My husband, Mark, was a renowned psychologist, a master of hypnosis, never having failed a single session. Yet, when he was treating my mom, his hypnosis went disastrously wrong. Her condition relapsed, and she plummeted from the rooftop. I held my mom’s bloodied body, tears streaming down my face. He, however, casually told me, as if it were the most natural thing in the world: “Psychological treatments often have a high relapse rate, and hypnosis errors are common. I truly did my best.” A few hours later, a post from his junior protégé, Luna, on Ins struck me like a sledgehammer. “First time doing hypnosis, and I got stuck with an older woman in her fifties. Failed miserably. Luckily, my senior brother stepped in to clean up my mess.” “To comfort my wounded little heart, my senior brother even hypnotized me. In the dream, we got married on the beach. Is that a hint, perhaps?” The intertwined hands in the photo felt like a jagged, barbed blade, piercing deep into my heart. I gritted my teeth, almost shattering my phone screen. “It’s a hint, alright. You’re about to get exactly what you wished for.” The next second, a phone number, previously switched off, flashed across my screen. “Anya, what is wrong with you now?! Luna’s upset because she failed her first hypnosis session. What’s wrong with me, as her senior, comforting her?” “Therapists are under a lot of pressure, you know. What if your post makes her overthink and get depressed? Delete it, now! And apologize to Luna!” I hung up the phone, looking at a photo of Mom and me. I whispered. “Mom, I’m going to make them feel your pain too, okay?”
This photo was taken when Mom was feeling better; we went to the park together. Back then, Mark had solemnly promised me that Mom had overcome her psychological trauma and would soon be completely healed. But within a mere week, Mom’s smile was forever framed in that picture. At the funeral home, relatives and friends looked around, asking me. “Anya, call Mark and tell him to hurry. If he doesn’t come soon, your mom will be buried.” My expression blended with my black attire, making me look like Mom’s tombstone. “No need. He won’t come.” My relatives were all astonished. “How can that be? Mark is so devoted, and your mom always praised him.” I didn’t explain further. It wasn’t until the burial, the sealing of the tombstone, and the end of the ceremony that Mark finally arrived, rushing in. He was driving so fast that he even ran over Mom’s funeral wreath. Yet, he showed no trace of remorse. Dressed in a blue suit, he walked up to me and sighed. “This was an accident. People in her age group have weaker psychological defenses, and relapses are common. I poured all my knowledge into helping Eleanor, but I only stepped away to get a glass of water, and she jumped.” “Eleanor lived longer than many other patients with depression. Try to see the brighter side. Now, Luna is being gossiped about because of your words. You should find a time to apologize to her on Ins.” “Long-lived,” he said. If I hadn’t seen Luna’s Ins post, I might have actually believed his nonsense. It turned out he rushed here just to make me apologize to his mistress. Meeting his blaming gaze, I let out a sarcastic chuckle. “When my mom jumped, it took you all day to walk down three flights of stairs. But when your lover felt wronged, you rushed from the city to the suburbs in minutes.” Mark instantly flared up, but guiltily avoided my eyes. “Anya, can you stop being so harsh?” “I’m just stating facts! Failures in psychological treatment are a dime a dozen. If every family member acted as unreasonably as you, then therapists might as well quit!” He put his hands on his hips, scanning the funeral arrangements. “I’m sad Mom’s gone too, but you’re making such a grand display. Do you want everyone to know she died of depression and be judged even after death? Clean this up quickly. She’s dead, what’s the point of putting on a good show?” There was no remorse in his tone, only blame and resentment. The relatives and friends who had kindly stayed to help me clean up all froze, shocked by his words. He snapped back to reality, clearing his throat to save his reputation. “Alright, I know you and Mom relied on each other, and you’re heartbroken that she’s gone. But it’s done. You just have to accept it.” “Don’t dwell on it. At most, we’ll pick a more expensive burial plot, and we can visit it every year…” *SMACK!* A five-finger print quickly appeared on his face. I had put all my strength into it, and my hand was red and throbbing. Mark and I met when Mom was undergoing psychological therapy. Back then, to pursue me, he had solemnly promised that he would restore Mom to her old self. Mom had been through two marriages, suffered multiple domestic abuses, and faced endless societal judgment. As a child, I didn’t know the reason for Mom’s quiet demeanor was depression. By the time I realized it, she had already started self-harming to cope with her trauma. I took her to countless renowned therapists, but the effects were minimal. Only Mark gave me hope. Under his guidance, Mom’s mental state steadily improved. He used this as an opportunity to ask me out repeatedly, launching an intense pursuit. Once, I asked him: “Are you working so hard to treat my mom because of me?” He shook his head: “In my heart, Eleanor is first and foremost my patient, and only then your mother.” It was because of that sentence that I felt safe enough to wholeheartedly be with him and marry him. Just six months ago, he told me that Mom no longer had self-harming tendencies and her condition was much better. I could start trying for a baby with peace of mind, and by the time the child was born, Mom would surely be fully recovered. And now, standing before Mom’s black and white photo, he casually offered a more expensive burial plot in exchange for Mom’s life. How sanctimonious, how utterly disgusting! Mark snapped back, roaring at me. “Anya, are you insane?!” With that, he raised his arm to strike me. Chloe, my friend closest to me, grabbed his hand. “Mark, are you really going to hit Eleanor’s daughter in front of her memorial picture?!” My relatives and friends immediately stepped in front of me, sticking up for me. “Anya’s mom worked so hard to raise her. Now that her mom is dead, aren’t you intentionally trying to provoke her with those words?!” “Exactly! Don’t you know how much Anya loved her mom? How could you hit Anya in front of the deceased? How heartbroken would her mom be if she saw this from heaven!” “I must have been blind! I was just comforting Anya, saying you must have been delayed. But what you just said, it chills me to the bone!” Mark violently shook off Chloe’s hand, pointing at me with a sneer. “Seriously, like mother, like daughter!” A sudden ringtone pierced the air. He irritably pulled out his phone, his fury instantly extinguished, his voice softening. “What’s wrong?” Luna’s plaintive and dependent voice echoed through the empty funeral home. “Senior brother, a patient just came in, and I failed the hypnosis again. He called me incompetent and threatened to complain about me.” “Please come back quickly, I’m so scared…” “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there to back you up.” He quickly said his piece, turned, and left. Suddenly remembering something, he looked back and warned me. “Anya, when I’m done, I’ll come back and settle things with you. You’d better not try to deliberately smear my name in front of our relatives again!” With that, he walked out without looking back. Once in his car, he floored the accelerator, deliberately running over the wreath he had knocked down earlier, as if to vent his frustration. When Mom was alive, Mark always said she was like his own mother. Now that Mom was dead, he not only ran over her wreath but didn’t even light a single stick of incense for her. I bit down on the flesh of my cheeks, using the pain and blood to restrain my heartache. It was late when I left the funeral home. Luna had already deleted her previous posts. Her latest one was posted an hour ago. “Oh yeah, senior brother makes me feel so safe! He not only cleaned up another one of my messes, but he hypnotized me again! This time the hypnosis was a little naughty. I even had a baby with senior brother in the dream, and his ears turned red when he found out. If he weren’t married, I’d really think he was some innocent college boy.” Even knowing it was fake, a strong wave of physical nausea surged from my stomach, making me dry heave on the spot. Therapists don’t easily use hypnosis because during the process, patients reveal their deepest, most private secrets. Many therapists, after learning too many secrets, can’t bear the inner pressure and become depressed. Even Mark, with his strong psychological defenses, didn’t easily hypnotize people, and his hypnosis sessions were incredibly expensive. Before, because of Mom’s condition, I had almost fallen into depression myself and asked Mark to hypnotize me to help process my emotions. He had flatly refused me, saying he’d worked all day and didn’t want to expend more mental energy when he got home. But now, in less than a day, he had hypnotized Luna twice. He even used the hypnosis to have a dream-relationship with her. The urn in my arms was chillingly cold, and my last shred of self-deceiving fantasy shattered. I made a call. “Withdraw all funding from Serenity Mind Clinic. Have hackers infiltrate Mark and Luna’s therapy room computers.” It’s standard practice for therapists to record audio and video sessions, to protect themselves if a patient causes trouble. I needed to know: what exactly happened to Mom? What made her relapse and jump? After arranging everything, I returned home. Mom’s bedroom still held her scent. I collapsed onto her bed, instantly feeling small again, as if back in her warm embrace. The immense grief and exhaustion caused me to hallucinate. “Anya.” Mom’s voice sounded above me. Opening my eyes, she was gently stroking my head. “Anya misses Mom, doesn’t she? Mom’s right here, I won’t leave.” Her warm breath was so close. I was enveloped by a sudden wave of happiness. I hugged Mom’s waist tightly, terrified she would disappear the next second. “Mom, don’t leave me, don’t…” Before I could finish, Mom’s pained voice echoed. “Anya, I hurt so much, save me, Mom!” “Mom doesn’t want to leave you, but she said it was Mom’s fault, Mom deserves to die…” “Anya!” I looked up. Mom’s face cracked open, and blood dripped into my eyes. “Mom!” I screamed, jolting awake from the nightmare. Cold sweat instantly chilled me, and I shivered, suddenly terrified by Mark standing at the doorway, my pupils trembling. “You’re awake? Did you have a nightmare? I heard your scream from far away.” My heart still pounded. As I came to, he had already turned on the light. The light stung my eyes, as did his condescending words. “Anya, I know you’re sad, but the dead cannot be brought back. Eleanor’s spirit wouldn’t want to see you looking like a ghost. Can’t you pull yourself together?” I heard no genuine concern, only saw a wolf in sheep’s clothing. My throat was dry and sore. I slowly sat up. I didn’t want to see him. I pointed to the door, telling him to get out, not to be in Mom’s room. Suddenly, Luna’s figure appeared at the doorway. She was wearing a couple’s bathrobe that I had bought for Mark on our anniversary. She had nothing on underneath, her body pressed intimately against Mark’s bathrobe. Meeting my gaze, she gave a playful greeting. “Sister-in-law, I’m here to visit! You don’t mind, do you?” Mark instinctively stepped in front of her, offering a strained explanation. “I forgot to tell you, there were police in Luna’s building, and she’s on a lower floor. I was worried something might happen to her, a girl living alone, so I asked her to stay here for a few days.” Just a few days? Wearing my husband’s bathrobe, in the middle of the night, right after my mom’s burial, standing before me like the lady of the house. Whether it was a temporary stay or a permanent move, it was obvious to anyone with eyes. I hadn’t even spoken when Luna casually walked into Mom’s room, looked at Mom’s memorial photo, and sighed. “Eleanor, really. Any hurdle can be overcome. Why jump because of a little depression, leaving you all alone, Sister-in-law?” Hearing her condescending tone, I forcefully pushed her away, roaring with red eyes. “Get out! You killed my mom!” A flicker of guilt crossed Luna’s eyes, then she tearfully snuggled closer to Mark. “Senior brother, is sister-in-law misunderstanding something about me?” At her words, Mark shielded her, his face turning foul. “Anya, stop being crazy! Your mom’s death has nothing to do with Luna. Spreading rumors has consequences!” I grabbed a nearby decorative item and threw it. “You get out too!” Mark instantly flared up and started arguing with me. Seeing this, Luna, behind him, pouted. “Sister-in-law, whatever you have, direct it at me. Speaking like that will hurt senior brother’s feelings.” “Don’t worry, I won’t stay for free. I’ll help with cleaning. This box looks dusty, I’ll wipe it for you…” “Don’t touch it!” Just as I shouted, Luna seemed startled by me, bumping into the cabinet. Mom’s urn fell with a crash. *BANG!* The urn shattered, and Mom’s ashes scattered across the cold floor. My blood ran cold, my breathing and heartbeat stopped. Luna’s tearful voice in my ears grew shrill. “I’m sorry, Sister-in-law, I didn’t mean to. Senior brother, please explain for me, I just wanted to help clean up…” Mark’s face was troubled, but he still defended her. However, before he could open his mouth, I, with bloodshot eyes, lunged at Luna. “Who told you to touch it?! I’ll kill you!” Luna’s face turned pale with fright, and she cowered behind Mark. “Ah! Senior brother, save me!” Mark didn’t budge, grabbing my hands firmly. “Anya, didn’t you hear Luna say it was an accident?! Don’t make such a big deal out of it!” “She did it on purpose! Mark, you’re an accomplice, both of you deserve to die!” I cursed loudly, kicking and punching Mark without mercy. He was enraged by me, violently shoving me away. “Have you caused enough trouble?!” I was sent stumbling backward by his sheer force, falling hard onto the shards of the urn. Cuts appeared on my arm and waist, making me break out in cold sweat from the pain. Mark looked down at me from above. “I don’t think you *seem* crazy, I think you *are* crazy!” “Every time, you just cling to those small mistakes, never looking forward! You and your mother are exactly alike!” “I’ll tell you this right now. Eleanor’s depression was her own fault. She didn’t work every day, lived so comfortably, yet still clung to old issues. It’s a miracle she even got better! Even if she hadn’t died now, she would have sooner or later dug her own grave!” Those words, “dug her own grave,” struck me like thunder. I froze, as if plunged into an icy wasteland. I stared at Mark in disbelief. He knew… He knew how much injustice my mom suffered in her youth. Because she was a girl, she was denied an education. She was forced into an abusive marriage as a teenager, and nearly beaten to death when she bravely divorced to protect me. Fate had been so cruel to her. I had tried every way to make money, to give her a good life. But still, she withered day by day like a flower in autumn. Every time I saw the cuts on Mom’s wrists, I felt a helpless, agonizing heartache. So many times, it was Mark who stood by me, comforting me. And it was Mark who, time and again, told Mom. “Pain cannot be compared; there’s no such thing as ‘big’ or ‘small’ suffering.” Now he was saying Mom dug her own grave! I slowly slid to the floor, tears silently streaming down my face. Mark realized his words had gone too far. He rubbed his temples, softening his tone. “Alright, stop acting like you’re dying. She’s dead. Ashes are just a keepsake. We’ll clean this up and buy another urn tomorrow, that’s all.” This wasn’t about the urn! This was my mom, the only family I had! Mark lost all patience. He protected Luna and walked out. “I apologize to you on your sister-in-law’s behalf. It’s late, you should rest.” A moment later, I knelt on the floor, gathering Mom’s ashes, piece by piece. Then, I calmly left the house. At the hotel, my assistant sent me the video of Mark’s last therapy session with Mom. After watching the entire video, I broke down, smashing everything in the hotel room, vowing to make the culprits pay for their blood debt! I didn’t sleep all night, my eyes bloodshot. When my phone rang for the ninety-ninth time, I finally answered. Mark’s furious roar immediately filled my ear. “Anya, how dare you withdraw the funding?! Do you have any idea how much effort I poured into that clinic, how many patients are waiting for treatment? Are you really going to make all those patients suffer because of an accident involving your mother?!” An accident? I scoffed coldly. “Whether it was an accident or not, you know perfectly well yourself!” Mark clearly didn’t want to get tangled up in that question with me. “I’m warning you, you’d better reverse your decision, or we’re getting a divorce!” Luna’s panicked voice chimed in. “Senior brother, don’t rush! Sister-in-law is definitely mad at me. I’ll go apologize. Don’t let me be the reason you two divorce…” “I won’t divorce.” Luna instantly fell silent, and Mark seemed to regain his composure. “Anya, if you don’t want to make things ugly, do as I say…” I hung up the phone. Not only would I divorce him, but I would also make him and Luna pay for their blood debt! Opening my eyes again, I caressed Mom’s photo, my gaze firm.
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