Methy Barrett...

As agreed, Elijah Hawthorne was now sitting in front of me on the couch; his ankle hanging over his other knee, relaxed.

A bit too relaxed for his second session, like he has everything under control.

"You have a beautiful house, Doc."

His eyes roamed just like Dr Brooke's.

"I know!"

I opened the file to make notes.

His eyes found me, and they were mysterious, filled with something weird. It always bothers me.

"You don't like me, Doc?"

His dark eyebrow cocked, amused.

"I have heard quite a lot about you."

I grabbed the pen.

"Most of it isn't true?"

He watched my pen clicking.

"Which part?"

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"All the interesting parts."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Nothing was interesting."

I smiled tightly.

"Let's begin."

He suggested.

"We already did."

He might be manipulative, but he can't have the upper hand in sessions. It's my field; he can play all he wants, but I am going to win this.

"Are you going to write down everything?"

He didn't look pleased with the file.

"Only important things. Why? You don't like it?"

His face scowled.

"People only believe what they see on paper."

"You believe paper lies?"

I was curious. Is there any reason why he doesn't want every second of this session recorded?

"Yes! Most of the time."

He was confident.

"Reference?"

I was amused.

"Grab any history book."

He smirked.

Well, this time he is right.

"My files don't lie; you can relax..."

I assured.

"This is to help you."

"Help me?"

He smiled like I said something cute.

"Aren't you scared of me? You don't believe a single word coming out of my mouth."

"I didn't say that."

He is not dumb. That's for sure.

"I am not going to hurt you, Doc. You don't have to keep the door open all the time."

So he noticed.

"I like the fragrance of Jasmine in my house. It's not because of you."

I am lying. I don't trust him.

"Whatever you say."

He didn't believe me.

"Are you comfortable talking about your wife, Mr Elijah?"

"Call me Elijah..."

He insisted.

"I guess I am."

"Can you tell me what happened that day when your wife died?"

I hope he doesn't break my phone again today.

He didn't. He took off his jacket and got settled properly.

"Not about that day. Not yet."

"Fine, tell me about her. You loved her?"

He nodded.

"I did... She was beautiful with porcelain skin and golden hair. Her voice was sweet. Her eyes were deeper than the ocean."

He looked into my eyes.

"Like yours. Your eyes remind me of her... They were beautiful."

I shifted in my seat. I can't let it affect me.

"Did she love you?"

He shrugged.

"Yes, there was no doubt in that."

"Why is she nowhere on the internet or in the news?"

A wife of such a big businessman can't be so invisible.

"She liked to stay alone. Her peace was her favourite place to stay."

He plucked the flower from the vase close to him.

Till now, there is no hate visible on his face. He looks genuinely sad about whatever happened.

"Was she happy with you?"

"I guess so... She was always smiling."

He plucked the petal of a daisy.

"Always giggling. I wish she wouldn't do that. I wouldn't have to come here."

"Do you regret coming here?"

"No!"

He was quick to answer.

"I did. I changed my mind."

"About therapy?"

I played with the pen.

"About you!"

He plucked another petal.

"That sounds dangerously close to flattery."

I didn't smile.

He did.

"It wasn't meant to be."

"Then what it was meant to be."

I won't let anything slide; he will talk for whatever response he gives. That's how things work here.

"The truth!"

He plucked another one.

"Truth looks like a rare thing for a man in your shoes."

His smile disappeared.

"People only lie when the truth costs them something. You think I am lying?"

"You tell me. Will it cost you something?"

Elijah leaned back.

“My wife is dead. I am accused of killing her. Whether I tell you the truth or a convincing lie, you've already decided there is something I'm hiding.”

"I haven't decided yet.."

He crushed the flower in his fist.

"You are suspicious."

"Yes, I am"

"You are brutally honest, Doc and I am not liking it."

He rested his arms on the armrest.

I almost smiled.

"Thanks for your cooperation, Elijah."

He looked pleased that I called him by his name.

"I said I will cooperate... And won't create a problem for you."

"You already did."

I wrote it down on the file; he doesn't need to know what I am writing.

"You are being polite."

"Is that a problem?"

He looked confused.

"No, if you were being genuine, but I don't think that's what you are."

I judged his face.

"You want me to be rude?"

He frowned.

"No!"

I shrugged.

"Just honest!"

"You are smart, Doc... We are going to have fun in sessions."

He smirked, and my eyes narrowed at him.

"What? I am being honest."

"Honest about your wife."

I stated.

He smirked and leaned forward.

"You are too curious about her."

"Am I?"

I challenged.

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Because you haven't asked a single question about me."

He analysed my face closely.

"That's how she was. Someone to be curious about. A closed mystery. Someone who would make you doubt your own eyes."

"Fascinating. You think your wife was manipulative?"

Now I am curious about her.

"She was!"

He didn't hesitate.

"I loved that about her. Too smart for her pretty little mind."

He looks fascinated himself. There is no hate visible. Nothing shows that he hated his wife enough to kill her.

Or maybe he is playing with me. Dr Brooke said that he was manipulative. But a person slips sooner or later. We just have to catch the hint.

"If she was smart, why is she dead?"

He stared into my eyes, face still amused.

"We will talk about it. Not today!"

"Did you really kill your wife, Elijah?"

I wasn't accusing.

"No, I didn't..."

He confessed.

"She killed herself."

I wonder what that actually means.