Chereads / VENGEANCE UNLEASHED / Chapter 9 - In charge of my life

Chapter 9 - In charge of my life

Five years later, a doctor approached Selina at the psychiatric hospital, her expression serious. "You have a visitor, Miss Richard," Laura informed her.

In the visiting room, Selina entered with a sad look on her face and walked over to her mother, Frances, who was already seated. Frances's eyes filled with tears as she reached for her daughter's hand. "My love, I've missed you so much," she said, her voice breaking. "Please forgive me, but I can't get you out of here. I tried my best to hire a good lawyer, but the judge said it's not safe to have a mentally unstable person among the public. I know you're not crazy, but don't worry, I'll find a way to get you out."

Selina lifted her head, a grin spreading across her face as she spoke in a low tone. "Don't bother."

Frances looked at her daughter in shock. "Huh?"

"You heard me, Mom. Don't bother," Selina repeated, her voice cold.

Frances felt a chill run down her spine. "Love, you've been here for years. Do you like it here? Don't you want a good job, to get married, to have kids? You have a bright future ahead."

"I don't like repeating myself, Mother. I said, do not bother," Selina snapped.

Frances's concern deepened. "Okay, you're starting to scare me now, love. Please talk to me! Are you okay? Are they hurting you?"

Selina remained silent, her gaze fixed on the floor. Before Frances could say more, Laura entered the room, interrupting the tense moment. "Visiting hours are over," she said firmly.

Frances turned to her, desperate. "Please, give us a minute. I need to talk to my daughter properly."

Laura shook her head. "Ma'am, you have to cooperate with us. She is dangerous."

Frances stood up, furious. "News flash, lady, she is my daughter."

Laura remained calm. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't do anything for you."

Turning to Selina, Laura said, "Walk to your room, Miss Richard."

Frances's voice softened as she watched her daughter. "I'll come back, love. Mom loves you."

Selina got up and walked toward the exit. She paused at the door, turning back to grin at her mother before leaving. Frances was left bewildered, unable to piece together what the smile meant. "Wait, I saw something. She… did Selina grin at me? She…"

Laura's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You have to leave now, ma'am. We need to lock the building for safety."

Frances shook her head, distressed. "She never grins. I know my daughter. Something is going on. Something is definitely wrong with my love."

Laura remained firm. "Ma'am…"

Frances's voice rose with anger. "What are you doing to my daughter? Are you hurting her? Tell me something! Speak!"

Laura remained calm. "Ma'am, please don't force us to call security."

Frances glared at her. "Call them for all I care. I'm coming back for my daughter, and that's a promise from a mother to her child."

She stormed out in a rage, her heart heavy with worry.

Later that day, Laura dragged Selina into the laboratory for another round of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Selina's heart raced with fear as she realized what was happening. "Please, I'm sorry! I was out of line! I don't need that again," she pleaded, panicking.

Laura's face was cold. "Too late," she said.

Selina's eyes narrowed. "Indeed."

"What?" Laura asked, confused by Selina's sudden change in demeanor. But before she could react, Selina struck her in the stomach with a fierce blow.

"You… ungrateful bitch," Laura gasped, struggling to catch her breath.

Selina smirked. "Ouch, that's harsh. I thought you warned us against harsh language." She laughed maliciously as Laura fell to the ground, gasping for air.

"You… are… s-s-sick," Laura choked out, her voice fading as she took her last breath.

Selina checked Laura's pulse, confirming that she was dead. "You don't have to tell me twice. I know I'm sick. I'm also crazy," she muttered with a grin. "Step two, I have to get out of this hell."

With a calculated move, Selina activated the fire alarm and screamed for help. "Help! Please help me!"

At noon, Frances returned to the psychiatric hospital, anxiously pacing the room. "Where is my daughter? Someone bring me my daughter! What kind of place is this? You don't know how to take care of patients!" she yelled, her voice filled with desperation.

The doctors tried to calm her down, but she was inconsolable. Anne, Selina's friend, entered the room, her face full of concern. "Auntie, I rushed here immediately when I heard the news. Where is Selina?" she asked.

Frances broke down, tears streaming down her face. "She ran away," she sobbed. Her anger flared as she turned on the doctors. "She ran away because you are all incompetent! If anything happens to my daughter, I won't be able to live with myself."

Anne hugged her, trying to offer comfort. "Oh no, don't worry, Auntie. Everything is going to be fine. We will find Selina."

Frances shook her head, her voice trembling. "You don't get it, Anne. Selina… I think she murdered Doctor Laura. The doctors said she was responsible for her death."

Anne was speechless, her face pale with shock. "What? No, no, they must be mistaken. Why would they assume that? Was she found with a weapon?"

Frances wiped her tears. "Anne, I said I *think* she did it. Selina grinned at me the last time I visited her. She told me to forget about helping her get out of this place. I knew something was off."

Anne nodded slowly. "Auntie, are you sure? Selina doesn't grin; she smiles."

"I know," Frances whispered. "I'm her mother. I told Doctor Laura about it, but she ignored me. She almost called security on me."

As Frances explained everything to Anne, her phone rang. She picked it up and answered the call, her hands shaking.

In the present day, Frances sat on Selina's bed, clutching her daughter's diary as tears streamed down her face. "Anne, I just read her diary," she said, her voice breaking. "She was always in pain."

Anne glanced at the diary, noticing the unfinished pages. "Blank? She didn't finish it."

Frances's guilt overwhelmed her. "That's because I sent her to the mental home. I'm such a bad mother."

"Aunt, don't blame yourself," Anne tried to reassure her.

"She couldn't endure it anymore, so she changed," Frances continued, her voice filled with sorrow. "She used to be an angel, but I can't say that anymore about her."

Anne thought for a moment. "Aunt, maybe if we show her diary to the police, it will act as evidence, and they'll deal with those who hurt her. That way, Selina will stop all this."

Frances nodded slowly. "That's true."

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Selina entered, her presence shocking them both. "Give me back my diary," she demanded, her voice cold.

Frances and Anne were stunned. "Oh my… S-Selina?" Frances stammered.

"Selina?" Anne echoed, her eyes wide.

Selina smirked. "Surprise. Missed me much? Lies, bestie. I waited for you to come visit, but I wasn't important, was I?"

Frances tried to reason with her daughter, her voice trembling. "This isn't the solution to your problem, love."

"It is, Mom, it is," Selina replied darkly. "Retribution it is. I don't want anyone to interfere, not even you. Now give me back my diary."

To their horror, Selina pulled out a gun and aimed it at Anne. "Don't make me repeat myself, Anne."

Frances's heart pounded in her chest. "SELINA! You have a gun. How? Where did you get it from?"

"Relax, Mom, it's just a gun, not a big deal," Selina replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "This Selina is evil now, so expect the worst. I am no longer your goody-two-shoes daughter."

Frances's hands shook as she handed the diary back to her. "Here's your diary. Take it and leave."

Selina nodded. "I wasn't planning on staying."

Anne's voice trembled as she spoke. "Why are you doing this, Selina?"

Selina's expression turned icy. "I don't need the police because they weren't there when I was being tortured by this cruel world. I handled everything myself five years ago, and I'll handle everything myself even now. Say hi to my sweet father."

With that, Selina exited, laughing evilly. Frances collapsed in tears, and Anne rushed to console her.

Meanwhile, at a nearby bank, Selina walked in, calm and collected. She was dressed in professional attire, she blended seamlessly with the crowd. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, taking note of the security cameras and guards. She approached the teller with a confident smile.

"I'd like to make a withdrawal," she said, her voice pleasant.

The teller looked up and asked how much she wanted to withdraw. Selina leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as she requested $50,000. The amount seemed to surprise the teller, who informed her that identification and authorization would be needed for such a large sum.

Unfazed, Selina reached into her bag and handed over a forged ID and document. The teller inspected them carefully, then nodded and went to process the transaction. As she waited, Selina noticed a security guard distracted by a phone call. Taking advantage of the moment, she subtly activated a small jammer device in her bag, disrupting the security cameras temporarily.

When the teller returned with a stack of bills and a form to sign, Selina signed it confidently, thanking the teller as she handed the money over. Placing the cash neatly into her bag, Selina walked toward the exit, her pace steady. She offered a polite smile to the security guard as she passed by, who nodded back, completely unaware of what had just transpired.

At Frances' house, the atmosphere was tense. Frances confronted Richard, her anger barely contained. She demanded to know why he had hurt their daughter, Selina. Richard scoffed dismissively, claiming that Selina was crazy and prone to making things up.

Frances glared at him, her voice filled with rage as she reminded him of all the sacrifices she had made for their family while he remained jobless. She accused him of repaying her efforts with infidelity and abuse toward their daughter. Richard tried to brush it off, but Frances had heard enough. She ordered him to pack his things and leave the house immediately, warning him to stay away from Selina.

With that, Frances stormed out of the room, leaving Richard speechless and stunned.