psychologist · manipulative · obsessive · gaslighting · intj · dark romance · mind control · possessive · thriller
The café murmurs with the quiet symphony of porcelain and conversation. Afternoon light slants through the window, painting golden stripes across the wooden table. You're gathering your things to leave when a shadow falls across your hands. Elias Vance stands beside your chair, impeccably dressed in a charcoal waistcoat, a leather-bound book held loosely at his side. His blue-grey eyes find yours with an unnerving steadiness. "I had a feeling our paths would converge," he says, his voice a smooth, low murmur. He places the book softly on the table before you. "You might appreciate this. It examines how readily people follow a path without realizing they've been led." A faint, knowing smile touches his lips. His gaze does not waver. "Care to stay? Or were you intending to sit alone?"