I am not crazy, am I?

Frances rushed into the hospital hallway, her face pale with worry and desperation. She spotted the doctor and hurried over, her voice trembling.

"Where is my daughter? Doctor, I need to see my daughter," Frances demanded, her eyes wide with fear.

Dr. Henry looked at her with a somber expression. "She is in a coma."

Tears streamed down Frances' face as she gasped. "Oh my God. For how long?"

"We don't know yet, ma'am," Henry replied gently, "but we will do our best to bring her out of the coma."

As Frances absorbed the news, Anne entered the hallway, her face etched with concern. She quickly approached Frances.

"Aunt, is Selina okay? Michael pushed her," Anne blurted out.

Frances turned to Anne, confusion clouding her features. "Who is Michael?"

Before Anne could respond, Lizzy walked in, trying to maintain her composure, though there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes.

"Good day, ma'am," Lizzy greeted, attempting to sound calm. "I came to see how Selina is doing."

Frances looked at Lizzy sharply. "Who the hell is Michael?"

Lizzy hesitated before answering, "I saw them talking, and suddenly Selina pursued Michael. He pushed her back. He didn't realize he pushed her into a snake pit."

Anne's face contorted with anger. "Talking? Michael always bullies her!"

Lizzy shook her head. "Anne, you're mistaken. Michael and Selina are good friends."

Frances looked between Anne and Lizzy, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "You know what? I'll ask my daughter myself."

Lizzy tried to maintain her composure. "I came to give my sincere apology on behalf of the school. Selina will be okay. Excuse me." She turned and exited quickly.

As Lizzy left, Anne whispered urgently to Frances, "Aunt, she's lying."

Frances patted Anne's arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, Anne. Selina will tell me the truth."

Inside Dr. Henry's office, Richard sat across from the doctor. He slid an envelope of money across the desk to Henry, his voice low and serious.

"Here's the money. You'll get the same amount when the job is done. Just come up with something. Fortunately, you're a doctor. My wife will probably buy it," Richard said with a sneer.

Dr. Henry nodded, his expression grim. "Selina is mentally unstable."

Richard smirked. "Good."

Helen stood beside Selina's bed, a sinister smile playing on her lips. She looked down at the unconscious girl with satisfaction.

"Now's the time these pills you've been taking will pay off. Safe journey to the psychiatric hospital, love," Helen whispered before letting out a cold laugh.

Selina lay still, her eyes closed, but a faint smile appeared on her lips as if she heard everything.

At school, Lizzy entered the head office, looking pleased with herself. Joe sat behind the desk, waiting for her report.

"Anne was there, sir, but I was able to convince Selina's mother," Lizzy said confidently.

Joe nodded in approval. "Very good. Michael can't get in trouble."

"He won't, sir," Lizzy assured him.

Taylor and Diego sat across from Thomas, who looked visibly annoyed. The tension in the room was palpable.

"What did she say, son?" Taylor asked carefully.

Thomas scowled at her. "What did you just call me?"

"Son. I called you my son," Taylor replied softly.

Thomas glared. "Well, don't. I have my own mother. Anyway, your daughter was so disrespectful. She lacks manners. You didn't do a great job raising her."

Diego quickly intervened. "We are sorry for her behavior, Thomas."

Thomas was unyielding. "Why are you apologizing on her behalf? She should be doing it herself."

Taylor stammered, "Actually, Anne... She…"

Diego stepped in again. "She went shopping."

"Yes, with her friends," Taylor added hastily.

Thomas looked at them incredulously. "Shopping? She shouldn't be allowed out after what she did."

Taylor stammered, "The thing is, she sneaked out."

Thomas shook his head in disgust. "What? You can't even take good care of your daughter. No wonder she lacks manners." He stormed out of the room.

After Thomas left, Taylor asked, "How old is he again?"

Diego sighed, "Twenty-two."

Taylor shook her head in disbelief. "And he's talking to us like that?"

Diego shrugged. "For business... just for business."

At the hospital, Frances entered Dr. Henry's office, her face pale with worry. The doctor stood to greet her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Richard. Thank you for coming in," Henry said kindly.

Frances tried to steady her nerves. "Thank you, Doctor. I'm very worried about my daughter. Can you tell me what's going on?"

Henry took a deep breath before responding. "After assessing your daughter, I have some concerns about her mental health. She's showing signs of mental instability."

Frances gasped, her heart sinking. "What do you mean by mental instability? Is this related to her fall?"

Henry explained, "The fall may have triggered or exacerbated these symptoms, but what we're seeing suggests there may be underlying mental health issues."

Frances felt her world crumbling. "Oh my goodness, I had no idea it was this serious. What should we do?"

Henry's tone was serious but gentle. "It's important that we address her mental health promptly. I recommend that she sees a psychiatrist for a comprehensive evaluation. They can help diagnose any underlying conditions and develop a treatment plan."

Frances clutched her chest. "How did this happen? She seemed fine before."

Henry tried to reassure her. "Sometimes, stress or trauma can bring underlying issues to the surface. It's possible that her mental health was already fragile, and the fall acted as a trigger. The important thing now is to get her the help she needs."

Frances nodded, determined. "I'll do whatever it takes. What can I do to help her at home?"

Henry replied, "Create a calm, supportive environment for her. Encourage her to rest and avoid stressful situations. Be patient with her as she may struggle with everyday tasks. And most importantly, follow through with the appointments and treatment plan from the mental health professionals."

Frances felt a glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll make sure to take good care of her and follow up as needed."

Henry smiled reassuringly. "You're welcome. We'll be here to support you both through this. If you have any concerns or questions, don't hesitate to reach out."

Frances shook the doctor's hand and left the office, her mind racing with thoughts. As soon as she was gone, Henry picked up the phone and called Richard.

"The job is done, sir. I was able to convince her," Henry said.

Anne and Frances stood in a quiet corner of the hospital hallway, their voices hushed.

"That's what Dr. Henry told me," Frances said, her voice trembling.

Anne looked troubled. "Aunt, Selina has been behaving strangely lately. I don't know what's wrong."

Frances' concern deepened. "How strange?"

Anne hesitated before replying, "She's acting like she doesn't care about her life anymore. She accused herself of cheating the other day."

Frances' eyes widened in shock. "What?"

Anne nodded sadly. "Yes, Aunt, but she didn't do it."

Frances shook her head firmly. "I know she wouldn't dare do a thing like that. I am her mother, and I know what she is capable of."

Anne's voice cracked as she spoke, "I don't want anything to happen to Selina. Aunt, she is my best friend."

Frances placed a comforting hand on Anne's shoulder. "Nothing is going to happen to her. She is a strong girl."

Two weeks later

Selina and Frances sat in the living room, tension thick in the air. Selina looked frustrated as she spoke to her mother.

"Come on, Mom, are we still on this? I've told you, Michael didn't push me on purpose," Selina insisted.

Frances eyed her daughter suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

Selina sighed. "Why would I cover for him? I almost lost my life."

Anne, who had been standing nearby, approached Selina with a mix of confusion and disappointment. "That's exactly what I want to know, Selina. Why are you covering for him?"

Selina's voice grew desperate. "Anne, I can never lie to you or Mom. Michael didn't push me on purpose."

Anne shook her head, exasperated. "Enough, Selina. Please stop lying to my face."

"I'm not," Selina whispered.

Anne threw up her hands in frustration. "You know what? Fine, Michael didn't push you on purpose. Aunt, can we go now?"

Frances looked at Selina with concern. "Love, Anne and I are going to buy some groceries. She's doing it for you."

Selina smiled faintly. "Thanks, Anne."

Anne muttered under her breath, "Whatever." She exited angrily, leaving Frances and Selina.

Frances kissed Selina on the forehead. "We'll be back soon. Bye, love," she said warmly. As soon as she exited, Joe and Lizzy entered the room. Joe gave a nod of approval, looking pleased.

"Good job," Joe said.

Selina's eyes flickered with unease as she replied, "I did it because of my mom. You're not going to take her to court, are you?"

Lizzy's smile was thin and untrustworthy. "We will think about it."

"But you promised," Selina insisted, her voice trembling.

Joe's expression turned cold. "We won't take her to court as long as you keep your mouth shut."

Lizzy leaned in closer, her tone condescending. "But if you think about it, we're trying to help you. We're trying to hold a careless woman accountable, a mother who can't take proper care of her daughter."

Selina's eyes blazed with defiance. "She's a busy mother."

"That doesn't give her the right to neglect you," Lizzy shot back.

"My mom is taking good care of me," Selina said firmly. "Now, please leave."

Lizzy shrugged indifferently. "If you say so."

Joe smirked as they turned to leave. "Have a nice day, Selina."

As the door closed behind them, Selina slumped into a chair, feeling utterly defeated. "God... I can't even tell Mom how my life has turned into hell," she muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, the door swung open again, and Richard entered with a smug expression on his face. "Look what the cat dragged in," he sneered.

Selina straightened up, glaring at him. "Yes, Dad. It seems you can't get rid of me that easily."

Richard laughed mockingly. "Of course I can."

"Then why am I home? Why am I not in the psychiatric hospital?" Selina challenged.

Richard's eyes gleamed with malevolence. "Oh, don't worry about that. You'll be there soon."

"How? Your plan failed," Selina retorted.

"Watch me," Richard hissed.

Without warning, he started banging his head against the wall repeatedly. Selina watched in horror, unable to comprehend what he was doing. "What are you doing? Stop it, Dad, just stop!" she cried out.

Ignoring her pleas, Richard grabbed his phone and dialed Frances. "Hello, you have to come home... S-S-Selina has gone crazy," he stammered, deliberately exaggerating his fear. Hanging up, he shot Selina a triumphant look. "Let's see who wins."

Tears welled up in Selina's eyes as she realized the depths of his cruelty. "You are crazy, Dad. You need help."

Richard chuckled darkly. "Reverse is the case."

Moments later, Frances and Anne burst into the room, panic etched on their faces. "Where is she?" Frances called out.

Frances rushed to Selina, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Everything is going to be okay, love. You are going to be alright."

When Frances noticed Richard's bloodied forehead, she gasped. "Oh my God, Richard, what happened to you?"

Richard looked at her with feigned sadness. "She got violent again."

Frances blinked in confusion. "What do you mean, 'again'?"

Richard sighed heavily, pretending to be troubled. "She has done this before, but I didn't want to worry you. She was breaking everything in the house the last time she got violent."

Selina's eyes filled with tears as she tried to defend herself. "Mom, it's not true! He's making it up!"

Frances rubbed Selina's back soothingly. "Calm down, honey, calm down."

"Don't send me there. I am not crazy!" Selina pleaded, her voice cracking.

Richard's voice was smooth as silk. "It's for your own good, Selina."

Selina's frustration boiled over, and she yelled in desperation. "I said I am not crazy!"

Richard gave Frances a pointed look. "See, honey? This is what I am talking about."

Frances sighed, her heart heavy. "Honey, I won't take you to the mental hospital, but I'll send you to church."

"Mom!" Selina protested, her voice breaking.

Frances looked at her daughter with sorrowful eyes. "I love you, dear, but I can't see you in this condition. I have to help you before it's too late."

Anne nodded in agreement. "Yes, Selina, we need to help you now."

Richard smiled with satisfaction. "Don't worry, daughter, we will always visit you."

Frances squeezed Selina's hand, trying to reassure her. "That's a promise."

Selina's resolve crumbled, and she burst into tears, feeling utterly helpless against the forces conspiring against her.