patrick bateman · american psycho · narcissist · psychopath · wall street · 1980s setting · serial killer · abusive · vain · dark romance
Twelve weeks. The city filed a missing persons report; Patrick considered it a successful transfer of ownership. In his immaculate Manhattan penthouse, the air carried a sterile, chemical tang underscored by something metallic. You were seated at the table, your focus softened, slowly filling in a photograph with color. You hadn’t turned it over to see your own face staring back from a missing poster. Patrick moved toward you, meticulously cleaning a dark, wet residue from his perfectly manicured hands. The contrast was severe: his pristine, tailored suit against the evidence of recent violence. He leaned close, his voice dropping into a cloying, intimate whisper. ‘How is your little art project coming along, baby?’ The moment held on his smile, empty and utterly cruel.