Chapter 257: Twisted Fates and Hidden Agendas

The next day was Christmas, a time meant for family reunions. That evening, I had planned to return to the Boltons for dinner, but my mother called early that morning, asking me to visit the Sanders at noon. News of their car accident had already spread. Representing the Boltons, I paid them a visit.

Most of the Sanders family seemed physically fine, but Kate’s mental state was a complete mess. Successive tragedies, coupled with her near-death experience, left her dazed and unresponsive. When I arrived, a nurse was trying to give her an injection. Pushing open the door, I saw Kate barefoot on her bed, her eyes darting around in paranoia, as if everyone was plotting against her.

“Mrs. Sander, please come down from there.”

“Honey, it’s safe here. No one’s going to hurt you!”

As soon as she saw me, Kate jumped from the bed and grabbed my hand. Her voice was urgent and trembling.

“Chloe, hurry! We need to get out of here—there are ghosts in this place!”

Looking into her vacant, disoriented eyes, I quickly understood the situation.

“Mr. Sander, what’s wrong with Kate? I heard there was a minor car issue, but this…”

Josh sighed heavily, the lines on his face deeper than usual.

“I apologize for the embarrassment, Mrs. Bolton. My wife is still shaken from the accident. She just needs rest to recover. Because you resemble our late daughter, she mistook you for her.”

“So that’s what happened.” I smiled faintly and gestured toward Anna, who stood silently nearby. “Mrs. Sander, that’s wrong. I’m not your daughter. She is.”

When Kate saw Anna, she recoiled as if struck by lightning. Like a terrified cat, she darted behind me for cover.

“Chloe, it’s her! She’s the devil! She sowed discord, drove us apart, made the call that got Ethan killed! And last night’s car accident—it was her!”

I found it amusing. When Kate was mentally well, she was under Anna’s thumb, a puppet to her every whim. Now, with her mind fractured, she finally saw the truth. But did it even matter? She was no different from the old me. The Sanders refused to believe her, just as they hadn’t believed me.

“Mom, we’re family. How could I ever harm you?”

Josh’s patience was wearing thin. “What nonsense! Absolute rubbish! Mrs. Bolton, don’t pay any attention to her ramblings.”

“Of course,” I replied with a light smile. “But honestly, Mrs. Sander’s condition isn’t great. Mr. Sander, you should really keep an eye on her.”

Anna smoothly interjected, “Dad, Mom isn’t physically unwell. I suggest we get her to see a psychiatrist.”

“That’s not a bad idea. She can’t keep going on like this, acting so paranoid constantly.”

That’s when it hit me—Anna didn’t just want Kate to see a doctor. She probably intended to have her locked up in a mental institution! What a cruel, calculating woman. She had no mercy, not even for her own family. Last night’s car accident plan may have failed, but it was clear she wasn’t done. She’d likely try to break the family apart further. If Kate were institutionalized, the Sanders would be left with just Josh and the two brothers. That would make things much easier for her to control.

While I was lost in thought, Nelson knocked and stepped into the room. The moment Josh saw him, his urgency was clear. “Captain Tucker, is there progress on my daughter’s case?”

Before he could answer, Kate lunged forward and grabbed Nelson’s arm, her eyes wild. “Captain Tucker! Arrest her! It’s her, she’s the killer!”

Nelson looked startled. After all, this same mother had fiercely defended her daughter not long ago, leaving a strong impression on him. Seeing her like this was a stark contrast.

“Mrs. Sander,” he asked cautiously, “do you have any evidence?”

If she did, it would be a game-changer. Nelson had been investigating this case for a while. Despite focusing his team on Anna, they’d found nothing substantial. If Kate could provide proof, it would finally move the case forward.

But before she could answer, Anna interjected with a calm smile. “Captain Tucker, don’t take her seriously. She’s been a little out of it since the accident. She’s barely rested and still in shock, so she’s not thinking clearly. By the way, what brings you here today?”

Nelson’s expression shifted slightly. “I’m here about last night’s accident. After our inspection, we found that your car had been tampered with.”

Josh’s face darkened. “I knew it! I spend a fortune maintaining that car every year. There’s no way it should have malfunctioned like that. Captain Tucker, you have to find out who did this. It’s terrifying! My entire family was in that car. If something had gone wrong, we’d all be dead!”

Though Josh didn’t overreact like Kate, fear was evident in his expression.

“Family? We all went separate ways except for Anna after leaving the hospital.”

Nelson’s sharp eyes locked onto Anna. “So, during the accident, Ms. Sander was the only one not present?”

Anna’s composure didn’t falter. Her mental fortitude was remarkable. “It sounds like Nelson is disappointed that I wasn’t in the car?”

“Not disappointed, no,” Nelson replied, stepping closer. “Just amazed at how Ms. Sander’s luck always seems to pull her away from danger at the perfect time.”

“It’s not something anyone wants to happen,” Anna said smoothly, her voice laced with concern. “I was just as worried for my parents and brother.”

Nelson closed the distance further, his presence heavy with intensity. “Ms. Sander, are you aware that last night, on the same stretch of road where Ethan died, there was a major car crash?”

“What?” Josh interjected, his voice trembling.

“Yes,” Nelson confirmed, his tone grim. “A three-car collision with significant casualties. The accident happened just ten minutes after yours.”

Josh’s face turned ashen. “So, Nelson, you’re saying, if we hadn’t changed routes at the last moment, the ones who died could have been us?”