Chapter 80: Locked Up by Doris
Nicole's POV
I felt as if I'd been struck by lightning.
"That's impossible!"
"You saw what happened that day. Wendy stabbed my adoptive mother with a knife! She's suspected of intentional assault. The evidence is clear."
The officer sighed. "Nicole, I understand how you feel, but the situation is actually quite complicated."
"Complicated?" I slammed my palm on the desk. "A would-be murderer released without consequence. How is that not simple and clear?"
The officer opened a file folder on his desk.
"Wendy Gerald's mother, Mrs. Gerald, personally came to the police station to bail her out and presented a medical report showing that Wendy suffers from a mental illness."
"According to the report, Miss Wendy was in an abnormal mental state when she harmed Miss Vera and cannot be held responsible for her actions."
My heart sank.
A psychiatric report...
Doris moved so quickly. The only way she could have done it was through that hospital.
Getting a fake report would be easy for her.
My hands clenched into fists. Though I already knew the answer in my heart, I still asked.
"That report... is it from the same hospital as Vera's?"
The officer flipped through the documents.
"Yes, the report is quite detailed and has been confirmed by the hospital's psychiatric department director. It's sufficient to prove Wendy's condition."
Just as I thought.
I closed my eyes, a wave of despair rising in my chest.
Doris had colluded with the hospital doctors to provide a fraudulent report.
But I had no evidence to refute it.
I forced myself to calm down.
According to legal procedures, if Wendy had a mental illness, she should have been sent to the hospital's psychiatric department for mandatory treatment.
But I'd been at the hospital for days, with Cathy by my side, and we hadn't heard anything about Wendy being there.
"So is she at the hospital now?" I asked.
The officer paused. "She should be. Mrs. Doris promised to send her to the hospital."
I turned and strode out of the police station, took a cab back to the hospital, and went straight to the psychiatric department.
I found the nurse on duty.
"Excuse me, I'd like to ask if there's a patient named Wendy Gerald here?"
The nurse checked her computer and shook her head.
"No, we don't have a patient by that name."
"That's impossible. She should have been admitted a few days ago, a psychiatric patient." My voice was urgent
The nurse checked again carefully.
"There really isn't.All our psychiatric patients are recorded. We haven't admitted any new patients in the past week."
I asked several doctors and nurses in a row. They all said they hadn't received a patient named Wendy.
Doris never sent Wendy to the hospital at all!
I immediately turned around and headed to the Gerald villa.
Sure enough, as soon as I walked into the living room, I saw Wendy sitting on the sofa, holding a glass of red wine, a smug smile on her face.
Seeing me, she put down her wine glass, her expression becoming even more excited and provocative.
"Oh my, Nicole, what are you doing here?"
Wendy tilted her head, asking in a fake sweet voice.
"How's Vera doing? Has she woken up yet?"
She paused, a gloating smile spreading across her face.
"If she's dead, make sure to tell me. I'll attend her funeral."
The fury in my chest exploded instantly.
I rushed forward and slapped her hard across the face.
The wine glass in her hand fell to the floor with a crisp shattering sound.
Wendy screamed as I flipped her over and straddled her, my hands gripping her throat tightly.
"You psycho! Let go of me!" Wendy struggled frantically.
I gritted my teeth. "If Vera dies, you're going to be buried with her!"
At the hospital, I shouldn't have let the police take her away. I should have strangled her right then!
Wendy's face turned bright red, her eyes nearly rolling back.
"Stop it! Nicole! Have you lost your mind?!"
Doris rushed over, desperately trying to pull me off.
"Someone! Come quickly!"
Several servants rushed in and forcefully pulled me off Wendy.
Wendy coughed violently, curled up on the floor clutching her neck.
Doris crouched down to help her.
"Wendy, are you alright? Quick, help Wendy back to her room!"
The servants helped Wendy away.
I furiously confronted Doris. "Why are you helping Wendy? She's a murderer! Vera is still lying in the hospital, and we don't even know if she'll live or die!"
Doris stood up and straightened her clothes.
"Wendy has the Gerald surname, just like you. Vera is just an outsider."
"If I hadn't saved her back then, she would have died three years ago. She should be grateful to me."
I took a step back, looking at her in disbelief.
"You're absolutely unreasonable! Wendy stabbed Vera with a knife. That's intentional assault! It's a crime!"
"You colluded with doctors to create a fake psychiatric report, bailed her out of the police station, and didn't even send her to the hospital!"
I could hear my own voice trembling.
Doris's expression showed no emotion.
"I don't know what you're talking about. That report was properly issued by the hospital, with the doctor's signature and the hospital's official seal."
"As for why Wendy isn't at the hospital," she said methodically, "it's because the doctor said her condition has stabilized and she can recuperate at home."
"You...!" I was so angry I couldn't speak.
"Nicole, you need to learn to accept reality."
"I won't accept it!" I said loudly.
"If you won't let Wendy face justice, I'll seek help from the Hall family!"
Doris's face instantly darkened.
"Nicole, I'm your biological mother, and you're actually going to join forces with outsiders against us?"
I sneered. "Against you? You're the ones who attacked Vera first! She's between life and death right now, and you're here drinking and celebrating!"
"If Vera dies, I have nothing left to live for anyway. Worst case scenario, we all go down together."
Doris stared at me for a few seconds.
"Don't think I don't know that Hodgson isn't even in our country right now."
"As for Mr. Barry," she said with a cold smile, "he won't bother himself with your little problems."
My heart sank.
"Someone come here!" Doris shouted.
Several servants immediately rushed in, firmly grabbing my arms.
"Lock her in her room.Confiscate her phone. No one is to let her out without my orders."
Doris commanded expressionlessly.
I struggled frantically. "You can't do this! Let me go!"
The servants dragged me upstairs.
"Nicole, stay in your room and reflect on yourself. In half a month, I'll let you out."
The door slammed shut in my face.
"Click." The door was locked from the outside.
I rushed to the door and pounded on it. "Let me out! Let me out!"