“Mental breakdown?” Natalie was stumped as her eyes widened in bewilderment.
“Yes.” Shane recounted Dr. Zeplin’s diagnosis to Natalie.
Her jaw dropped after listening to him. “Stanley… is mentally unstable…”
He’s too good at concealing his true self. I’ve never noticed that he’s mentally deranged.
Does Joyce know about this?
Noticing that she was in a daze, Shane asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Natalie shook her head to snap out of her thoughts. She made her thoughts vocal and said, “I’m just thinking maybe Joyce is not aware of Stanley’s condition.”
“That is her problem. Have you thought about how to deal with Stanley?” Shane looked at her and asked again.
The woman bit down on her lip and appeared lost. “I don’t know… I really don’t. Mr. Shane, can we talk about this tomorrow? I’m tired.”
Shane knew Natalie was merely avoiding to deal with the problem. Despite feeling irked, he could understand how she felt.
Stanley had been her friend for so many years after all, and judging by how she valued her friendships, it would not be hard to imagine that she would need to take more time to digest and eventually decide on the matter.
“Alright, then. Have a good rest.” Shane nodded his head slightly and headed for the door.
It was the first time Natalie had not seen him to the door. Instead, she closed the door behind him immediately.
The woman leaned against the door and closed her eyes to recollect herself. After regaining her composure only did she head inside.
She made her way toward her twins’ bedroom and turned the doorknob softly. At the sight of her twins fast asleep, she finally managed a smile.
She closed the door behind her and made her way to her own bedroom. The woman lay in the bed, staring right at the ceiling as she tried to process what had taken place that night.
Natalie had only fallen asleep near dawn. She was roused awake by Joyce’s phone call at eight o’clock in the morning.
“Nat, do you know where had Stanley gone to? I went to his place to send him some medicine, but turned out that he wasn’t at home. I called the hospital and they said that he did not go in for work either.” Joyce sounded exasperated on the line.
Natalie wrapped herself with a blanket and leaned against the headboard. Her face turned grim as she asked, “Joyce, how did you get home yesterday?”
Noticing that Natalie did not answer her question, Joyce cocked her head to one side in confusion.
“The people at the bar sent me home. Why?”
Natalie lowered her eyes. “Then, did you know how I got back home yesterday?”
“How would I now? I was drunk out of my wits since I was the one who drunk the most,” Joyce answered with a smile.
Natalie, on the other hand, had a stern face on as she breathed in deeply and shut her eyes. “Joyce, I was hypnotized by Stanley into thinking that he was Shane so that he could have his way with me.”
“What?” Joyce jolted from the mat outside of Stanley’s room. “That’s impossible. Why would he…”
Natalie’s lips twitched. “I’d like to think that he wouldn’t do such a thing to me too. However, the intercom had recorded everything. Stanley really did that.”
Joyce’s hand clutched tightly on her cell phone, her voice turned shaky. “Then… did Stanley and you…”
Natalie shook her head in response, albeit Joyce wouldn’t be able to see her. “Don’t worry. He did not succeed. Mr. Shane saved me in time.”
“Okay, that’s good.” Overjoyed, Joyce patted her chest in relief for both Natalie and herself.
Even though she knew Stanley had a crush on Natalie, she was earnestly hoping that nothing would happen between the two.
After all, she did not want them to have any strings attached for she had fallen in love with Stanley.
“Joyce.” Natalie raised a brow and called her name.
“What’s the matter, Nat?”
“Joyce, I realize that you’re not at all surprised by me being hypnotized by Stanley, and you’re only surprised that Stanley tried to force himself on me. Were you already aware that he knew hypnosis?” Natalie clutched her palms tight and questioned her friend.
