At Springfield Hospital,

"Aveline..." The nurse at the psychiatric department announced.

Aveline got up from her seat and went inside the consultation room.

The doctor pointed at the seat across the desk as she looked at the form filled out by Aveline. She glanced at Aveline, who was in a mask, and checked the name on the form, "Ms. Laurent..."

Only after uttering the name did she realize it was the name Velmora was talking about from Friday. Nevertheless, she didn't show it on her face. "Hallucination!? That's a strong word to use when it's your first visit. Could you share with me what your symptoms are?"

Aveline removed her face mask and relaxed herself first. "My ex-husband is in prison. Yet I imagined him in the crowd on Saturday morning and yesterday afternoon when I went out with my boyfriend. And just an hour ago, I visited my ex-husband in prison."

The doctor paused, realizing why she mentioned hallucination instead of imagination. She calmly began asking some questions, "Do you have any family history of hallucinations?"

"No."

"Are you on any heavy medication? Perhaps drugs?" She asked carefully.

Aveline was blunt, "Currently, I'm not on medication. I was on heavy medication for a month due to slow lead poisoning."

The doctor realized the news of Aveline being poisoned by her ex-husband was true. "You were admitted to this hospital, right?" She asked as she began working on her system.

"Yes. Under Dr. Amelia Grey."

The doctor went through the medicine list under Aveline's name and turned back to her. "I'll do some quick tests to assess how you think, speak, and remember. Is that alright?"

"Sure."

Aveline was simple and plain with her answers without confusing herself or letting anything cloud her thoughts.

Followed by it, a nurse carried out neurological screening for Aveline's reflexes, coordination, and simple memory tasks.

By the end of an hour, she was back in front of the psychiatrist, who checked all the assessment reports, "Ms. Laurent, from what I see, you're alert, coherent, and stable. You don't appear to have a neurological disorder causing hallucinations."

She shook her head as she continued, "In fact, there's nothing pointing to a neurological disorder right now. But let's run scans to be thorough."

Aveline nodded in understanding and watched her write something on the letterhead. Then she called a nurse and gave her some instructions.

"Ms. Laurent, if you are free, why don't you complete the scans and tests? It might take about two hours or a maximum of three. I can schedule it for you on a priority basis."

"No issues, the faster, the better," Aveline responded calmly.

She wanted to rule out the possibility of any problem with her physical health.

"Then our nurse will help you through." The doctor guided her.

Once Aveline left, the doctor dialed Amelia Grey's number. "Doctor Grey, do you know the Laurents?" It was Amelia who asked to take up another appointment in her busy schedule.

[I know the Lancasters. Anyway, is she alright?]

"She is. And no more disclosure about my patient." She was ending the call, but Amelia continued.

[It should be PTSD. She panics at the sound of the monitoring machine.]

"Noted, Doctor Grey." The psychiatrist brushed her off as the reason for Aveline's visit was totally different.

....

On a different floor,

The nurse guided Aveline for an MRI, which took about fifty minutes. Then she was heading for the EEG when she saw Alaric walking towards her.

His overcoat fluttered behind him, while all the eyes in the corridor were on him, his eyes were fixed on Aveline.

His shoulders relaxed at the sight of her, and she smiled helplessly.

She didn't want to worry him, but her father seemed to trust him more than she thought. She didn't say anything when he wrapped her in his arms.

The nurse who was admiring the man stood stunned at the sight. She blushed, looking at them.

Aveline wrapped her arms around him and sighed. "Didn't you win over my father too soon?" She mused, "I even refused to let him come."

Alaric glanced at the MRI room and stepped back slightly. "You should have told me, Sunshine." His voice carried the weight of his concern.

"I knew you would rush here, leaving your work. I would have told you at home." She hadn't thought of hiding it from him. She just didn't want to trouble him.

"Work isn't important." He dismissed her reason, though his tone remained gentle.

Aveline could sense his quiet disappointment at not being informed, "I'm very expensive, Alaric Lancaster. You'll have to work all your life to afford me." She said playfully.

Alaric chuckled, his expression softening. "With your 1 billion lawsuit, we could live carelessly for a few years."

Aveline realized he had gone to Marston & Co. Anyway, she snorted, crossing her arms, "A few years? That's just my pocket money."

Alaric shook his head with fondness, leaning in to kiss her forehead. He had missed her silly banters.

The nurse wanted to faint after eavesdropping on their conversation. 'Who are these people?'

She glanced at the name on the file in her hand, and her eyes widened at the realization. A gasp slipped from her lips before she could cover her mouth.

Aveline glanced at the nurse and spoke to Alaric, "I still have a few tests. EEG next. Do you want to accompany me?"

"Is that even a question?" He took her hand and began walking with renewed purpose.

EEG took about another fifty minutes, and another hour for neuropsychological tests, where Alaric remained in the room.

They returned to the psychiatrist and both sat before her. She studied the brain MRI as she spoke, "Reports are normal. There are no tumors or issues."

Then she checked the EEG, brain wave activity, and shook her head, "No abnormal pattern."

Then she went through the reports of neuropsychological tests that check the memory, focus, and reasoning of the patient. She kept the files away and faced the two.

"This isn't a neurological issue, Ms. Laurent. This could be a trauma response. I'm referring you to a psychologist for counseling. They can then help you unpack trauma, stress, or subconscious fears that cause you to 'see' or 'imagine' that man."

"Thank you, doctor." Aveline responded as she collected the card.

Alaric took her files, and they left the consultation room. Aveline was looking at the card and typing the number on her mobile when he spoke, "How big or small..." he continued, meeting her eyes with quiet sincerity, "... inform me. Silence will create misunderstanding, not solve problems."

Aveline paused, understanding her approach was wrong. "I was scared. I didn't want you to think I was obsessed with Damien Ashford. And... you were silent too." She wasn't the only culprit.

Alaric understood his silence probably scared her more, "I didn't want to say something wrong and hurt you." So he had silently accompanied her instead.

"I know." Aveline knew that. And she whined, "I just want him out of my head, out of my life."

"You're stressed because of all the incidents..."

"No," Aveline cut him off. "I'm traumatized after imagining him. What could be worse than that?"

Alaric chuckled at her dramatics, his tension finally easing. "I can't agree more..."

After lunch, they headed to the psychologist, who charged a whopping amount for each session. In the first session of forty minutes, they barely learned about each other and the problem Aveline had.

The next session was scheduled for a week later, only if she didn't imagine Damien again.

Aveline pouted, standing in front of Alaric, "See, you wasted your whole day."

Alaric pinched her nose, tired of hearing her repeat the same thing about him missing work. "Nothing is wasted, if it's about you."

She snorted and took the driver's seat of her new Bugatti to take him out on a drive.

...

Evening, at Lancaster mansion,

Seraphina crossed her legs, swiping through the pictures of Aveline and Alaric at the prison, then Aveline in front of the hospital, Alaric reaching there, and Aveline attending her first counseling session.

Though she was tempted to publish those pictures and shame Aveline. But she knew Alaric would trace it back to her, and she would be caught.

Looking at the last picture, where Alaric was holding Aveline's nose, her fingers brushed over the Bugatti in the picture.

She was never tempted by cars, fashion, or cosmetics, but she began craving the lifestyle of Aveline. Though she was married into the Lancaster family, she never really got the chance to enjoy their wealth.

Her mobile buzzed with an incoming call. 'Dad' appeared on the screen. She answered, "Dad..."

[How is it going?] Lucien asked.

"She's freaked out. Prison, psychiatrist, scans, and tests. Then a psychologist." Then her teeth clenched, "But Alaric is still beside her."

She couldn't understand how Alaric could stay so calm when it came to Aveline.

[Don't rush. Alaric'll be guarded right now. Let them breathe for a day or two, and assume everything was just a fluke.]

Seraphina leaned back on the sofa, her grip tightening on the phone. A fluke, maybe. Then she would watch their relationship slowly crumble into nothingness.

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