Chapter 563 The Madness of the Hunter
On this occasion, Patricia did not escort Charlotte to the psychologist's office. Instead, she brought the renowned Dr. Isadora directly to the confines of the mental hospital.
Dr. Isadora, a prominent figure in the field of psychology across the United States, was a woman in her fifties. Her temples were tinged with gray, and her face radiated kindness, patience, and an air of calm that was almost contagious.
Throughout the journey to the hospital, Dr. Isadora had been meticulously studying Charlotte's case, familiarizing herself with every detail.
"Given her condition, is hypnosis a viable option?" Patricia inquired.
Dr. Isadora responded with a thoughtful tone, "Hypnosis can be performed under any circumstances, but the effectiveness varies from individual to individual." She paused, then proposed, "Why not consider therapy? For patients like Charlotte, who are grappling with psychological trauma, therapy could potentially be more beneficial."
Intrigued, Patricia asked, "What are the chances of a full recovery?"
"I've reviewed her file," Dr. Isadora replied, "but I'll need to meet her in person to make a more accurate assessment."
Patricia nodded in understanding, "Okay."
Upon their arrival at the mental hospital, they discovered a lack of separate treatment rooms. However, each patient was allocated an individual room, and those with more severe conditions were restrained in their beds.
Charlotte, despite being assessed at level four, had not shown any signs of self-harm or aggression towards others. Therefore, her movements were not restricted.
Her room was equipped with a private restroom and a single bed for rest.
Upon entering the room, Patricia found Charlotte huddled in a corner, her arms wrapped protectively around her knees. She was laughing at something unseen, her laughter echoing emptily in the room.
At the sound of footsteps, Charlotte lifted her head, her eyes darting towards the source of the noise. Her gaze moved past Patricia and Dr. Isadora, and upon seeing James standing off to the side, she sprang up like a frightened cat, pressing herself against the wall as if attempting to disappear into it.
"Please don't come for me. I'm begging you, not me," she whimpered. "Brother, I know I was wrong, really wrong. I'll never dare again. Please forgive me."
Patricia observed that Charlotte's agitation spiked whenever she saw James, and her condition seemed to deteriorate further. When James was absent, Charlotte's emotional state appeared significantly more stable.
After a moment's consideration, Patricia instructed, "Alright, you go outside. Isadora and I will stay."
James was hesitant to leave, "What if she loses control and hurts you?"
Patricia smiled and gestured around the room, "How could she hurt me? There's nothing here but a bed. Besides, she's not even taller than me. We also have Isadora here, right? Don't worry; she can't hurt me."
James surveyed the room. Indeed, there was nothing but a bed. Even if Charlotte harbored any ill intentions towards Patricia, there were no tools at her disposal.
After a moment's hesitation, James acquiesced to the request to leave the room.
"I'll remain just outside the door," he assured them, "Should anything go awry, just holler and I'll be right there."
Patricia found humor in his words, teasing, "You're the one gasping for breath after a few steps, and you're worried about me?" Her words were light-hearted, yet they held a kernel of truth.
Without further comment, James shot her a significant glance before exiting the room. He didn't stray far, choosing to linger just outside the door, prepared to intervene at a moment's notice.
As soon as he departed, the tension that had been radiating off Charlotte seemed to dissipate. Her shouts ceased, and her taut nerves seemed to slacken. Yet, she remained pressed against the wall, not quite ready to turn around.
Isadora's gaze flicked between Charlotte and Patricia before he spoke, "Sullivan, perhaps you should step outside as well. I'll call you back when everything is settled."
Patricia's eyebrow arched in surprise, but she understood his intent and nodded in agreement before exiting the room.
Upon seeing her emerge, James couldn't suppress a chuckle. Patricia knew precisely what he found amusing, but she chose to ignore him, instead leaning against the hospital room door beside him.
Time seemed to crawl by at a snail's pace. From their position outside, they could neither see nor clearly hear the events unfolding within the room, only catching snippets of Isadora's voice filtering through the door.
After what felt like an eternity, but was only a quarter of an hour, the hospital room door swung open.
"The hypnosis was successful," Isadora announced, "You may enter now, but tread lightly. She's in a fragile state, and if she awakens, not only will it be challenging to re-hypnotize her, it could potentially exacerbate her condition."
Patricia nodded in silent understanding.
Upon reentering the room, they found Charlotte reclining on the propped-up bed, her eyes closed in relaxation, her hands folded on her lower abdomen.
Isadora approached her quietly, asking Patricia, "What would you like to know? I'll delve into her consciousness and take a look."
Patricia provided a specific time and location tied to an incident involving Martin.
Isadora then guided Charlotte's consciousness to the specified time and place.
Charlotte, previously at peace, suddenly stirred. Her hands, once folded neatly on her abdomen, clenched her clothes tightly, and her lips parted as if to speak.
"Why would you help Patricia and not me?
"I don't have a brother like you. Since the day our parents divorced, we were no longer siblings.
"I must have been crazy; being in love with Hunter made me lose my mind."
Her words were soft, almost involuntary, yet in the quiet room, if one listened closely, every word was audible.
As she continued, her emotions began to escalate, culminating in a chilling laugh.
"Kill them… kill all of them… leave none behind…
"A bunch of failures, letting them get away…
"Chase after them, even to the ends of the earth, find them… show no mercy…"
With each uttered word, Patricia's heart sank a little deeper. It felt as though a hidden truth was on the brink of revelation.
Regrettably, Charlotte's words only confirmed her intent to kill Martin but fell short of proving her successful in doing so.
Patricia had hoped that under Isadora's guidance, Charlotte would gradually unveil the truth. However, Charlotte, who had been emotional just moments before, suddenly fell silent.
Bewildered, Patricia turned to Isadora. "What's happening?"
Isadora's forehead was slick with sweat, indicating a struggle. Despite several attempts, he ultimately shook his head in defeat, signaling his inability to proceed.
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