impoliteness. It was urgent. But we won’t dwell on that. We don’t have time.” Adeline deliberately rushed the conversation.

Williams remained silent for a moment, then gave a meticulous, dangerous smile. “The intervention was concerning, but it’s over. After this appointment, I will finally have a well-deserved rest. Now, you explain this circus to me.” She gestured to the room and Adeline’s attire.

“Do you like it?” Adeline lowered her voice, a sudden, breathy whisper. She was now playing Williams’ game of calculated seduction.

Williams visually caressed the image before her, her eyes tracking Adeline’s form, the hair, the exposed neck, the arms, the accentuated chest, then the legs. Adeline subtly adjusted the silk, pulling up the slit slightly, then deliberately uncrossed her legs. Williams met her gaze, forced to acknowledge the long, stretched limbs enveloped in the daring lace fabric. Her eyes slowly trailed down to Adeline’s knees, almost reaching the forbidden path, yet expressing no lust, only a cold, clinical curiosity.

Then, suddenly, Williams felt her body relax, the room grow silent, the tension bleed out. She tried to cling to her inner mantra, but her head was emptying, her thoughts receding.

“Dr. Williams, don’t you have an answer to that question?”

Williams suddenly lifted her head, a disoriented smile forming. “What was your question?”

“Do you like it,” Adeline whispered.

“Is that the subject of this session?” Williams frowned, struggling for focus. “Your dress, what brand is it? I am not a seamstress.”

“I was referring to the room. But if not, the dress is an aesthetic of the Vera Wang Spring/Summer 2018 S3 Collection.”

“A glass of water, please.”

“Do you want a glass of water?”

“Should I repeat everything twice? Where did you get your degree? Go get me another glass of water!” She slammed the empty glass on the table, then forced it tumbling to the floor.

Adeline looked at the glass, maintaining her unflappable calm. She knew exactly what was happening. “Okay.” She rushed toward the kitchen, but Williams’ call stopped her.

“Hey!”

Adeline turned. “Yes?”

“You didn’t pick up the glass.” Williams pointed to the floor.

Adeline walked cautiously back, stooped to pick up the smooth glass, noting the strange smile curling on Williams’ lips as she knelt. Then she hurried toward the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, Adeline pressed a shaking hand over her chest, her professional heart hammering. She knew the next step was necessary, but dangerous. She had put a medication in Williams’ water: It was a potent, non-addictive cognitive inhibitor, a specialized compound designed to target and paralyze the complex neural pathways responsible for Williams’ hyper-vigilance, absolute control, and talent for manipulative thought.

Deprived of this supreme self-control—this ‘superpower’ of the mind—Williams was no longer the imposing Dr. Niran Williams.

For the first time, Adeline was about to see Williams without the armor of her intellect. Adeline needed to confirm her suspicions and determine the next step for her patient.

Sa ii ko thanks you for your reading. Every vote and comment helps this story continue.