Chapter 139 She Has Completely Lost Her Mind
Caroline flinched at his suddenly sharp tone. She lifted her eyes, confusion clouding them, and stared at him.
Then she reached out, touching the wet trail on his cheek with her fingertips.
"Alexander..." She tilted her head, puzzled.
"Why are you crying?"
"Is it... you don't like the dancing anymore?"
"Then what do you like? Do you like me in white dresses?"
She gave a small nod to herself. "Yes, white dresses... Edith always wore white. Like an angel..."
She murmured under her breath, then suddenly released his hand, struggling to her feet and searching frantically around the room.
She yanked open the empty closet, threw back the smooth bedsheets, even dropped to the floor to peer under the bed.
"It's not here... where's the white dress? It's nowhere..."
Her voice rose toward panic. Her movements grew more frantic.
"The dress? Where are all the dresses? Alexander, where are the ones you bought me? All those styles Edith liked, those beautiful white dresses... where are my dresses?"
She whirled toward him, eyes rimmed red.
"I lost them! I lost Edith's dresses!"
Blood from her ankle smeared across the floor with each jerky movement, leaving long red streaks. Alexander felt his throat tighten.
He lunged forward, grabbing her flailing arms.
"Stop looking! Caroline! Edith's dresses aren't here! Calm down!"
"Lost them... I lost them..."
Caroline went still, staring blankly, repeating the words. Tears streamed down her face.
"I lost the things that made you happy... I did it wrong again... Edith, I'm sorry... Alexander isn't happy anymore..."
Suddenly, as if realizing something, she jerked her tear-streaked face up, wrenched herself from his arms, and started tearing at her hospital gown.
"Or maybe... you like this?"
"Look, I can do this too... as long as it makes you happy..."
"Caroline! Stop!" Alexander's eyes flashed. He seized her hands as they fumbled with the buttons.
Caroline's body jolted violently. She hunched her shoulders instinctively, protecting herself.
Then she looked down at her captured hands and murmured to herself.
"No... Edith wouldn't do this... she wouldn't undress in front of people... she was dignified, elegant... I got it wrong again... I'm not like Edith anymore... not like her..."
"No, Caroline, you don't need to be like—" Alexander tried to explain.
But Caroline wasn't listening.
She shoved him away hard, screamed, and stumbled barefoot toward the bathroom.
"I'm not like her anymore! Even this face doesn't look like hers!"
She lunged toward the mirror above the sink, touching the pale, haggard, tear-stained face in the glass with horrified fingers.
"Edith wasn't like this... not like her... not at all anymore!"
Alexander charged into the bathroom after her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"Caroline! Look at me! You're you! Stop looking!"
"No! Let go! I'm not like her anymore!"
Caroline thrashed and screamed in his arms.
When she felt Alexander's tense body against hers, she suddenly threw her arm up to shield her face, curling into herself.
"Don't hit me! I'm sorry! I won't scream anymore! I won't have nightmares! Please don't hit me! Don't lock me up! I'll be good!"
Alexander's eyes widened in shock. He caught the arm she'd raised to protect herself.
"Who hit you? Caroline, tell me who hit you? Who locked you up?!"
"Don't ask! Don't! I'll be good! I won't cause trouble!"
But Caroline clutched her head, shrinking into the corner.
Her screams tore Alexander's heart to shreds.
He didn't dare press further. Turning his head, he roared at Liam, pale-faced in the doorway.
"Get a doctor in here! Sedative! Now!"
Caroline finally went quiet.
In the conference room, doctors from various departments were summoned again. They huddled over the medical records Lina had sent, speaking in low voices for a long time. The most senior psychiatrist was pushed forward as spokesman. He spoke carefully.
"Mr. Hamilton, based on Mrs. Hamilton's current symptoms, and her prolonged exposure to extreme stress, our preliminary diagnosis leans toward..."
He paused, swallowing nervously, and finally forced out the words.
"Schizophrenia."
In simple terms, she'd completely lost her mental equilibrium.
Now it wasn't just a question of whether Caroline had intact memories. It was whether her emotions would ever stabilize. What memories might surface when she was calm. When she might be triggered by terrifying flashbacks and lose control again. All unknowable.
Alexander's head, which had been bowed the entire time, finally lifted. His gray-blue eyes were dead, like a storm gathering.
The doctor felt a chill under that gaze and forced himself to continue. "Of course, we'll need more detailed evaluation and observation to confirm, but the indicators are very—"
Before he could finish, Alexander flipped the table.
The doctors cried out, scrambling back against the wall, not daring to breathe.
Alexander's gaze cut across each terrified face like a blade. "Tell me how to cure her. When she'll be cured."
The room fell into deathly silence. The doctors exchanged glances. No one dared provoke Alexander in his obvious state of breakdown.
"Are you all mute?!" Another roar.
Finally, the senior doctor's lips trembled as he spoke. "Sir... this illness... treatment is extremely difficult. It requires extensive time, intensive care, medication management. No one can guarantee a timeline. And Mrs. Hamilton, she... her trauma is so extensive. It's like a patient with multiple late-stage cancers. Even if we wanted to treat her, we... we wouldn't know where to start..."
"Useless!" Alexander's voice lashed out like a whip.
"I don't care! I want her better! In the shortest time possible! Give me a plan!"
"That's nearly impossible, sir!" a younger doctor answered desperately.
"Unless... unless we could take Mrs. Hamilton completely back to the past. Or make her forget everything she's been through. Forget the root memories that broke her... but that's not possible..."
"Forget..." Alexander echoed softly. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes.
He whipped around, looking at Liam, who'd been standing by the door.
"Go. Get those drugs."
Liam startled, understanding immediately.
Alexander meant the memory-suppressing drugs he'd had someone procure a few days ago.
His face went white. He stepped forward quickly. "Sir! Please, you need to calm down! Mrs. Hamilton, she's already—"