Bewitching Scent

The door to the attic study opened, and Mom walked a woman out.This was the fifth client this month.She was a rising celebrity who was disliked by her sponsor due to her hard-to-conceal odor. As such, she'd booked an appointment with Mom a month in advance.Today, she'd finally gotten rid of the body odor that had troubled her for years."I'll definitely come back often in the future, Jennie. I'll recommend you to others too." The celebrity kept turning back as she walked. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled, clearly satisfied."Alright, as long as you're happy. Just remember to make an appointment next time, or there might not be any openings." Mom saw her off after exchanging a few more pleasantries.She then returned to her so-called study in the attic, which she always kept locked up.I sat at the doorway, watching as the door to the study closed once again. The pen in my hand paused over my homework as I drifted into a daze.Mom was a renowned perfumer in our small town. She

Mom didn't come out until over ten minutes later. She did not lock the door, but instead, she called for the idol trainee from the stairs to come up.I quietly inched out from behind the door and slipped into the room while she wasn't paying attention.The room was decorated like an ordinary study. Before I could get a good look around, I quickly slid under the daybed Mom usually napped in.Not long after, Mom walked in with the idol trainee. She told him to lie down on a folding bed on the other side of the room. Though he looked perplexed, he still did as he was told.Then, she lit some incense, letting the fragrance gradually spread through the air.Mom smiled and explained that it was aromatherapy incense that worked best when used together with her perfume.The idol trainee nodded. But the moment I caught the familiar scent, I quickly covered my nose.I knew that scent far too well. It was the sedative incense Mom bought.Half a year ago, I was kept awake by mosquitoes in

I was lying on my bed the moment I woke up.The pain throbbing at the back of my head and throughout my body reminded me of everything that had transpired.Before I could fully gather my thoughts, the door to my bedroom was pushed open.Mom walked in, smiling in relief when she saw that I was awake. "You're finally awake. You made me so worried!"Seeing that warm, gentle smile on her face sent a chill straight down my spine.This was the same woman who had ignored me for most of my childhood, who made me see a doctor alone even when I was sick.Now, her face was filled with concern.Mom told me to get some rest before finally leaving the room. She did not ask why I was passed out in the courtyard, nor did she query about the injury on the back of my head the entire time.I had an inkling she already knew her secret had been discovered.What was Mom going to do with me?Cold sweat trickled down my forehead as I recalled the four bodies in the hidden chamber. I thought of Jean,

Jean and I were both taken to the hospital after we were rescued.Jean's parents rushed over when they learned she had been found. They broke down sobbing, holding her.After deciding I was stable enough to talk, an officer came to my ward to take my statement that afternoon.He asked about Mom and the hidden chamber. I told him everything I knew, leaving nothing out.That was when I found out the reason her secret had been exposed was because of the idol trainee."He's dead."I jerked my head up in shock at the officer's words.All these years, I had never heard of anyone dying after doing business with Mom.According to the officer, the idol trainee suddenly dropped dead backstage on the night of his debut performance. It was already too late by the time they rushed him to the hospital.The forensic investigator found traces of blood that didn't match his own blood type in his system.What made it even stranger was that an ordinary person wouldn't have survived that kind of