My mother was in end-stage kidney failure. To save her, my father emptied his life savings. My brother donated a kidney without a second thought. Even my elderly grandmother dragged her frail body to the hospital to care for her day and night. But on the day she was discharged, my mother picked up a kitchen knife and hacked my father, brother, and grandmother to death. I survived only because I was away at boarding school. After killing them, my mother vanished without a trace. The police searched everywhere but found nothing. The case went cold. No one could understand why my mother, who had always been gentle and kind, would slaughter the family that loved her so dearly. Until my wedding day. My mother walked into the ceremony, knife in hand... 1 "Elara, I know this is hard for you, but you don't have to drop out." "You're the top student at the Police Academy. Giving up now is a waste of your talent." Professor Thorne looked at my withdrawal form, his voice filled with concern. I didn't hesitate. "As long as my mother's case remains unsolved, I can't focus on anything else." Thorne sighed. "The department has prioritized this case. A special task force was formed, but there are simply no leads." "I've been analyzing it myself. I've consulted on hundreds of cases, but this one... it makes no sense. Your family was known for being close. Your mother had no history of violence. Why would she do this?" Professor Thorne was a legend in criminal psychology. He had helped solve impossible cases for decades. Yet, even he was stumped by my mother's actions and disappearance. "I'm quitting school to investigate this myself," I said. "Elara, don't be impulsive. She's your mother, yes, but she killed three people. She's dangerous. Investigating alone is reckless." Tears welled up in my eyes. The image of the mother who used to brush my hair, now a wanted fugitive, broke my heart. "If she comes for me, good. Then I can ask her why." My mother, Grace, had always been the heart of our home. She preached that family was everything. I couldn't reconcile that woman with the monster who destroyed us. 2 I moved back into the empty house. The silence was deafening. The faint metallic scent of old blood still lingered in the air. I sat on the couch, staring at the family portrait on the wall. My heart felt like it had been carved out. My parents had been deeply in love. Dad was frugal but would spend a fortune on a dress if Mom liked it. When she got sick, he worked three jobs to buy her the best supplements. Grandma treated Mom like her own daughter. When Mom was hospitalized, Grandma stayed by her side, wiping her face, feeding her. My brother, Noah, was our pride. He gave up a scholarship to Stanford to stay close and donate his kidney to Mom. We were the envy of the neighborhood. The perfect family. Why? I searched every inch of the house for clues. Mom's bedside table still had Dad's hangover pills. Dad's side had books on post-transplant care. Grandma's room was tidy, the jade bracelet Mom gave her stored safely in a velvet box. Noah's room was filled with medical journals, notes on kidney health scribbled in the margins. Nothing. No secret diaries, no hidden debts, no signs of an affair. Finally, I turned to the surveillance footage. 3 I had watched this video a thousand times. The authenticity had been verified by forensics. Dad, Noah, Grandma, and Mom were eating dinner. Halfway through, Mom stood up and walked to the kitchen. She returned with a cleaver. Before anyone could react, she was swinging. The violence was brutal, efficient. She didn't stop until they were unrecognizable. Her face was twisted in a mask of pure rage, as if she were killing her worst enemies, not her family. My family died with shock and confusion frozen on their faces. After confirming they were dead, Mom looked directly into the camera, then walked out the door. For three years, I locked myself in the house, replaying that footage. My boyfriend, Caleb, dropped out of the academy with me. He moved in, took care of me, and tried to help me solve the case. "Elara, it's been three years. We can't find her. The task force has given up. You need to let go." Caleb placed a plate of food in front of me. He looked exhausted. Everyone told me to move on. They said my mother was just a psychopath who snapped. But I knew there was more. Why kill the people who saved her life? One day, while staring at the screen for the millionth time, something clicked. A detail I had missed. I stood up, shouting, "I know the truth!" 4 "What is it?" Caleb asked immediately. "Let's get married," I said. Caleb froze. "Now? What does that have to do with the case?" He had proposed before, wanting to take care of me, but I had always refused. "Just trust me," I said, my eyes burning with intensity. "Announce it. Make it big. Invite influencers, reporters, livestream it. You'll understand soon." Caleb looked at me, saw the resolve in my eyes, and nodded. "Okay." We set the date for two days later. The news spread like wildfire. "Elara Vance is getting married? Her mom is still at large!" "I thought she went crazy from grief. Now a wedding?" The internet buzzed with speculation. On the day of the wedding, the hall was packed. Reporters live-streamed the event. As we were about to exchange rings, she appeared. My mother stood at the entrance of the banquet hall. She was wearing a custom-made cheongsam my father had bought her years ago. In her hand was a rusty cleaver. She looked older, her eyes cold and dead. Guests screamed and scattered. The cameras zoomed in. Livestream comments exploded: "That's the killer mom!" "She's here to finish the job!" "Run, girl, run!" Caleb stepped in front of me protectively. I gently pushed him aside and walked toward her. "Mom," I said calmly. "Long time no see."
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