Chapter 9.

The sun struggled to shine through the clouds, making the diner where Sophia Montgomery worked look dull and dirty. The smell of grease and burnt food stuck to her skin; a constant reminder of her fall from the life she once enjoyed.

Sophia's hands were rough and sore from the strong detergents and constant scrubbing, and as she cleaned the tables, they shook incessantly due to the biting cold.

Mr. Hollis, the manager of the diner, stood tall with a stern expression on his face as he spoke to her. "Hurry up, Montgomery," he said impatiently. "This isn't a charity so don't expect special treatment because you have a baby."

She wanted to tell him that her pay wasn't up to half of the job she did, but she held back the sharp retort, and nodded silently. She gripped the rag tighter and scrubbed more vigorously, trying to block out the hurting sensation in her wrists.

Her mind wandered to her son, feeling the heavy burden of her situation weighing on her chest. She couldn't stop thinking about the baby's face - his big, innocent eyes, not knowing how though things were for them. Losing this job was not an option she concluded.

Bethany, a fellow waitress, walked past with her shiny nails clicking on the counter. She grinned, clearly having fun at Sophia's expense. "Don't let Hollis push you too much," Bethany teased, her voice full of sarcasm. "We wouldn't want you to break a nail." Sophia kept cleaning, her lips pressed together. She felt embarrassed, but she had no time to feel proud. Not anymore.

The day felt like it was never-ending, with hours passing by in a boring haze of rude customers and tiredness. Each customer acted more entitled than the one before.

A man in a fancy suit looked down on her, purposely spilling his coffee. "Can you please clean that mess?" he said with a sneer, sitting back in his chair like he was enjoying her misery.

Sophia got down on her knees, using shaky hands to wipe up the spilled drink. Her knees hurt on the cold floor, and she felt embarrassed and upset. She clenched her jaw, avoiding eye contact with the man.

The conversations around her were about trips, expensive meals. It was like the life she used to have and a huge pain burnt her chest as she remembered her current situation. It seemed like the universe was taunting her, showing her how much she had drifted from the right path.

That night, she laid on her uncomfortable mattress in her small apartment, thinking about how her life had gone downhill since meeting Alexander. Her mind then drifted to the day she lost one of the twin when she gave birth. The memory was painful; She remembered the hospital's sterile smell, the cold metal of the bed, and the doctor's solemn words echoing in her mind.

She had first felt numb, then overwhelming grief washed over her, threatening to consume her. As she heard the dreaded words She fell down next to the crib because she couldn't stand the pain of her loss. There was no one to help her or offer any comfort. It was like the world kept moving forward, not noticing her sadness, not minding even when it did.

The soft sound of her other twin brought her back to reality. She looked at the small baby wrapped in a thin blanket, watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed softly. A tear rolled down her face. She was his only family now, and even though she felt shattered, she knew she had to stay strong.

The next day, Elias showed up at the diner. Elias, was a quiet man with deep brooding eyes and he always seemed lost in thought. He sat in the corner, watching her as she worked. He was always frequent at the diner and often tipped her more than the others always looking at her with his deep brooding eyes. At first Sophia had felt uneasy the way he looked at her, but was she was too busy to pay much attention.

One evening, she had found a small grocery bag left at her door. She initially believed some one forgot it there but the gifts kept coming—her rent was paid, groceries always at delivered at her door step and more tips from Elias.

Soon, she realized Elias was responsible for all the recent gifts she got. Feeling desperate, she became wary, but couldn't risk questioning his intentions. Bethany also noticed. "She whispered one day, sounding jealous, 'Someone really likes you. It must be great to have someone get your back all the time.' Sophia felt sick to her stomach.

" Elias didn't ask her out because he outrightly, but She could tell by the way his eyes changed when she didn't pay attention to him. When he finally did, she knew it wasn't a friendly invitation and firmly said No, feeling anxious inside.

Then, the groceries stopped, coming. The rent was no longer paid, and in the following week, Mr. Hollis sacked her, giving no notice and no reason for the sack, only a knowing glance towards Eliasdirection. She didn't understand at first, but later, she figured out that Elias had spread lies to her boss, leading to her getting fired.

That night after she was laid off, Sophia sat in her small apartment, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. The bills on the table seemed impossible to pay, like a huge mountain of debt.

Mrs Harris, the landlord, knocked loudly on the door. Shouting she said, "Montgomery, you are late on rent for a week" "If the money isn't here by Friday, you're out."

"Please can I get some more time" Sophia begged her voice breaking, but Mrs. Harris snapped back, "Time doesn't pay bills, Montgomery she shouted and slammed the door" her face showing no emotion.

Sophia was left alone in the quiet room as the door closed with a bang. She looked at the bills, feeling nervous as she tried to figure out how to make do with her last pay check before she got another job.

Her son coughed quietly next to her as they sat in an old clinic the next day. The bright, flickering lights above them made the place feel even more rundown. Sophia clutched the crumpled prescription, realizing she couldn't pay for the medicine her son required.

Dr. Reid, the doctor who saw her, didn't try to hide his impatience as he stated, "Your son needs good care." "If you always find it hard to buy his drugs we will need to call social services."

"I will get the money," Sophia said, her voice sounding weak. She held her baby closer, feeling the heaviness of his delicate body against her chest, reminding her of her imminent letdown. "Make sure you do," Doctor Reid said before walking away, leaving her alone in the chilly hallway of the clinic.

Sophia walked outside into the cold wind, feeling her heart beat fast. She held her son close, feeling him shiver, so she wrapped him snugly in the blanket. How much more time could she continue like this? How much more time could she stay strong?

Back in the apartment, the silence pressed down on her. The bottle of pills she took for postpartum depression sat on the counter. Dark thoughts gnawed at the edges of her mind, nudging her to take the whole pills and end it all. Sophia gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white. The hunger, the exhaustion, the isolation—it all blurred together, making the lines between reality and despair almost indistinguishable.

She couldn't help but wonder if anyone would notice if she died. The idea stuck in her mind, hovering like a shadow she couldn't get rid of. But she know she couldn't leave her baby alone in this world and die. She was the only one he got, so she had to stay alive. She made herself get up, moving the bottle of pills away with shaky hands she fell on the bed and cried till she fell asleep.

The following day at the mall, Sophia carefully counted each penny, feeling embarrassed as she bought only the essentials. Milk, bread, and diapers. Bethany, wearing fancy clothes, saw her from afar in the store. She felt uncomfortable when she saw Bethany's smug smile. "Hey there, fancy seeing you here," Bethany said slowly, checking out Sophia's outfit. "Looks like things aren't going too well for you."

Sophia stood up straight, trying hard not to react angrily. She refused to let Bethany see her weakness. "I'm okay," she whispered, even though the lie left a bad taste in her mouth. Bethany's laugh sounded empty and mean. "Of course you are. Perhaps one day things will get better for you... but I wouldn't count on it." With a laugh ringing through the aisles, she walked away, leaving Sophia standing there, feeling embarrassed and angry.

Sophia walked out of the store with her hands in tight fists, feeling a fierce anger in her chest. The Bethany's words kept replaying in her head, making her feel like she was being stabbed. She could feel a strong urge for payback, for something even more sinister, simmering just below the surface of her skin. How much more could she handle before she lost control? She understood that she needed to take action, but she wasn't sure what to do.

That evening, while Sophia was in her apartment, there was a knock on the door. Damon, a guy who lived nearby, stood by the door, his eyes shining with a brooding look. "I heard you needed a Job," Damon said smoothly. "I have something for you, to make some quick cash but it has its price.

Sophia felt her heart racing. She was aware that involving in any thing illegal was dangerous, but she felt desperate and was pushed to think about doing something extreme. "What do you mean by price?" she inquired quietly. Damon smiled, the smile not reaching his eyes. "Let's see tomorrow. We can talk about everything when we meet." Sophia felt stuck as Damon walked off, his words lingering in the air like a tightening noose around her neck. Did she have no other choice? Or was she on the verge of making the biggest error of her life?

The door clicked shut, and the apartment fell into suffocating silence. Sophia's hands shook as she realized just how close she was to crossing a line she might never return from.