The rain drummed a steady, melancholy rhythm against the glass of Catelyn's villa. Wrapped snugly in a duvet on her bed, she stared into the dimness, her mind drifting back to the conversation that had unraveled everything.
It had all started that afternoon at the lounge—a cozy spot where people gathered to relax, play games, and unwind. Catelyn, Eugene, and Veronica had been sitting together on a plush sofa. Eugene had been talking about her boyfriend, Henry, her face glowing. She described how he surprised her with roses on their bed, planned romantic dinners, and showed deep dedication. Yet, a shadow of fear lingered in Eugene's eyes.
"I love him so much," Eugene had confessed, hugging her milkshake close, "and that's why I'm scared. What if he cheats? I don't want to be this deeply in love just to have my heart shattered."
Veronica had nodded knowingly. "It's normal to fall hard, Eugene, but just... don't put your whole heart into it if you aren't completely sure."
Taking a sip through her straw, Eugene sighed. "Veronica's right. Men always cheat, don't they?"
Catelyn had stiffened, feeling an immediate wave of discomfort. She and Silas shared a genuine, deep love she knew Silas would never betray her with another woman. Sensing Catelyn's sudden quietness, Eugene quickly backtracked, wanting to put her friend at ease.
"Well, not all men," Eugene amended softly. "Some faithful guys wouldn't dream of hurting their women. I know Henry isn't like that—I just have this irrational fear of it happening."
Veronica glanced at Catelyn, noticing her silence. "Some men are faithful, and some aren't. Things will be fine either way."
Those words had planted a dangerous seed in Catelyn's mind, What if she tested Silas's and made him a little hurt.
Though she knew deep down that Silas was noble, her head began conjuring unfair scenarios, projecting the sins of other men onto him. Before her thoughts could spiral further, Veronica had gently interrupted, asking, "So, Catelyn, what's your opinion on that new mall you've been frequenting?" The topic shifted to shopping, but the damage to Catelyn's peace of mind was already done.
Presently, lying alone in her bed, the heavy truth crashed down on Catelyn.
Silas was good-natured, disciplined, and unfailingly kind. He had never argued with her, never made her feel inadequate about her body or her feelings, and never left her feeling unloved or unhappy. He was the mature anchor in their relationship, always making her feel cherished.
Yet, she had broken up with him.
Why? Because she had subconsciously wanted to find faults where none existed. Fueled by her friends' cynicism and a stubborn anger toward the idea of unfaithful men, she had lumped Silas in with the rest of the world. She had wanted to hurt him a little—to test him, to see if he would break—just to satisfy her own anxious curiosity.
She remembered the devastating look in his eyes when she cut things off and walked away on purpose. He had loved her completely, and she had taken his unwavering devotion for granted, treating his goodness as a weakness.
Now, wrapped in her duvet as the rain fell harder, guilt gripped her chest. She had broken the heart of a man who only ever loved her, and she had no idea how to fix it.
Miles away at the Hoxton apartment, the city rushed blindly toward its destinations as the rain poured down. Inside a warm, quiet bedroom, Elsa was fast asleep, curled on her side beneath a soft duvet.
Lucy sat nearby, holding the one novel Uncle Thomas had gifted her earlier that day after she met him at the burger shop.
"I met Uncle Thomas at the burger shop today, and he gave me two novels," Lucy whispered softly, mostly to Elsa, glancing over at the sleeping form on her bed.
Elsa stirred slightly, her eyes closed. "Wow, that's nice of him," she said awake even though she felt sleepy.
"Yes, he really is," Lucy smiled, thinking about the comic books Elsa had recently bought for her, which she had already finished reading. The new books looked endlessly interesting.
"I want to sleep," Elsa murmured, burrowing deeper into the blankets.
Lucy smiled affectionately. "Okay, sleep well," she said softly, letting her friend rest. As silence settled back into the room, Lucy quietly turned her thoughts toward Aunt Madison's, deciding she would fill Elsa in on the details about her aunt once her sister was awake.