Chaos Girl Rewrites the Script novel Chapter 1

What's past is prologue.

***

"Let me be blunt. I'm sick. Mentally ill."

In the VIP reception room, Vivienne Lexton was slumped listlessly in her chair. Two thin straps held up her blush-pink dress over her straight, slender shoulders. The way she simply leaned back was enough to conjure the very picture of a devastating siren.

"Huh?"

The visual impact was so overwhelming that the man across from her was momentarily stunned.

Vivienne frowned. "What do you mean, 'huh'?"

The man looked embarrassed, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. "Mrs. Ravenshire, please don't be upset. Could you elaborate on why you've reached this conclusion?"

"I'm constantly having hallucinations," Vivienne said. "I keep hearing someone… no, a blob of something, talking to me. I've looked it up online. It's schizophrenia."

The man opened his notepad, jotted down a few notes, and then set his pen down. "Mrs. Ravenshire, it's like this: people can experience hallucinations under many circumstances. You don't seem to be in a very good state of mind. Perhaps what you really need is a good night's sleep."

Vivienne lifted her eyes and gave the man a cold look. "Is that your final diagnosis?"

The man fell into a strategic silence. He couldn't afford to offend the woman in front of him.

After a moment's thought, he picked up his pen again, ready for business. "My apologies. That was unprofessional of me. Please forgive me, Mrs. Ravenshire. Could you tell me more about these hallucinations?"

Vivienne didn't press the issue and quickly got back on topic. "There's this voice in my head. It's annoying, always instigating and encouraging me to do bad things. If I don't listen, it takes control of my body."

It was a common story among psychiatric patients.

The Ravenshires were the top financial dynasty in Athelvia. The day Bianca had her accident, every high-level executive at Stormhollow Deepwater Port's hospital was on high alert. Neurological experts from home and abroad were flown into the city overnight for consultations.

At the time, everyone was wondering who would dare to touch someone from the Ravenshire family, given their status in Athelvia.

It turned out the culprit was this young Mrs. Ravenshire. That explained everything.

The man's mind was racing, but he didn't dare let any of it show. He cautiously probed, "So you suspect you were 'controlled'?"

"It's not a suspicion," Vivienne said. "I *was* controlled."

The man was at a loss for words. Young Mrs. Ravenshire's behavior seemed less like schizophrenia and more like an attempt to absolve herself of her crimes. Had she watched too much TV and thought she could get away with anything by claiming insanity?

Vivienne saw right through him. She tilted her chin up and leaned forward. "You're a doctor, not a cop. Do I need to remind you of the professional ethics a senior psychiatrist should possess?"