Somehow, Hank managed to get his hands on a caregiver's uniform. He bribed a new janitor, so they could work together to smuggle Mildred out.

I decided to play along.

That evening, I called Samuel and told him that I'd had a nightmare about Mildred and couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. So, I requested his help to keep a close eye on her ward and do more rounds.

He brushed it off as nerves but promised to stay alert.

Around midnight, Hank slipped into Mildred's ward, disguised as a caregiver, pushing a cart piled high with dirty sheets. She was already changed and immediately hid at the bottom of the cart.

Everything went smoothly. They managed to bluff their way past the first security checkpoint and made it all the way to the back exit of the psychiatric hospital, where the bribed janitor was waiting outside.

However, just as Mildred crawled out of the cart…

"What do you think you're doing?"

The shout was followed by the blinding glare of countless flashlights, flooding them in harsh light. Samuel, along with the security team, had just happened to be doing rounds when they caught Mildred and Hank red-handed.

…

The consequences of the failed escape attempt were severe.

Mildred was classified as "extremely dangerous" and transferred to the maximum-security wing deep within the hospital. The windows were barely palm-sized, and the door had four layers of locks.

Her social range was restricted to a 100-square-foot room. She was completely confined.

To my surprise, she still found a way to call Hank. "We're out of options now, Hank."

Her voice over the bug was cold and desperate. "Victor has to die. Only then can I get out, get the money, and end everything.

"I'll find a chance to tell the doctors that my condition's improving and request to meet him. We'll do it at Timberline Lake, where it's remote and deserted at night.

"When the time comes, I'll push him into the water, hold him down, and tell everyone that he was depressed and jumped. As for me, I couldn't save him because I was having an 'episode.'"

"Sure. Let's do it!" Hank's voice was hard with a ruthless resolve. "This is our last shot, Mildred."

As I listened to the conversation through my earpiece, the smile on my lips slowly widened. I knew that when humans were backed into a corner with every exit bolted shut, their evil nature would be revealed without restraint.

The moment I'd been waiting for was here!

…

A few days later, I received a call from Samuel, who told me that Mildred had stabilized significantly. She no longer had any outbursts and could even hold simple conversations.

She strongly requested to see me at Timberline Lake, where we used to go on dates.

"Mr. Crane, we've evaluated her and believe that this could be a positive sign of a breakthrough, which might help her recovery. We'll have two caregivers present to ensure everyone's safety."

"…Alright. I'm willing to give it a try if it helps her get better." I reluctantly agreed.

…

On Friday evening, I parked my car in a small, distant grove, turned off the engine, and waited in silence. A few minutes later, a white van from the psychiatric hospital pulled up before the door opened. Mildred stepped out with two caregivers.

"Could you wait in the car? I'd like a few words alone with my husband. It won't take more than ten minutes," she said.

The caregivers exchanged a glance and nodded. It was all part of the pre-arranged plan.

Mildred took a deep breath, smoothed her clothes, and walked toward the man standing by the lake in a beige trench coat. It was my favorite coat, which I wore all the time.

With a splash, water splattered everywhere.

The man was swallowed by the freezing lake before he could even react. He gasped and sputtered, thrashing wildly in the water.

"Mildred, it's me!"

However, Mildred couldn't hear him, or rather, she didn't care. Without hesitation, she dived in after him and pinned his head down, forcing him under over and over again.

"Die! Just die, you bastard! You ruined everything!" she hysterically screamed, as if she'd completely lost her mind.

The man's struggle lessened until finally, the last string of bubbles vanished from the surface of the water.

Gasping for air, Mildred stood there with a satisfied, twisted smile.

She'd done it! She'd killed me! She could almost see freedom and fortune waving at her!

Just then, a curious voice drifted out from the darkness behind her. "Honey, what are you doing?"