“Never mind, never mind. I still have to study later. Look at her, she can’t even hit a fly with three sticks. It’s not interesting. Let’s go.” One of the prisoners standing next to Emilia watching the commotion looked at Queena who was silent and just standing there and lost interest immediately. She walked over with a frown, impatiently glanced at Queena and pulled on the short-haired female prisoner’s sleeve, telling her not to cause any trouble.
They would be released in a few years but it was different for Queena; she couldn’t afford to create any more problems during this critical time.
The short-haired female prisoner was dragged away while Emilia and her two companions left for their studies. Queena leaned against the wall slowly stood up, eyes filled with resentment as she watched them leave.
She would pay back every bit of bullying she received here!
“Queena.”
The prison door opened as a police officer called out to the women inside, “Someone is here to see you; come with me.”
Someone came to see her?
Queena was puzzled; she had already become an outcast among everyone else so who could possibly want to visit her? But regardless of what she thought, she followed the police officer out into the communication room where Florence stood on the other side of glass.
Queena narrowed her eyes slightly and furrowed her brows upon seeing Florence again, this woman whom she knew all too well.
“Miss Doyle, Queena is here,” said the police officer before Florence turned around from looking outside through another windowpane in front of hers. She gave off that same proud look mixed with slight provocation in her eyes that hadn’t changed since they last met.
Florence sat across from Queena taking hold of one earpiece while observing this woman sitting across from herself looking worn-out.
“It has been such a long time,” said Florence softly.
“I never thought you’d come visit me,” replied Queena laughing lightly but insincerely, knowing full well that Florence wasn’t doing it out of kindness alone.
Florence didn’t show any particular expression towards what had been said either; she knew how easily predictable someone like Queene could be manipulated like a puppet by others throughout their entire life.
“Don’t be like that… I might even be able to help you get out if I talk things over with some officers on your behalf. I know how badly things are going for you now being stuck inside prison walls.”
As soon as Queena heard the words “get out,” her eyes lit up. God knows what kind of life she had been living since entering prison, and every moment she thought about running out to find Patrick and tell him how much she loved him.
But before this, she never thought that one day the person who would help her get out would be Florence.
She will help her?
Queena became alert immediately, unconsciously clenching the phone with her fingers. “You’ll help me? You’re so kind?”
“Don’t look at me like that.” Florence’s face remained unchanged. “Besides, I know what you want. Putting aside Patrick’s relationship with you, we both have a common enemy. The enemy of our enemy is our friend, isn’t it?”
This sentence undoubtedly hit Queena in her heartstrings; yes, they both disliked Jane and even saw her as a thorn in their side.
“So what do you want?” Queena paused for a moment and stared at Florence tightly with eyes full of desire.
She wanted to leave here as soon as possible.
A hint of satisfaction appeared in Florence’s eyes because Queena had said this sentence; it meant that she was already interested. So now was the time for Florence to seize control over her opponent.
“I want you to tell me all the details about when Patrick and Candy were kidnapped years ago,” said Florence confidently. “If everything you say is true, I’ll make sure someone comes to get you out quickly.”
Florence had thought things through clearly; if she wanted to take down Jane, then everything hinged on Candy; there was no other way around it.
Because she couldn’t have Patrick herself and felt jealous towards Jane multiple times since cutting herself for him initially, leading gradually into madness; now everything seemed aimed not at getting Patrick but taking down Jane instead: an imagined foe only in Florence’s mind.
“Is that all?”
Florence nodded slightly while Queena’s eyes lit up again with hope reignited within them once more.
“Okay then! I promise if you can get me out from this dark place where there seems no end or light visible anywhere, then I’ll tell you everything!” At present nothing mattered more than leaving here behind forever…
Upon hearing these words from Queena’s mouth, Florence already knew exactly how things would play-out: since Candy wasn’t real anyways, using these details could create another “Candy” altogether by mixing truth and lies together seamlessly without any issues arising…
For the past few days, Rory had been giving Carl acupuncture in the hospital. Nana would also come whenever she had free time and spend her days in the hospital room, taking care of Carl by wiping his hands and feet, which had become a daily necessity. She would also communicate with Rory about Carl’s current condition.
“Rory, how is Carl doing today?”
When Nana arrived, Rory was just finishing up removing all of the needles from Carl’s body and putting them away in his acupuncture kit.
“The bruising on his head has cleared up quite a bit. However, whether he can wake up or not will depend on tomorrow. Acupuncture cannot guarantee that it will cure everything. I have done everything I can.”
“Okay, thank you so much Rory!” After hearing that there was a chance for Carl to wake up now that the bruising on his head had been mostly cleared out, Nana became very excited. At least there was hope now instead of waiting around helplessly.
After Rory left, she sat down by the window and held onto Carl’s hand tightly while resting her cheek against it as tears streamed down her face.
“Carl please wake up… I promised you… if you wake up I’ll marry you… I promise…”
The next morning when Nana hadn’t woken yet, Carl moved slightly causing his eyebrows to furrow lightly indicating signs of waking soon enough!
In just one moment later, slowly but surely, he opened his eyes adjusting to sunlight after being in darkness for so long made him squint at first glance; even feeling strange with an oxygen mask covering half of his face but then turned towards where Nana lay sleeping beside him.
For an instant moment, there seemed like such a gap between them as if they were worlds apart from each other.
[It’s been so long…she must be worried sick about me…compared to before she seems thinner…]