Chapter 1
I brought my girlfriend, Flora Monroe, home for the first time.
She was sweet and well-behaved. As soon as we walked in, she jumped right in to help prep the dishes, and she was really charming with her words.
My mom smiled and responded warmly, clearly satisfied.
We'd only been chatting for about ten minutes when Flora excused herself to go to the bathroom.
As soon as the door closed, Mom grabbed my hand, her face grave. "Alex, there's something off about this girl."
I froze. "Mom, stop kidding. She's really nice."
Mom stared straight into my eyes, speaking slowly and clearly. "I've been a prison guard for twenty years. I've seen more people than you've ever seen in your life."
She lowered her voice. "Just now, when she was talking, there were three things that didn't add up."
*****
My name was Alex Lee. Today, I brought my girlfriend, Flora, home for the first time.
She was sweet and well-behaved. As soon as we walked in, she cheerfully greeted my parents.
Then she took off her coat, revealing her slender wrists, and headed into the kitchen to help my mom with the dishes.
My dad was grinning from ear to ear, endlessly praising my choice.
Mom was also smiling, clearly satisfied.
Mom took Flora's hand and told her to take it easy, just sit down and relax.
The atmosphere in the living room was cozy and relaxed.
Flora was sweet, chatting about funny stories from my childhood and her job, handling every topic smoothly without missing a beat.
Mom's smile grew even more genuine.
A weight lifted off my chest.
It seemed that Mom was genuinely fond of Flora.
After less than ten minutes of chatting, Flora took a sip of water, smiled, and stood up. "Mrs. Lee, can I use the bathroom?"
"Sure, it's right over there," Mom said warmly, pointing the way.
The bathroom door closed quietly.
As soon as the lock clicked, Mom's smile disappeared.
She spun around and grabbed my hand.
Her palm felt a bit cold, but her grip was surprisingly strong.
Mom's expression turned grave. "Alex, there's something off about this girl."
I froze. "Mom, stop kidding. She's really nice."
"I'm not kidding," she replied.
Mom stared straight into my eyes with her sharp gaze, speaking slowly and clearly. "I've been a prison guard for twenty years. I've seen more people than you've ever seen in your life."
She lowered her voice, her words squeezed out through gritted teeth. "There's a scent on Flora. It's not perfume.
"It's the kind of careful, guarded air you only get from someone who's spent years in an oppressive, closed-off place."
I was completely thrown. "Mom, aren't you being a bit too sensitive? She's just a quiet, gentle girl."
"This isn't about being sensitive. It's intuition and experience."
Mom's eyes didn't waver for a second. "There were three things off about what Flora said just now.
"It's those three details that exposed her."
Dad, who was sitting aside, looked completely dumbfounded and tried to butt in. "Linda, are you sure you're not overthinking—"
"Shut up," Mom snapped, not even bothering to look at him.
Her eyes never left me. "Alex, listen to me. First, the way Flora sat.
"Ever since she walked in, she's been sitting on the couch with her back perfectly straight.
"Check out the back of the couch. She hasn't leaned against it even once."
I was puzzled. "That means she's being respectful, not relaxing in front of elders."
"No." Mom shook her head, her gaze turning even colder. "That's not respect. It's vigilance.
"A home is where people should feel most at ease. It's normal to be a bit nervous meeting the partner's parents for the first time, but your body will naturally look for comfort and relax.
"But Flora was like a taut string, wound up tight.
"Her whole posture was constantly in a state of 'ready to be examined'.
"I've seen that exact way of sitting more times than I can count.
"In the interrogation room, anyone trying to hide something sits exactly like that.
"They're too scared to let their guard down, afraid that if they do, they'll give themselves away."
Mom's words were like a nail, hammered straight into my mind.
I tried to remember what Flora looked like earlier.
She really had been sitting up straight the whole time, with that gentle smile on her face.
But I still thought it was a stretch. "Mom, maybe she's just got good posture and knows how to carry herself."
"Someone can have poise, but the body's instinctive reactions never lie." Mom ignored my protest and continued, "The second detail. Do you remember? Just now, your dad accidentally broke a plate in the kitchen."
I nodded.
The sound was loud, and both Flora and I were startled.
"Do you notice how you and Flora reacted differently?" Mom asked.