Seeing her like this, Soren suddenly felt a flicker of fear. He reached out, wanting to touch her, but she trembled reflexively and said, “I was wrong. Don’t touch me! Soren, I was wrong. I deserve to die!”
He froze, anger slowly rising. “Okay, if you still want to act, then do it on your own!” He slammed the door and left, throwing the ointment against the wall so hard it left a deep dent. Whatever miracle ointment he had found never reached Linnea’s face.
After he left, a nurse came in, frowning as she shoved the medical records into Linnea’s hands. “Miss Carrington, you really can’t put off treatment any longer! You’re still so young. If your family knew, wouldn’t they be heartbroken?”
Linnea’s heart felt as if it were being squeezed, and she nearly cried. How devastated would her mother be if she knew?
After a long silence, she called the mental hospital. “Hello, how is Ms. Isabel Carrington doing? I’m her daughter. Can I visit her now?”
“Isabel?” the person on the other end asked doubtfully. “Didn’t her daughter just come to pick her up? Her name is… Agatha!”
The taut string in Linnea’s mind snapped. She yanked out her IV and stumbled out.
As soon as she got out of the car, she saw Agatha holding her mother’s hand, smiling as she led her into a café. “Mom!” Linnea screamed, rushing forward and pulling her mother behind her. Her chest heaved violently, tears streaming from fear. “Agatha, what did you do to my mother! Why… Soren is already yours — why won’t you let me go? You won’t even let my mother go!”
Isabel Carrington, Linnea's mother, trembled with fear, clutching her sleeve tightly. “Linnea, I’m scared… Linnea…”
Agatha sneered, not bothering to play the sweet, obedient act. “Linnea, you’re the one who murdered Soren’s sister, so why have you stayed by his side for five years? The place by his side belongs only to me! I advise you to leave immediately, or else next time it won’t be as simple as taking Aunt Isabel out for coffee.”
She raised her cup and pretended to pour it over Isabel. Linnea grabbed her hand, rage stripping her of reason, and slapped Agatha across the face.
“Soren, help!”
Hurried footsteps followed, and Soren appeared, his expression dark. He kicked Linnea in the chest, sending her sprawling. Scalding coffee splashed over her, the unhealed burns cracking open again as she grit her teeth in pain.