Chapter 702

After Abigail had calmed down a bit, Dora held her in her arms and gestured for Jane and Samuel to take a seat. Abigail wrapped her tiny arms around Dora’s neck, her head drooping in silence for a long while before she finally looked up at Jane. With a timid voice, she asked, "Jane... can you help me?" As the secondary personality, she would never have dared to say this before. But after spending these past few days with her mother, she had truly felt happiness something she didn’t want to lose. She couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her mom, let alone dying so young. Yet, she could no longer communicate effectively with the primary personality. Adrianna had hurt the primary personality too deeply... Jane understood what Abigail meant. "I can’t treat psychological disorders myself, but I can ask my brother for help. He can connect you with experts in the field. As long as you’re willing to cooperate..." "I am willing!" Abigail blurted out eagerly, but then her shoulders slumped slightly. "But... she might not be. Still, if she doesn’t even want to live anymore... then maybe it’s okay if I’m the one who stays?" Hearing this, Jane was suddenly reminded of their first meeting how Abigail had reached out to be her friend, insisting on being her only friend. In a way, treating dissociative identity disorder was like committing a kind of murder. After all, it meant erasing an independent consciousness from the world. Jane had discussed this with Abigail before, which was why Abigail had initially refused treatment. She believed the two of them could coexist peacefully in one body. But now... Though the idea of letting Abigail’s other personality disappear gave Jane a faint pang of discomfort, she knew this was the only way for Abigail the person before her to truly grow and thrive. Reaching out, Jane gently took one of Abigail’s hands in hers, offering comfort. "It’s okay. With such a wonderful mom like Auntie Dora, I’m sure she’d want to live a happy life and grow up well too. It’s just... her personality is already formed. She might not be able to control herself. Getting treatment is the best thing for both of you." After finalizing plans with Abigail, Jane dialed Lester's number. "Brother Lester, do you know any top-notch psychologists specializing in dissociative identity disorder?" "Sure do," came the familiar voice from the other end. "Looking for a doctor to treat Auntie Dora's daughter, is it?" Just then, another recognizable voice crackled through the line. Jane tilted her head in confusion. "Brother Lester, are you still with Brother Mateo?" Lester's lips curved into a smile, about to confirm, when Mateo—who'd been listening on speakerphone—suddenly brandished a soup ladle threateningly from the kitchen. His peach-blossom eyes glinted with unmistakable warning. The smile on Lester's face softened with affection as he swallowed his initial response. "No, that was just my assistant briefing me earlier." He glanced at Mateo bustling over the stove and added smoothly, "Jane, I've already contacted my colleague. He'll reach out to Auntie Dora directly." Then, lowering his voice slightly, "Got a patient waiting now let's catch up later, alright?" "Okay!" Jane chirped, hanging up without a trace of suspicion. She'd met Lester's assistant a few times; the voice similarity didn't seem unusual. After informing Auntie Dora about the impending specialist consultation, Jane squeezed the woman's hand earnestly. "Auntie, please stay home with Abigail until her treatment wraps up. Call me anytime you need help I'll move mountains for you!" "Thank you, sweetheart," Dora whispered, eyes glistening as words failed her. Not wanting to intrude further, Jane tugged her Brother Samuel's sleeve and bid farewell. "Grrr—" The moment they settled into the car, an indignant growl erupted from Jane's stomach. She clapped both hands over the offending area, then met her brother's amused gaze with wide, innocent eyes. "Ahem," she declared, chin lifted with dignified hunger, "Breakfast first. Starvation protocols activated!" Samuel reached out and ruffled her little head affectionately. "Alright, I will take you for breakfast. What do you feel like eating?" "Fried dough sticks!" Jane blurted out without hesitation. She used to love crab roe buns and such, but things were different now. The more John warned her about certain foods being unhealthy, the more she inexplicably craved them. Though Samuel also considered street snacks like fried dough sticks less than ideal, he figured an occasional treat wouldn’t do much harm. So he took her to a cozy, no-frills eatery and ordered two bowls of soy milk along with two crispy fried dough sticks. Jane eagerly broke the dough sticks into pieces with her chopsticks, dunking them into the warm soy milk. The outer layer remained delightfully crunchy, while the inside soaked up the milk, turning soft and sweet. Each bite was a perfect mix of textures. She savored every mouthful, her face radiating pure contentment. Seeing her so happy, Samuel usually stoic and reserved couldn’t help but smile tenderly. Once she finished, he scooped her up and carried her back to the car. Jane obediently settled into her child seat, swinging her tiny feet in the air as her brother fastened her seatbelt. "Big bro, can you drop me off at school?" Samuel drove her to the school gates. The moment she stepped into the classroom, Melanie’s sharp gaze locked onto her. But with class about to start, there was no chance for conversation even if she clearly had something to say. The second the bell rang, Melanie materialized in front of her desk. "So you’re really not going to do anything about Veronica’s situation?" Jane shook her head vigorously, like a spinning rattle drum. "Nope. She’s got nothing to do with me. Besides, an unexplained death is a criminal case that’s the police’s job, not mine." She had never been one to meddle in other people’s business. "It's highly likely that Veronica's death is connected to Aaliyah and Rory. Don't you want to use this opportunity to teach them a lesson?" Jane shook her head vigorously again, like a rattle-drum. "Sister Melanie, let me tell you something you're someone who keeps grudges and favors very clear. If someone crosses me, I'll only retaliate just enough. If Rory messes with me once, I'll put her in her place once. But this time, she didn't mess with me, so why should I bother with her?" Melanie studied Jane with a knowing look and nodded slowly. "Hmm, you really do have a clear sense of justice, don't you?" She had finally figured it out. Jane wasn't refusing to use Veronica's death as an excuse to deal with Rory because of some noble principle it was purely because she was just too lazy!