The Last Smile She Misread의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 10

Mom stood, smoothed her skirt, and glanced at the frozen image of me on her phone."We're not going home. I want to see which lasts longer—her act or my patience. Since she loves performing so much, she can keep doing it for the cameras. Come on, Maya. I'm taking you to your favorite restaurant."At the upscale restaurant, Maya swung her legs under the table and blinked up at Mom."Mom, Sophie's been lying on that cold floor pretending for so long. She must be hungry and tired. Should we bring her back some escargot?"As the waiter poured their lemon water, he smiled. "Your daughter is so sweet."Mom smiled and patted Maya's head. "Maya, kindness depends on who's earned it."She unfolded her napkin and spread it across her lap. "When it comes to someone like your sister, who's always lying, compassion only encourages her. Don't bring her anything. Let her miss a meal. Maybe she'll finally learn what dishonesty costs."The phone on the table lit up again.One alert after another

Mom answered with obvious impatience."Hello? Who is this?""Lillian, where the hell are you?" Dad roared through a neighbor's landline. "Sophie is dead because of you!"Mom went quiet for a second.Then she let out a soft, mocking laugh."George, you saw the security footage too? Then listen to me for once. Stop helping her put on another show like you always do."Her voice stayed calm, almost dismissive."I just reviewed the camera feed and analyzed her micro-expressions. Darting eyes. Rigid body language. Classic stress responses tied to lying. She's putting on a sob story to make me give in.""You... You..."Dad shook so hard with rage he couldn't get another word out.He hung up, then immediately called an ambulance and the police.***Sirens soon ripped through the quiet upscale neighborhood.Neighbors leaned out their windows as police, paramedics, and the forensic examiner rushed into my house. Crime scene tape went up around the property.Meanwhile, Mom was happi

The screen showed our living room.The HD security footage was brutally clear.In the video, I sat on the rug, opened a package of cookies, and took one bite.Seconds later, my face changed. I grabbed my throat, my expression twisting in unbearable pain.I coughed hard.Then I collapsed onto the floor, rolling, struggling, gasping for air.Mom stared at the screen, instinctively retreating into her theories."L-Look at her hands..." Her voice shook, but she kept going. "They're exaggerated. Classic attention-seeking behav—"Bang!The interrogating officer slammed his hand on the table so hard the water cup jumped."That's what someone looks like when they're suffocating to death! Do you have any common sense at all?"His chest heaved with anger.The footage kept rolling.On the screen, I crawled toward the panic button.Its wires had been cut.With the last of my strength, I slammed the red button.Nothing.The despair on my face...It was absolute.Slowly, I turned

Because Maya was a minor, and no one could prove she knew a peanut allergy could be deadly, the case was ruled an accident.Mom was another story. Her choices had helped lead to my death, so she was released on bail while she waited for trial.Dad brought her home from the station.The second they walked in, the smell from my final moments was still there.The scuff marks from my struggle still scarred the living room floor.But the worst part was the blood under the panic button.My fingernail marks, carved into the tile.My last, desperate cry for help.Mom dropped to the floor with a thud.Her shaking fingers brushed over the dried blood."Ah... Ahhh..."Then she broke.A raw, ugly sob ripped out of her.My spirit hovered nearby, watching her without a trace of sympathy.Mom... isn't it a little late to cry now?Where were you when I needed you most?You were at the concert hall, soaking up everyone's admiration.You were at a restaurant, teaching Maya about sinceri

The chaos at my funeral blew up online.[Micro-Expression Expert Watches Daughter Die on Security Camera] shot to the top of every trending list.Overnight, Mom went from a respected professor to the most hated woman on the internet.Her university rushed out a statement firing her.The bestselling books once praised as must-reads for reading people disappeared from every major platform.Her sold-out lectures and courses were canceled, and organizers demanded full refunds.In a single night, she fell from the top to rock bottom.Her reputation was gone.People expected her to hire a PR team, fight back, or vanish from the public eye.She did none of it.On the third day of the online firestorm, she uploaded a PDF over ten thousand words long to her verified account.The title read:[A Forensic Analysis of My Misinterpretation of My Daughter Sophie Schneider's Final Micro-Expressions and Death]She didn't defend herself.She turned herself into a warning.Using the academ