Page 5 of A Kiss of Deception

But hunger gnaws at me. And for a moment, I hate myself. I shake it off.

I'm not a thief. Not today.

"Meetha! Over here!"

I spin around, spotting Korrine waving from a nearby alley. With her disheveled auburn hair and kohl-rimmed eyes, a woman who is now a mere shadow of her former self. She beckons me over with a trembling hand.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper harshly, glancing over my shoulder. "If Jarvil sees you…"

Jarvil would have a lovely time beating his wife, and he should be back from another one of his grand adventures any day now.

"Keep it down, will you? Just listen." Her voice shakes as she presses the small pouch into my palm. "Take this. Get something filling."

"Where did you?—"

"Don't ask!" she snaps, the strain in her smile cracking into something more genuine at the corners. "Just make it last."

Before I can respond, she retreats into the shadows, her silhouette swallowed by the darkness. A heavy silence fills the air, leaving only the lingering scent of cheap perfume—a reminder of her struggles.

I clutch the pouch to my chest, torn between gratitude and shame. This money… I know how she earned it. The same way she always does when her bastard husband’s schemes run dry.

Squaring my shoulders, I turn back to the market. At least we'll eat tonight. And maybe, just maybe, it'll be enough to keep that coward’s fists at bay.

For now.

The weight of the coin pouch tugs at my conscience. Korrine’s gaudy perfume lingers in the air, a bittersweet reminder of her sacrifice. I should feel ashamed, disgusted even. But I don't. How can I, when it's kept us alive all these years? At least her work is honest.

I weave through the market, securing bread and a few bruised apples. My stomach growls, but I resist the urge to eat. I must account for every morsel at home.

As I walk, memories of last week's argument with her surface, piercing through the haze of the market.

"Let me help,"I had pleaded, the desperation creeping into my voice."I'm old enough now. We could earn twice as much."

I remember the way her face had paled, as if I had struck her."Never. You hear me? Never."

Why couldn't she see? It's just work—one more pair of hands to lighten the burden."But why? It's just work, isn't it? And we need the money."

But then she gripped my shoulders, her eyes wild with a fear I recognized all too well—life had shaped her into a fortress, and I was trying to break down walls she deemed necessary."It's not 'just work,' Meetha. It's… it's surviving. But at a cost."

I felt the weight of her words settle heavily in my chest. A cost? I had witnessed the slow erosion of our lives, day by day, and I was tired of watching her bear it alone."A cost I'm willing to pay,"I had insisted, the defiance in my voice ringing clear."For us."

Her voice had cracked, revealing a vulnerability I rarely saw."No. I won't let you. You deserve better."

Better? I scoff in hindsight."Look around, Korrine. What 'better' is there for someone like me?"I wanted to scream, to shake her until she understood the truth beating in my chest.

But she was being a good mother, trying to protect her daughter from the harshness of the world. If only she knew the truth about her precious Meetha.

I glanced at the bustling stalls, at the hopeful faces of others around me, each one struggling for survival. If she only knew what I was capable of, what I will endure for our sake. Sacrifice was not just a choice; it was an inevitability. But to her, it seemed more than that—it was an unwritten rule, her shield against a world that had already scarred her deeply.

But fear won't define me. I'll carve my path; I'll survive—no matter the cost.

Now, trudging home with our meager provisions, I wonder if she'll ever see reason. It's not that I want to sell my body. But compared to Jarvil’s pathetic abuse to make him feel like he’s more than the rat he is, and our empty bellies? It seems a small price to pay.

I've seen how the men look at me in the market. I'm not blind to my reflection. Why shouldn't I use what I have to keep us safe? To keep us fed?

But Korrine refuses. Each time I bring it up, she shuts me down. Sometimes with tears, sometimes with anger. But always with that haunted look in her eyes.

I don't understand her reluctance. She does it. Why can't I?

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