Chapter 4 - The Unexpected Trip!

KATHERINE'S POV

The low rumble of thunder rolled overhead as I walked down the deserted street, the rain now pouring down as if the heavens were mourning alongside me. My clothes clung to my skin, soaked from the sudden downpour, but I hardly noticed. All I could think about was the hollow ache left behind by the only family I’d ever known—even though they had never truly accepted me.

Suddenly, a car pulled up behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"OMG, Kathy! Where have you been for the past few weeks? I called your line, but it was switched off. I tried reaching out to Alex and your stepsis—they were making matters worse. Are you okay?" That voice was unmistakable. It was Hazel, my best friend. In an instant, the tears I had been holding back started to flow.

“I…I…” I stammered, tears streaming down my face as I let my emotions spill over. I needed to release everything I had been bottling up. Just hearing her concern made the distance between us feel even greater.

“Shh, it’s alright, Kathy,” she said soothingly as I leaned against her, crying into her shoulder.

“Let’s get in the car,” Hazel suggested, gently guiding me inside.

The ride to Hazel's place was filled with a heavy silence, the only sound being my quiet sobs. When we finally reached her apartment, I stumbled inside and collapsed onto the couch, tears pouring down my face once more.

I glanced at Hazel, my eyes full of tears. "I swear, Hazel, I didn’t do this. I haven’t been with anyone since high school. This has to be a photoshopped picture; it’s so obviously fake. How can everyvody not see that? Who would even go through the trouble of creating this chaos?"

“I get it, Kathy. I totally trust you, and I know you’d never pull something like that. From the first moment I saw it online, I could tell it was a setup. But seriously… you need to chill out, babe. I don’t know who this jerk is, but you’ve got to find a way to move past this.” Hazel tried to reassure me, but her words just made my pain worse.

"Chill out? My nudes, which aren’t even real but photoshopped versions of me, are all over the internet, Hazel… Do you get what that means? This is already ruining my career! What’s going to happen to my baby? I’m totally finished, Hazel," I cried.

"Wait, what? What baby?" she asked, her face going pale.

"Yeah, Hazel. I’m two weeks pregnant with his child. I was going to tell him, but then I saw the news—and to make matters worse, I saw both of them again, almost naked, coming down the stairs in our mansion, Hazel," I said quietly, the memories of that awful night flashing through my mind.

"Oh my gosh!" Hazel exclaimed, then added, "Kathy, this is why you have to keep fighting. You need to clear your name and take down the jerk trying to ruin you. Think about giving your child a better future." I could feel the weight of her words.

"I can’t, Hazel. How am I supposed to clear my name in a city where everyone knows me? My fake nudes are everywhere online. It’s like my contract with life is over, and my career is done for. Who would ever want to hire me again?" I said, feeling crushed by how everything had spiraled out of control in just one night.

"Hey, it’s not the end of the world. We can always get away, Kathy," Hazel replied, her voice calm but firm. "We could go somewhere far, where nobody knows us. You can start fresh without anyone digging into your past."

"But Hazel…" I started, but she held up her hand, stopping me.

"No more 'buts,' Kathy. We have no clue who these people are. They could be anyone, and I doubt they’ll just let it go. The best plan is to head to London first thing tomorrow; it’s a long way from Texas. That’s where we can begin again," Hazel said with conviction.

"We?" I asked, a bit confused but hopeful.

"Of course!" she replied, smiling as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Do you really think I’d leave you and that little one all by yourselves? No way! I’m the godmother of that baby you’re carrying, and I can’t just ditch you now," she added, her teasing tone barely masking her seriousness.

I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks as I absorbed her words. Hazel had always been that friend—the one who stuck by me no matter what, ready to give everything for me. Her words soothed my soul and eased the chaos inside me. With that, we began planning our unexpected trip to London, our first step toward a fresh start.