Chapter 1 Third Year in the Psychiatric Hospital

In the third year at the psychiatric hospital, the assistant nurse frowned as she walked down the hallway, kicking aside the mental patients who were huddled together playing a game of stacking humans. Once they scattered with distorted screams, the woman at the very bottom of the pile was revealed, curled up and unmoving. Her hair was a mess, covering her face, and her eyes were vacant as she heard the assistant nurse's harsh words above her. "1030, you've got visitors from home. Get up and clean yourself up." Home... was she talking about the family that had thrown her into this psychiatric hospital and left her there for three years? They weren't her family anymore. Seeing that the woman remained motionless, like a dead body on the ground, the assistant nurse impatiently yanked her by the hair, pulling her up. "Are you trying to die? Can't you hear me?" Yunice Saunders hugged her head with both hands as she was roughly dragged to the bathroom by her collar. The nurse turned on the high-pressure shower, spraying Yunice, who was crouched in the corner, in a way that resembled how they treated animals in a cage. Twenty minutes later, Yunice was taken to the visitation room. "Mr. Owen, 1030 is here to see you." Yunice's blank gaze shifted to the man sitting on the couch. He was clasping his hands together, elbows resting on his knees, and he had a frown on his face that suggested annoyance and heavy emotions. This was her second older brother, Owen Saunders. When Yunice was born, her mother and father had fought, and after giving birth to her, her mother left the house in a tantrum. Her father searched for her in vain, and he passed away when she was 13. Later, Oscar Saunders and Owen took care of the family. Back then, they swore that as long as they were around, no one would ever bully her. Now, seeing this familiar face once again, Yunice felt a sharp pain in her chest, but her gaze dropped coldly. The grievance was real, but so was the resentment. Owen no longer cared for her and had personally sent her to the psychiatric hospital. Owen also looked up at Yunice. On the way here, he had imagined that after three years apart, she would surely have realized her mistakes and would obediently throw herself into his arms, asking for his forgiveness. However, she didn't. She stood there with a cold expression. He had come here full of joy, expecting to bring his sister back home, but she didn't even greet him. Owen had intended to get up and embrace her, but he hesitated and spoke in an annoyed tone. "Elsie misses you. She begged me to bring you home. From today on, you can leave the psychiatric hospital." When he finally got a reaction from Yunice, Owen's tone changed. "But there's a condition. Once you get home, you are not allowed to make things difficult for Elsie." Yunice's face fell. They really thought that if she didn't make things difficult for Elsie White, everything at home would go back to normal? It was Elsie who had played a part in getting her sent to the psychiatric hospital. Five years ago, the police returned her mother, who had been missing for 15 years, along with Elsie, who was a year younger than Yunice, to the Saunders family. Yunice then learned that her mother had been kidnapped by human traffickers and taken to the mountains, and Elsie was the child she had been forced to bear. In other words, Elsie was her half-sister. The family reunion moved Oscar and Owen deeply, and they accepted Elsie without any resentment, treating her as their own sister. Yunice had initially treated Elsie with all her heart, wanting to make up for lost time. But Elsie kept scheming behind her back, constantly framing her. To avoid upsetting her brothers and making her mother feel uncomfortable, Yunice had always endured. Until three years ago, when she was trapped in a fire, and Elsie insisted on rushing in to save her. By the time Owen found them, he had snatched the gas mask from Yunice's face to give it to Elsie. Owen had carried Elsie out of the fire without a second thought, leaving Yunice, who was nearly unconscious, behind. Afterward, Elsie triggered Yunice, saying that she had deliberately run into the fire to see who Owen would save. The Saunders family only needed one daughter; the one who wasn't loved was the excess. Yunice exposed Elsie in front of everyone, but Elsie merely threw herself into Owen's arms with a sob, and everyone rushed to comfort Elsie while calling Yunice cruel and ungrateful. In the end, Elsie deliberately stabbed herself while holding Yunice's hand. The family had seen her holding the knife, and they all thought she was crazy, so they sent her to the psychiatric hospital. Seeing Yunice's bitter expression, Owen felt his anger rise. He had come to help her, to bring her home, but she was still acting so ungrateful and passive-aggressive. Doesn't she want to leave? "Are you trying to stay in the psychiatric hospital and enjoy the good life there?" The "good life" in the psychiatric hospital? Yunice was stunned. Does he have any idea what it was like there? It is full of madmen! Crazy people whom neither the law nor common decency could control! These people could rip my clothes, poke my face with the back of a spoon, and they loved playing human stacking. A pile of them would crush me under the weight of their bodies, squeezing my chest and hips, suffocating me into darkness. Even if a crazy person killed me, they wouldn't be held accountable! Of course, Owen wouldn't know any of this because he hadn't visited her in three years. He probably thought she was resting peacefully in the psychiatric hospital, lying down and enjoying a lazy life. She knew Owen too well–he thought she was a liar and a crazy person. No matter how much she explained, even if she showed him the scars, he wouldn't believe her. He'd think it was all part of her act. And the nurses at the psychiatric hospital wouldn't admit that they allowed the patients to bully her. Yunice had already confirmed this many times with Owen. Complaining to biased people was just stupid. Seeing Yunice still acting indifferent, Owen felt even more irritated. "I see your madness isn't cured yet. Are you planning to take revenge on Elsie when you go home?" Owen wanted to hear Yunice admit her mistakes, but her cold attitude made him feel suffocated. In a fit of anger, he kicked the tea kettle near him, sending it sliding toward Yunice. Sparks flew out of the kettle, and Yunice jumped back, her face full of fear as she hid her hands behind her. Owen snapped, "If you dare grab the charcoal, I'll believe you're cured, and you can leave this place." The implication was clear–if she didn't dare touch it, that meant she wasn't cured, and she would have to stay for further treatment. After the fire three years ago, Yunice had developed a fear of fire. Owen noticed the fear in her eyes, and he felt a little relieved. He knew that she was most afraid of fire and pain, so she wouldn't dare reach for it. As long as she promised not to harm Elsie again, he would forgive her. Just as he thought this, Owen's eyes widened in shock as Yunice suddenly reached into the fire. "Who told you to actually grab it?" Owen rushed over and pulled her hand away. Yunice's palm was burned so badly that it was bleeding! Seeing her grit her teeth and endure the pain, trembling from the agony, Owen froze. She was the most afraid of pain. Even when her hand was just scratched as a child, she would cry and make him comfort her. How can she stand such severe pain without a word now? The younger sister he had spoiled for 20 years was no longer seeking his comfort. Owen's heart tightened. She was his most beloved sister… How could he not care? "Does it hurt?" Yunice withdrew her hand and hid it behind her back, her voice cold. "I'm better now. I'm not crazy anymore. Can I leave the hospital?" Owen's brows furrowed deeply, and he said angrily, "I came to pick you up out of kindness, and you're throwing a tantrum and being passive-aggressive. You stabbed Elsie, and we didn't send you to jail. We've been nice enough, and now you're complaining? You think I'll pamper you like I did before just because you're self-harming?" His anger flared, and he turned to leave the psychiatric hospital. "If you want to leave, go ahead."