Chapter 1186 - Descending Into Madness (2)

"Is this a time to sleep?", Jeff's voice startled Marcus.

"Why are you in my dream?", Marcus grumbled.

"A dream? Which part of this is a dream?"

Marcus frowned. "All of it. Go away."

"Uncle. It is only 8 PM. Is this a time to sleep, considering how much trouble you caused me, unsuccessfully? Shouldn't you be trying to fix the mess you caused? Maybe appease all the people who gave you their support and resources for... nothing?"

Marcus bolted up on his feet. He wanted to go and touch Jeff to make sure he is real but decided on a different approach: he pinched himself hard.

Marcus hissed due to the pain. He is not dreaming! But what about Donald and Oscar and those videos and a laptop made out of air? He frantically started touching things on his desk. The PC is real and so is the notebook and pencils, but why is his laptop gone?

"Uncle, are you OK? Do you want me to call some help?", Jeff offered.

"SHUT UP!", Marcus screamed while throwing the papers from his desk on the floor. He was overwhelmed with need to confirm what is real and what is an illusion. Marcus turned to the spot where Jeff was standing, and his anxiety shoot through the roof when he realized that there is no one here. His sight fell back on his desk. Is his PC real? He pushed the monitor on the floor. How about the books in the built-in shelves? Marcus pulled books out in heaps and threw them randomly on the floor behind him.

"Daddy! Daddy!", Samara called in panic when she entered the study room which is an utter mess.

Marcus snapped toward Samara. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

Marcus narrowed his eyes while wondering if she is real or another illusion. "Aren't you in school?"

"I came home two days ago. Daddy, what is going on here?", Samara pointed at the mess.

"What is going on?!", Marcus was bubbling with rage. He saw Samara looking all innocent and confused and he wished to vent his anger on her.

"Useless spawn!", Marcus lunged toward Samara and he was shocked when someone tackled him to the ground. Why is there a bodyguard on top of him but? And he does not recognize him! Did Samara hire her own bodyguards? From what money? She is useless in managing her expenses and Marcus is not giving her any money unless she comes with a reason for what she needs it.

"Who are you? Get off!", Marcus raged while trying to shake off the bodyguard who is pressing him on the ground.

"Are you OK?", Jeff's concerned question was directed at Samara.

"Yes. Thank you for coming. I knew that he is in a bad shape, but I didn't know it's this bad."

Seeing Samara and Jeff talk like loving cousins, Marcus was livid. "What? You are working with him? Traitor!"

"Daddy, I don't know what you are talking about. For days, you are barely sleeping and getting sick from stress. When I suggested that you take it easy or go to a checkup, you refused. I called cousin to check on you because I didn't know what else to do."

"Liar!", Marcus screamed. "You are a traitor! Traitor!"

Jeff turned to the three people who were standing behind him. "As you can see, my Uncle is in a bad shape. He is paranoid and sees things which are not there. I am afraid that he is drifting away from reality…"

"Don't worry, Mr. White. We will take good care of your Uncle.", one man responded.

The man who spoke to Jeff is Dr. Siltanen, a famous psychiatrist. He is a man in his late forties, and he has his own mental institution which caters to who can afford it. Dr. Siltanen saw a lot of things in his career and if he learned anything, that is not to offend powerful people like Jeffrey White.

"Thank you. Hearing your assurance, puts me at ease. The White foundation will make a generous donation to your institution to show my gratitude.", Jeff responded.

Dr. Siltanen nodded with satisfaction before gesturing to his two associates to approach Marcus.

Marcus' eyes widened in horror when he saw that one of two men is approaching him while holding a straitjacket.

"What are you doing?", Marcus shrieked while fighting them off (unsuccessfully). "Get off! How dare you!? You are not real! Stop it! You are not real! I will wake up and you will be gone! When I get my hands on you, you are finished! I will kill you all! Stop…", Marcus' voice trailed away when the sedative they injected him with kicked in.

"I'm sorry, Mr. White that you had to see this…", Dr. Siltanen spoke to Jeff. "It is for his benefit, to avoid any injuries. I assure you that it's nothing dangerous."

"I trust that you know what you are doing.", Jeff responded.

Jeff got his men to help put Marcus on the medical bed.

By now maids and other help in the house gathered in the main lobby and watched as Marcus was being taken away in a straitjacket.

When Marcus was wheeled out of the mansion toward the large black van, the staff exchanged nervous glances and started talking in whispers. They were all concerned, what will happen with Marcus? What will happen to their jobs?

"Dr. Siltanen…", Samara called.

"Yes, Miss White?"

Samara looked at him and blinked. "Please, call me Samara."

Dr. Siltanen's eyes flashed in approval.

"There is one more thing. I am embarrassed that I didn't call you as soon as I found out, but I hoped that my dad will get better…", Samara's voice trailed, and she lowered her head while wiping non-existent tears.

"Please, speak freely…", Dr Siltanen encouraged Samara gently while patting her shoulder.

Samara gestured down the hall.

Reluctantly, Samara opened the door and stepped aside. "That is Jasmine, my father's personal assistant. I heard that he can be rough, but this…"

They found Jasmine tied up on the bed. Her bare body showed bruises and cuts from the abuse Marcus inflicted on her.

Dr. Siltanen frowned at the sight and gestured to one of the associates to check her condition.

"She is alive.", the man responded right away. "It seems that her arm is broken, some of the cuts are infected, her eyes are empty… This is going on for a long time."

Samara wept. "I am sorry Jasmine… If I came home earlier…"

"Don't blame yourself, Samara.", Dr. Siltanen comforted her. "You should not assume guilt for something you didn't do."

"Can you help her out?", Jeff asked while gesturing toward Jasmine.

"We will do our best.", Dr. Siltanen assured Jeff. "We specialize in dealing with mental issues, but we can handle physical ones as well."

"Do whatever you can for this poor woman. I will pay for her medical bills…", Jeff told Dr. Siltanen.

They wrapped Jasmine in bedsheets and carried her outside.

Dr. Siltanen was about to wish them goodnight when Samara spoke again: "Can you check on my brother also? He says that ghosts and Gods are visiting him at night, and he is cooped up in his room, refusing to open the windows. He is so scared that he started wetting his bed."

Dr. Siltanen took a second to compose himself and put his professional smile on. "Lead the way..."

They opened the door of Lukas' room and found him sitting on the bed while hugging his knees. His head snapped toward the door and he looked at people who entered in the room with a crazed expression.

Lukas is over-sensitive because earlier that evening he had (another) visit from the Goddess of the night. It was a hologram and it appeared for few seconds, but it was enough to get Lukas close to a nervous breakdown. Lukas is not aware that the appearance of his nightmare is caused by technology and not by mystical forces.

"Mister White, I am Dr. Siltanen. I am here to see how you are doing.", Dr. Siltanen spoke in a soothing voice while slowly approaching the bed. His brows furrowed slightly when he noticed that Lukas peed himself and is sitting in wet bedsheets.

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