chapter 6

Lyra's POV

I jolted awake, my heart racing. The dream I’d just had felt so real, Angela and Kurtis were standing under a canopy of flowers, their faces glowing with joy as they exchanged vows. The scene was beautiful, filled with light and happiness. But as I watched, a sharp pang of sadness pierced through me. I wanted Angela to be happy, truly I did, but the ache in my own heart was undeniable.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. Angela’s voice, so full of joy and love, echoed in my mind. I whispered to myself, “Why does it have to hurt so much?”

I tried to stand, but pain shot through my ankle. Wincing, I made my way outside, determined to check on the island. The staff were gathered, looking uneasy. One of the maids spotted me and quickly approached.

“Miss Lyra! We’ve been worried sick,” she said, her voice trembling.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice tight.

“Mr. Wellington searched for you all night,” she explained. “He found you in a cave and carried you back, even though he’s hurt himself. He’s resting in his room now.”

My heart dropped. “He’s hurt? I need to see him.”

“Please, be careful,” the maid said as I hurried towards Kurtis’s room.

Every step was agony, but I pushed through, driven by worry and regret. I gritted my teeth and limped down the hallway, the pain in my ankle almost unbearable. Each movement felt like it was adding to the weight of my guilt and fear.

When I finally reached Kurtis’s door, I stopped to catch my breath, resting my hand against the wall for support. I could hear the soft murmur of voices coming from inside. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open slowly.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I gently pushed the door open, peeking inside. Angela looked up, her eyes widening when she saw me.

Inside, Angela was sitting quietly by Kurtis’s bedside. Her eyes widened with surprise as she saw me. 

“Angela,” I whispered, “I didn’t know you were here.”

She put a finger to her lips and motioned for me to stay quiet. “He’s been through a lot,” she murmured. “He’s sleeping right now.”

I nodded, my heart aching as I took in the sight of Kurtis. His face was pale, his brow furrowed even in sleep. I wanted to reach out and comfort him, but I knew better than to disturb him.

Angela’s gaze softened as she looked at me. “You shouldn’t be up. You’re hurt too.”

“I had to come,” I said, my voice cracking. “I needed to make sure he was okay.”

Angela sighed, standing up to make room for me. “I appreciate it, Lyra. But you need to take care of yourself.”

I sat quietly in the corner, trying to ignore the throbbing in my ankle. My thoughts were a whirlwind. I wished I could undo the past few weeks and fix the mess I’d made. Angela sat back down, her eyes never leaving Kurtis.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said, breaking the silence. “For everything. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

Angela’s eyes met mine, a mixture of sadness and understanding. “I know. But we have to figure out what happens next.”

I sat in the corner, my eyes fixed on Kurtis as he slept. I wanted so badly to reach out to him, to hold him and make everything right, but I knew that wasn’t possible yet. My heart ached with the need to comfort him, but I had to wait for the right moment.

Angela said with her voice soft and thoughtful. “He’s been through so much,” she said, glancing at Kurtis with a mixture of sadness and concern. “And you’ve been through a lot too. Maybe... maybe we can find a way to make things right.”

I looked at Angela, feeling the weight of her words settles heavily on my shoulders. “I don’t even know where to start,” I admitted. “I just want to fix things, but everything feels so tangled.”

Angela took a deep breath, her eyes meeting mine. “We’ll figure it out. We have to. But for now, just being here for him is important.”

I nodded, feeling a small measure of relief. “You’re right. I need to be here for him. I owe him that much.”

As the night dragged on, every minute felt like an hour. I sat beside Kurtis’s bed, my emotions a constant whirl of hope and despair. The room grew colder with the passing hours, and the silence seemed to press down on me, making it hard to breathe. 

I shifted in my seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. My injured ankle throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. 

Angela broke the quiet once more, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you think he’ll ever be able to forgive us?”

I sighed, glancing at Kurtis. “I hope so. I hope he can see that we’re trying to make things right.”

Angela nodded, her eyes reflecting the same worry I felt. “We need to be honest with him. He deserves that. Maybe then he’ll understand why things happened the way they did.”

I bit my lip, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. “I just want him to know I care,” I said softly. “This wasn’t about lying to him. I was trying to protect both him and myself.” 

Angela nodded, her expression sympathetic. “He needs to understand that. We’ll find a way to show him.”

Angela reached over and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll get through this. We’ll find a way to fix things.”

I squeezed Angela’s hand, drawing comfort from her presence. “Thank you, Angela. I appreciate everything you’re doing.”

The night seemed endless, heavy with hope and worry. I stayed by Kurtis’s side, my mind racing with thoughts of how to fix things. Each minute felt longer, and I held on to the hope that we could still make things right.