16
Athena's eyes fixed on the message, her emotions in such turmoil that she lost her footing and fell down the staircase. The unborn child she had carried for weeks was lost, becoming a crimson tide that flowed from her body.
The pain of losing her baby was intensified by the incomplete nature of the miscarriage. In the stark hospital room, Athena remained motionless as cold tools removed what remained of her child. The remnants were disposed of, vanishing as if they had never been.
Upon regaining consciousness, her spirit was crushed, and with it, the wedding she had once anticipated.
Since Aliana's reappearance, each action and whisper had been a new injury, cutting deeper into her soul. The affection she had once freely given to Emmett had been exhausted, leaving her feeling empty.
At the cemetery, time seemed to crawl, her limbs growing stiff from inactivity. Eventually, Athena dried her final tears and initiated the process to move her parents' remains.