A week away from her son's wedding, Dorothy notices that Eva, his fiancée, is obsessed with baking fresh apple pies for him. However, on the day of the wedding, Dorothy finds Blake in a questionable state—all fingers pointing to the contents of the pie.
The week leading up to my son's wedding was nothing short of peculiar.
Blake and Eva were living with us until they could save up for their dream home. Since they had gone all out for their wedding, they needed to save. Danny and I had a big house — too big for just the two of us — so we were delighted to welcome our son and our soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
Eva has always been a wonderful person, and I was eager to welcome her into our family. She was sweet and helpful, constantly running around the house cleaning and cooking for the rest of us.
A young couple smiling in a field | Source: Pexels
But then, Eva suddenly developed a new obsession — baking apple pies.
Every single day.
At first, it was endearing—she did it for Blake and Blake alone. I'm talking about a fresh pie baked every evening. This went on for six days, with each pie mysteriously disappearing into their room.
However, Eva never offered Danny or me a slice.
"Leave them alone, Dorothy," Danny said. "Maybe it means something to them."
On the morning of the wedding, I found my opportunity. Eva left the remnants of the latest pie on the kitchen counter as she hurried to the bathroom before her hair and makeup appointment.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I lifted the pie's crust to sneak a peek. What I saw made my stomach churn — a slimy, unidentifiable substance was mixed into the filling.
A person kneading dough | Source: Pexels
I prodded at it with a knife, trying to figure out what it was. It resembled seaweed, but there was no way to be certain.
Alarm bells rang loud in my head.
With the pie in hand, I rushed to Blake's room, my heart pounding.
The door creaked open to reveal a scene that I will never forget.
There he was, lying unresponsive on his bed, a plate with pie crumbs lying on the nightstand.
I dropped the pie, and the dish shattered on the floor, as I screamed for my husband to call 911.
Eva came running, her eyes wide with shock.
"What happened?" she gasped.
"Don't you know?" I accused, convinced that Eva had poisoned Blake.
A person lying face-down on a bed | Source: Pexels
The next hours were a blur of sirens, flashing lights, and a flurry of uniforms as paramedics filled our home. At the hospital, the diagnosis was as I feared — Blake had been poisoned, with toxic substances coursing through his bloodstream.
But the real shock came when the doctors questioned Eva — who confessed! Amidst sobs, her admission painted a picture so twisted it was hard to grasp.
"She..." Eva hissed. "She said it was a family tradition."
The doctor pressed on, asking Eva to elaborate further.
"My mother told me it was tradition for a young woman to bake her fiancé a fresh apple pie every day for a week leading up to the ceremony, supposedly ensuring a happy marriage. She even gave me the secret ingredient! I swear, I didn't know it was poison," she wept, her hands trembling.
A paramedic pulling out a stretcher | Source: Pexels
She took a deep breath.
"Why would I hurt him?" she asked the room. "Why would I hurt the one person who has always believed in me?"
Eva's family, it turned out, had been plotting against the marriage from the beginning. They saw Blake as an obstacle to the significant amount of money he and Eva had been saving for their future.
The special ingredient? A rare plant extract, chosen by Eva's family to execute their heinous plan under the guise of unity and love.
"I was supposed to eat it too," Eva confessed. "But it's such a rich pie, and I wanted to look good in my dress. So, I didn't eat much of it. Just the pastry."
A green plant in a glass bottle with water | Source: Pexels
The betrayal ran deep, yet in its aftermath, something remarkable happened. As my son lay recovering in the hospital, Eva refused to leave his side, only going home to shower and change when I was there. But Danny and I found ourselves supporting Eva, too.
She was a victim as well, her naivety exploited by the very people she trusted.
Through Eva's cooperation and her desire for justice, she helped the police understand her family's plan, leading to their prosecution.
Blake forgave Eva, telling her that his love for her ran deeper than a mistake.
"I find it romantic," he chuckled. "You wanted to butter me up with pie, but it almost killed me."
"How is that romantic?" she asked Blake, horrified.
"Because I survived," he said, taking her hand.
A couple holding hands | Source: Unsplash
Danny and I insisted they postpone the wedding, not out of doubt but as a testament to their unwavering commitment to each other.
When Blake finally recovered, he and Eva stood before us, exchanging vows in a ceremony more intimate and heartfelt than I could have imagined.
Eva has truly become my daughter now, having turned her back on her family after what they did.
