Chapter 641: Persecutory Delusion


    Helen’s POV:


    After visiting Korbin, it was time to get off work. Phil asked me, “My mother would like to invite you for


    dinner at our home. Are you free tonight?”


    Lately, Mrs. Mason had been inviting me to have dinner at her house for days on end. However, I was


    too busy with the case to spare some time. If it weren‘t for Phil‘s help today, I wouldn‘t have been able to


    deal with Korbin. I shouldn‘t refuse his invitation. Coincidentally, our homes were along the same


    direction, so I agreed.


    Ever since my first visit, I had been here several times. And each visit, Mrs. Mason would prepare a big


    meal for me earnestly. I was kind of used to it. However, I was afraid of letting her down, so I told her the


    truth during my second visit.


    “Phil and I are merely colleagues and friends. I‘m so sorry, ma‘am. I don‘t want this toe out wrong.”


    Seemingly unaffected by my response, Mrs. Mason replied, “Love can be developed over time. Even if


    you and Phil don‘t end up together, it won‘t stop me from loving you.”


    I was so touched by her words. She was forthright and enthusiastic, never beating around the bush. In all


    honesty, I had grown fond of her. After dinner, Phil drove me home but dropped me off one block away


    from my apartment building. I shot him a puzzled look.


    Thereafter, he exined, “It‘s the girlfriend‘s privilege to be escorted home.”


    After getting off the car, I stood beside it and said to Phil, “I hope you find a girlfriend soon. She‘s going


    to be one lucky girl.”


    “You‘re burning the bridge after crossing it.” Phil broke intoughter, stepping on the gas and driving


    away. As I watched the car speed away, I felt so relieved. It turned out that some things wouldn‘t be


    so bad if they were handled differently. Things were good right now. I managed to refuse Phil‘s advances


    and maintain our mentor –mentee rtionship.


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    I looked across the road casually and saw someone that made my smile disappear. I was unaware that


    George had been standing there, probably for a long time. It waste at night. There were headlights


    shing left and right, and he was staring at me as he stood beside the car.


    He must‘ve misunderstood my rtionship with Phil, and it was probably the reason he looked so


    gloomy. When the light at the intersection turned green, George strode towards me. Somehow, it made


    me panic. I subconsciously backed away to keep my distance from him, staring at him vigntly. I


    recalled that thest time we met, it was also at night.


    He demanded a fairpetition. He said it didn‘t matter if I didn‘t choose him now or in the near future,


    but he just didn‘t think Phil was right for me. It had been so long since Ist saw him. Somehow, he


    looked taller and more daunting. It was as if he could control me easily. I wasn‘t sure what I was running


    away from, but I lowered my head anyway, held my bag, and ran toward my apartment.


    “Helen.” George called out to me from behind. I had run away for a good distance but his voice halted


    me. I was in such a hurry to run that I ran towards a random path.


    Now, I noticed that I had gone the wrong way. I stood amidst a street where the streetlights couldn‘t


    reach me. The lush trees cast shadows, surrounding me. There was no one else around. This scene was


    all too familiar to me. It felt like the nightmare I had been havingtely.


    The endless darkness rushed towards me like a flood, enveloping me little by little. I couldn‘t tell where I


    was and I couldn‘t find a way out. I felt like someone was strangling my neck and slowly suffocating me.


    All of a sudden, someone held my hand from behind me. I screamed at the top of my lungs, struggling


    desperately.


    “Helen, it‘s me.” His familiar voice pulled me back to reality. It was as if I woke up from a nightmare,


    gasping for air. After calming myself down, I turned around and saw the worried look on George‘s face. I


    forced a smile and replied, “I‘m sorry.”


    “Did something happen to you?” he asked worriedly.


    “It‘s nothing. I was just thinking about something else.” Right after I spoke, my face returned to normal. I


    was well–aware that something was wrong with my state of mind.


    Even though I had seen a doctor, I couldn‘t fall asleep at night. Whenever I was alone, I couldn‘t stop


    myself from overthinking Later on, I could no longer stand it, so I went to see a therapist. After discussing


    my condition with me in detail, the therapist concluded that I was suffering from persecutory delusion.


    At first, I didn‘t believe him, but then I remembered how I often felt that someone was following me and


    that there was someone hiding inside my house. ording to him, these were all symptoms of


    persecutory delusion. I knew that these were just a part of my imagination, but it was hard not to feel


    scared.


    Sometimeter, I got so busy with work that I wasn‘t able to see the therapist again. Every night, I tried


    my best to pull myself together, thinking that as long as the break of dawn arrived, everything would be


    fine.


    “Is that so? Why do you look so pale?” George locked his eyes on me, seemingly concerned. Honestly,


    I‘d rather not exin myself to him.


    “Do you want something?” He shook his head and answered, “I‘m just here to check on you. Are you


    sick?”


    “No.” I wasn‘t obligated to tell him that. After all, we weren‘t even friends anymore.


    However, I didn‘t just walk away, because I didn‘t feel like going back to my apartment. I‘d rather stand


    on the roadside where I could see peopleing and going. Suddenly, he said, “I‘ll walk you home.”