The office was organised to look comfortable and inviting; a beige couch filled with throw pillows, a glass coffee table with a bowl of fruit and water.
Opposite his chair was a plain white one, just like the walls, meant to blend into the environment.
Killian crossed his legs and examined the woman seated opposite him. Clearly and badly dyed blonde hair, blue contacts, and red lipstick that somehow fit her eccentricity.
She carelessly leaned back on the couch and one leg was placed on it while the other swung loosely on the side occasionally touching the ground.
Killian ignored her intent, it was clear from first glance that she was trying to seduce him. This wasn't the first time she had done it.
He rolled his eyes inwardly, at her useless attempt.
"I started reading this new book two days ago.."
She paused.
"What is it called?"
He asked her while writing down her reactions before shifting his attention back to her.
"Thorns of a withered flower. I got it from a booktok recommendation. "
"It must have been interesting.."
He urged her slowly. She smiled and nodded.
"It was but also sad."
His client, Sera, was an avid reader and whenever she came for her sessions she would tell him about the books she read.
"Really.. what made it sad?"
"The villainess.....I think she was the most interesting part of the book."
"Really.. isn't she the antagonist, just what made her interesting?"
He was also mildly curious about the book she was talking about.
Most of their sessions always involved her praising protagonists, heroines, and every handsome male character.
"She loved deeply and dearly but that was what destroyed her."
"How so.."
That was how she went into her storytelling, telling him about the book and the events that led to its end.
Killian barely listened, she had told him so many stories that were more ridiculous than the next that he eventually learnt to tune her out.
She found it funny and ironic that he hadn't heard of it, given how famous it was.
"Can I ask you a question?"
She said after a moment of silence. He nodded encouragingly.
"Of course, anything. "
Sera's eyes turned distant. It felt as though she was looking through him instead of at him.
It was uncomfortable but he had gone through worse. She fell on the milder spectrum.
"If you were to become the villainess' husband or a love intrest what would you do?"
His hands paused for a second before he continued writing.
"Do you mean the villainess herself in that world or just put the villainess in any historic timeline like our world right now?"
He asked back. Her question was straightforward but he wanted to gauge what answer she needed.
Since he was a psychiatrist, he's dealt with enough drama to learn how to read the room.
"Let's put it in the modern world then. I'm the villainess who is deeply in love with you but you're the ignorant husband in love with someone else."
Yap! He didn't like how the questions were going.
He put on his kindest smile, meant to settle his clients, and leaned forward just a little.
"I'll thank whoever created the villainess. "
He said watching her eyes brightening.
"Really?"
'No bitch! I'll be calling the police.'
"Yes."
He maintained the professional tone. She chuckled. Killian wrote down in bold and circled the words over and over again.
She didn't continue but changed the subject and started to talk about her life. Most of the things she was talking about went through one ear and came out through the other.
"So about our next...."
DING!
The small timer cut her mid-sentence.
"That will be it for today," he paused, "I hope we can meet next week again."
He said his a plastic smile on his face. Sera looked crestfallen for a moment before she nodded and stood up to leave.
This had been their routine for the past month since she was assigned to him.
She walked to the door under his gaze and stopped her hand on the doorknob.
"My mother sent her greetings .... I forgot to tell you that."
She said and left before he could respond. Killian waited for her footsteps to recede before he let out a huge sigh and leaned back on his chair.
He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to get rid of the budding exhaustion.
'This is more stressful than I want'
He looked at the notebook and sighed again. He had been sighing a lot lately.
'I have to transfer her to another psychiatric. '
He would be a fool to continue counselling a woman who was in love with him.
'I want to go home.'
Following his thoughts he started to pack his things into his work bag. It was past four and she had been his last client for the day.
He locked the office behind him.
"Leaving early today?"
John his co-worker met him at the exit and asked him in passing.
Killian nodded but didn't stop to talk his mind was set on having a good night's sleep.
'Maybe I should quit, this isn't fun anymore'
In his absentmindness he didn't notice the car slowly driving behind him in the parking lot as he walked towards his car, and by the time he noticed it was already too late.
Behind the steering wheel sat a familiar face, Sera, she looked rabid as she watched him obsessively.
She couldn't stand his nonchalance.
"You thought you could get rid of me!!!"
She mumbled harshly to herself. She had managed to get a glimpse of his notes while she was leaving and she couldn't believe it.
'How dare he!'
She stepped on the gas.
A loud screech of tires, shouts from those standing in the parking lot then weightlessness.
Killian didn't even have time to register what was happening before his life was snuffed out unable to know who his killer was.