Chapter 97

MANNIE’S POV

Morning came like a slap to the face.

Before my alarm even rang, someone tugged on my blanket.

Then another.

And another.

“Mommy, wake up!”

“I’m hungry!”

“No, Mommy promised to braid my hair today!”

“That’s not today, dummy—”

“Mommy! Zane called me dummy!”

“I did not—!”

Eight voices overlapped in a storm.

I groaned into my pillow. I dragged the blanket over my head, hoping—praying—that if I stayed still enough, they would think I died peacefully in my sleep.

But Jay yanked the blanket off with a dramatic flourish. “Rise, Queen Mother! Your kingdom awaits!”

Nate folded his arms. “We already brushed our teeth. You said we should be responsible.”

Tera adjusted her glasses. “Technically, that was yesterday’s instruction. And we’ve only brushed because I forced them.”

Sophie jumped on the bed. “Mommyyyy breakfast!”

Zoey hugged my arm. “Mommy, can I wear the pink socks today?”

Lily patted my cheek gently. “Mommy… you look very tired. Do you want a hug before you stand up?”

Adam held a stuffed toy above his head like a trophy. “Look! My robot survived the night!!”

I blinked up at eight tiny faces staring at me like I was the morning sun that refused to rise.

“Okay…” I rubbed my eyes. “Everyone calm down—one at a time—”

“No! Me first!”

“You always say that!”

“Mommy she pushed me!”

“Mommy he took my brush!”

“Oh? So you admit you took my socks—”

Chaos exploded again.

I dragged myself up and pressed a palm to my forehead.

“This is too early for war,” I muttered.

But somehow, with my voice, my eyes, my mom glare, my exhausted sighs, and Lily’s gentle reminders, I managed to get them dressed, fed, organized into a straight-ish line at the door, and loaded into the cab like noisy puzzle pieces.

By the time I dropped them at school, my nerves felt stretched thin.

Each child gave me a hug before running off.

Nate whispered, “Mommy, be safe.”

Zane saluted me like he was going to battle.

Jay winked. “Don’t cause trouble.”

Tera corrected him. “It’s don’t GET into trouble.”

Sophie blew a kiss.

Zoey ran back for another hug.

Lily held my hand an extra second. “I hope your day feels soft.”

Adam waved a toy at me. “Bring snacks later!”

I watched them disappear into the gate.

My heart warmed at the sight, "My beautiful treasures."

Yawn!

At this point, i just wanted to lie flat on the ground and nap for twelve hours.

_____

As I stepped out of the elevator at work, I heard voices before I saw the faces.

A few staffs stood near the hallway corner.

They weren’t from my office and neither did i know them .

“…I heard Lilith family lost everything,” the woman whispered, adjusting her scarf. “Not just money. Everything.”

The man clicked his tongue. “I’m not surprised. She was acting strange for months.”

I slowed my steps, pretending to read a message on my phone while my ears sharpened.

“It’s the grandmother,” another woman said. “Didn’t you hear? Her medical bills are draining them dry.”

“Is that why Lilith looked stressed all the time?”

“And angry. And desperate.”

“Hmm.”

The man leaned closer. “Someone told me her whole family left the burden on her. No one wants to spend on a dying old woman.”

The woman sighed. “If she gets fired… she won’t be able to afford treatment at all.”

My stomach tightened.

I stopped walking completely.

Their words kept falling like small stones.

“Poor girl,” another woman with blonde muttered. “If the manager fires her, she’s finished.”

The woman clicked her tongue. “She hides it well. That fake pride… I almost believed she was still rich.”

“But she’s not. Not anymore.”

“But do you blame her? Nobody wants to expose that kind of shame.”

Their voices faded as they walked away.

I stared ahead.

Lilith.

I still wanted to report her...

But…

Her family was suffering?

Her grandmother was sick?

She was carrying everything alone? And that kind of burden was something I was familiar with.

Sigh! I rubbed my forehead, "This is complicated."

I took a slow breath.

I imagined walking into the administrative manager’s office.

I imagined slamming the evidence down.

I imagined watching Lilith get fired.

But now…

I hesitated.

My fingers tightened around my phone.

“This is messy…” I whispered.

I hated what she did.

But I also knew pain. I understood the kind of pain that comes with losing family and the desperation for survival.

I turned away from going to the manager’s office.

“I will just let this slide this time." I murmured, walking to my office.

By noon, work drowned me.

It was either emails, calls updates corrections or deadlines.

My head felt like it was full of buzzing wires.

Then my desk phone rang.

A delivery man stood by my door minutes later, holding a white envelope sealed in tape.

“For Miss Mannie,” he said.

I frowned. “Who sent this?”

“Your friend,” he replied. “Mr. David.”

My breath caught.

David?

I took the envelope slowly.

"Please sign here." The delivery man said.

With shaky hands I signed. My fingers trembled.

“What… did he send?”

The man left.

My colleagues turned to look at me, some whispering.

"Another man?"

"Tch.. she really is a whore."

I couldn’t be bothered with their.whispers. My heart pounded against my ribs cage.

I tore the tape.

Inside—

A thin document.

I unfolded it.

The words hit me like a blow.

PATERNITY TEST RESULT

My hands shook hard. I forced myself to read the lines.

Then I froze.

I blinked.

I read again.

My throat tightened.

I covered my mouth.

“David…” my voice trembled. “David… and Jay…”

My heart dropped.

My stomach twisted painfully.

My head suddenly felt dizzy. How could this be?

David was Jay’s father?

Jay… my Jay… my loud, wild, dramatic boy…

His father…

Was David?

A sharp breath escaped me.

I sank into my chair. My hand pressed over my heart.

I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh or to scream or to just tear the paper apart.

Everything felt unreal.

Everything felt wrong.

I had only slept with one man that night and it was Dominic. How?...

I dropped my head into my hands.

The test result lay open on the table like a ticking bomb.

My mind refused to settle.

All day, I worked mechanically—typing without seeing, answering without hearing, walking without feeling.

Everything felt… distant.

Floating.

Until—

Near the end of the day, just before closing time, two uniformed officers stepped into the office.

Everyone turned to look. People whispered.

Chairs squeaked.

Feet shifted.

My heartbeat slowed.

Then one of them spoke.

“Miss Mannie?”

I stood, confused. “Yes?”

“We need to speak with you.”

Every eye in the office turned toward me.

My palms went cold.

I followed them to the hallway.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

The officers exchanged a look.

Then one said carefully:

“Lilith… was found dead in her apartment last night.”

My breath vanished.

“What?”

The hallway swayed.

The officer continued:

“The door and windows were intact. No signs of forced entry.”

My heart pounded hard. I had watched some crime movies to understand what's next...

A locked-room.

A classic locked-room murder.

Lilith… dead?

I stepped back. “That’s not… that can’t—”

The officer raised a hand calmly.

“We’re investigating it as suspicious. And because you were the last person she had a public conflict with…”

My chest tightened painfully.

My voice cracked. “I didn’t do anything. And no, i wasn't the lat person. She quarelled with Dianna at the office just yesterday as well.”

They did like they weren't hearing what I was saying and said.

“We need you to come with us for questioning.”

Everything felt distant. Like I was walking underwater.

I followed them out of the office.

Everyone watched.

Whispers floated around as everyone stared as if I already wore handcuffs.

---

The Police Station

They didn’t lock me up.

They put me in a small gray room.

A cold table. Two chairs and a faint buzzing light.

The officer asked questions.

Where was I last night?

Did I have contact with Lilith?

Did I threaten her?

Did I visit her home?

Did I know her door was locked from inside?

Did I have a key?

I answered everything.

My mind was disrupted, I answered whatever questions they threw at me as fast as I could or as fast my brain could think of the answer.

They took my statement and then they let me go.

“Don’t leave town,” the officer said. “We may call you back.”

I didn’t know how I left there.

I got home in a haze.

By the time I entered the house, my head hurt. My hands were cold. My thoughts tangled.

The kids ran toward me.

“Mommy!”

“Are you okay?”

“You look pale!”

“Want water?”

Their voices blurred together.

I forced a smile.

“I’m okay,” I whispered. “Just tired.”

But inside? Nothing was okay. I felt like I was drowning. I needed help.

I closed the bedroom door behind me and leaned back against it.

My heart whispered in a trembling voice:

What is happening to my life?​

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