My Mother's Perfect Daughter

My mom's research team created an app that, once installed on a child, could monitor and even control their every move, anytime, anywhere.

As my mom's only daughter, I was forced to beta test this app.

From that moment on, my life was no longer my own.

Sometimes just spacing out while studying would get me remotely shocked until I wet myself.

Watching me in such a pathetic state, my mom would only remark coldly:

"The methods I've designed are all scientific. You just don't understand."

Today is my birthday, and also the day of this app's official launch.

She demanded I appear before the world in perfect condition to showcase her achievement.

"I'm doing this for your own good. One day, you'll thank me!"

But Mom, yesterday I already starved myself to death.

What you're controlling now is nothing but a corpse.

Before dawn even broke, I was jolted awake by an electric current.

The next second, I got out of bed and walked mechanically to the balcony.

I squeezed out exactly one-third of toothpaste, filled a cup with ice water, brushed each tooth for precisely 30 seconds, then wiped my face with a damp towelthree circles left, three circles right.

Then I picked up the French textbook beside me and began reading aloud.

At that moment, my mom's satisfied voice came through my earpiece:

"Well done. You really are an obedient child. As a reward, I bought you new clothes!"

I looked at my closet filled with identical styles and lengths in different colors, and smiled bitterly without a sound.

But the next second, my bitter smile was interrupted by my roommate.

"Are you ever going to stop? Every single day you wake up at four and disturb everyone! You might not need sleep, but we do!"

My roommate had been woken up countless times. She hadn't had a single good night's sleep all semester.

I felt deeply guilty and wanted to apologize, but my vocal cords seemed hijacked by someone else, unconsciously cursing at my roommate.

"It's already four o'clock and you're still sleepinglazy as a pig!

If you want to be a worthless person with no ambition, fine, but don't try to drag me down with you!"

My roommate's face instantly flushed red with anger, and she furiously plugged her ears.

No, those weren't my words.

My heart was bleeding, but my mouth kept reading aloud, word after word.

For some reason, my voice sounded like a rusty iron gate creaking back and forth, particularly grating in the silent night.

I went on like this for two solid hours before stopping.

I wasn't allowed even a sip of water, and my lips looked bloody and cracked.

Then my mom's voice came through the earpiece.

"Aria Sterling, what's going on?

Why am I seeing all your vital signs at zero here?

What did you tamper with?"

My body didn't respond.

"Say something! Are you mute?

When did I teach you to treat your elders this way?

Why won't you listen to me again!"

My mom's voice grew impatient.

That's not it!

Seeing my mom angry, I instinctively wanted to explain, but I couldn't open my mouth.

"Ugh!" She sighed, her tone softening.

"Aria, today is the most important day of my life.

Please don't throw a tantrum, okay?

This isn't just for meit's for your future too!"

I tried to speak, but still couldn't make a sound.

The next second, a sharp screaming sound pierced my ears, like nails scraping a blackboard.

"Are you just like your black-hearted father, waiting to watch me fail?

How did I give birth to such a bastard! All this hard workwho am I doing it for?"

"Since you're determined to go against me today, fine! I'm activating the highest level right now. You asked for this!"

When I heard "highest level," my heart trembled.

Because this meant I would become completely puppeteered by the app, forced to follow every planned route.

If I had any thought of breaking the rules, even just turning my head during class, I'd receive severe electric shocks.

There were even several times I was shocked into losing bladder and bowel control in front of everyone.

But I suddenly realizedI didn't need to fear this anymore.

Because Mom, I'm already dead.

For the past while, my mom had been busy with her team preparing for today's launch, so she'd been less vigilant in controlling me.

When I realized I could occasionally break the rules, I stopped eating anythingfor seven days and nights straight.

Until last night, I finally starved to death in my sleep.

Yet I felt this was the most relaxed period of my entire life.

Because it meant from now on, I would never be controlled by my mom again.

But unexpectedly, when I woke up, I had become a wisp of soul, floating above and watching my corpse move like a puppet show.

Without reason, I suddenly felt a trace of the ridiculous and pathetic.

Is this how others saw me too?

[Activating Electric Shock Level 5 Mode]

A mechanical voice sounded in my ears, and electric current instantly spread through my entire body.

But now I was just a pile of rotting flesh with no reaction whatsoever.

My mom went crazy, screaming hysterically in my ear as if I'd committed some heinous crime.

"Why won't you obey? Do you know how hard it was for me to raise you?"

"To nurture you, I went without eating, without decent clothes!

I gave you the best of everythingwhat more could you possibly want?

How can there be such a selfish child in this world?"

Seeing I still had no reaction, my mom directly controlled me to swing my palm, using all my strength to slap my own face.

Then she controlled my vocal cords, making me speak while hitting myself.

"Mom, I was wrong. Mom, I'm sorry."

This went on for nearly five minutes before my mom finally calmed down.

Looking at my swollen, red face, a trace of heartache flashed in my mom's eyes.

Her tone softened again, like a gentle mother advising her daughtercompletely different from her crazed state moments ago.

"Good, now you know you were wrong.

It hurts me more than it hurts you.

Young trees won't grow straight without pruning!

Everything I do is for your own good!"

"Alright, now go put some medicine on, then go eat breakfast!"

"I specially woke up before dawn today to make the most nutritious breakfast for you and had it delivered to your school cafeteria!

You must be in your best condition for the launch today!"

Just as she was about to hang up, she added one more thing.

"I'm the person who loves you most in this world!

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished! Your future self will thank me!"

But Mom, there is no future. I'm destined never to become the perfect daughter you imagine.

Just like that, following the app's planned route, I walked step by step to the cafeteria.

I got a specially made nutritious breakfast that only I had access to in the entire school, sat in the most remote corner, swallowing food while memorizing vocabulary.

Just then, my head was violently shoved into the steaming hot milk.

"You bitch! Are you trying to kill us?

Do you know my parents are planning to use that app your psycho mom developed!"

That's rightthis app had already attracted widespread attention before even launching.

Simply because I, as the first volunteer, had used the app and stopped sleeping in, stopped playing games, stopped talking back to my parents.

Moreover, my academic performance had jumped from barely passing grades to having my pick of top universitiesa bright future ahead.

Such a great apphow many parents were eagerly waiting for its release just to install it on their own children?

It could be said that all these future victims were harmed because of me.

I desperately wanted to apologize, but I couldn't speak, so I could only let them punch and kick me.

I was already a pile of rotting flesh anyway. If they could vent their anger this way, then so be it.

But just then, my body suddenly bent 90 degrees out of my control, and I abruptly bowed to them, shouting in a hoarse voice:

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault!"

This was clearly my mom controlling my vocal cords, and it startled everyone present.

"So these are the people who've been bullying you?"

"Hurry up and apologize to them!

What have I taught you! You don't hit someone who's smiling at you.

When something happens, look for the problem in yourself first!

Otherwise, why would they only hit you and not others?"

"I've told you so many timesfocus on your studies and don't cause trouble, but you just won't listen!"

My mom's voice came through, her accusatory tone making even my soul tremble.

A drop of liquid fell from the corner of my eyeI didn't know if it was blood or tears.

My mom spoke with disappointment:

"And you still have the nerve to cry? If you hadn't been going around school every day with that long face, would your classmates be so opposed to this app?"

"Now you're feeling wronged? Who am I making this app for!"

My mom waited expectantly for my response, but I answered her only with silence.

This completely enraged her.

Then she used the app to control me to kneel on the ground, viciously slapping my own face, each strike with full force.

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault! This app is innocent! After I installed it, I've been living happily every day!

It's launching todayyou should all try it!"

My sudden madness thoroughly scared the bullies, and they all fled the scene.

"Kids these days are such ungrateful brats!

This app of mine is their future savior! Yet they don't know how to be grateful!"

"Hmph! Once they start using it, they'll understand their parents' good intentions!"

Having said that, my mom issued me a command:

"You'll keep kneeling and slapping yourself until your classmates approve of this app!

This is your punishment for not listening to me!

I'm going to your school now to prepare for the launch."

Passing students pointed and whispered, their faces full of mockery and contempt.

I felt my soul burning with heat, intense discomfort and shame flooding through me.

Obey, obey!

I had already obeyed her every word to the letterwhat more did she want from me!

Clearly, all of this was her doing, so why did she get to act like she had nothing to do with it?

She made me lose my friends, lose my dignity, lose myself, but in the end it seemed like everything was my own fault.

What did I even do wrong...

Just then, someone suddenly rushed out from the crowd and grabbed my hand to stop me from continuing to slap myself.

"Aria Sterling , enough! Stop degrading yourself!"

I froze and looked at the person.

It was my class president, Lucas Hartwell.

If high school had been three years of living under dark clouds, Lucas could be described as the occasional ray of light I glimpsed.

When everyone else distanced themselves from me, he still reached out a hand, encouraging me to resist, encouraging me to escape.

I saw him grab my hand with a face full of heartache, saying with great determination:

"I've made up my mind.

I'll help you report this to the police and tell the public about the torture your mom has put you through all these years!

Don't be afraidI'll always stand behind you!"

In that moment, I felt wrapped in warmth.

So in this world, I wasn't alone after all. Someone was actually willing to help me unconditionally.

But I'm sorryI was too weak, too cowardly. I killed myself and let down your faith in me.

But just then, my mom's uncontrolled shrill voice rang out again.

"Ah! Who is this boy? I heard from the school teachers that you've been getting close to a male classmate. Is it him?"

"You're barely old enough and you're already seducing men?"

"I went without eating and decent clothes to raise you, and this is how you repay me?

Do you want to make money by serving men when you grow up? You little slut!"

My head was buzzing. I never imagined such words would come from a mother's mouth.

But the next second, I suddenly felt my hands moving involuntarily.

I saw that I was now undressing in front of everyone in the cafeteria.

"My daughter must remain pure and innocent! You slut, I'm going to check down there and see if your hymen is still intact."