Chapter 5: Mum is back

“Hey, you. Stand up.”

That was the voice that dragged me out of sleep. I opened my eyes slowly. My head felt heavy, like I hadn’t slept in days. I blinked up at Naomi, who was already fully dressed, standing by the edge of the bed with a blank look on her face.

I turned slightly on the bed, and that’s when I saw him.

The man from last night.

He was still asleep, one arm stretched lazily over the white sheets, his chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. His face was relaxed, almost peaceful, like none of this meant anything to him. Like I was just a passing shadow in a dream he wouldn’t even remember.

Mr. Bryan.

He looked nothing like the man I imagined when Naomi first told me what I had to do. He didn’t look cruel. He didn’t even look dangerous. In fact, there was something soft about him now–vulnerable, even. But I didn’t let myself linger on that thought. I couldn’t.

I dragged my eyes away from him quickly, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“I wasn’t meant to sleep,” I said in a small voice, mostly to myself.

Naomi didn’t respond. She just reached into her bag and handed me a wig–mine. I gave her back hers without a word. We didn’t talk. There was too much silence between us, the kind that holds secrets. My hands were trembling a bit, but I tried not to let it show.

I fixed the wig on my head, wiped under my eyes, and stepped out of the room.

As I walked down the hotel stairs, I kept my head low. The hallway lights felt too bright. My feet moved fast, like they wanted to get away before my heart could catch up.

I wasn’t even looking when I bumped into someone at the bottom of the staircase.

“Oh…i'm so sorry,” I said quickly, eyes still on the floor.

“It’s fine,” the person replied.

I kept moving, brushing past him. But then I heard it–my name.

“Celina? Are you not Celina Williams?”

I froze.

I turned around slowly, already knowing the voice.

It was Fred–my old coursemate from university. The same Fred who used to lend me notes, sit beside me in the library, and ask if I had eaten. Of all people, why him?

“Fred… wow. Nice to see you,” I said, trying to smile through the shock.

He looked surprised too. “Yeah, same here. But… wait o. What are you doing in a hotel?”

My mouth went dry. My brain scrambled for a lie.

“Party,” I blurted out. “There was a party.”

Fred raised his brows. “You? You never went to parties back in school.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, well… My friends dragged me here. You know how they are.”

“Friends?… You never really had friends,” Fred said, his eyes narrowing.

My throat tightened. Oh no. He’s starting again. One more question and I’m finished.

Before I could think of a lie, a woman’s voice sliced through the tension.

“Fred, love.”

She stopped short when she saw me, her glare sharp enough to cut. Like I’d stolen something–someone. Then she turned back to him, crisp and cold. “The boss needs you.” And just like that, she was gone, heels clicking away.

Fred’s gaze lingered on me, searching, suspicious. Finally, he nodded slowly.

“Hmm. Okay.”

I swallowed, my voice barely a whisper. “That… wasn’t meant for me, right?”

We exchanged numbers. He didn’t ask more questions, and I didn’t either. I was too tired, too shaken. We both just said goodbye and walked away.

I didn’t look back.

By the time I got home, the sun was already rising, the sky painted in soft orange and pink. The street was quiet. But as I reached the front door, I saw her.

My mum was standing there, barefoot, in her wrapper and headscarf. She looked like she hadn’t slept either. Her arms were folded tightly over her chest, and her face was filled with worry.

“Celina,” she said slowly. Her voice cracked a little. “What did you do?”

My chest tightened. I dropped my bag and hugged her tightly, holding on as if she might disappear again. I looked down at my feet.

“I didn’t do anything, Mum. You are home now. That’s all that matters, right?”

She didn’t answer. She just kept staring at me, searching my face. Like she could see right through me. Like she knew something was wrong, even if I didn’t say it.

I brushed past her and walked inside, trying not to cry right there in front of her. She followed me to the living room but didn’t say anything. She just stood there, hands still folded, watching me like she didn’t know who I was anymore.

“Mum, please,” I said softly. “I’m tired.”

She nodded slowly and turned away. But as she walked off, I caught her whisper.. “I think I know who to call.”

I went straight to the bathroom, locked the door, and slid down to the floor. My body was aching. Not from the night alone but from the weight of everything I was carrying.

I turned on the shower, but I didn’t get in. I just let the water run, the sound drowning out my sobs. When I raised my hands to wash my face, I froze.

There was blood.

Not enough to scream, not enough to tell the world something had happened but enough to make my stomach twist. The sight of it made the memory sharper, more real. I buried my face in my knees and cried. I really cried.

I had lost my virginity to a man I didn’t even know. A man who didn’t know me. A stranger.

And yet… it didn’t feel violent. That was the part that hurt the most.

He touched me gently. His hands weren’t rough. His kisses weren’t rushed. He held me like he was afraid to break me. Like it meant something. But I knew it didn’t. Not really. He never saw my face.

I sat there in the bathroom, soaked in shame, and the memory of his touch clung to me like something I couldn’t wash off.

I didn’t do it because I wanted to. I did it because I had no choice.

Naomi’s mother made that clear. Her threats still echoed in my ears. She told me what would happen to my mum if I disobeyed. She didn’t even flinch when she said it. Like she’d done it before. Like she could do worse.

I had to protect Mum. That was all that mattered to me. So I let it happen.

After a while, I stood up and changed into clean clothes. I didn’t even bother drying my hair properly. I just walked to my room and locked the door behind me.

I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling.

My phone buzzed, but I didn’t check it. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to disappear into the mattress and not feel anything for a while.

A knock came at my door a few minutes later. Then my mum’s soft voice.

“Celina, are you okay?”

I didn’t answer.

“Do you want to talk?” she asked again, gently.

I wanted to. God knows I do. But I couldn’t. I didn’t even know where to start.

“I’m fine,” I replied. My voice didn’t sound like mine.

“You’re fine keh?” a voice said, pushing the door open. I didn’t need to look up. I already knew who it was….