⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•Katherine pulled her coat tight around her as she stepped out of the hospital building after a weekly check up, a sharp breeze slicing through the early morning air a few days later. She paused for a moment, adjusting to the nightly muted hum of the city waking up around her. The weight of exhaustion clung to her, the kind that came with her shifting body and the quiet worries she hadn’t yet voiced.The apartment building was only a few blocks away, familiar and routine, yet something about the night felt off. A black sedan was parked near the entrance of her building, its windows tinted. She had seen it there yesterday too—but maybe that meant nothing. She shook the thought away and forced herself forward.As she walked, she caught glimpses of strangers—too many lingering glances, a hesitation in movement when she passed. Was she imagining it? Paranoia had been creeping in since the pregnancy began, amplifying small worries into shadows that stretched too long. Today w
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•Nathan stood by the door, his bags packed, his fingers tightening slightly around the strap of his backpack as he hesitated. Katherine noticed the way his shoulders tensed, the way his usual easy confidence seemed to falter. “I really don’t want to leave,” he murmured finally, his voice softer than before. Katherine’s stomach twisted at the admission, her chest tightening as she looked at him. She had expected the teasing, the playful goodbyes, maybe even some lighthearted banter to make the moment easier—but this, his hesitation, made it real. He seemed so small, like a kid. Katherine almost teared up and stopped herself from asking him to drop out from college so he could stay forever.Nathan sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his expression clouded with something close to guilt. “Not when things are the way they are. Not when you’re—” he stopped for a moment, glancing briefly at her stomach before continuing. “Not when you’re gonna be a mo
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•She sat curled up on her couch, staring at nothing in particular as it was one of the days when the sadness she fought to hold back starting creeping in more and more, her fingers lightly resting against her belly as waves of regret settled deep into her chest. Hailey and Nathan sat close, watching her carefully, exchanging quiet glances as they tried—tried so hard—to reach her. Hailey was the first to speak, her voice soft but firm. “You can’t let this destroy you, Kat. You’ve been through worse, and you survived.” Katherine didn’t respond. She barely even blinked. Nathan exhaled, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Look, I’m not saying it doesn’t hurt. I’m not saying you shouldn’t feel this. But you have a choice here—you let it break you, or you remind yourself that you’re stronger than this.” Still, she said nothing. Hailey sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I know you loved him,” she murmured. “And I know this isn’t what you expected
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•The days slipped by in quiet monotony, each one carrying the weight of a realization Katherine hadn't been ready to face to she had no choice but to. Zayn didn’t love her. At first, she had tried to push the thought away, convincing herself that maybe he had just needed time, that maybe his silence that night hadn’t meant what she feared. But as the days stretched into weeks, his lack of response became louder than any words he could have said. There were plenty of calls, a plethora of messages, no doubt carefully crafted excuses about why he had hesitated that night. She had spent nights lying awake, staring at the ceiling, trying to process how it had come to this. She had fought so hard to escape Castiel, had convinced herself that Zayn was the future she wanted—the man she loved, the man who could love her in return. But now, the truth settled into her bones with a dull ache. He didn’t love her. And he never had. She felt so stupid, she wondered she ha
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•The tension from her confrontation with Castiel clung to her like an invisible weight, settling deep in her chest as she walked slowly back toward the palace.As she walked, her mind raced as she processed everything. The emotions, the regret in Castiel’s eyes, the certainty in her own voice when she told him she was moving forward.She had made her decision.And yet, her pulse was unsteady, her breathing uneven.The remnants of Caroline’s ruined wedding surrounded her like scattered fragments of a carefully crafted illusion. The grand floral arrangements were still intact, but they no longer held the brilliance they once did. Champagne glasses lay abandoned on tables, their untouched contents reflecting the soft glow of the palace lights. Some guests were still lingering, talking in hushed tones, glancing at Katherine as she walked past, their curiosity palpable.She ignored them.She ignored the murmurs, the judgment, the endless speculation about what would happen ne
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•The palace grounds were vast, but Castiel didn’t give up as he searched. He moved quickly, his strides purposeful, his breath uneven. The weight of his confession at the wedding still pressed against his chest, but none of that mattered now. The murmurs of shocked guests, the scandal that had erupted, the press scrambling for headlines—he ignored all of it. His only concern was finding Katherine. He pushed through corridors, ignored the questioning gazes of the remaining staff, and stormed past the grand halls. He checked the quiet balcony. Nothing. He hurried through the garden maze, scanning each turn, each pathway, desperate to catch even the smallest glimpse of her silhouette. And then, finally, as he stepped past the towering willow trees near the farthest edge of the palace grounds, he saw her. The pond stretched before them, still and undisturbed, its waters reflecting the dim glow of the evening sky. Katherine stood at its edge, arms crossed, back straight