Chapter 66: Chapter Sixty-six

The first light of dawn filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow over the room, the sunlight illuminating the delicate lace curtains that danced in the gentle breeze. But for Ariana, it was a reminder of the harsh reality awaiting her as she stirred from her slumber. Memories of the miscarriage flooded back, drowning her in a pool of tears, a cruel reminder of the world outside, a world that seemed to have moved on while hers stood still in grief. Her breath caught in her throat, a heavy burden that threatened to crush her fragile spirit settling upon her chest.

With a choked sob, Ariana's eyelids snapped open to reveal her eyes, swollen and her vision blurred by tears that refused to be contained. She sat up slowly, each breath was a struggle, as if the air itself had turned to lead, leaving her gasping for the oxygen that seemed so tantalizingly out of reach.