WHISPERS OF A PHANTOM

"I feel so much better now that I'm dead."
- Amy Dunne from Gone Girl

My name is... or at least was Inessa Alexeyev, and this is the delightful tale of my untimely demise... well, sort of. But to really comprehend the magnitude of this spectacle, we must rewind to the very beginning of my enchanting relationship with Killian Ritcher. Ah, Killian, the paragon of boyfriend material: tall, blond, blue-eyed, and sugary sweet. Or so I thought. Spoiler alert: he was actually a misogynistic, abusive, manipulative jerk wrapped in a charming facade.

His true self didn't fully emerge until we were two years deep into our 'relationship.' Did I mention we started dating when I was a mere twelve years old and he was a sprightly twenty-five? Oh yes, he always insisted I was just so much more mature than other pre-teen girls and that I was destined to be the perfect wife. Charming, right?

And why, you ask, did this glorious affair go on for so long? Simple. Every time I tried to voice my discomfort or point out the neon red flags, he'd threaten to hurt me or himself. Nothing like a bit of emotional blackmail to keep things interesting. But then, one day, I found the ultimate escape route from this twisted romance: all I had to do was end my own life. Problem solved, right?