Chapter 87: My friend

Felix smiled heartily. Over the years, he's learnt not to take Frankie seriously. Talking down on people and feeling on top of the world have always been his thing. "I'm really not mad at anyone about earlier." Felix told Paige. "My brother is always like that and I'm used to it already." He further said in a bid to reassure her. He knew that her attempt at turning down his offer to give her a ride home was as a result of her earlier conversation with his brother. So he made sure to reassure her and keep her at ease.

"So tell me, are we going to keep seeing more of you now?" Felix asked. "You and my brother, you both are officially dating right?" 

"Uhmm," Paige smiled warmly. "I'd rather we don't talk about that." She said with the softest and kindest voice.

"Okay." Felix replied. "Let's talk about something else then. I have this friend, he is a close friend of mine actually." Felix started. "What I'm about to tell you is very personal. I've never told anyone before. In fact, it's a secret between my friend and I. He only shared this secret with me because as at that time, he needed to talk to someone. Now I want to share this with you because you're a medical personnel and I figured you might be of great help to us." He said casting a glance at Paige.

"Alright." Paige replied. I'm all ears." She said turning to face him.

Felix adjusted his seat belt and sat up properly having a clear view of the road in front of him. He cleared his throat and let out a short and nervous laughter. "My friend, he has a problem. He finds it hard to stick to a particular woman for a long period of time." He started trying his best to tell his story in a less complicated manner while Paige listened calmly. Once again, he cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say is, he likes fine, classy, sophisticated and well learned women but only because he derive joy in bringing them down to their lowest low." He paused to take in some air as it suddenly became quite difficult for him to express himself.

Paige waited quietly for him to continue but ended up not hearing a word from him. "You're going to need to elaborate more on what you just said Felix." She urged him.

Felix nodded. "I know." He said. "I'm just trying think of the right or better words to use. I don't know if you will find it offensive or inappropriate if I say these things the way they are." He replied cutting a turn to their right as they finally entered Acubana. Seeing the post welcoming them to Acubana, Paige thought of Emily, the Kentley sisters and of course Simon Kentley. She thought of the awkward moment she was definitely going to experience with Simon once she got home and only hoped he wasn't going to make it look more awkward than it has to be.

"Did you hear me Paige?" Felix asked after getting no reply from her.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Paige asked coming back to reality, away from her wandering tnoughts.

"Ahaa!" I knew you were thinking of something. What is on your mind?" He asked with a smile.

Paige returned his smile with a warm and welcoming one. "It's really nothing of much importance." She told him. "I'm listening, tell me more about your friend. Why exactly does he like bringing women down?"

"Okay, like I was saying. This friend of mine derive joy in breaking women and making them so vulnerable and dependent on him before pushing them away. It's like his own fetish. He works so hard to win these classy, sophisticated and well learned ladies. He makes them fall in love with him. He actually go through a lot to achieve this. You know the calls, texts, gifts, attention, sweet words and compliments, tolerance, money and lots more. He put in a whole lot of work to win these ladies over and when they finally start falling in love with him, he strikes." Felix explained.

This caught Paige's interest and she paid even more attention to him. "What exactly does he do to them at this point?" She asked in need of the whole detail.

"He starts ghosting them, pretending to be extremely busy at work. He reduces the number of times he call and gradually he stops calling entirely. The gifts, the texts, the attention as well. The funny is at the time, he already knows that these ladies have gotten so used to him and in most cases, they have already  built their world around him. So, they become the ones with the incessant calls, texts, attention, messages and others. Most of the time, he complains that they are disturbing cause he is suddenly so busy at work that he can't spare few seconds to speak to them." Felix cleared his throat with a tight smile on his lips.

"Wow!" Paige exclaimed totally shocked. "Is this real? Like it's really happening? It's not a joke of some sort?" She asked in a shaky voice."

"No, it's not a joke Paige. It is real, a hundred percent." He replied and waited for her reply.

"Oh god, please continue. I'd love to hear it all." She urged him.

"Very well. The ones that muster the courage and will to move on or walk away guess what he does?"

"What?" Paige asked in a whisper as she was already hooked up with the story.

"He draws them right back in and he starts all over again, trying to win them over once again. He goes through the same process as before. At times he even go up a notch trying not to leave any stone unturned. He builds up their dependency on him and this time around, he makes sure to make it even more harder for them to walk away. And just when he catches them hook, line and sinker, he ghosts them again." Felix sighed.

Paige's mouth fell open. The shock written all over her face was so vivid and undeniably visible. She  swallowed hard looking at Felix. "And then?" She found herself asking him. In need to hear it all.

"And then the circle continues again and again until he breaks them completely. He makes them question their sanity and then when he has brought them to their lowest low, he pushes them away." He said in finality.

"Your friend, is he still alive?" Paige asked trying to shake off the shock she was feeling.

"Yes, he is very much alive Paige and I know he needs help even though he refuses to accept it. What I told you? Does it have a name?" He asked Paige. What do you think I should do to help him. Remember he has refused to accept help cause I once suggested that he see a doctor. But he became furious." Felix said.

"This is so abnormal." Paige told him. "He needs serious help. A little time at the rehab even and a personal therapist as well. You need to do something about this Felix. Such a person does not understand that they are causing serious harm and damage to these people. They are just happy and satisfied when they've achieved that little task of theirs. Imagine someone investing a whole lot of time, wealth and lots more on something only to end up pushing it away just when it's time to reap the fruit of their labor. That's crazy." Paige tried to explain.

"I know that Paige, I honestly do and I'm seriously working on something that might involve a family member of his. Recently, he met this girl, beautiful, naive, intelligent but not all that fashion classy and sophisticated. The problem is she is not his type of girl yet he doesn't want to leave her. I've tried talking to him, to see or rather understand why he want this particular girl. But he shuts me out. So presently, I'm a bit scared for this girl and it's part of the reason I'm hastening up my plans of getting him help." Felix said just as they drove into Yardstine and finally made their way to Creek Island.

"Felix," Paige called calmly. "Please, if you need to involve the whole world, then go ahead. You have my full support. You need to stop him. Promise me you will." Paige pleaded.

"I sure will. I'm seriously working on it." Felix reassured her as they made a turn to Creek Island. "It might take some time though. But I'm doing something, believe me." He reassured her. "How is Kentley's Mansion this big and high up in this Island. It's like the centre of Creek Island. So high up there." Felix said as the Kentley's mansion came in view.

"I know right? The mansion is really beautiful. One of the most beautiful houses I've ever been in." Paige said.