Mom had reached the final stage of kidney failure.
To save her, Dad poured out every last coin of his savings.
My brother didn’t hesitate; he gave up one of his kidneys without a second thought.
Even Grandma, frail with age, stayed by her side day and night, refusing to rest.
But on the day Mom was discharged from the hospital, she picked up a kitchen knife and slaughtered them all: Dad, my brother and Grandma.
I survived only because I lived on campus.
After the killings, Mom vanished without a trace.
No matter how hard the police searched, she was like a ghost, gone without a clue.
The case turned into a chilling mystery. No one could make sense of how a gentlewoman, once the heart of our family, could butcher the very people who gave her everything.
Not until the day I got married, Mom appeared at my wedding with a knife in her hand.
——
"Rosalie, I know you’re struggling after everything that’s happened to your family. You don’t have to give up school,"
My mentor looked at the withdrawal form I handed in, her voice full of heartfelt concern.
"You’re the most outstanding student in our police academy. It’d be such a shame to throw that away now."
Without hesitation, I gave a firm reply.
"As long as my mom’s case remains unsolved, I won’t be able to focus on anything else."
He let out a long, weary sigh. "The city’s taking this case very seriously. A special task force has been formed, but there is still not a single lead."
"I’ve been combing through the details myself these past few days. I’ve helped crack countless cases, even the most twisted ones. But this, your mom was always known for her warmth and your family, everyone admired how close-knit you all were. Why would she suddenly snap like that?"
My mentor wasn’t just any teacher; he was a legend in our academy. A brilliant mind who had trained some of the best detectives in the country.
He had solved cases that others deemed impossible, uncovering truths hidden in shadows.
But this time, after an entire week of digging, even he came up empty-handed.
No motive. No trail. Nothing.
"I’m leaving school to investigate the case myself," I said flatly.
His expression tightened and he immediately tried to talk me down.
"Rosalie, don’t be reckless. She may be your mother, but she murdered your whole family."
"You have no idea when she might strike again. Even you might not be safe."
"This case isn’t something you can shoulder on your own. It’s dangerous, far too dangerous."
Just thinking about how the woman who once cradled me in her loving arms had now become a name people whispered in fear, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
"If she really did come looking for me, that would almost be a relief."
"At least then, I could finally ask her face-to-face why she did it."
For as long as I could remember, Mom had always been gentle and kind to the core.
She met everyone with a smile and often told us, "Family is a person’s greatest harbor. There’s nothing more sacred than blood."
I couldn’t make sense of it. I didn’t want to believe it.
She had always doted on us, adored Dad and treated Grandma with respect.
So why did she destroy the very people she claimed to love most?
With that confusion weighing heavy on my chest, I turned down my mentor’s plea without hesitation.
I dropped out and went back home.
The house that once echoed with laughter now sat in chilling silence.
I sank onto the couch and stared at the family portrait of the five of us hanging on the wall.
The faint metallic scent of blood still clung to the air, refusing to fade.
It felt like someone had carved a piece straight from my heart and the wound wouldn’t stop bleeding.
For years, Mom and Dad had been inseparable, just as in love as the day they met.
Dad lived simply, never one to splurge, but I still remembered how he once bought her an expensive dress just because she paused in front of a shop window and smiled at it.
