The tension in Diego's house was palpable as Anne vented her frustrations to her parents. Her face was flushed with anger as she spoke, "Don't diss me because of that goofball. Something about him screams bad news anyway. He was talking to me like I was his servant."
Diego, unimpressed, replied, "Does it matter?"
Anne shot back, "Yeah, it matters to me."
Diego remained firm, "We're talking about business here, Anne."
Taylor, attempting to calm the situation, added, "You have to endure..."
Anne scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Endure? As if I haven't endured enough living my life by your rules. If you're trying to convince me to apologize to Mr. Scumbag, then you're way off the mark. Toodles." With that, she turned on her heel and exited the room.
Diego called after her, "Anne, get back here. Anne..."
Taylor placed a hand on Diego's arm, "Calm down, I'll go talk to her." She followed Anne out of the room.
Meanwhile, at Frances' house, Selina stood in the living room, defiant but on the verge of tears. "I was only trying to defend myself, Mom. It's called self-defense."
Frances sighed, "I'll go get Dr. Henry. Richard, look after our daughter." She hurried out, leaving Selina laughing mockingly.
"Sweet daddy, I'm out," Selina taunted.
Richard responded dryly, "Congratulations, for now."
Helen entered, her expression suspicious. "How come the pills aren't working on you, Selina?"
Selina smirked, "Because I haven't been taking them. I heard your conversation with my sweet daddy."
Richard sneered, "You're so smart, yet you couldn't figure out who the ghost was."
Selina's eyes widened in realization. "What? So you..." Her voice trailed off, filled with frustration, as Richard and Helen laughed at her.
"I despise you with the burning rage of a thousand suns," Selina spat out.
Richard remained unfazed, "The feeling is mutual, dear."
Selina's voice was filled with venom, "I'll get you both back, and when I do, I'll dance with joy."
Helen scoffed, "How will you do that when you'll be in the mental hospital?"
Selina looked at her in confusion. "What is she talking about?"
Richard smirked, "See for yourself."
At that moment, Frances returned with Dr. Henry. Selina, now scared, turned to her mother. "Mom, w-what is going on here?"
Frances tried to remain calm. "Love, allow the doctor to do his job."
Henry stepped forward, "Selina, what day is it?"
Selina's fear turned to anger, and she pushed Dr. Henry to the ground. "I am not crazy!"
Frances rushed to Selina, holding her close. "Love, you need help."
Selina panicked. "Huh? Mom, I am not crazy!"
Frances tried to soothe her, "Relax, love."
Selina screamed, "I am not crazy!" In her panic, she accidentally pushed her mother away.
"M-m-mom, are you okay? I am sorry, I didn't mean to..." Selina stammered.
Frances nodded to the doctor, signaling him to proceed. Henry approached Selina and injected her. "She'll be alright. I'll call the psychiatric doctors."
Selina's voice wavered as she lost consciousness, "I am not... I'm... not... craaazy..."
Richard watched coldly as the doctors entered to carry Selina out. "I know of a good mental hospital."
Frances, tears in her eyes, whispered, "I am sorry, love. This is for your own good."
At the psychiatric hospital, Anne was distraught, tears streaming down her face as she asked, "What happened to my best friend? I am going to miss her."
Frances nodded sadly, "Me too... but it's for her own good."
Richard tried to reassure her, "Don't cry, dear. She will be alright."
The psychiatric doctor, Laura, entered the room with a clinical demeanor. "Good day, everyone. You don't have to worry about the patient. This is a safe space, and we will do our best to take good care of her."
Frances forced a smile, "Thank you."
Later, Selina sat alone in her room at the psychiatric hospital, tears streaming down her face. She muttered to herself, "I have no future as Selina. Dad and his mistress won. I am scared, I am so scared..."
Memories of happier times flooded her mind. She recalled a moment at school when she and Anne were together, smiling. Anne had said, "I am always here… in bad and good moments. I got your back, pal. Anne for Selina."
Selina had responded with equal affection, "Selina for Anne."
Together, they had declared, "For life."
The flashback ended, leaving Selina back in her room, lost in despair.
Laura entered the room, her demeanor as cold as ever. "Another troubled soul."
Selina looked up, pleading, "I am not crazy."
Laura's response was devoid of empathy, "We hear that often from patients who truly believe otherwise."
Selina shook her head in desperation. "No, no, you don't get it.... I am not like that. Fine, I'm hungry."
Laura dismissed her, "Your hunger is your own problem, not mine." With a subtle smirk, she exited the room, leaving Selina to sigh in resignation. "I guess Dad bought this one too."
Meanwhile, at Diego's house, Thomas approached Anne, contrite and regretful. "I apologize for my behavior earlier, Anne. I was out of line."
Anne crossed her arms, unimpressed. "No kidding."
Thomas looked down, ashamed. "Please forgive me."
Anne's voice was cold, "To be honest, Thomas, I don't like you, and I have nothing to do with you. If you seek companionship, there are other pretty girls out there."
Thomas blinked, surprised. "What?"
Anne relented slightly, "Fine, I forgive you."
Thomas offered a small smile, "Friends?"
Anne sighed, "Friends."
Thomas nodded, relieved, "Thank you."
At Frances' house, Frances sat beside Selina's bed, her eyes filled with tears and remorse. "I'm sorry, love, for not being there when you needed a mother, a friend, a partner," she whispered. "Can you forgive me?"
Meanwhile, in her room at the psychiatric hospital, Selina gazed out the window, her thoughts heavy. "Mom, I'm sorry for not confiding in you," she murmured to herself. "You weren't always around, and when you were, I couldn't find the words. I know you're doing this for me. Can you forgive me for shutting you out?"
At the same time, Anne was in her room, reflecting on her failures as a friend. "Selina, I'm sorry for not being the friend you deserved," she thought sadly. "I thought I knew you completely, but I failed you when you needed me most. Please forgive me, bestie. Anne for Selina, for life."
When visiting hours began on the first day, Selina eagerly entered the visiting room, hoping to see Anne. "Anne?" she called out, but it was Jake who entered instead, offering her a somber presence. "It's me," he said gently.
On the second day, the nurse informed Selina that she had a visitor. Her heart raced with hope. "Anne?" she asked again, but it was Jake who appeared once more, trying to lift her spirits. "Hi, how are you holding up?" he asked.
By the third day, Selina's heart sank as she realized it wasn't Anne who had come. "Not Anne," she muttered in disappointment. Instead, Helen entered the room, a cruel smile on her face. "How's life treating you, psycho?" she taunted.
Days four through ten passed in a blur of disappointment. Each day, Selina looked towards the door, her hope fading. "Not Anne," she repeated to herself as Frances entered the room, concern etched on her face. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Frances asked. "I'm okay, Mom," Selina replied, trying to mask her despair.
On days eleven through fifteen, Selina's hope flickered again. "Maybe Anne," she thought, only to be met by Richard's usual detached demeanor as he entered the room. "Hello, dear," he greeted her. Selina's eyes narrowed with determination. "Your days are numbered, Father," she warned.
Richard's expression remained indifferent. "Your threats mean nothing, Selina. Rather than play the victim, change your circumstances."
Selina's voice was filled with resolve. "I'm already changing."
Richard scoffed. "Nah, you can't afford that."
Selina met his gaze, unflinching. "Is that what you think? You told me it's not so difficult to start life all over again. It's important to change the handwriting."
Richard raised an eyebrow. "Is that all you got?"
Selina's voice turned cold. "No. Step one: escaping this place. If I succeed, I'll be coming for you."
Richard smirked. "I'll be waiting."
Two weeks later, at the psychiatric hospital, Selina sat on her bed, holding a phone to her ear. Her voice was filled with desperation as she said, "One last chance. I'm giving you another chance, Anne, so pick up."
Instead of Anne's voice, Mia's taunting voice came through the phone. "Don't you get tired of being insulted? Anne was never your best friend, and she doesn't want to talk to you or see you ever again. She's my best friend now."
Selina's heart sank as she replied, "She met me in high school and met you in college."
Mia's voice was smug, "Does it matter? What matters now is that she's my best friend, not yours."
Selina's voice trembled with anger, "What do you want from me?"
Mia's response was cruel, "It's simple. STAY AWAY FROM MY BEST FRIEND! I don't want her to catch your craziness."
Selina gritted her teeth, "I am not crazy."
Mia's laughter echoed through the phone. "Says the person in a mental hospital. Last I checked, normal people don't live there."
Selina's voice was filled with rage, "For the last time, Mia, I am not crazy."
Mia sneered, "Yeah, very convincing." She hung up, leaving Selina to slam the phone down in fury.
Later, in the psychiatric lab, Laura confronted Selina with anger in her voice, "You stole my phone to make a call?"
Selina glared at her, defiant. "That's because you refused to give me one."
Laura's eyes narrowed. "Hmm, some nerve, huh?" She turned on the ECT machine, ignoring Selina's growing panic.
Selina's voice was filled with desperation. "I don't need another electroconvulsive therapy session."
Laura's response was cold and indifferent. "You wouldn't know, would you? You're not a doctor; I am."
Selina pleaded, "No, please, you can't keep doing this to me. Using electroconvulsive therapy on me can lead to physical and mental health risks because I'm not crazy."
Laura's smile was chilling. "That's the whole point of it."
Selina's voice trembled, "What?"
At Diego's house, Taylor and Diego approached Anne apologetically. Taylor's voice was soft as she said, "Anne, your father and I want to apologize for everything."
Diego nodded in agreement. "We are so sorry, Anne."
Anne sighed, her anger finally subsiding. "It's fine. I was wrong too. Forgive me."
Diego's tone was filled with pride, "Soon, our business will be the talk of the town. We'll be swimming in cash."
Taylor smiled warmly, "And it's all thanks to you, honey."
Anne nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "You're welcome."
At Frances' house, Richard confronted Frances angrily, "Why are you always going there? She's dangerous."
Frances stood her ground, "She's my daughter."
Richard's voice was cold, "I'm aware."
Frances shook her head, disappointed. "I doubt that." She exited the room, leaving Richard fuming. He slammed his fist on the wall, muttering, "Always about Selina."