𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙺𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚆

EPISODE 14- THE TRUTH

The air between us was thick, heavy with my mother’s anger and the weight of Gabi’s betrayal. Her arms were crossed, eyes locked on me, a deep furrow forming in her brow. “How could you, Nina?” she asked, her voice trembling with disappointment. “How could you hide this from me? Your own mother.”

I opened my mouth, but before I could respond, the sound of a car pulling up outside made us both freeze. A moment later, the front door creaked open, and there he was—Marcus.

The tension in the room spiked the second he stepped inside. My mother’s eyes narrowed at him, a storm brewing in her gaze. “You,” she snapped, her voice cold and sharp. “You’re the one who’s been ruining my daughter’s life.”

Marcus raised his hands, palms out as if to show he meant no harm. “Ma’am, I assure you, I’ve done nothing of the sort.”

“Nothing of the sort?” she scoffed, glaring at him. “You’re the reason she’s in this industry, aren’t you? You dragged her into this—this filth!”

“Mom, stop.” I took a step forward, trying to diffuse the situation. “It’s not like that.”

She turned on me, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Then what is it like, Nina? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like this man ruined your life.”

“He didn’t,” I said, my voice firmer now. “It wasn’t Marcus, Mom. It was poverty. It was me trying to make ends meet when we had nothing.”

My mother’s face softened, the fury in her eyes giving way to confusion. “What do you mean?”

I took a deep breath, feeling the knot of emotion tightening in my throat. “We were struggling, Mom. I didn’t have any options. Marcus—he helped me. He gave me a way out when I didn’t have one. I didn’t want this, but I had no choice.”

For a moment, my mother said nothing. Her gaze flickered between Marcus and me, her expression unreadable. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping as the fight drained out of her.

“I didn’t know,” she whispered. “Why didn’t you come to me, Nina? We would have figured out something.”

I shook my head. “I couldn’t put anymore burden on you. I had to do something.”

She sighed again, wiping her eyes. “You shouldn’t have had to carry this alone.”

Marcus stepped forward, his voice calm, almost soothing. “I’ll make sure she never has to again. I’m going to help Nina. I swear.”

My mother looked at him, really looked at him for the first time. There was something in her eyes that shifted, the hostility melting away as she nodded slowly. “I don’t like what she’s been doing, but if you can get her out of it- I’ll be grateful.”

Marcus inclined his head slightly, a small, respectful gesture. “I will. You have my word.”

But while my mother seemed to soften, Gabi was far from pleased. She sat on the couch, arms crossed, her eyes full of spite. “So what, everyone’s just gonna pretend like everything’s okay now?” she sneered. “You’re supporting her after everything?”

“Gabi, enough,” my mother warned, but Gabi wasn’t listening. She pushed past me and grabbed my car keys off the table.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, trying to grab them back, but she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.