A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 400

At that moment, the readings on the computer monitor spiked dramatically. Through the glass, Yvan could see a flicker of lucidity in Matilda's consciousness, as if the question had struck a nerve and ignited an explosion of awareness.

Hatred...

Matilda felt as though she had plummeted into an abyss. Surrounding her was a voice that echoed repeatedly.

"Do you have anyone you despise or hate?"

Hatred... Matilda reached out into the darkness, but her hands were invisible to her.

Did she harbor hatred toward anyone?

Faces flashed through her mind, stirring memories that had lain dormant, beyond the control of her conscious mind. Suddenly, like Pandora's box flung open, those memories flooded into Matilda's thoughts. Blood, wounds, agony, betrayal—she covered her ears, but the echoes of her past screamed back at her, piercing and relentless, leaving her scarred all over.

Why... Why delve into my past...

Why tear through the layers of my disguise...

Why force me to remember...

No... Stay away, don’t come any closer... Save me... Please...

In the darkness, Matilda felt as helpless as a newborn, crying over and over at the core of her consciousness. She clutched her head, tormented by severe pain as if enduring a calamity, her sobs reduced to primal groans.

"Hatred..."

Who do I hate to such depths...