Page 89 of Corrupt Game

C: This was another tactic in his toolbox of let’s make Collette’s life miserable.

I spent hours working through every angle. Nothing made sense.

Food arrived again, but I gave Rossi the silent treatment. He didn’t need me to talk when he wasn’t saying anything to me.

All day I fumed. I didn’t want to do anything to hurt myself because under the circumstances I might not get noticed for days.

What if Ian did leave me here? I’d been abandoned again. That was all I was good for.

My parents had abandoned me when they died. They’d been out drinking before driving home and crashed. What would motivate parents to do that?

Then in home after home, I’d tried to make friends only to have be yanked away and put into a strange place.

No one had ever called or tried to find me after I moved.

Even Andy had abandoned me. It wasn’t his fault, but part of me felt he must have known that danger was just around the corner. His gut instinct should have kept him alive.

Then again, how could I fault him when I’d gotten myself into a no-win situation.

I might die here. Abandoned and left to be found by some team of developers when they tore down the cabin above for the city’s expansion, years in the future.

That’s what my life had come to…just a set of bones left to rot.

No mark on the world. I hadn’t made things better in any way. With Andy gone, there wasn’t a single person that would mourn my death.

Ian wouldn’t mourn me; I was a used up toy now.

Breakfast came, but I didn’t even bother to get up.

What was the point? No one would care if I ate.

My stomach started to cramp, and I weakly made my way to the restroom. Nothing came out because I hadn’t eaten in two or was it three days?

They’d all started to blur together.

He was gone. Everyone I’d ever cared for left me. It was the only thing that happened in my life. Abandonment.

Ian was his own special brand of evil. Someone not afraid of the consequences of their actions. He’d gone out of his way to make e care before abandoning me.

Anger filled me, and I stood up from the toilet I’d been hanging over for what seemed like hours.

I’d eat and survive and find Andy’s killer, and someday forget Ian Holdt ever existed.

Squaring my shoulders, I marched out of the room and paused at the intercom.

Ian needed to realize that this wasn’t how people were treated. It wasn’t acceptable.

I’d played his game and would keep at it because, as he reminded me so often, I’d chosen this.

My finger hit the intercom button as the lights flashed and darkness filled the room.

“Go to hell,” I snarled. “I’ve done everything you asked, and this is what you do?”

The room swayed as the tears began to fall.

I’ll find out what he knows, Andy. I’ll find your killer.The world lurched and went black as I collapsed on the floor.

Chapter 29: Ian

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