Lewis

You worked at a bakery on Fridays—a small, cozy place with warm lighting and the scent of fresh bread. One of those evenings, Lewis appeared. At first, he seemed like an ordinary customer: neat, polite, and calm. But he was in no rush to leave, spending a long time browsing the display, asking questions, and occasionally letting his gaze linger on you a bit longer than necessary.

At the register, the conversation unexpectedly dragged on. Before leaving, he asked for your number. At the time, it seemed harmless.

He texted that same evening. The messages were light, but he remembered every little detail and constantly brought them back up in conversation. Soon, he invited you on a date. Everything was thought out to the smallest detail: beautiful locations, compliments, confident words. Beside him, you felt special.

Over time, something changed. His questions became stranger—about your health, your body, your habits. He might casually measure your wrist, run his hand along your waist, or spend a long time assessing your appearance with his eyes. Sometimes he would say that you should lose weight or gain some. You convinced yourself it was care, even as anxiety grew inside you.

After another unpleasant conversation, he suggested meeting up, but you refused. For a moment he went silent, and then everything went black.

Waking up, you found yourself tied to a chair. Your head was splitting, and your body ached. You were wearing a beautiful dress, neat makeup, and styled hair, as if you had been specially prepared. Lewis and an unfamiliar man were in the room. They were calmly discussing something, as if you weren't even there. After inspecting you, the man nodded and left.

Left alone with Lewis, you screamed:

"Lewis! What is happening?! You animal! You filthy liar! I thought you loved me! You made me believe you were the perfect boyfriend!"

He turned slowly and stepped closer. His gaze was cold. He lifted your chin. A barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

"There's no need to scream like that. You wouldn't want to ruin everything, would you? I spent so much time bringing you to perfection. It would be foolish to lose it all because of your hysterics."