T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 45 - A Stern Mother

"I just don't know how to reach her anymore, Eri. I just don't....."

"Irene, I'm so sorry you're going through this," Eri said softly, not knowing what to make of this.

"You know, Eri, I knew she didn't want to go to Edgewood back then," Irene wiped away a tear that had escaped from her eye. "When she was around 2....that moment my estranged grandmother came over to offer the deal of moving out of the damn slums to this neighbourhood, it was a no-brainer for me to send my daughter to Edgewood at that time. Cause the only thing she was doing back then was sitting in front of her father's computer and gaming 24/7. But the moment that reached her ears, she detested me since then."

"Irene, you made those decisions because you believed they were in the best interest of your daughter back then."

"This time...the reason I moved forward the moving date to Japan, was because she kept skipping school, not because she hated Edgewood, but she kept going to that boy's gravestone to talk to him. And she wants revenge, Eri."

"She is 4, you can't really take her words seriously."

"No, I know my daughter." Irene insists with a slur, "When we were still living in the slums back then, there used to be a neighbour who parked his car outside, never bothered to fix it and kept on ringing throughout the night. So we had sleepless nights. Ranran somehow...I don't know how she was able to do this, but the car was filled with trash and rotten eggs inside the very next day, and the owner accused her of doing this despite lacking evidence. And she was 2!"

The lawyer was shocked as Irene continued to rant.

"I knew she did it because I had stacks of eggs in our kitchen that we planned to discard the following day. It went missing on the day the owner confronted us," Irene pauses, "Not long ago....she locked up a boy in a classroom in Edgewood Academy, inhaled carbon monoxide till he could no longer talk or walk anymore because that boy caused her friend to die. And I knew she was grieving, but I didn't think she would take it this far."

The depth of Ranran's actions, even at such a young age, was alarming. It was clear that the situation had taken a toll on Irene, leaving her feeling helpless and desperate.

"Is there any proof that the boy Ranran harmed did?" Eri asked.

"There was, and though the evidence is circumstantial, I knew my daughter was right, and those children killed him. And yet...." Irene nodded, her tears continuing to flow. "I lied to her and said she was being overcome with grief to do that, that she is muddled. Which is why...I don't know what to do, Eri. I feel like....had I not lied, I will end up losing my daughter. And the worst part is, she knows it when I lie and would call it out. Nowadays....disciplining doesn't work anymore, hell, she isn't even afraid if we cut out her allowance anymore, because she knew where to find money elsewhere."

"Irene...." Eri said, her voice filled with empathy. "Ranran's behaviour is indeed concerning, and it's understandable that you're feeling lost and overwhelmed. But lying ain't the solution, it will only make her doubt you and your husband more."

Irene let out a bitter laugh. "Help her? Eri, I don't even know how to talk to her anymore. She sees through every lie, and she's become so independent and cunning. It's like I don't even recognize my own daughter sometimes."

"Then why don't I talk to her then?"

"Eh?"

"If I talked to her, it will give you some insight on what she thinks, right?"

Eri's offer to talk to Ranran seemed to catch Irene off guard. Irene blinked, her eyes still moist with tears, as she considered Eri's proposal.

"You would do that for us?" Irene asked, her voice a mix of hope and uncertainty.