Worst Nightmare

Five years later...

My breath caught as his hand slid along my waist, caressing my stomach. His lips teased the side of my face, then moved to my ear, kissing softly. I heard him whisper in his deep voice, "The first time I saw you in the club, I knew I wanted to have a one-night stand with you."

I closed my eyes, unable to stop a single tear from falling. My toes curled, wanting to push the body above me away and run from there. But I had no other choice.

My daughter had just finished treatment at the hospital, but she wasn't allowed to go home because I hadn't yet paid off the hospital bills. I work as a fashion designer, but this month's salary hasn't come in because the company is going through a crisis, and my boss absolutely refuses to give me an advance.

And here I am now. In a cheap hotel with a stranger whose name I don't even know. I need money fast! Following advice from a friend who secured my company, I made up my mind to sell my body because I was informed that it was highly priced. Above all, for my daughter, I can surrender my pride and readily turn into another object for a man I do not know.

My tears wouldn't stop, but I quickly wiped them away. 'For your daughter. For your daughter.' I kept repeating that mantra to keep myself strong.

Until the sound of a phone ringing interrupted me. It was the special ringtone I used when the hospital called. From being closed fully, my eyes opened wide at once. With all my strength, I immediately shoved the man away from me, picked up my phone in a hurry, and answered the call.

"What?! How could this happen?! How could you be so careless?! How could she go missing?! Was no one watching her?!" I couldn't hold back my voice from rising. The veins on my forehead were clearly visible. My grip on the phone tightened.

"Alright. I'll be there right away." Without saying anything more, I ended the call abruptly and quickly put my clothes back on from the floor. My hands trembled as I buttoned my shirt. I didn't spare a single glance at the stranger. I hurriedly put on my heels, but my steps halted when the man rushed off the bed and grabbed my arm. His grip was firm.

"What the hell?! Where are you going?! We haven't even gotten to the good part! You can't leave before we're done!" he said emphatically. I snapped my head to look at him briefly. His gaze was sharp, and his jaw was clenched. I could tell he was very upset, but I didn't care at all!

My daughter is my priority! Nothing else matters above my daughter's needs! I shook off his grip with one swift motion.

"Cancel all the arrangements!" I said. He seemed ready to shout something else, but I didn't care and quickly ran to the door, opened it, and rushed out of the room. I could hear his angry shouts, but I ignored them completely.

"Watch where you're going!"

Several people yelled at me as I accidentally bumped into them while running through the hospital. But I didn't care; I had to find my daughter. Despite the hospital staff assuring me that an organized team was already searching for her, my heart wouldn't stop pounding with anxiety. Then I heard someone’s voice clear and shrill calling out my name.

"Mommy!"

I as fast as possible put my head toward the direction leading to the voice that had just addressed me. Finally, there is aligned at the end of the hall standing unaccompanied. She started running towards me and as a reflex, I too started running. I hugged her tightly.

“Oh, thank God. Thank God,” I mumbled under my breath as I squeezed her tightly which made her laugh and wiggle free from my grasp.

“Aah.. Oyaaa.. Mmmm... Too tight… Mommy,” she whined. I reluctantly let go.

“You scared me to death! Are you alright?” I uttered in a rush, trying to look for a sign that she had hurt herself.

“Mommy, I’m fine,” Giselle said in an attempt to bring down my panic level. Relieved I hugged her again and touched her head gently.

Then I quickly pulled away. “Oh, my dear, how could you scare me like that”, I said angrily, “Don’t ever do that again.”

‘Do you know I nearly had a heart attack when the nurse said you were missing?’ I said this last part louder.

Giselle looked regretful, but her expression quickly turned to a pout. "I was bored staying in that room all the time. It felt like being in a cage," she explained.

I wanted to scold her more; however, there was something that caught my attention. I saw that she was holding a big lollipop in her hand.

“Where did you get that candy?” I said with suspicion, my eyebrows curved downwards, compelling her to tell the truth. Giselle’s eyes did not light up with fear when she looked at the lollipop rather, her eyes lit up.

‘Mommy, I have good news for you,’ she said excitedly with her crescent-shaped eyes wide open, ‘I have found you a husband!’ Her cheeks rallied into chubby balls and her face blushed, her tiny teeth gleamed. The joy she showcased made me let out a deep sigh.

"When I got lost on my way back to the room, I met a handsome uncle. I cried a little, and he brought me here. Look! This is a gift from him!"

Here we go again. This isn't the first time Giselle has talked about this. She always says I need a husband, and I always give her plenty of reasons to avoid the topic. But my daughter is too smart, breaking through my excuses so I can't dodge the question.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Mommy doesn't need a husband, hm? And Giselle, Mommy told you countless times, to stop accepting things from strangers," I replied, trying to make her understand.

Giselle shook her head. "No, no, Mommy. You need a husband to take care of us. I know you work very hard to make money. I can't bear to see it," she said. Her words made my eyes sting and water a little. My daughter is so caring.

"And I'm also tired because my friends keep mocking me, saying I'm an illegitimate child and that I don't have a father." A sharp pain pierced my heart hearing that. I could feel my daughter's pain clearly. I've already talked to the school about this, hoping they would stop bullying Giselle, but it still happens.

“I want a complete family, Mom,” she continued.

I could only sigh. “Giselle, listen—” I wanted to scold her but stopped as Giselle quickly pulled my arm and hand, making me stand.

“Come on, Mommy! I want to show you something!” she added, not going into details.

From the direction we were heading, it seemed like Giselle was taking me to the hospital cafeteria. But then something made my blood run cold. I felt a sudden chill spread through my entire body. My pupils shrank. Our eyes met. I could see the same shock reflected there.

That man. A man who ruined my life. What was he doing in this city? In this hospital?

To be continued...