Chapter 5 5

Kania couldn't resist the exhaustion and drowsiness any longer, she fell asleep in the arms of the stranger who had just been intimate with her, a man she didn't know at all. Kania felt comfortable in his tight embrace, feeling the warmth of his breath. Before completely losing consciousness, Kania heard the tourist's whispers beside her, holding her tightly.

"I've finally found you, after my heart has been tossed around by unstable feelings for so long. Thank you, my love, for carving your name clearly in my heart. From now on, I will pursue you earnestly and make you mine," the tourist said.

The next morning, Kania slowly blinked her eyes, realizing that she was still in the hotel room she had booked for the tourist. She woke up, sitting on the bed and looking at the messy sheets, with only the bedcover covering her. Remembering the events of the previous night, being intimate with a stranger, Kania couldn't believe what she had done.

Kania gently slapped her forehead. "How foolish I was to engage in a one-night stand with him! He's a foreigner, and a tourist at that. His life outside is probably carefree, while I willingly accepted him into my life for an intimate encounter," Kania said, frustrated with herself.

Initially, Kania had chosen to be intimate with a stranger to try to forget her ex-boyfriend. However, upon reflection, she deeply regretted her decision.

"I was truly foolish. What if he has a disease and he transmitted it to me?" Kania worriedly wondered.

Kania decided there was something she needed to do. "I need to see a doctor now," she said.

She hurriedly retrieved the clothes she had worn the previous night, changed into her hotel attire, and returned to her room to change into her regular clothes before checking out.

Kania couldn't help but think about the tourist she had been intimate with. "Where did that tourist go after being with me? What a scoundrel," she muttered, disappointed.

Kania completed her check-out and handed the key back to the receptionist.

"Wait a moment. Before you go, I'd like to give you this," the receptionist said, handing Kania a black box.

Kania furrowed her brow, looking puzzled at the black box. "What's this box for?" she asked.

"A tourist left it for me to give to you," the receptionist explained.

Kania smirked, thinking it might be a gift in appreciation for their intimate encounter. She opened the box and found a framed photo along with a business card inside.

"Marcell?" Kania muttered.

As she spoke the name, Kania felt like the name was somewhat familiar to her. "Have I ever had a friend named Marcell, or have I ever known him?" she wondered, searching her memories but finding nothing.

Kania placed the business card back in the box. She was startled when she saw a framed photo of her mother inside the black box that Marcell had given her.

"Mom?" Kania exclaimed.

Kania quickly took the black box and brought it home. Her astonishment made her forget that she had planned to go to the hospital for a check-up.

"Why does he have a photo of my mother?" was the question constantly on Kania's mind.

Kania returned home, where she saw her mother sitting on the porch, eagerly awaiting her arrival.

"Mom," Kania called out.

Seeing her daughter standing before her, Nurdia immediately embraced Kania tightly. The older woman cried, overflowing with longing and concern for her daughter.

"I miss you so much, my daughter. Please, don't leave again," Nurdia pleaded.

Kania deeply regretted her actions, for she had heartlessly left her mother. Her father had asked her, before he passed away, to take good care of her mother. Yet today, she had left her mother solely because of her disappointment with her lover.

"Mom, forgive me. I have broken the promise I made to Dad," Kania expressed with great remorse.

Mother and daughter embraced each other. Kania cried in her mother's arms, regretting her foolish actions.

"Mom, forgive me," Kania said with a trembling voice.

"It's alright, dear. Mom understands your situation," Seeing her daughter so sad, Nurdia felt her sadness too.

The two of them spent time together at home. In the evening, Kania was in her room, still feeling regret over her decisions.

"What should I do now? The debt I incurred to prepare for my engagement is quite substantial. I need to find a way to repay it," Kania muttered, feeling very confused about the debt she had accumulated for the engagement that had fallen through.

Kania was troubled, thinking about all the debts she had with the bank, which made her slightly hungry.

"It seems there are snacks in the refrigerator," she exclaimed.

Kania walked out of her room and saw her mother still awake and on the phone with someone. She could overhear the conversation.

"I won't tell Kania. Don't worry, I will find a way to get her account number. Okay, I won't consider it a debt. Thank you very much," Nurdia said.

Kania furrowed her brow, puzzled by her mother's apparent hidden plan.

"Kania, what are all those snacks for?" Nurdia asked, pointing to the two bags of snacks that Kania had brought.

The woman blushed and replied, "I was hungry and wanted to eat something."

Nurdia laughed at her daughter's cute antics, patting the empty seat next to her.

"Come here, sit with me. I want to talk to you about something," Nurdia requested.

Kania chuckled and walked over, taking a seat next to her mother.

"Mom hasn't gone to bed yet?" Kania asked.

"No, Mom just got a call from a distant relative," Nurdia revealed.

Kania recalled her mother's phone conversation, realizing that the person her mother had spoken to was a distant relative. She nodded and continued to casually enjoy her snacks.

"Kania, are you this hungry because you're thinking about the bank debt?" Nurdia asked.

Kania was startled, causing her to choke on the food she was eating. Nurdia looked at her daughter anxiously and offered her a glass of water.

"How did Mom know about that?" Kania asked, still somewhat breathless.

Nurdia didn't provide an explanation for how she knew about it. She held her daughter's hand, trying to calm her.