Celyne POVThe moment I closed the door behind me, a shiver ran down my spine. Silence pressed against my ears, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I could hear the echo of my own heartbeat. The weight of everything—the whispers, the stares, the sharp words meant to remind me of my place—finally landed. And for a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to simply breathe.I set my bag down on the edge of the bed and sank to the floor, pressing my forehead against my knees. All the fear, all the anger, all the heartbreak I had tried to hold in for years came crashing at once. I had tried to convince myself I could endure it, that being a surrogate didn’t make me less than anyone, that I could survive the scorn, the ridicule, the constant reminders that I was not enough. But tonight… Tonight, it felt unbearable.“Just for the meantime,” I whispered to myself, my voice shaking, “let me just be alone… by myself.”Tears filled my eyes, blurring the room. How did it come to this? I h
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