Revenge with Daughter’s Ashes

On Alice's thirteenth birthday, after much pleading, my husband Charles finally agreed to take us to the Royal Forest Resort. Throughout the journey, Alice was bursting with excitement, repeatedly exclaiming, "Dad, you're the best! I'm over the moon today." No wonder she was so thrilled; it was the first time in her life that her father was with her on her birthday. The resort wasn't far from the city center, and after a little over half an hour, we reached our destination. As Alice and I were struggling to haul the camping gear out of the trunk, Charles suddenly dropped his usual aloof demeanor, leaving us behind as he dashed towards a woman in the distance. I squinted for a long moment before realizing it was Mina, my old college classmate, her familiar silhouette unmistakable even from afar. It seemed her family was also here for a getaway. Alice, noticing my daze, tugged at my sleeve and whispered, "Mom, are you alright?" I snapped back to reality and gave Alice an awkward smile, "I'm fine, sweetie. Just remembered something." With a sigh, Alice and I continued unloading the car, while Charles, with an unusual eagerness, was already helping Mina set up their tent. Once everything was ready, I placed the cake I had prepared for Alice on the picnic mat. At that moment, Charles returned from Mina's side. Alice, upon seeing Charles, immediately beamed and said, "Dad, watch me show off in the river! I just learned how to swim recently." With that, she enthusiastically jumped into the water. Being a playful child, she playfully pretended to drown a few times to get her father to rescue her. Charles, having been fooled once, quickly caught on and stopped responding to Alice. Suddenly, Mina called out from a distance, "Charles, I need your help! My son Loki has injured his ankle." Charles stood up, ready to leave, when I heard Alice's urgent cries for help, "Mom, help! I've got a cramp!" Seeing the terror on my daughter's face, I was gripped with fear, but I couldn't swim. So, I grabbed Charles as he was about to leave. "Oh, Charles, please check on Alice. She has a cramp, and I can't swim." Charles, with anger etched on his face, growled at me, "Let go! Didn't you hear that something happened with Mina? Besides, I'm a doctor; I can't just ignore someone in need." He glanced at Alice flailing in the water and sneered, "She's probably pulling another one of her stunts. A child who would lie to get attention, just like her mother, is insufferable." With that, Charles turned away without a second glance, leaving me in anguish. I whipped around to where Alice was, only to see her being swept further away by the rushing river. My poor daughter, her voice a desperate plea, could only call out for her mom. I tried desperately to wade in and bring her to shore, but the river's powerful current threatened to sweep me away. Then I spotted a long stick on the riverbank. I snatched it up and hurled it to Alice, telling her to hold on while I went to find help. I rushed to where Charles was, only to find him engrossed in a conversation with Mina, their laughter cutting through the air. In all these years, it was the first time I had seen such a carefree expression on Charles' face. But I couldn't dwell on it. I marched up to him, my voice firm, "Charles, please, Alice is in real danger. You need to go back and save her." Charles, however, didn't seem to take my words to heart and impatiently replied, "Stop conspiring with our daughter to trick me. Look at Loki's ankle; I don't have time for your games." I turned to look; the boy had only a small cut on his ankle, the bleeding had stopped. But my daughter Alice was facing a life-threatening situation. With urgency in my voice, I pleaded with Charles about the danger, "Listen, I'm not joking. I wouldn't risk my daughter's life to deceive you." "The situation is truly dire now; you have to come back with me," I implored, my voice cracking with desperation. Just as I was about to pull Charles away, Mina, standing nearby, sneered, "Wendy, seriously? After all these years, you're still pulling the same innocent act?" "My son's injury is so severe, and he dreams of being a soccer player. What if it doesn't heal properly and leaves a permanent issue?" Charles, who had been wavering, was immediately swayed by Mina's words. "Wendy, stop causing a fuss, okay? It's Loki's birthday today, and I want to give him the perfect birthday experience, alright?" "Now, go back and stay with Alice. Tell her I'll be back soon to find you both." I knew Charles still thought I was lying, but the longer our daughter stayed in the river, the more dangerous it became. In sheer panic, I swallowed my pride, dropped to my knees, and begged him, tears streaming down my face. "Charles, I'm begging you, please, this time, come back and check on Alice with me." "She's in real danger. The river's suddenly surged, and there's nothing I can do. If we wait any longer, Alice will be swept away." "Please, save her. She's our daughter. I can't imagine what I'd do without her." Mina, however, slapped my hand away from Charles. Her son started wailing beside her, "Mom, my foot hurts so much! Come look! What if I'm dying?" At the sound of his cries, Charles rushed over, not even sparing me a glance. Just as despair was about to swallow me whole, a patrol car from the park drove by. I ran after it, frantically waving my arms. "Stop, please! Help! I beg you, save my daughter!" "She's about to be swallowed by the river, please save her!" Just when I thought no one would respond, the car screeched to a halt with a jarring screech. Two security officers, after hearing my tearful plea, reassured me as they headed toward the river. "Don't worry, ma'am. We've got this. Can you tell us roughly where your daughter is?" I wiped my tears, lifted my skirt, and led the way, praying fervently to the heavens for my daughter's safety. We finally reached our initial camping spot, but there was no sign of my daughter in the river. The river, which had been raging just moments ago, now seemed calm and serene. At the bend, I spotted the stick I had thrown to Alice. "Look, that's the stick I threw to my daughter, but where has she gone?" I shouted, my voice breaking, as my emotions crumbled. The thought of what might have happened to my daughter was unbearable. The two officers quickly approached, trying to calm me down. "Oh, Ms. Wendy, please calm down. What if some downstream tourists have already rescued your daughter?" Hearing this, hope flickered within me again. "Yes, Alice is such a sweet girl. Surely, fate will be kind to her." With that, the officers called the resort's service center, requesting more staff to help search for my daughter. Due to the rugged terrain and overgrown weeds, we had to painstakingly search on foot. Along the way, I was bitten by insects, stumbled, and even had my heels rubbed raw, but none of that mattered. All I wanted was to find my daughter quickly. We searched from noon until dusk, and as the last rays of the sun disappeared, my heart sank into despair. My clothes and hair were drenched in sweat, sticking to me like a cold, clammy serpent. "What do I do? It's all my fault. Alice, where are you?" I cried out to the river, my voice echoing in the stillness. Suddenly, a voice echoed from across the river, "We've found her! It's a little girl in a pink dress!" Yes, it was Alice. She cherished that dress, saving it for special occasions, and today, her birthday, was one of those days. As I was helped across the river, my heart sank at the sight of Alice lying still as a statue on a blanket prepared by the staff. My legs threatened to buckle beneath me as I pointed at Alice, forcing a smile, and asked, "She's just tired and asleep, right?" "Please, tell me that's all it is?" The staff stood in a heavy, sorrowful silence as I collapsed onto Alice's body, holding her in my arms. I couldn't fathom that my vibrant, storytelling daughter was now a cold, lifeless form in my embrace. With trembling hands, I caressed her icy, blue-tinged cheeks, arms, and hands, over and over. Hot tears cascaded down my cheeks. "Alice, please, open your eyes and look at Mommy. Tell me this is just one of your playful tricks, please?" "Mommy won't be mad at you, I promise. It's your birthday, after all. Come on, get up. If you don't eat the cake soon, it'll spoil. It's your favorite princess cake." Finally, one of the staff members couldn't bear it any longer and spoke up, "Ma'am, please accept our condolences. None of us wanted this to happen, but your daughter has indeed passed away." Like a thunderclap in a clear sky, I couldn't take it anymore and fainted. When I came to, I was in the resort's service center. A doctor approached and explained, "Ma'am, your daughter drowned due to a leg cramp, and the swift temperature shifts in the river led to hypothermia during prolonged exposure." "Please accept our condolences, ma'am. We've also treated your injuries." My mind was unable to process any more information. I couldn't believe it was true—my daughter Alice was really gone. The agony in my bandaged heel was piercing, making it hard to breathe. After composing myself, I pleaded with the staff to take me back to our camping spot. It was Alice's birthday; I couldn't let her leave with regrets. But when I returned, I found half of the cake on the picnic mat was missing. The face of the princess on the cake had been cut away, and even the "Happy Birthday" message Alice and I had lovingly inscribed was cruelly carved away. I had no idea who did it, but my mind teetered on the edge of collapse. The disappearance of the cake completely shattered me, and I sat on the ground, crying uncontrollably. When I returned to the resort center with the remaining cake, the police advised me to have my daughter cremated and hold a funeral as soon as possible. "Alright, I understand. Please, everyone, leave. I want to be alone with my daughter." Once it was just the two of us in the room, I gently placed a birthday hat atop Alice's head, singing her a birthday song while kissing her cheek. "Happy thirteenth birthday, my dear Alice. Mommy will always love you." Then, I followed the police to the crematorium, watching as Alice's body was placed into the furnace. When we met again, she was a small box in my hands. I gently caressed the box, singing Alice's favorite lullaby. "Sleep, my child, and have sweet dreams." Finally, I came to terms with the crushing reality that Alice was gone. But who could I blame? My deepest regret was that Alice never got to savor the birthday cake we crafted together. I would never again hear her sweet voice calling me "Mommy." She was only thirteen; why did she have to be taken away? I wept in silent agony. After sorting everything out, I suddenly remembered Charles. I should inform him of such a significant event. But each call I made to him echoed in silence, and the last time I tried, his phone was turned off. My heart sank into a bottomless pit of despair. Fueled by rage and anguish, I raced home like a storm, only to be greeted by an eerie emptiness. At that moment, my phone lit up with Charles's name flashing on the screen. I picked up, and his voice cut through the silence. "Wendy, where on earth did you and Alice disappear to? Are you home? Why didn't you tell me before leaving?" His voice dripped with arrogance and authority. Arguing with him was the last thing I wanted right now, so I bit my tongue and stayed silent. Just then, Mina's voice burst through the phone, brimming with excitement, "Charles, come over, Loki's grilled some meat for you. Eat first." Once she was done, Charles snapped, "Fine, if you're not talking, I'm hanging up. We're done here." I tossed the phone aside, but Charles's voice cut through once more, "Oh, by the way, Father wants us to attend his seventieth birthday tomorrow. Don't be late, make sure to get there early." A party, is it? Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll bring Alice, and together we'll demand justice for every slight and sorrow your family has inflicted upon us.