"We were so in love, but he came! He came and destroyed what I had built!"
Those words, spoken with such anguish and bitterness, fueled Shufen's terror and ignited a surge of adrenaline within her. Instinctively, she turned and ran, her feet carrying her through the winding corridors until she finally reached the refuge of her own chamber. Breathless and trembling, she collapsed onto her bed, her mind racing to process the revelations that had been thrust upon her. Her father's descent into madness was undeniable, and it became painfully clear that his actions were the catalyst for her mother's departure. The realization struck her with a potent mix of sorrow, anger, and disbelief. Her mother had been locked up, subjected to a confinement that only a deranged mind could inflict. The weight of this revelation pressed heavily upon Shufen, unraveling the illusions of her once idyllic family.
