Manipulated
Lives
by
H.A. Leuschel
Genre:
Psychological Fiction
‘Realistic,
heart-breaking and utterly gripping!’ -
Bookneeders
'A
brilliant and important book ... I could barely put it down'-
Nerdish Mum Book Blog
‘You
NEED to read this. Your family needs to read this, your friends need
to read this, your children … NEED to read this’ -
JenacideByBibliophile
Five
fictional, compelling true-to-life stories about how people can be
manipulated by others.
Manipulators are everywhere. At first
these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because
that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty,
disarming, even charming in public – tricks to snare their prey –
but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and
angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to
satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy
for their victim.
In this collection of short novellas, you
meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each
of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a
manipulative individual.
First you meet Tess, whose past is
haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well balanced
Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled
father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a
better life for herself, followed by a manipulator himself, trying to
make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Lastly, there is Lisa,
who has to face a parent’s biggest regret. All stories highlight to
what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our
very feeling of self-worth.
‘Are
you playing hard to get then?’ He was right there, slumped in one of the chairs
in the far corner of the café, watching her walk through the door.Theaccusation
was written all over his face and she instantly felt guilty. She had not been
able to see him through the café window but, rather than completely give up on
the possibility that he had turned up, she decided to enter and give the place
a quick scan.
He
added one of his irresistible winks to his reproach and lifted his hand to
indicate the empty chair next to him. His legs were confidently spread open and
for a brief moment she thought that he looked like a younger version of Theo
James.He had the same brown eyes and full lips, thick blond hair that seemed to
style easily and a lean body which looked good in any
clothes. Added to his
appearance, he knew how to disarm a girl with an assertive, deep gaze and a smile
that conveyed cocky self-confidence.
Her
knees felt like jelly and her heart was racing so fast now that it felt as if
it was on the brink of bursting through her chest. She grabbed the handle of
her bag to settle her shaking hand. She wondered what her friends would have to
say about all of this. She had never exchanged a single hello with this guy
ever since he joined the school last year, yet a brief chat in the morning had
now meant they were
looking into each other’s eyes as if they’d always wanted to be together. This
was what falling in love at first sight must feel like, she thought. The only
thing was though, she told herself in an attempt to sober her excitement, that
this was not first sight. Next, she felt his hand reach out to hers, patting it
gently. It made her feel like an inexperienced little girl, which she knew she
was.
Don’t
spoil this Holly, pull yourself together, her voice muttered in her head.
‘What
would you like to drink?’
Holly
sat down on the empty seat he had kept for her, placing her bag at her feet and
shrugged her shoulders, suggesting a 7 Up.
He
returned to the table with a glass and a can and she was amazed about how
confident he was at starting a conversation, talking about himself and how soon
they were engaged in general chitchat. It was when her mobile beeped with a new
message that she realised the time and that her mum would wonder where she was.
It was her job to look out for her two brothers until her parents arrived home
for dinner.
She
gathered her bag, giggling with him now, already more at ease and relaxed.
‘Sorry,
I’ve got to go,’ Holly said, but before she was able to get up and say
good-bye, he was by her side, leaning towards her ear and whispering.
‘Don’t
ever make me wait again, babe.’ She looked up in shock, and then sighed with
relief when she saw him smiling and blowing her an air kiss and reaching his
right hand to her cheek to stroke it with his index finger. ‘Wow, I’ve never
met a girl with such perfect skin.’ Her cheeks prickled just hearing his words.
Compliments did seem to come easy to him but they felt wonderful, even though
he was clearly quite full of himself. Don’t make me wait again, he’d said, as
if he was some kind of VIP.
‘Oh,
and best not tell anyone we’re seeing each other. They’ll just make fun of us.
OK? See you tomorrow.’ She nodded and before she could say anything else, he
winked one more time and was out of the door.
She
was almost out on the pavement herself when she heard a gruff voice coming from
the counter.
‘Oi,
you’ve not paid for your drink, young lady.’
‘Oh,
I’m sorry, I thought my friend paid for me.’ She ruffled through her bag and
fished out a few coins, handing them over the counter to the lady’s
outstretched palm.
‘A
right friend that is then, eh?’
‘Ah,
he must have forgotten.He was in a real rush. I’m really sorry.’
Her
cheeks were crimson, this time with embarrassment.
‘That’s
alright, pet. You watch who you go out with.’ The lady shook her head slightly
and her forehead was still set in a frown as Holly left.
She
was fuming with anger.How could he have forgotten to pay? He seemed to have
made it so clear that he’d invited her for a drink. Or had he? Maybe she had
been assuming too much. He was just a student too, and it had been their first
date.
Helene
Andrea Leuschel gained a BA in Journalism & Communication, which
led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and
Edinburgh. She later acquired a Master in Philosophy, specializing in
the study of the mind.
Helene
has a particular interest in emotional, psychological and social
well-being and this led her to write her first novel, Manipulated
Lives, a fictional collection of five novellas, each highlighting the
dangers of interacting with narcissists.
She
lives with her husband and two children in Portugal.
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