My daughter, who married and moved across the country, has been acting a little strange lately. She happily announced she was pregnant, and then happily told me she lost the baby, saying it gave them more time to enjoy being a couple. She happily said she was coming home for Thanksgiving, and then happily canceled, saying she couldn't bear to be separated from her husband. She always smiled so blissfully. But I noticed something. In the video calls, she sat completely rigid. She never moved from that chair. 1 When my daughter told me she wasn't coming home for Thanksgiving, she had a look of pure bliss on her face. She said Derek had to work overtime during the holidays and couldn't get away, and he was being super clingy. She couldn't bear to leave him alone, so she wouldn't be coming back to her hometown this year. My son-in-law, Derek Thorne, appeared on the video call, looking like the most honest, dependable guy in the world, and apologized to me. I smiled. "You young people have your careers. Mom understands." I smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Derek instantly let out a long sigh of relief. What he didn't know was that my palms were completely slick with sweat. In the video, my daughter looked radiant. Beautiful clothes, flawless makeup—everything screamed that she had a loving husband backing her up. But I saw it. My energetic, lively daughter didn't move a single muscle in her legs for the entire duration of the call. 2 When I said I was going to fly out to Seattle, my son Nate laughed. "Mom, are you worried Derek isn't treating my sister right?" "Every man in the world could be a bad guy, but not Derek." I couldn't blame Nate for thinking that. Derek's appearance was incredibly deceiving. He looked like the salt of the earth. Back then, when my daughter graduated from college and said she wanted to marry him and move all the way to Seattle, I was strictly against it. But Derek cried, tears streaming down his face, and dropped to his knees in front of me twice, begging for my blessing. That actually made me even more terrified to let her marry him. A man who will drop to his knees that easily to get what he wants? If he ever turns cruel, he'll be more ruthless than a normal person. My daughter was the soft, precious little treasure I had held in the palm of my hand her entire life. If she suffered miles away where I couldn't see her, what could I do? But my daughter was completely blinded by his dramatic display. She swore she wouldn't marry anyone else. She said, "Mom, I promise I'll be happy. All I need is your blessing." She had been married and living over there for almost a year now. She constantly told me how happy she was. 3 Nate was still laughing at me for worrying too much. I said, "I just miss your sister. She lost the baby, and she wouldn't even let me fly out to see her." Nate scratched his head. "That's true. We haven't seen her in a long time. No one's been around for me to bicker with. Let's go together." Nate was an abandoned baby my daughter had found and brought home, so his bond with his older sister was exceptionally strong. We didn't tell my daughter we were coming to Seattle. Nate and I booked a hotel right next to her luxury condo building. Early the next morning, I bundled up in a heavy coat and sat on a bench outside her building. During the morning commute rush, my daughter didn't appear. Derek left alone. During the evening rush hour, my daughter still didn't appear. Derek returned alone. I texted her: What are you up to? She replied saying work was exhausting today, so Derek was treating her to a steak dinner at home. She said she couldn't chat long. I just sat on that bench. I had imagined a million horrifying scenarios, but nothing could compare to the bone-chilling reality of the next moment. A sudden, explosive roar echoed from the balcony above: "You worthless bitch! Which guy are you thinking about today?!" Two neighbors walking past looked up, stopped in their tracks, and started whispering. From the looks of it, they were used to this. They probably heard it all the time. "The guy on the second floor is screaming at his wife again?" "Tsk, tsk. It's so pathetic. Such a sweet, pretty girl, and she gets psychologically tortured every single day." "I heard they locked her in that room for weeks. I wonder if they finally let her out." I tried desperately to control my trembling lips as I approached them. "Locked her up? That severe? Why hasn't anyone called the cops?" "Who would dare? That guy said if she ever tried to call for help, he'd destroy her whole family. His dad is some big-shot politician or businessman with serious connections. No one wants to cross them." "Does the girl not fight back?" "She tried, but it only made it worse. She tried to run away once, and they stressed her out so badly she ended up miscarrying the baby." "The poor thing doesn't have any family nearby. Her husband's whole family is absolute garbage. The old and the young, they all gang up on her." "Why do they bully her?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Ugh, I heard the father-in-law made inappropriate advances on her, and she refused him." "When the mother-in-law and the husband found out, the father-in-law spun the story and claimed she was the one trying to seduce him." "Now the whole family locks her up and treats her like a prisoner." The neighbor spoke without hesitation, carrying a tone of righteous anger. I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. Listening to the vile, unspeakable curses raining down from the floor above, I dialed my daughter's number. My precious girl. Mommy is here to save you. Every ounce of torment you've endured, I will repay them a hundredfold! 4 Upstairs, the man's roaring continued. Then, my daughter, who hadn't made a sound, suddenly burst into tears. "It's my mom calling! Let me answer it before you keep yelling!" "Don't make her suspicious." "What does it matter if she's suspicious? She's a weak old woman, what the hell is she going to do?" "You filthy bitch. I bet you and your mother both worked the streets, didn't you?" Every single word. I heard it loud and clear. Every single word came from the mouth of the man who looked so honest and dependable. The moment the call connected, I desperately wanted to ask my sweet girl if she was hurting. But through the receiver, my daughter forced a laugh. "Mom! Why are you calling?" "If you need something, say it quick. Derek is cutting my steak for me." I gritted my teeth. "Good! Enjoy your meal, sweetie." Derek's voice suddenly chimed in. "Mom? Your voice sounds a little weird. Are you okay?" I said, "I just miss my Sophie." Derek replied smoothly, "Mom, I'm so sorry. As soon as this big project is over, Sophie and I will fly back to see you." He was trying to pacify me. Which meant he still knew fear. His family had money and status. Even though they looked down on my lack of wealth and power deep down, I hadn't done anything to lose my dignity as a mother-in-law, so he didn't dare drop the facade completely. I pretended I didn't know a thing. I sighed and said, "As long as you're good to Sophie, I can rest easy." "Unlike Sophie's father." "Domestic violence, cheating, always mocking me for being a weak woman who couldn't do anything about it." "I didn't want Sophie to grow up without a dad, so I kept enduring it. I endured it for years." "But in the end, I just couldn't hold back anymore." Derek stuttered, "C-couldn't... couldn't hold back?" "W-what... what do you mean?" "Did you kill Sophie's dad?" I let out a low, eerie chuckle. "When you're pushed past your breaking point, you snap." "I was so angry I grabbed a kitchen knife. I cut off his lower half first, then his dominant hand." "He always acted so tough and terrifying, but in the end, he was lying at my feet like a headless, dead dog." "T-then... how come... you... you aren't in prison?" Derek was trembling so badly he could barely string a sentence together. Coward! Are you scared already? I said casually, "Oh, I was diagnosed with temporary insanity. Intermittent explosive disorder." "Triggered by his abuse. I didn't have to face any criminal liability." "But don't worry, Mom is completely cured now." "G-good... that's good. Cured is good. Uh, Mom, I have to hang up now. Sophie is eager to eat her steak." I smiled. "Okay! Her dad used to love cutting steak for me too. But his knife skills... they were never as good as mine." Upstairs, the apartment finally went dead silent. 5 It started snowing. My sweet girl, at least on this snowy night, you won't have to endure their screaming, right? I sat on that bench until the early hours of the morning. My heart ached more than it ever had in my life, and I hated myself more than I ever had. When my daughter left, I was so angry I had said harsh words: "If you end up miserable, don't come crying to me." Oh, my sweet girl... did you really think you couldn't come to Mommy? Didn't you know that in this world, your life is more important to me than my own? Back then, when I found out I could never have children, I lost all hope. I thought I would just sleepwalk through the rest of my life. Until I met you. You were so tiny, wrapped in a thin blanket, braving the freezing wind in that dark Chicago alleyway, and you smiled at me. You were the brightest ray of sunshine in my life. And someone dared to humiliate and break you? Then they truly deserved to die. Nate found me. He asked why I wouldn't let him contact his sister and brother-in-law, and why I didn't go back to the hotel. I looked at him and said, "Nate, if anything ever happens to Mom, you remember to protect your sister, okay?" "Do you remember when your sister grabbed a baseball bat and fought off a group of guys just to protect you?" "It wasn't because she wasn't scared. It was because she loved you more." "Mom, you know how fierce my sister is. Who would dare bully her? She's the one protecting me." I sighed. "She married far away from home. She lost her foundation." "And you and I are her weaknesses." "When people hold your weaknesses hostage, you lose your courage." Nate looked at me, questioning. I said, "Let's head back." Back at the hotel, I took a long, hot shower. I knew that this would be the last moment in my life where my hands were completely clean. 6 Early the next morning, I went back to my daughter's building. The freezing wind howled. Heavy snow fell. The world was a blinding expanse of white. I remembered the first time my daughter saw snow. She was so excited she jumped and laughed. She rolled around in the snow and said she wanted to move to a place where it snowed all the time when she grew up. She got her wish. But I regretted so deeply that I never warned her: the thicker and more beautiful the snow, the more it hides the filthy, rotting garbage underneath. The more pristine the snow falls, the more disgusting the grime beneath it becomes. She was too kind. I couldn't bear to tell her about the absolute evil in this world. The sun hadn't fully risen yet. It was the coldest part of the winter morning. My daughter's parents-in-law arrived. They hurried upstairs. Beneath their well-groomed, wealthy exteriors lay an unmistakable, sinister malice. Moments later, furious screaming erupted from the floor above. "You cheap bitch! You little slut!" "You're the daughter of a murderer, and you're trying to act pure and innocent?!" That was Mr. Thorne's voice. "How dare you lie to me! You daughter of a psycho! You mental case!" That was Derek's voice. "I knew she was no good from the start! You two were just blinded by a pretty face!" That was Mrs. Thorne's voice. But these were the exact same people who, a year ago, traveled thousands of miles to my home to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage. They were so polite, so refined, exuding nothing but excellent upbringing. His mother had held my hand gently and said, "Sophie's Mom, I don't have a daughter. I've always wanted a sweet girl of my own." "I will treat Sophie exactly like she's my own flesh and blood." "If Derek ever dares to bully her, I'll be the first one to teach him a lesson." I had replied coldly, "What kind of lesson?" Their entire family froze. They clearly hadn't expected me to ask that, nor had they ever thought about actually punishing their precious son. But I just waited quietly for their answer. After a long pause, his mother said that if her son did wrong, I could hit him or curse him however I pleased. I smiled and said, "I'd strip him of everything and make sure his bloodline ends with him." In their minds, it was just a tough-sounding joke. But in my heart, it was a solemn vow. So, my sweet girl, my little Sophie, remember to lean on Mommy. Mommy will always, always protect you. 7 The upstairs apartment was a cacophony of noise. Two neighbors walking out to buy coffee looked up, shook their heads, and kept walking. It was clear they were entirely used to this. My sweet girl, my little Sophie, how much torture have you endured? So much that the neighbors treat your suffering as background noise? How did you manage to still smile for me on camera? When you tried to escape from the second floor, were you trying to die, or just trying to run? When you lost the baby, how much did it hurt? Thinking back to the joy on your face when you told me you were pregnant... did you think the baby would be your ticket out of the abuse? Yesterday, a neighbor told me that when the poor girl on the second floor first got pregnant, her husband treated her a little better. But after her father-in-law came over to deliver some groceries, her husband started screaming at her again. And he got even more vicious. Escalating the psychological torment. This was a high-end luxury condo. The residents all looked civilized. But almost the entire building had heard him roaring: "You filthy bitch! Whose bastard is in your stomach? Is it my son, or my fucking brother?!" A neighbor who couldn't stand it anymore had called in an anonymous tip to the police. But when the cops arrived, the poor young wife was too terrified to say a single word. It was obvious the poor girl had been completely brainwashed and manipulated by her husband's family. Upstairs, the sound of cursing mixed with the sharp, piercing crash of breaking glass. My heart hurt! It hurt so much I couldn't breathe. I stared blankly at that window, thinking: Good. Good! What a wonderful family! "I'll do a good deed and ensure your whole family is neatly and permanently packed together before the New Year." 8 From beginning to end, my sweet girl didn't make a single sound. I desperately wanted to hold her right now and ask if she was scared. But it was a little too early. The flight to Chicago still had some time before boarding. Don't be afraid, my sweet daughter. Just endure it a little longer. Mommy's New Year's gift to them is about to arrive. I saw the delivery guy heading upstairs. ... They must have received it, because the cursing abruptly stopped. Then, screams of absolute terror erupted from upstairs. The sound was music to my ears. Scream all you want. Because you won't have many more chances to scream in the future. 9 I took out my phone and dialed my daughter's number. I asked casually, "Sophie, Mom sent you a taxidermy dog head." "Look closely at that dog head. Look familiar?" "It's the vicious dog that bit you when you were in high school." "Letting it live this long was a mistake on my part." "It's the holidays. A vicious dog like that doesn't deserve to see the New Year, so I butchered it." "Dog meat is actually considered a delicacy in some places." "Good things shouldn't be kept just for your husband." "Make sure to show your respect and serve it to your father-in-law and mother-in-law." I knew their whole family would definitely have the phone on speaker, so my voice was completely flat and calm. For the first time, I heard my sweet girl's voice: "Mom, thank you! Also... don't worry about me. I'm fine. Do not come here!" I said a simple, "Okay!" and calmly hung up the phone. My daughter knew I was coming. Her kind heart was still worried about me, subtly warning me to stay away. She probably guessed I was coming the moment I brought up her "father." She was an abandoned child I adopted. There was never a father in her life. Our family of three had fought with everything we had for so many years just to live a decent life. And now, the Thorne family had ruined it all in less than a year. The snow fell gracefully. I sat on the bench, quietly extending my hand. A snowflake melted silently in my palm, as if it had never existed. There are some people in this world who simply do not deserve to exist. 10 A short while later, the Thorne family of three hurried out of the building, clutching their briefcases, clearly rushing to work. Their faces were pale, their expressions a mix of terror and grim tension. I glanced at my watch. The flight to Chicago was in two hours. I waited for another full hour before heading upstairs. I rang the doorbell, but no one answered. I knew my daughter was inside. I called her phone again. Surprisingly, Derek answered. He feigned surprise: "Mom, I accidentally brought Sophie's phone with me to work." I said, "That's fine, it's nothing urgent. I just forgot to tell her you shouldn't drink tea if you eat dog meat." Derek said, "Got it, Mom. I'll let her know later." I hung up the phone, my heart burning with anxiety. They were going to extreme lengths to prevent my daughter from contacting me alone. Her situation must be even worse than I imagined. I had Nate pay top dollar for a professional locksmith. The kind who could crack a lock in under a minute. Because from a distance, I had spotted a security camera installed outside my daughter's door. It would take the Thorne family at least thirty minutes to rush back from their offices. Which meant I had a maximum of thirty minutes to get my daughter out.
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