Chapter 10: Cast into the Night

With her glass down now, Barbra’s expression slowly shifted. The glow of excitement that had brightened her face earlier dulled into something else. Fear.

Her lips pressed together, and she stared blankly at the tiled floor, her shoulders stiff.

“I’m scared,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Evelyn, surprised, turned her head sharply. “Scared? Of what, my daughter?”

Barbra’s fingers twisted nervously around the rim of her empty glass.

She raised her eyes briefly, then dropped them again. “What about Celine’s child? What if she and Adam somehow meet again tomorrow… and because of the child, they start getting back together? What becomes of me then? What happens to us?”

Her words hung heavy in the air. For a moment, silence filled the grand living room, broken only by the faint ticking of the golden clock on the wall.

Then Evelyn burst into laughter. Loud, cold laughter that startled Barbra, leaving her more confused and sad than before.

She stared at Evelyn, searching her face, trying to understand what was funny about her deepest fear.

“What’s so funny?” Barbra asked, her tone flat, her chest rising and falling quickly.

Evelyn set her glass down, still smiling. “You worry for nothing, Barbra. You still don’t understand? I made sure Celine was properly taken care of… including that bastard in her womb.”

Barbra’s eyes widened in utter shock. She gasped. “Taken care of? What do you mean by that?”

Evelyn waved her hand dismissively, pouring herself another drink. “Oh, come on. Don’t look at me like that. You know how long we’ve been planning this. Everything we did in the past to make Adam hate her, yet he still went ahead and married her. You should be thanking me for putting her where she belongs.”

Barbra swallowed hard, the liquid in her throat almost choking her. She dropped the glass of wine onto the table, the sound clinking against the glass surface.

Unexpectedly, she lost her appetite for everything.

She sighed, pressing her palm against her chest. “You’re right, Mum,” she said quietly, though her tone betrayed uncertainty.

Evelyn tilted her head, studying her like a hawk. “Of course I’m right. Now, no more fear. What matters is this, keep close to Adam. Make him forget Celine completely. What you achieved last night is just a tip of the iceberg. You must give him more until his mind no longer remembers she ever existed.”

Barbra nodded faintly, though deep inside, Evelyn’s words left her unsettled. She forced a small smile, pretending to share her joy.

************

It was getting late when Celine stumbled upon SkyRock Hotel, one of the most exotic hotels in the city, the kind that was patronized by the elites.

Its golden lights stretched into the dark sky, mocking her ragged reflection on the polished glass doors.

Two days had passed since she was discharged from the hospital with the help of a man named Malik.

At first, she had wanted nothing to do with him.

But he had appeared gentle, kind, even genuine. He drove her to his three-bedroom bungalow, made her lunch, showed her to a spare room.

Celine had been grateful, too grateful for kindness after so much cruelty.

But that gratitude withered at midnight.

She woke to the sight of Malik standing at the edge of her bed, naked from the waist down, his breathing shallow, his manhood swollen in his hand.

“Please,” he panted, his voice low and urgent. “I can’t hold this anymore. I need you.”

Celine’s heart stopped. She leapt from the bed instantly, her bare feet scraping the floor. From the corner, she grabbed a piece of wood, holding it high with trembling hands. “Don’t you dare touch me!” she screamed, her voice sharp with terror.

His face fell, his eyes burning with shame and anger. She backed away until she reached the door, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

That was how she ended back in the streets, broken once more.

The rest of that night she spent in a secluded hut, curled into herself, shivering with fear and exhaustion. Each sound in the dark; the cry of owls, the shuffle of rats, felt like death creeping toward her.

She held herself tightly, her stomach aching from emptiness, her heart pounding from dread.

But tonight, her legs brought her to SkyRock Hotel. She couldn’t endure the terror of the streets again.

She needed walls, even if just for a night.

Her hair was messy, her gown torn in places, her face still pale with weakness. But she forced herself into the brightly lit lobby, her steps dragging but determined.

She walked to the reception desk, her voice soft but firm.

“Hello. I need a room,” she said.

The two receptionists behind the counter exchanged quick, mocking glances.

One of them smirked, then suddenly they both burst into loud laughter that cut into Celine’s chest like a knife.

The sound echoed in her ears, cruel and piercing.

“And what makes you think someone like you can afford a room here?” the first asked, her eyes scanning Celine from head to toe with disdain.

Her laughter followed again, high-pitched and merciless.

Celine’s lips trembled, but she forced herself to ignore the insult. She steadied her voice. “I have money. I can pay.”

But before she could say more, the second receptionist leaned forward, her voice dripping with mockery. “And how did you even get pass the security at the entrance? How am I sure you’re not even a thief?”

Celine shuddered. The words stabbed deep into her already shattered heart. Her eyes stung with tears she tried hard to hold back.

She had fallen so low, so far beneath their gaze, that even her truth sounded like a lie.

Unknown to her, one of the women had already signaled to security.

“Sorry, ma’am.” A baritone voice boomed from behind her.

Celine turned, her body stiffening, to find two hefty security men towering over her. Their sheer presence was enough to make her knees weak.

“You need to leave now,” one of them said firmly.

Her voice cracked as she tried to protest. “Why? I only requested for a room. I have my money to pay for it. What crime did I commit?”

But no one answered. Eyes from the guests scattered around the lobby turned toward her, their whispers thick with judgment. The receptionists smirked, victorious in their cruelty.

The two security men closed in, one stepping to her side, the other behind her. Ignoring her words, they directed her firmly toward the doors.

Her protests died in her throat.

Moments later, she was outside again.

The golden lights of SkyRock shone behind her like a palace mocking the exile at its gates. Celine’s chest heaved.

She felt the world crashing down on her, the pieces of her life shattering beyond repair.

In the darkness of the night, her eyes caught sight of a long bench beneath a makeshift hut of old zinc. Its shadows looked like refuge. She dragged her weak body toward it, desperate for rest.

But before she could reach it, two men appeared from nowhere, stepping into her path. They advanced closer without a word, their eyes glinting in the dim streetlights.

Celine gasped, her heart thudding against her ribs. She turned to run, but another two men emerged behind her, closing the trap.

Her chest burned, her voice cracking with terror.

“What do you want from me?” she cried, her voice quivering.