Susie Wolff sat across the table, gripping her glass so tightly her knuckles had turned white. She looked at her husband with such a mixture of adoration and hatred that Hannibal understood: this woman was insane. She was crazy enough to have pursued Toto relentlessly until he married her. But even after the wedding, Susie didn't calm down: she monitored his acquaintances, made him delete his social media, and was jealous of every lamppost. Her obsession with her husband couldn't be called love in any sense. Hannibal had known the Wolffs for many years and, honestly, he had never liked Susie. Perhaps if Lecter didn't derive such pleasure from watching Toto's suffering, he would have long ago rid the Austrian of his tiresome wife. Out of friendship.
"I'm not signing the papers, Toto," Susie said. "You can fuck him as much as you want. But officially, you'll remain mine, and you'll live with me. If you try to hire a lawyer, I'll tell the press everything. Absolutely everything—including about your hobbies."
Toto was silent. He genuinely feared this bitch would report him to the cops and his little bloody secret would be exposed to the world.
Christian, sitting nearby, lazily twirled a fork between his fingers and smiled that very smile which Wolff had once wanted to wipe off his face with a fist. But now, Toto realized that, probably for the first time in his life, he was truly in love. So much so that he wanted to start a real family with Horner.
Hannibal, seated at the head of the table, carefully dabbed his lips with a napkin and looked at Susie with genuine interest.
"Susie, you don't actually want to part with Toto, am I right?" he said. "Gentlemen, I have a solution that will satisfy all three of you."
The basement in Horner's house had been renovated. The floor was covered with white tiles, the room was illuminated by soft light, a ventilation system had been installed, and the air smelled of antiseptic and something sweetly animal. In the center of the basement stood a metal structure with soft restraints and padding. Everything about it was meticulously designed, resembling a surgical chair.
Hannibal hadn't been entirely sincere. Susie wasn't satisfied; in fact, she couldn't comprehend anything anymore, able to express her meager thoughts only through incoherent moaning (her tongue had been surgically removed by Dr. Lecter).
But Susie no longer threatened Toto and Christian's love.
She is fed. Cared for. Washed. Sometimes, pumped full of hormones, she is fucked.
But she doesn't want to, because when Toto and Christian come together—and they always come together—she sees something in their eyes she has never seen before. They both look at her as if she is the most precious thing they own. And at the same time, like a purebred sow that has finally fulfilled its purpose.
Hannibal visited them about once every two months, brought medication, and monitored Susie's condition, until one day he brought a gift: baby clothes. And then Susie cried, because at that moment she finally understood: they would never let her go.
And this is exactly what she had always wanted.
When Toto found out they had finally succeeded, he leaned down, kissed her on the temple, and whispered:
"You're the best mother in the world, Liebling."
Christian placed his hand on her belly and added:
"And the most obedient one."
