Katie leaned against the cold bathroom wall, the taste of bile still lingering in her mouth. Her body trembled as she tried to steady her breathing. The nausea was relentless, and every movement felt like a battle against her own body. She wiped her mouth with a trembling hand and forced herself to her feet, clutching the sink for support. In the mirror, her reflection stared back at her—pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and a weariness that went far deeper than physical illness. She placed a hand over her stomach. It had been weeks since she first noticed the changes, but the signs were undeniable now. Something wasn’t right. “Is this a punishment?” she whispered to herself. The moon goddess didn’t need to say it outright; Katie already felt it in her bones—a reminder of every mistake she’d ever made. The sharp sound of her name snapped her out of her thoughts. “Katie!” Jerome’s voice thundered through the house, the irritation clear even from a distance. Katie’s
For a few long seconds, Katie stood there, wavering in the silence, until the distant hum of activity from the kitchen brought her back. She forced herself to breathe, steadying her steps as she made her way into the kitchen. The murmurs hit her almost immediately, whispering voices intertwining like a tangled web around her. "Can you believe she even has the nerve to show up here?" one young woman muttered, loud enough for Katie to hear. “Honestly,” another snickered, “how brazen can someone get?” Katie clenched her hands, refusing to react. Instead, she approached an older woman who was setting out ingredients near the counter. “Excuse me…” Katie’s voice was quiet, almost swallowed by the noise. “Is there anything I can help with?” The woman looked up, her gaze settling on Katie for a moment before her expression softened. "Yes, of course. Would you mind washing the cabbage? We’ll need it for the kimchi." Katie gave a small nod. "I’d be glad to. My mom taught me how
Katie stormed out of Jerome’s room, her mind swirling with humiliation and anger. Her feet carried her to her own space. As she entered her room, the door clicked shut behind her. For a moment, she just stood there, her chest heaving as if she had run a marathon. Her trembling fingers moved to unbutton her blouse. “This is too much… I can’t—” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard, forcing the tears back. She pulled off her clothes mechanically, piece by piece, and without a second thought, she stepped into her small bathroom. The cold tiles under her feet sent a shiver through her body, but she ignored it, turning on the shower. As the water ran down her, she let her mind drift, trying to make sense of everything, yet finding herself only further frustrated. Once finished, Katie wrapped herself in a towel and stepped back into the room. Grateful for the small mercy of solitude, she rummaged through the box where her clothes were shoved without care or space. There wa
That same night, the pack lay under a soft blanket of moonlight, casting a gentle glow over the gathering of families seated around ten large tables. Voices and laughter floated through the cool air, mingling with the scent of freshly prepared dishes, creating a comforting buzz. Katie sat with a small group of children, smiling as two young girls beside her gazed up with wide, curious eyes. One of the girls leaned in, her gaze fixed on Katie’s hair. “Your hair is so long and shiny,” she said, almost in a whisper, reaching out tentatively as if to touch it. Katie’s smile warmed. “Thank you so much,” she replied, her tone gentle and encouraging. The girl’s lips twisted into a thoughtful pout. “I wish mine would be like that when I grow up. I don’t like having short hair.” Katie chuckled softly, tilting her head. “Oh, but your short hair is lovely. And someday, your hair will be even longer and shinier than mine.” The girl’s face brightened as she touched Katie’s hair in
Katie followed Jerome as he dragged her into the room, her steps hesitant and her heart thundering in her chest. The door slammed shut behind them with a force that made her jump, the sound reverberating in the confined space. Jerome released her hand, and Katie instinctively pulled it close to her chest, wincing as she noticed the faint red marks left by his grip. Jerome’s gaze flicked down to her hand, and for a fleeting moment, his expression softened. He looked almost regretful, but the moment passed quickly. Without a word, he turned and strode across the room, heading straight for a wooden cupboard. Katie stood frozen, unsure of what to do or say, as he rummaged through its contents with a brusque determination. The tension in the room was stifling. Katie’s eyes followed his every movement, her breath catching when he finally turned around, holding a small medical box. Jerome’s face was unreadable as he walked toward her. Her mind raced. Why is he coming clo
Katie stirred awake, her body cocooned in warmth. Her fingers brushed against the silky texture of the blanket covering her. The bed felt foreign—not the lumpy, stiff one in her room but plush and inviting. She sighed, smoothing her palm over the luxurious sheets and sinking deeper into the comfort. Hugging the pillow close, she inhaled its scent, a faint, woodsy cologne mixed with something uniquely him. It calmed her for a moment, but then, like a jolt of electricity, realization struck. This wasn’t her bed. Her eyes flew open, darting around the unfamiliar room. Fear wrapped its icy tendrils around her heart. The large room, with its masculine furnishings and soft lighting, was undeniably Jerome’s. Panic bubbled within her as she shot upright. Oh no. Oh no. What have I done? Her thoughts raced. If Jerome found her here, alone in his room, she couldn’t predict his reaction. She scrambled to the edge of the bed, desperate to leave without waking him. But as he
Katie followed Jerome as he dragged her into the room, her steps hesitant and her heart thundering in her chest. The door slammed shut behind them with a force that made her jump, the sound reverberating in the confined space. Jerome released her hand, and Katie instinctively pulled it close to her chest, wincing as she noticed the faint red marks left by his grip. Jerome’s gaze flicked down to her hand, and for a fleeting moment, his expression softened. He looked almost regretful, but the moment passed quickly. Without a word, he turned and strode across the room, heading straight for a wooden cupboard. Katie stood frozen, unsure of what to do or say, as he rummaged through its contents with a brusque determination. The tension in the room was stifling. Katie’s eyes followed his every movement, her breath catching when he finally turned around, holding a small medical box. Jerome’s face was unreadable as he walked toward her. Her mind raced. Why is he coming clo
That same night, the pack lay under a soft blanket of moonlight, casting a gentle glow over the gathering of families seated around ten large tables. Voices and laughter floated through the cool air, mingling with the scent of freshly prepared dishes, creating a comforting buzz. Katie sat with a small group of children, smiling as two young girls beside her gazed up with wide, curious eyes. One of the girls leaned in, her gaze fixed on Katie’s hair. “Your hair is so long and shiny,” she said, almost in a whisper, reaching out tentatively as if to touch it. Katie’s smile warmed. “Thank you so much,” she replied, her tone gentle and encouraging. The girl’s lips twisted into a thoughtful pout. “I wish mine would be like that when I grow up. I don’t like having short hair.” Katie chuckled softly, tilting her head. “Oh, but your short hair is lovely. And someday, your hair will be even longer and shinier than mine.” The girl’s face brightened as she touched Katie’s hair in
Katie stormed out of Jerome’s room, her mind swirling with humiliation and anger. Her feet carried her to her own space. As she entered her room, the door clicked shut behind her. For a moment, she just stood there, her chest heaving as if she had run a marathon. Her trembling fingers moved to unbutton her blouse. “This is too much… I can’t—” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard, forcing the tears back. She pulled off her clothes mechanically, piece by piece, and without a second thought, she stepped into her small bathroom. The cold tiles under her feet sent a shiver through her body, but she ignored it, turning on the shower. As the water ran down her, she let her mind drift, trying to make sense of everything, yet finding herself only further frustrated. Once finished, Katie wrapped herself in a towel and stepped back into the room. Grateful for the small mercy of solitude, she rummaged through the box where her clothes were shoved without care or space. There wa
For a few long seconds, Katie stood there, wavering in the silence, until the distant hum of activity from the kitchen brought her back. She forced herself to breathe, steadying her steps as she made her way into the kitchen. The murmurs hit her almost immediately, whispering voices intertwining like a tangled web around her. "Can you believe she even has the nerve to show up here?" one young woman muttered, loud enough for Katie to hear. “Honestly,” another snickered, “how brazen can someone get?” Katie clenched her hands, refusing to react. Instead, she approached an older woman who was setting out ingredients near the counter. “Excuse me…” Katie’s voice was quiet, almost swallowed by the noise. “Is there anything I can help with?” The woman looked up, her gaze settling on Katie for a moment before her expression softened. "Yes, of course. Would you mind washing the cabbage? We’ll need it for the kimchi." Katie gave a small nod. "I’d be glad to. My mom taught me how
Katie leaned against the cold bathroom wall, the taste of bile still lingering in her mouth. Her body trembled as she tried to steady her breathing. The nausea was relentless, and every movement felt like a battle against her own body. She wiped her mouth with a trembling hand and forced herself to her feet, clutching the sink for support. In the mirror, her reflection stared back at her—pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and a weariness that went far deeper than physical illness. She placed a hand over her stomach. It had been weeks since she first noticed the changes, but the signs were undeniable now. Something wasn’t right. “Is this a punishment?” she whispered to herself. The moon goddess didn’t need to say it outright; Katie already felt it in her bones—a reminder of every mistake she’d ever made. The sharp sound of her name snapped her out of her thoughts. “Katie!” Jerome’s voice thundered through the house, the irritation clear even from a distance. Katie’s