THE PRICE OF HER TEARS

THE PRICE OF HER TEARS:4

Episode 4: The Secret Meeting

Florence hardly slept that night.

The mysterious text message lingered in her thoughts as she sat beside Tracy’s bed, placing a damp cloth on her daughter’s forehead every few minutes. By God’s grace, the fever had begun to subside before dawn, but Florence knew she still needed proper medication.

She looked around the tiny room where her children slept. Angela held Divine close as they lay on the worn mattress, unaware of the storm brewing in their mother’s heart.

Her eyes drifted to the clock.

It was 8:15 a.m.

The meeting was scheduled for 10:00 a.m.

Should she go?

What if it was a trap? What if Gilbert had arranged it to test her? But another voice inside her whispered that this might be her only chance to uncover the truth.

After preparing breakfast, she called Angela.

“My dear, I need to step out for a little while. Please stay with your brother and sister. If Tracy’s fever gets worse, call our neighbor, Mama Grace.”

Angela nodded obediently.

“Don’t worry, Mummy. We’ll be fine.”

Florence kissed each child on the forehead before leaving.

The journey to the meeting place felt longer than usual. Every passing minute increased her anxiety. When she arrived at a small café on the edge of town, she noticed a young woman sitting alone in the far corner, nervously glancing at the entrance.

The woman stood as soon as Florence walked in.

“Florence?”

“Yes.”

“My name is Cynthia.”

Florence studied her carefully. Cynthia looked to be in her late twenties. She was beautifully dressed, but her eyes revealed sleepless nights and hidden sorrow.

“You called me?”

Cynthia nodded.

“Please… have a seat.”

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Cynthia reached into her handbag and placed several photographs on the table.

Florence’s heart nearly stopped.

The pictures showed Gilbert.

In one photo, he was embracing Cynthia outside a luxury hotel.

In another, they were celebrating what looked like a birthday dinner.

There were even pictures of Gilbert wearing the same expensive watch he had proudly shown off at home just the previous night.

Florence felt her hands grow cold.

“When were these taken?” she asked softly.

“Over the past year,” Cynthia replied.

“A year?”

Cynthia lowered her head in shame.

“I didn’t know he was married when we met. Gilbert told me he was a widower. He said his wife had died several years ago.”

Florence could hardly breathe.

“My children are very much alive,” she whispered. “And so am I.”

Tears rolled down Cynthia’s cheeks.

“I found out the truth two weeks ago. After confronting him, he threatened me and begged me not to contact you. But I couldn’t continue living with the guilt.”

She slid a brown envelope across the table.

“Everything I have is in there.”

Florence slowly opened it.

Inside were hotel receipts, bank transfer records, and printed conversations between Cynthia and Gilbert. One receipt caught her attention immediately.

The amount Gilbert had spent on a weekend getaway with Cynthia was more than enough to pay Angela, Tracy, and Divine’s school fees for an entire year.

Florence’s vision blurred with tears.

While her children had gone to bed hungry, Gilbert had been living a completely different life.

Just as she reached for another document, a familiar voice echoed from the café entrance.

“So… this is where you’ve been.”

Florence froze.

She looked up slowly.

Gilbert stood at the door, his face dark with anger, his eyes fixed on both women.

Without saying another word, he began walking toward their table.