4

Silence fell in the private room.

No one cared anymore about the loud music coming from outside, nor the sounds of laughter in the hallways.

All eyes were fixed on Celia Winters.

She stood in her place with difficulty, while her eyes were fixed on the check placed on the table, then her gaze slowly moved to the bottle of fine wine that Junior Hamilton had pushed toward her.

She swallowed with difficulty.

The smell of alcohol alone was enough to make her stomach clench.

Since she got out of prison days ago, nothing had entered her stomach except a little bread and a cup of water and some cheap soup.

As for her body...

It had become too weak to handle even a single glass.

But...

She remembered the doctor's words.

"If the operation is not done soon... we may lose your mother."

She closed her eyes tightly.

And soon her mother's face appeared in her imagination.

Her tender smile...

Her warm hands...

And her voice that she heard every night over the phone while she was lying to her, saying she was busy with her studies.

She felt a pang in her heart.

Her mother was lying too...

Pretending she was fine so as not to worry her daughter.

Both of them were hiding their pain from the other.

But time no longer allowed for more lies.

If she didn't get the money tonight...

She might lose the only person left for her in this world.

She opened her eyes slowly.

Then she stretched a trembling hand toward the bottle.

Junior noticed her movement, but he showed no expression.

As for the men sitting around the table, they exchanged mocking glances.

One of them said laughing:

"I knew she would agree."

And another added while sipping his glass:

"Money makes dignity cheap."

Celia lowered her head.

She heard their words...

But she no longer cared.

Her dignity had been crushed three years ago, when the prison doors closed behind her.

She slowly removed the cap of the bottle.

The strong smell of wine rose until she felt dizzy before she even drank.

Her hand trembled for a moment.

Then she whispered inside:

"Mom... forgive me."

And raised the bottle to her lips.

The burning liquid began to flow down her throat.

She felt as if fire was making its way to her stomach.

Her face turned red immediately, and she coughed hard.

Some of the men laughed out loud.

One of them said sarcastically:

"It seems she doesn't even know how to drink."

But Junior remained silent.

His eyes were watching her without blinking.

Celia gathered her courage, then raised the bottle again.

She swallowed a second sip...

Then a third...

Then a fourth.

Her tears were flowing silently from the intensity of the burning.

And with each sip, she felt her body getting heavier.

The ground began to tilt under her feet.

And her vision blurred little by little.

But she didn't stop.

All she saw in front of her was her mother's face.

"I need you, Mom... that's why you must live."

After long minutes that seemed like hours...

She finally lowered the bottle.

It was empty.

Her fingers trembled, so it slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.

The glass shattered with a sharp sound.

Silence fell again.

Celia stared at the scattered shards under her feet, then raised her head with difficulty toward Junior.

Her vision in front of her was blurred.

Even his features became hazy.

In a voice that barely came out from between her lips, she said:

"I... I kept my promise..."

Then she looked at the check.

"Can... can I take it now?"

Silence fell inside the room for a few moments.

Everyone was looking at Celia Winters as she stood with difficulty, swaying right and left, while trying to keep her eyes open.

She took a step toward the table.

But her feet betrayed her.

She almost fell, except she clung to the edge of the table at the last moment.

She took broken breaths, then raised her gaze toward Junior Hamilton.

He was still sitting in his place, leaning on the leather sofa, looking at her with his cold eyes without any emotion showing on his features.

She whispered in a hoarse voice:

"Sir... I drank the whole bottle..."

"Can... can I take the money?"

He did not answer her directly.

He kept watching her for long seconds, as if trying to discover whether she was pretending or not.

Her face was frighteningly pale.

Her lips had lost their color.

Even her hands were trembling non-stop.

One of the men said laughing:

"Boss, it seems she's going to lose consciousness."

And another added sarcastically:

"For money only... people do the impossible."

Celia did not look at them.

All she wanted was to leave.

Junior slowly stretched his hand.

He grabbed the check.

Celia felt her heart tighten.

For a moment...

She thought he would change his mind.

But he placed the check in front of her on the table.

He said coldly:

"Take it."

Her eyes widened.

She advanced with stumbling steps, then picked up the check with both hands, as if it were the most precious thing she had ever owned in her life.

She didn't even look at the value of the amount.

It didn't matter to her.

As long as it would save her mother.

She bowed her head with great respect.

"Thank you... Mr. Hamilton."

Her words were sincere.

Not because she forgave him...

Nor because she forgot that he was the man who sent her to prison.

But because she was grateful for the money that might give her mother another chance at life.

She turned slowly.

And tried to walk toward the door.

But the alcohol began to take over her entire body.

Everything in front of her eyes became blurred.

The lights were spinning.

And the sounds were mixing with each other.

She put her hand on the wall so as not to fall.

And despite that...

She forced herself to smile.

"Hold on just a little longer..."

"Get out of here..."

"Then you can collapse as you wish."

She reached the door.

She grabbed the handle.

And with difficulty she managed to open it.

She went out into the long hallway.

And as soon as the door closed behind her...

The smile disappeared from her face.

She put her hand over her mouth quickly.

Her stomach was turning violently.

She started running with difficulty, clinging to the wall at times, and to the pillars of the hallway at other times.

Everything was spinning around her.

She saw the employees looking at her in surprise.

But she didn't stop.

All she was thinking about was reaching the restroom.

She pushed the door hard.

Then she leaned over the sink.

And began to vomit violently.

Everything she drank came out.

And she kept coughing until she felt her chest burning.

Her tears poured involuntarily.

Not just because of the alcohol...

But because her empty stomach was tearing from the severe cramps.

She leaned against the sink while panting.

She slowly raised her head toward the mirror.

She almost didn't recognize herself.

The woman looking at her was pale, exhausted, and her eyes sunken, as if she were ten years older than her age.

She smiled a bitter smile.

Then whispered to herself:

"It's okay, Celia..."

"You got the money..."

"Mom will live..."

She washed her face with cold water.

Then she took the check out of her pocket, and made sure it didn't get wet.

She hugged it to her chest as if it were a priceless treasure.

She took a deep breath.

Then she opened the bathroom door and went out...

Unaware that the person she would bump into after a few moments would reopen all her old wounds.