Chapter Three: Life's Unfortunate Changes

This place is quite deserted, and the psychiatric hospital doesn't have many visitors, so the business of the merchants here is also very slow. Many people have left this place, so the restaurants nearby have their doors locked and no one is around.

Anna just entered the restaurant, and the owner of the restaurant was deeply focused on studying a new dish, hoping to create an exclusive specialty to change her life and not rely on this mediocre place for business anymore. She saw the owner with flour-covered hands and chuckled: "Playing with medicine, not drinking... gets scolded..."

The owner looked up, and Anna shyly pulled her mother's hand back, smiling awkwardly at the owner: "I'm sorry, this is my mother..."

She wanted to say something more, but she couldn't bring herself to tell this stranger that her mother was mentally ill. She felt guilty beyond measure, her mother was a very kind person who couldn't be described in words. Her mother had sacrificed her entire life for Anna's future.

Jessica had once said: "What clouds you encounter, you will also encounter clouds. It's not like your mother's life is easy, right? Just try for a few more years, study well, and don't disappoint your mother."

At that time, Anna was sixteen years old, about to step onto the path of university that all students aspired to, including Anna. But her family was too poor, her father couldn't take care of her and her mother, and he would come back to disturb them. He would sell anything he could, and if he couldn't sell it, he would beat his wife. However, he had never laid a hand on Anna, so Jessica endured whatever abuse she faced, because her only source of livelihood was her little unfortunate daughter.

Anna graduated and became a preschool teacher, but after half a year of teaching, Make, her daughter, became more and more unruly, causing chaos even in her own school to ask for money. The strange looks from people made Anna quit her job. It was only then that she learned how her mother had lived all these years, how much hard work she had done without any time to rest. Her mother had sacrificed everything for her."

However, Make never stopped his relentless beatings on the helpless petite woman. Anna vividly remembered the day her mother lay in a pool of blood, clutching her head in agony, groaning in pain with each breath. She stood frozen for a few seconds before running back to embrace her mother. The blood on her hands was fresh and nauseatingly pungent.

Make's face had a hint of panic as he yelled, "How dare this bitch insult me! I will never divorce, never!!!"

Tears rolled down Anna's face as she looked at Jessica's suffering face. She shouted loudly, "I will sue you. I will take you to jail."

Despite Jessica's excruciating pain, before losing consciousness, she uttered only two words, "Don't sue..."

The doctor diagnosed two broken ribs, internal injuries, and lacerations on the skin caused by a sharp object. But Anna didn't sue him because he was her father, and for her mother's sake. Since Jessica regained consciousness, she had become delirious, sometimes lucid, sometimes unconscious. And in her subconscious, she was always afraid of one person, Make.

The restaurant owner wiped her hands on her apron and warmly said, "Sit down, sit down."

Anna helped her mother sit down, and she looked up at the menu on the signboard in the restaurant. "Please give me two bowls of beef pho, fried chicken drumstick, and stir-fried mushrooms."

"Wait for me a moment." The owner quickly went down to the kitchen to prepare the order.

Anna always remembered her mother's favorite dishes, simple things that she hadn't had in a long time. She felt her eyes welling up with tears, and Jessica pointed to the refrigerator.

"Do you want a soft drink, Mom? Coca-Cola?"

Jessica nodded, "Yes."

Anna nodded and went to open the refrigerator, but couldn't find any Coca-Cola. She asked the owner, "Do you have Coca-Cola in your restaurant?"

The owner called out from the kitchen, "Yes, but it's all gone in the refrigerator. There's one box left in the storeroom, I'll get it for you after I finish frying the chicken drumsticks."

Anna looked at her mother, her eyes filled with pity. She smiled helplessly, "Can I go get it, owner?"

"Sure, go down the stairs and you'll see it, the stairs are on the right side of the cash register."

Anna looked at her mother, carefully looked around, there was no one in the restaurant, the glass door was closed. She would run quickly to get it and come back to her mother.

Under the staircase, filled with paper boxes, Anna saw a red box. She grabbed a bottle of water and pushed the box of soft drinks into its correct position, when suddenly a scream pierced her mind.

Jessica's panicked scream echoed, "Let me go, let me go, Make, let me go."

Anna couldn't understand why the words of this mentally unstable woman were so clear and coherent at this moment. She dropped the water bottle and rushed up the stairs. When she reached the top, her mother was nowhere to be found, only the café owner trembling, pointing outside the door, "Gun, he has a gun."

Anna didn't have time to think much, she slammed through the glass door, accidentally cutting her arm on the broken glass. She didn't even notice, she just saw a black car speeding away, leaving behind a cloud of dust, and Make had taken Jessica with him.

Anna screamed in despair, falling to the ground, blood dripping from her hand to the small wrist, staining her face. The café owner rushed out and hugged her shoulders, "Don't be afraid, girl, I've called the police, they will come immediately."

With blood on one side of her face, Anna's eyes were frantic, "No!"

She couldn't call the police, absolutely not. She rushed up and ran straight ahead, leaving the café owner with a bewildered look, not knowing where to go or where to return. All the pent-up frustration finally exploded, and Anna cried out in desperation.

In the car, Make sat behind Jessica, covering her mouth tightly. He threatened fiercely, "Keep your mouth shut or I'll kill you."

Tears streamed down Jessica's pale face. The man behind the wheel asked, "Where are you going?"

"Stop at the bus station, the rest is up to me to handle."

They had discussed this before. Vance only cooperated with him up to this point, and the rest had nothing to do with him. Before he got out of the car, he didn't forget to say, "Transfer the money as agreed."

Make's face didn't look pleased, but he still chuckled, "Sure."

Make got behind the wheel and carefully locked all the doors to prevent Jessica from escaping. She curled up in the seat, trembling, calling Anna's name incoherently, Anna, Anna.

Make sighed and took his wife to an abandoned house, filled with dust inside.

Jessica didn't scream or shout, always calling out Anna's name. Make waved his hand to sweep away cobwebs on the door handle, then grabbed Jessica's hand and pulled her inside. The unpleasant damp smell made him sneeze. He rubbed his nose in annoyance and cursed under his breath.

Make looked at Jessica, feeling regretful as he said, "I don't want to take you away. If Anna agrees to sell the house, then me and my mother won't have anything to do with you anymore."

Upon hearing the words "sell the house," Jessica suddenly became frantic. She screamed loudly, "No, no, no!" Make frowned, "Can you stop it?"

Jessica's chest felt like it was about to explode after her long scream. She was like a wounded animal struggling in a prison, wanting to break free. She rushed towards Make, trying to grab him, but he dodged and kicked her.

"This crazy bitch!" he exclaimed.

He was right, Jessica had gone insane. Her eyes were filled with rage and hatred. She laughed hysterically, grabbing her own hair and pulling it hard. Make gritted his teeth in frustration, cursing, "You crazy bitch."

Laughter and tears mixed together, shaking the once quiet and peaceful house. Jessica's lips were bloody as she bit her own lips, her hands, anything within reach. The bloodstains on her white teeth made her already frightening face even more menacing.

Make lit a cigarette, took a puff, and stood outside the house, using his phone to dial a number. After a while, Anna's anxious voice came through, "Where are you taking my mother? Tell me, let her go. It's not because of you, is it?"

Anna's neck veins bulged with anger, and she clenched her skirt tightly. Suddenly, a warm sensation spread to her hand. Anna turned around and saw Matthew silently shaking his head. She understood his meaning, and took a deep breath, saying, "Father, don't harm mother."

Make spoke in a short, blunt manner: "Sell the house to save me."

Anna bit her lip: "Okay."

"Did you deceive me with your computer?"

"No, I didn't, I didn't."

"Then don't deceive me, you heartless brat, or else I'll take your mother with me even if I die."

"Father, where are you?"

"When you're done preparing the documents, you'll see your mother."

Then Make immediately hung up, and Anna yelled out: "No, no!"

But the line on the other end had been disconnected. Matthew asked with concern: "Are you okay? Let's go report to the police."

Anna shook her head, knowing that Make was ruthless and if pushed into a corner, her mother's life would be at risk.

Anna choked up: "Please take me home, sir."

Matthew looked at her, his heart suddenly aching. Seeing her in such a desperate situation, a girl wandering the streets crying so much that it broke his heart, he couldn't do anything for her except to give her some strength and faith that her mother would be safe.

Matthew took her home and left his phone number, even though he knew Anna might not need his help in her family matters. He was the treating doctor, but he had never heard about why Jessica had a mental illness. Anna didn't say anything, and he had no way to intervene.

Anna got out of the car without saying goodbye to Matthew, her emotions in turmoil, not even taking the paper he had given her. Matthew looked at her small, lonely figure and wanted to help her, but what right did he have? He was just a treating doctor. Not enough to meddle in a patient's family affairs. He sighed, hoping that everything would be alright for her.

As soon as Anna climbed the stairs, everything in front of her was in chaos. The front door was broken, and Anna rushed in, tears welling up in her eyes. Everything inside the house was in a mess, all scattered around. Anna rushed to the secret place where the only thing left was kept, but the documents were gone. Gone, Anna laughed and cried at the same time, banging her head against the wall, making a dull sound. Her heart was in pain. Too painful, too painful, oh, mother, mother! Anna screamed inwardly, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

She was gone. At that moment, Anna felt like she was already dead.