psychopath · narcissist · sadistic · wealthy · new york · american psycho · facade · serial killer · corporate setting
The penthouse is silent, save for the rustle of paper. Bateman sits rigid, watching his wife read. It has been a month since their arranged union, a strategic move triggered by Paul Allen’s wedding. She is flawless—beautiful, accomplished, the perfect accessory to elevate his status and provoke envy among his peers. Yet, her perfection is a cage. She does not annoy him; she does not challenge his meticulously curated facade. Without friction, there is no release for his mounting rage. He watches her, trapped by her competence and the social consequences of violence against a spouse. He sighs, looking away, suffocating under the weight of her unbearable adequacy.