Chapter 5 The Unexpected Revelation

Lisa's eyes scanned the dining room, her heart sinking as she spotted Momma sitting at the head of the table. She had been hoping to avoid her, at least for a little while longer. The events of the previous day still lingered in her mind, and she wasn't sure she was ready to face Momma again.

But Momma beckoned her over, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Good morning, Lisa! Come sit with me, m'ija."

Lisa hesitated for a moment before making her way to the table. She sat down beside Momma, trying to ignore the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

As they ate their breakfast, Momma chatted about everything from the weather to Lisa's schoolwork. Lisa responded politely, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Halfway through breakfast, Momma handed Lisa a file. "I have a surprise for you, Lisa," she said, her eyes glinting with excitement.

Lisa took the file, feeling a sense of trepidation. What could Momma possibly have in store for her?

As she opened the file, her heart skipped a beat. Inside, she saw a picture of her brother Jojo. But it wasn't the Jojo she remembered. This Jojo was older, his features more defined. He looked...alive.

Lisa's mind reeled as she stared at the picture. Jojo was supposed to be dead. He had died alongside their parents in the attack five years ago. Lisa had grown up with the memory of that tragic event etched into her mind.

But now, it seemed that everything she thought she knew was a lie.

Momma's voice cut through her thoughts. "Jojo is alive, Lisa. And I know exactly where he is."

Lisa's eyes snapped up to meet Momma's. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Momma leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I've been taking care of Jojo for years, Lisa. He's been living with me in Mexico."

Lisa's mind was racing. Why had Momma kept this secret from her? And what did she want in return?

As if reading her thoughts, Momma continued. "I want you to work for me, Lisa. When you're done with college, I want you to come work as one of my escorts."

Lisa felt like she had been punched in the gut. Escorts? What did Momma mean?

But before she could ask any questions, Momma dropped another bombshell. "You'll work for me for seven years, Lisa. And if you're stubborn, I can always increase the time."

Lisa's eyes widened in horror. Seven years? What kind of person would ask someone to do that?

And then, Momma's words cut deep. "If you don't cooperate, Lisa, I'll kill Jojo. Or worse."

Lisa felt like she was going to throw up. The life of her brother was now in her hands.

She pushed back her chair, her eyes scanning the room for an escape. She needed to get out of there, to process everything that had just happened.

"I need to...I need to go to the bathroom," Lisa stammered, her voice shaking.

Momma's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Very well, Lisa. But don't think about trying to escape. You're not going anywhere."

Lisa nodded, her heart racing. She knew she had to get out of there, but for now, she just needed to make it to the bathroom without collapsing.

As she ran out of the dining room, Lisa felt like her world was crashing down around her. She had thought she had found a new family with Momma, but now she realized that she was just a pawn in a much larger game.

And as she locked herself in the bathroom, Lisa couldn't help but wonder what other secrets Momma was hiding.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. But as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, Lisa knew that she would never be the same again.

The sound of Momma's voice echoed outside the bathroom door, "Lisa, don't take too long in there. We have a lot to discuss."

Lisa's heart skipped a beat as she realized that her nightmare was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning.

And as she stood there, frozen in fear, Lisa knew that she had to make a choice. She could either cooperate with Momma and risk losing herself forever, or she could try to escape and risk losing the only family she had left.

The decision was far from easy, but as Lisa looked at her reflection, she knew what she had to do.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. And as she opened the bathroom door, Lisa knew that she was ready to either give up, or throw up