JOSI

Has it been over a month? Perhaps so, but to these two it was just yesterday. The shock of it all keeps them from speaking at first. Josi concerns herself more with Bradley's appearance, studying the scars where the injuries once used to be. They have all faded, and now she can see his face clearly for the first time in weeks.

Bradley is first to regain his senses. "Jo-"

"D-don't touch me!" Josi intervenes. In the midst of going down memory lane, she'd forgotten the contract she signed with Idris. This will not end well for either of them if she sticks around.

But Bradley isn't aware of those terms and conditions. "It's me-"

"I don't have any money to give you. Stop bothering me." She leaves in a rush; half walking, half sprinting. If Idris is listening, then hopefully he bought the act. And if not, she has to get him out of there as soon as possible, because a reunion with Bradley will develop into a scene plucked from her very own nightmare.

Josi finds Idris and the rest of his entourage where she left them. "I want to go back. Now."

Idris leads her back to the car and starts the journey back to the estate. It isn't until a couple more minutes of silence does he decide to break the question.

"Who was that?"

Josi casts her eyes out the window. "Just some creep."

Idris questions no further, and Josi takes it as his interest reclining.

Now she's left alone with mere snapshots of Bradley. How she'd abandoned and treated him like a stranger. It's infuriating. And the man who made that reality possible is sitting right next to her, all carefree and in a world of his own.

Josi bites down on her lips, for fear that she will end up lashing out. All the torment has not faded to black. It sits at the center of her existence and serves as a glum reminder to her reality. The reality where she's trapped with no place to go. And it's all because of one man only.

But then an inkling settles in. It's something new, something bordering on hope. Though she's trapped, Josi still has leverage. Idris's feelings for her. It may be new, but it exists. And so despite the anger, Josi smiles inwardly. How perfect this opportunity is. This is the loophole she needs. The crack in the wall.

Josi alone should not be made to suffer. Yes, it's all his fault. So he must pay. Idris Verdonni will pay for everything he's put her through. Josi will make sure of this.

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The plan now is for Josi to fall for Idris. She's trying to work up scenarios to set the mood, to make it seem like she's having second thoughts about him. But each time she pictures herself with Idris, she gets the urge to break something. Though a plot of revenge, it would still be giving him some sense of satisfaction - that he's somehow won. It feels like she's rewarding him for the months of torment he put her through.

But sacrifices must be made. There is no plan without some level of compromise. And now that the ploy's outline has taken shape, there is still one question Josi has no answer to.

How do you go about feigning feelings for the man you despise most?

A solution will surely arrive later. For now, Josi gives her attention to her father over the phone.

"I miss you all, dad. How's Penny?"

"She's doing great, sweetheart." Her father says, his concern seeping through the phone. "We all miss you very much."

Josi can tell. She's gone weeks without physical contact with them, and even the phone calls are starting to feel like an inmate telephone system with a bugged cell phone. Make a phone call, but beware of the designated spyware. How infuriating that even in her time of vulnerability, she has no privacy.

The fact that her father still seems calm and cool means Bradley kept her disappearance a secret. But her father must know the two aren't together anymore because he treads nowhere near that topic, which is typically something he does when he calls.

Bradley must have already broken the news to her family. At least now, she's been spared the burden of explaining.

"How's the job so far?"

Josi grows skeptical, then remembers this is the lie Idris fed her family. To the rest of the Cade family, she has been relocated for a job. What job, Josi doesn't know.

She sighs and feeds into the lie. "It's great, dad. The pay's great, the housing, the people. This is more than what I've ever wished for."

Josi pictures her father nodding. She knows he's concerned, but as long as he believes she's content, he won't complain.

Her father sighs, then says the thing that would hit much closer to home if she weren't currently living a lie. "I'm proud of you, Josita."

Josi smiles. "I know you are."

The conversation meets its end a couple minutes later. Josi hangs in perpetual silence, the one that always follows after a call home. It cements the loneliness in the air and all but highlights how truly wicked Idris Verdonni is.

If Josi ever plans on seeing her family again, she has to act accordingly.

The idea she's cooked up is still in the early stages. First, she has to make it look like she's falling fast in love with Idris. Feign Stockholm Syndrome. This will prove difficult for her pride, but will be fruitful for everything else to come. She will put on a good show, but not to a point where it seems too good to be true, or Idris will grow alert.

Then comes the real challenge. Josi will develop a romantic relationship with Idris, making it believable how much she cares for him. And Idris will believe the act. He will put his trust in her and she will put her trust in him. Just like normal couples do. And when she's planted herself deep in his life, she will strike. She will make him lose everything.

But that is still far to come. Josi descends to the first floor on her way to the sunroom. No Idris today, but with how long he's been gone it won't be long until he returns.

She rounds a corner and comes face to face with a guard whose expression grows sour when he sees her. Josi doesn't care much, until the guard decides to make it her problem.

"Hey, you."

Josi looks at him with the last bit of patience she has left.

"Don't get ahead of yourself just because the boss gives you special treatment." The guard tells her, his words imbued with contempt.

"And who are you?"

"None of any concern of yours. You need to watch the way you treat our boss."

Josi goes silent. Another guard who claims to dislike her. If only they knew their boss dug his own grave, and that Josi is only cashing in on the opportunity. She has already become an outcast in the couple weeks she's been there. It's a bit laughable that they would turn on her this way. But Josi supposes that's how ant soldiers function.

"He'll cast you to the side once he's grown tired," The guard continues. "Just like the rest. So enjoy the attention while it lasts." Then he leaves, because now his mission has been accomplished.

Now not only does Josi have to worry about Idris but his guards as well. Josi only sighs, because this won't be the end.

__

Night comes with a sense of tranquility at first. Josi's scuffle with sleep lands her another journey around the mansion. This time she heads for the kitchen in pursuit of a cure-something that will grant her drowsiness. Perhaps a cup of tea, the same one Martha brews for her. But if crumpled herbs don't work, then there's always liquor.

Josi soon finds her cure today will be alcohol, not tea. Idris is there in the kitchen-not so much of a surprise on her part. He must have just returned that night, and now he's seated at the island with a glass of whiskey neat.

Idris stiffens up when he sees her by the door. She disregards his presence, however, and goes for the cabinet where the liquor is stored, then pulls out a bottle of Gin and joins him at the island.

Silence.

Idris carries on with his drink, but throws Josi quick glances in between as a security measure. She fills the glass hallway at first, then reroutes and fills out the rest of the space. This is where Idris's concern comes in.

"That's too much."

Josi waves him off. "I'll be fine." She sets the glass down and stares off into space like she's lost. "You know what . . . maybe I should have been a financial analyst or something."

Idris just stares at her.

"My teachers always told me I was great with numbers. And I was. So I probably would have been great in that field." She leans her head against her arm for support. "You know teachers don't even make that much? But I just really love kids."

Josi takes a break for her glass of Gin, but this time Idris reaches for the drink. "Alright, that's enough."

Josi pulls away before he can get a hold of it. "I said I'll be . . . I'll be fine."

Nothing about her demeanor persuades Idris. "No, you won't." He reaches for the glass again, but fails.

"I told you I'm okay-" The glass hits the floor and shatters. Josi's eyes have lost focus at this point, and now her imbalance has gotten the better of her. She heads off after the shattered glass, but lo and behold Idris is there to catch her. Except he can't prevent the fall any more than he can regain his balance. So he pulls her close to his chest and hits the floor first.

After what seems like hours, Josi opens her eyes and realizes she's on top of Idris. He gives her a look full of indignation, but behind that anger is a fleet of relief. Josi doesn't leave his grasp just yet. She remains there just staring at him. And Idris returns the stare. He scans her over; so thoroughly that Josi is sure he hasn't missed any details. He seems to linger on her lips, and when his eyes are back up to hers, she can tell exactly what he wants to do. What he wishes he could do.

But the moment flies by. Josi finally moves away, and for the first time notices the blood on the floor. But there are no such injuries on her body. That's when she realizes it comes from Idris. He spouts some curses in Spanish and Italian, all on his way to the first aid kit.

Josi watches him work with the kit by the counter. Out of some faux obligation, she exhales, then goes to meet him in the middle of cleaning his wound. "Let me do it."

Idris doesn't even get the chance to voice an opinion. She grabs the kit and motions for him to follow her back to the island. The cut isn't bad, but still needs to be properly cleaned. Josi uncaps the gauze and sits in silence for a short second, as if trying to run some calculation in her head. Then without warning, she dumps the container all over the wound.

This one hits Idris almost as hard as a stab wound. "Are you trying to fucking kill me?!"

"That's how my father did it." Josi lies. She soaks up the remnants of the gauze once the pain subsides, utilizing as little strength as possible so as to not irritate the wound.

Idris sits with a sour face and lets her do the work. Then comes the gesture that really catches him off guard.

"Thanks." Says Josi, now dressing the cut. "For catching me."

Idris doesn't respond. He must be bemused, because all he does is stare at her, as though her gratitude were a figment of his imagination. Josi has no idea what's running through his head. She wishes she knew. But the fact that he's letting her dress his wound after the gauze incident must count for something.

Once the wound is neat and dressed, Josi pats his arm as if to admire her work. "Good night." She even smiles.

The walk back to her bedroom is filled with satisfaction. It all went well - from start to finish, just as planned. And now Josi can fall asleep.

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