The Demise of Evan-X Ch. 04

Chapter XIII The Cracks in the Mirror

The low hum of the computer monitors was the only sound in the room. Evan sat slumped in his chair, his shoulders heavy, his eyelids drooping from exhaustion. The screens before him flashed with endless loops of submission, curated images designed to shape his thoughts, to wear away the last remnants of his former self. He had seen these clips before--watched them over and over until they blurred into a single, inescapable reality.

A thought flickered through his mind, fleeting and fragile. Something's wrong.

But the moment he tried to hold onto it, it was gone.

He was too tired. Too numb.

And that was exactly where Anna wanted him.

---

A soft voice broke through the haze. "You look drained, love."

He turned his head slightly, his sluggish mind struggling to register Anna's silhouette in the doorway. She leaned against the frame, her presence effortlessly commanding, her tone laced with concern. It was a familiar kind of care, the kind that always left him feeling more dependent on her.

"I just--I'm fine," he murmured, though even as the words left his lips, they rang hollow.

Anna stepped forward, her heels clicking softly against the floor, each step sinking into him like a pulse of control. She reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear.

"No, you're not," she said gently, her fingers grazing his cheek. "You've been running yourself ragged, haven't you?"

The touch sent a shiver through him. His breath hitched, his body responding instinctively. It always did.

"You know I take care of you," she continued, her voice a soothing melody. "You don't have to think about anything. That's why I'm here."

The words settled over him like a warm blanket. They felt safe. Comforting. Too comforting.

And yet...

Something in the back of his mind resisted. A whisper of doubt. A splinter he couldn't quite dislodge.

---

It had started so simply.

Anna had never asked for his inheritance. She had never demanded control over his finances. No, that wasn't how she worked.

She had guided him there.

"Evan, love... why do you stress so much about work?" she had mused one evening, perched on his lap, tracing slow circles against his chest. "You don't need to. You have your endowment--why not just... enjoy life?"

It had made sense at the time. Anna was successful, independent, always so sure of herself. He had trusted her. Why wouldn't he?

Little by little, she had taken the lead.

"I'll handle the accounts, love. You focus on us."

And he had let her.

Now?

Now, he couldn't even remember the last time he had checked his own balance.

---

"Anna..." His voice cracked slightly, uncertain. "Do you think maybe... I should start looking for work again?"

The words felt foreign in his mouth, like they weren't his at all.

For the briefest moment, Anna stilled. A nearly imperceptible pause, so quick that most wouldn't have noticed. But Evan did. He knew her too well, had studied her every movement--every breath, every glance--long enough to feel the shift.

Then she laughed, soft and sweet, like he had just said something ridiculous.

"Oh, love... why would you do that?"

She cupped his face, tilting his chin up, forcing his eyes to meet hers. The depth of her gaze was hypnotic, pulling him in, drowning him.

"You don't need to work, Evan. That's for other people."

Her thumbs brushed along his cheekbones, her touch featherlight, reassuring.

"You're mine to take care of. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

His lips parted, his breath shaky.

It was, wasn't it?

But deep inside, something clawed at him. A quiet scream muffled beneath layers of control.

Before he could give it voice, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the baggie.

His mouth went dry.

"Come now, love. Let's take care of that restless little mind of yours."

She didn't give an order.

She didn't need to.

She simply stood there, patient, expectant.

And just as she knew he would, he moved--his body acting before his mind could resist. Within moments, he was on his hands and knees, inching toward her, his breath shaky, uneven. Lowering his face to her shoe, he inhaled deeply, desperate, needy.

The instant the powder coursed through his veins, she saw the shift--the way his muscles loosened, the weight in his shoulders dissolving, his pupils widening as the fog of dependency settled over him once more.

"That's it... my helpless little addict."

She stroked his hair absently, like he was nothing more than a pet.

His mind was soft again. Malleable.

The doubt was gone.

---

Anna didn't say it out loud, but she felt it--how much weaker he had become.

Once, he had been proud of his body, of the strength he carried. The gym had been his sanctuary, a place to push himself, to feel powerful.

She had taken that from him too.

Not abruptly, no--she never took anything outright.

It had started with small distractions. Subtle shifts in routine. A reminder here, a change of priorities there.

"You don't need to worry about that, love. Just relax."

And he had.

Now, his muscles had softened, his stamina had dulled, his body slower, his willpower thinner.

She loved it.

Not that she would tell him. No--he needed to believe this was his choice.

She smiled, tilting his chin up again.

"Now... about what we were discussing before."

His pupils were still wide, his mind clouded, his body humming from the blow.

"I know you've been thinking about it, Evan."

His breath hitched.

"You know what happens when a man is denied for too long."

A shudder ran through him.

She leaned down, her lips just brushing against his ear.

"Why fight it, love?"

His body tensed, his mind waged war with itself.

But she already knew how this would end.

He hadn't realized that Anna knew... He thought he was hiding it... But for a week or two now... His fingers were exploring his inexperienced butthole...