"How can you say that I'm slandering Candice with such conviction, Russell? Do you dare let your personal doctor go through a medical screening? Do you dare let all the mothers here take a look at her belly? She's probably four months pregnant right now!"

Everyone turned to look at Candice, who was in loose clothing, the moment I said this. She started to panic and cry while saying, "You're just trying to make up stories about me because you know I get embarrassed easily. How can you make me reveal my belly in public? Are you trying to ruin my reputation? If that's what you want, let me just die and prove my innocence with my death!"

With that, she ran toward the cliff.

"Candice!" Russell yelled out at her as he ran over to shield her in his arms. When Candice passed out in his arms, looking pale, he turned to me coldly. "You forced me into doing this."

He said to the superiors with a pained look. "I'd like to apply for my wife to be sent to the sanatorium for treatment. I heard that electrotherapy can help with certain brain-related illnesses. I'd like to apply for her to be sent for electrotherapy!"

I turned to the superiors right away. "Everyone! I'm telling the truth! You can check for yourself if you don't believe that the criminals you arrested a few days ago are missing. The only person who could have let them out is Russell!"

This earned a grim look from them, and as they were about to call headquarters about this, Russell's yell interrupted me. "That's enough, Annie!" He turned solemnly to his superiors and said, "I'm using my future as a guarantee that she's spouting nonsense! There is nothing between Candice and me, and we didn't release any criminals to hurt her. If what she's saying is true, I'll willingly give everything up and accept my punishment!"

The superiors exchanged glances and said to me, "Miss Channing, you should accept treatment at the sanatorium. The earlier you get in, the earlier you'll get better."

"No!" I screamed and struggled as Russell's subordinates held me down. They dragged me into the car, and I could only watch Candice smiling gleefully in Russell's arms through the car window. I was consumed with hate as I wondered what Russell would do if he found out that the woman he protected by gambling his future away was only using him as a stepping stone. Would he still do anything for her like this if he knew?

…

After Russell took Candice to the hospital, he was anxious and could not calm down. After thinking about it, he decided to call the sanatorium. He had heard that electrotherapy was a painful process and patients going through it would often lose control of their bowels and even fall limply to the ground, immobile.

Even the toughest criminals would confess while crying after undergoing electrotherapy, much less a weak and frail woman like Annie. If she was really strapped to that chair, who knew what would happen to her…

Just as he was about to call the sanatorium, a messenger stumbled into the room, looking pale as he shouted to everyone inside, "Bad news! Headquarters just sent news that twelve maximum security convicts have gone missing. Someone on the inside has released them!"