The first thing Katherine noticed was the light.Soft, golden, and filtered through linen curtains, it spilled across the bed like a whispered invitation to wake up gently. Her eyes blinked open, slow and heavy, her body still wrapped in the warmth of cotton sheets — and him. Or rather, the absence of him.She reached across the mattress, but the other side was cool.Empty.Then came the second thing — silence. Not the kind that felt lonely, but the kind that held the aftertaste of laughter, music, clinking glasses, and echoing footsteps. Her birthday. Her friends. Her people. Her noise.She sat up slowly. The sheets slipped from her shoulder as she exhaled, eyes drifting across the room.On the floor — her heels, tipped over like they’d danced too long.On the chair — the sleek dress she’d sworn she wouldn’t cry in.On the nightstand — a glass, faintly kissed with her signature red lipstick.And on the edge of the bed — a ribbon from one of the gifts.Still curled. Still glowing.She
Last Updated : 2025-08-01 Read more