Chapter 53 – Wounds Behind Smiles

Mannie’s POV

"Please stop me here," I said to the driver who had been arranged to take me back home.

"Yes ma’am." The driver didn’t even look surprised. He barely cared whether I got home or not. In fact, I could almost feel the relief rolling off his shoulders. He was happy I was stopping here.

I glanced at his face and the faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips told me everything.

It meant he could go home to his family earlier.

I remembered what he had mentioned when his phone rang before we first drove off—today was his daughter’s birthday. And yet, he had been called out by Dominic’s mother to take me back home.

How ironic. His family was waiting for him, while mine was always in the shadows.

"Thank you," I said softly as I pushed the door open and stepped down from the car.

The air outside hit me, cool and sharp. I straightened my dress, holding my small purse tightly. I had already given him the wrong address, far from my place. I didn’t want my house to be known—not by them, not by anyone in Dominic’s family.

If possible, I hoped to keep it hidden for as long as I could.

Today had shown me something clearly—Dominic’s mother only cared about the baby. The baby I wasn’t even pregnant with.

My lips tightened. Besides, from our short interactions, I could already tell she didn’t like me. It was written all over her face, in her tone, in the way her eyes narrowed whenever she looked at me. If she found out about my children… I would never be able to keep them.

I didn’t know how long I could hide them, but I would. I would fight with everything in me to keep them safe.

I wrapped my arms around myself and walked slowly toward the bus stop.

The night felt heavier than usual. The streetlights flickered weakly, and the hum of faraway cars filled the silence. I checked the time—it was late. My heels clicked softly against the rough ground, each step echoing my thoughts.

Dominic was yet to pay me for the service. So I could only manage. Even entering the bus was already an expense on my part.

If possible, I would have preferred to walk. But the distance was too far, and it was already late into the night. Plus, I was still in heels, and my feet ached from the long day.

When the bus arrived, I squeezed myself into the half-full vehicle, paid for my fare, and sat by the window. My reflection stared back at me through the glass, pale and tired.

I turned my gaze outside, trying to push away the frustration, the humiliation, the invisible chains I carried because of the life I was forced into.

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When I finally reached my street and walked toward the small compound, my heart froze.

My mother was waiting outside.

"Mom, why are you outside? I already said I would come back late," I chided softly, though my voice wasn’t harsh. It carried guilt more than anything.

My mother had really tried for me, for the children. All the more reason why I hoped to make enough money—enough to take care of her, to let her live a worry-free life.

She smiled faintly, though her eyes betrayed her anxiety. "I have some good news for you and I was just anxious," she said. "Besides, I am also waiting for the kids. Your best friend had taken them with her to work."

Relief washed through me. "Okay," I said, my voice gentler this time. I turned and sat beside her on the old bench outside the house.

We didn’t talk much. The silence between us stretched until the headlights of a car pierced the dim street, making both of us shield our eyes for a moment.

The car slowly came to a halt. My best friend stepped out with the kids trailing behind her like little ducklings.

My heart melted instantly. "Thank you, sweetie," I said, walking toward her with gratitude.

She grinned, brushing her hair out of her face. "Don’t thank me yet. You owe me gist money for what happened tonight."

I raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

Her eyes flicked toward the kids, who were whispering among themselves and giggling. "Ask your children," she said, lowering her voice playfully. "Especially Lily, Adam, and Nate."

I frowned. "What did they do?"

She laughed softly. "Oh, they turned the bar upside down with their singing. I nearly fainted when they begged my boss to let them perform. At first, he thought it was a joke, but when they opened their mouths…"

Her eyes widened, her hands flying up for emphasis. "Girl, the whole bar went quiet. Then clapping, cheering, people standing up like they were in a concert hall."

I gasped, covering my mouth. My eyes darted to the kids, who immediately looked away suspiciously. "You’re not serious."

"I am," she whispered quickly, her voice rushing as her boss honked from the car. "They sang their hearts out. And my boss? He paid them."

I froze. "He what?"

She nodded eagerly. "I’ll gist you the rest tomorrow. My boss is waiting to drop me off. I’ll text you when I get home, okay?"

I hugged her tightly, whispering, "Thank you. Really. Be safe."

She pulled back with a wink. "Always. Now go drag those little performers to bed."

We laughed softly, and then she slipped back into the car, waving goodbye as it drove away.

I turned slowly to face the kids, who were now trying to look innocent.

"Alright," I said, arching a brow. "Let’s get you all showered up and ready for bed."

They bubbled with energy, giggling, whispering, tugging at my hands as we entered the house together.

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After putting the kids to bed and taking my own shower, I stepped back into the living room. My hair was damp, my body exhausted, but I froze when I saw the light still on.

"Mom, why are you still awake? Aren’t you going to bed?" I asked, noticing her sitting stiffly with her hands folded.

"Come and sit," she said in a solemn voice. Her face was lined with seriousness.

My chest tightened. I also became serious. "What happened, ma?" I asked quietly, sitting across from her.

She sighed, her eyes darting away from mine. "Our neighbor… you know she is into this matchmaking industry. She said she has someone who is interested in you."

I blinked. "Interested in me?"

"Not you per se," she corrected, her voice heavy, "but your fertility. His request was for someone who already has kids. She mentioned you to him… and he doesn’t mind. So now we need to fix a date for you two to meet."

My jaw dropped. Anger bubbled instantly in my chest.

"Mom, what do you mean by that?" I snapped, my words tumbling rapidly. "Did I ever tell you I was looking for a man? Did I tell you I don’t know my worth, that I would be willing to abase myself and become someone’s birthing machine? Is money everything to you?"

Her face tightened, her voice rising. "Can you hear yourself? Isn’t money everything? If you actually knew your worth, would you still be in this situation? Would you have to do all kinds of jobs for money? Can you stop living in your woven castle?"

"I am not living in any castle!" My voice broke. "You can say all you want, but I am not going." I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor.

Her next words froze me in place.

"You will go. Else, I will kill myself."

I stopped mid-step, my eyes snapping back to her. I scoffed, disbelief tightening my chest. "Mom, are you serious now?"

"Yes." Her voice was steady, determined, almost frightening.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding painfully. First it was work, then Dominic’s mother, and now my mother. It was as if the universe was just pushing me deeper into a pit.

My shoulders slumped. "Alright. I will go," I muttered finally, my voice laced with anger and exhaustion. Without waiting for her response, I turned and stormed toward my room.

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Just as I entered, I noticed the faint glow of my phone screen. It was ringing.

Seeing the caller’s name, I forced myself to calm down before picking up.

"Where did you throw your phone?" Dominic’s calm voice came from the other end.

"I got busy at home," I said flatly, forcing my tone to remain even.

"Why did you go back home?" His question made my blood boil. Did he think I wanted to leave on my own?

"Your mom asked me to go back home," I said, my words clipped. "To avoid us from having sex and injuring her unborn child."

Silence stretched on the other end. Then he spoke. "Fine. Take a day off tomorrow."

The line went dead.

A second later, a notification popped up. I checked it and saw that Dominic had finally credited me.

My lips twitched into a smile despite the heaviness in my chest. Relief washed over me, fragile but real.

I quickly sent him a short thank-you message before plugging my phone in to charge.

As for the man my mother wanted me to meet, I would deal with it when the time came.

Right now, I just wanted to sleep.