Ellinor was already dead as a doornail, a ghost. If she had the power to harm her, she wouldâve attacked her already. But she never approached, probably because she couldnât really hurt her.
Patricia cleared her throat and said, âEllinor, save your breath; you ainât scaring me!â
Ellinor sighed in frustration, âAlright then! If I canât spook you, could you be a doll and tell me how I died?â
Patricia frowned in confusion, âWhat donât you get?â
Ellinor blinked, âIâm curious! Curious about how you are so good at playing pretend and using people?
Whatâs impressive is, why do people around you willingly do your bidding?â
Patricia looked at her with disdain, âEllinor, donât feed me a line of bull! The people who used to care about me have all lost trust in me because of you!â
Ellinor raised an eyebrow, âIs it my doing? Or did you bring it upon yourself? Patricia, you deceive and use your closest brothers, friends, and lovers. Is there anyone you genuinely care about in this world?â
Patricia laughed, âOf course I care about people; I always have!â
Ellinor squinted her ghostly eyes at Patricia, âCaring for them means using them?â
Patricia crossed her arms in a victorious pose, âIsnât that what relationships are all about? Using each other? You think they didnât use me? Ellinor, youâre dead; why are you still trying to play innocent?â
Ellinor didnât mind her insults and asked again, âBut all I see is you using others, not them using you.
What did they use you for?â
Patricia replied, âYouâre dead; stay out of the livingâs business! Step aside, Iâm getting out; Iâve had enough chit-chat with a ghost.â
But Ellinor still didnât move, âMs. Howard, Iâm already dead and thereâs no one else here; just enlighten me. If I get a second chance at life, Iâll learn how to manipulate people from you.â
Patricia was getting impatient, but she was still a bit scared to walk past a ghost, âWhat do you want to know?â
âI want to know about your brothers, Balfour and Byran, your good friend, Haillie, your beloved Theo, and his sister, Veronica. Youâve used them all. What did they use you for? As far as I can see, they were all genuinely good to you.â
While looking at Ellinorâs curious face, Patricia wondered if she would keep haunting her unless she spilled the beans.
After thinking it over, Patricia decided to just tell her. After all, what was there to be afraid of when talking to a dead personâs spirit?
âThey may seem very kind to me, but they all have their own ulterior motives. Theyâre not much better than me.â
Ellinor raised an eyebrow, âLike what?â
Patricia scoffed, âLike my brother, Balfour, who seems to adore me, rushing to my aid no matter what, unconditionally supporting me. But in reality, he never really cared about me.â
Ellinor tilted her head in confusion, âHow so? Mr. Howard obviously cares a lot about you; he was even willing to overlook right and wrong and abandon his principles for you.â
Patricia sneered, âThat sanctimonious man, he wasnât doing it for me! His heart only had room for his long-lost sister.
When I first came to the Howard family with my mother, Balfour didnât even give me the time of day; he wouldnât even glance my way!â