Chapter 201

Noticing Zinnia’s furrowed brow, Lydia said soothingly, “Zinnia, it’s okay if you can’t find a cure.” Lydia held little hope. If a cure existed, it wouldn’t have eluded them for over ten years.

Zinnia turned to Lydia and said, “Lydia, Ms. Hollis doesn’t seem to have a mental disorder. It looks more like poisoning.”

Lydia froze. “What?”

Zinnia said, “When we arrived, I observed other patients. Their eyes showed a kind of simple-mindedness, sometimes manic, sometimes melancholic. But Ms. Hollis is different. Her gaze is vacant and unfocused. Her hands tremble slightly if you look closely, and sometimes her pupils seem lost. You said there are times when her eyes turn wild and bloodshot. That’s different from typical mental disorders.” Zinnia’s brow remained furrowed.

Lydia took a deep breath and asked, “What kind of poison?” She didn’t doubt Zinnia’s words. Lydia couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Has the treatment approach been wrong all these years? No wonder Mom never got better. Poisoning? I can’t believe this.’

Zinnia explained, “It’s mind-eroding powder. Once someone is poisoned, it gradually consumes their mind. Initially, they experience mental fog and memory loss, forgetting things seconds ago. If they go too long without the antidote, they’ll descend into madness, experiencing violent headaches, wild eyes, uncontrollable urges to hit people or smash things, and a desperation to destroy everything around them. If the antidote is never given, they’ll eventually lose all reason, becoming an empty shell, lost in their own world. The symptoms mimic mental illness, so doctors misdiagnosed Ms. Hollis. But in reality, she was poisoned.”

Mind-eroding powder was typically used for control. This vicious drug ate away at the mind until the victim became a madman, unable to care for themselves. When Zinnia was a child studying medical books with her master, she learned about this poison. Her master had said, “This poison was developed by an organization to control its members. If anyone betrays them, they are forced to watch themselves go mad, step by step.” It was psychological torture, crueler than death itself. Zinnia never imagined she would encounter such a poison.

“Can this poison be eliminated?” Lydia asked hoarsely. She felt everything Zinnia said perfectly matched Bonnie’s condition. Bonnie was never one to wallow in self-pity. She had once been a dazzling lute virtuoso. Lydia remembered neighbors recounting how Bonnie comforted them even after Lydia’s father disappeared, insisting she could raise Lydia alone. But after Lydia was born, Bonnie’s personality changed, and her sanity gradually slipped away. When Lydia was young, she often saw Bonnie clutching her hair, writhing in agony, and ordering Lydia to hide.

As Lydia grew older, Bonnie’s condition worsened. Her mood swings became more violent, and she often smashed their belongings. Sometimes, Bonnie’s eyes would turn bloodshot as she lost control, strangling herself, desperately trying to restrain herself from hurting Lydia. Terrified Bonnie might fatally injure herself, Lydia would offer herself as a target for Bonnie’s rage. The neighbors claimed Bonnie had been driven insane by depression.

The worst time, Lydia was beaten severely and left lying on the floor. When the neighbors found her, they called the police, and Bonnie was declared mentally ill and committed. None of them imagined Bonnie was poisoned. Lydia wondered how it was possible.

Rummaging through her bag, Zinnia replied, “Yes. I have the panacea. It can counteract any poison.”

Ever since Zinnia was drugged in Yannis’s office, she carried panacea pills, just in case. Over a decade ago, mind-eroding powder was nearly impossible to remove, but Zinnia’s master had developed an antidote.

Zinnia said, “Lydia, once Ms. Hollis takes the pill, she will forget everything from her past.” Zinnia explained the side effects before Bonnie took the panacea. “There’s nothing worth remembering. Maybe it’s better forgotten,” Lydia said, glancing at Bonnie. Lydia thought, ‘What happened before shouldn’t be remembered. Even after Mom lost her mind, she still thought of that man. Maybe it’s best she forgets.’

Zinnia took out a small bottle, tapped out a pill, and handed it to Lydia. “You can give this to Ms. Hollis. Once she takes it, the poison will gradually be neutralized and cleared within three to five days. But her mental recovery will be slower. She has suffered deterioration for over a decade. It will take a long time for her to fully recover. During this period, she’ll behave like a child and need to be taught everything again,” Zinnia added. Zinnia hadn’t expected to find Bonnie poisoned. But poisoning was easier to handle than mental illness; at least she had an antidote.

Lydia took the pill, walked to the bedside, and bent down gently. Bonnie was still clutching her rag doll. She murmured, “Don’t cry. Mommy will take good care of you. Lydia, Lydia, my dear daughter.”

“Mom, I have some candy. Let’s have one, okay?” Lydia coaxed, her heart aching.

“Candy. I want candy,” Bonnie murmured childishly and opened her mouth.

“Here. Let me feed you.” Lydia placed the pill in Bonnie’s mouth. Having taken bitter medicine for years, Bonnie disliked it and preferred sweets.

As the bitter taste spread, Bonnie instinctively opened her mouth to spit it out. “Mom, this is candy. Once you swallow it, it’ll be sweet.” Lydia held Bonnie’s mouth shut. She added, “If you take the medicine, you’ll get better, and then we can go home.”

But Bonnie refused to swallow. She struggled violently, kicking and flailing. Lydia made a struggling sound.

“Lydia.” Zinnia rushed to help, grabbing Bonnie’s arms and pinning them down. Bonnie, with her hands pinned, sank her teeth into Lydia’s hand. Veins stood out, and blood welled up.

“It’s okay,” Lydia said, her expression unchanged despite the sharp pain. She gently tilted Bonnie’s head back. With a convulsive swallow, Bonnie finally took the pill. Zinnia pinched Bonnie’s cheeks, forcing her mouth open and freeing Lydia’s hand. Blood seeped from the bite wound.

After swallowing the pill, Bonnie clutched the rag doll. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and tears fell. The sight was heartbreaking. “Don’t be afraid. Mommy will keep you safe,” Bonnie whispered between sobs.

Zinnia pressed her lips together, her heart aching. Zinnia thought, ‘Even after she lost her mind, her instinct to protect her child remains unbroken.’