Chapter 274

Brooks paced anxiously outside the therapy room. Evelyn had been in there for what felt like an eternity-forty-five minutes and twenty-eight seconds, to be exact. This wasn’t his first rodeo with the gut-wrenching passage of time. Just a few days ago, he had been outside the emergency room, waiting and hoping after Evelyn’s desperate attempt to end it all.
Finally, the door creaked open, and Evelyn’s therapist appeared. “How’s Evelyn? Is she alright?” Brooks asked immediately, his voice tight with concern as he strained to see past the therapist.
The therapist stepped out and gently closed the door behind her. Evelyn had been seeing her for months, but this was the first time someone had come along. Earlier, she had asked Evelyn who her companion was. After a pause, Evelyn admitted it was one of the two people she truly trusted. Allowing him to bring her here was a significant sign of trust and acceptance.
Without sugarcoating, the therapist laid it out straight. “She’s not doing well. She has a severe psychological disorder, and it’s only getting worse.”
The words hit Brooks like a punch to the gut, his lips quivering as he clenched his fists at his sides. After a moment, he managed to ask, his voice rough around the edges, “What can I do to help her?”
Brooks didn’t need to ask why Evelyn was suffering. The murder of Charlie haunted her. Knowing Dahlia was the killer, yet being helpless to act because Charles shielded her, was a torment. Unable to seek vengeance for Charlie and forced to endure Dahlia’s taunts, Evelyn was barely holding on. Brooks’ heart ached with regret for not uncovering the truth sooner, for leaving Evelyn to bear this unbearable burden alone.
The therapist, feeling the weight of Evelyn’s struggles, asked, “Is there anything besides her daughter’s death that might have affected her deeply?” Despite the sessions, there had been no breakthrough. It was clear Evelyn’s pain wasn’t solely due to her daughter’s death, but her inability to accept the tragedy.
Brooks shook his head. “I don’t know.” He knew that until Dahlia faced justice, Evelyn wouldn’t find peace. Telling the therapist wouldn’t change that.
The therapist nodded,
understanding the situation. “She’s started having thoughts of self-harm she can’t control. Her condition is deteriorating. Make sure she takes her meds and keeps up with her sessions. Be there for her, don’t let her be alone with her thoughts. Keep her spirits up as best you can. And most importantly, avoid any triggers. She can’t handle them right now.”
“I understand. Thank you, Doctor. When can she come out?” Brooks asked earnestly.
“Soon,” the therapist replied, glancing at her watch. Evelyn’s emotions should have settled by now.
Just then, the soundproof door
opened quietly. Evelyn emerged, and Brooks immediately moved to her side. “Evelyn…” His voice was gentle, brimming with concern, as if he was afraid of breaking her fragile state with a single word.