Just like that, she felt empty and disappointed, since he disappeared from her life, being scarce at work, non-existent outside of work. She wondered if she had been played by him from the start, over a year ago. Manipulation and scheming were not a natural part of her thinking. But then she realized, in a moment of maturity, that she unconsciously played him at least as much as he played her. In the end, she didn't feel guilty.