The Shadows We Hide

Chapter 10

Catherine POV

I wake up to a searing pain in my abdomen, my mind foggy and disoriented.

As I slowly come to, I see Zak sitting next to me, a look of concern etched on his face.

But my attention is immediately drawn to the empty space beside me.

Where is Cody?

"Zak? Where is Cody?" I ask, my voice shaking with worry.

Zak's expression changes, and he forces a smile onto his face.

"Catherine! I'm so happy to see you awake!" he exclaims, trying to distract me from my question.

But I'm not having it. "Zak, where is Cody?" I press, my voice firm and insistent.

Zak's smile falters, and he looks away, avoiding my gaze.

"Cathy, I am sorry, but Cody did not want to see you," he says, his voice laced with a hint of sadness.

My heart sinks, and I feel a wave of despair wash over me. "Why?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Zak hesitates, and I can see the guilt written all over his face.

"He said that he hates you, Catherine. That you ruined everything for him. If it wasn't for you, Cassidy would be here, and we would all be a happy family."

I feel like I've been punched in the gut. Cody would never say those things.

He's a good kid, and he loves me. Zak is lying, but why?

I try to process my emotions, but they're all jumbled up. I'm hurt, angry, and confused.

I don't know who to believe or what to think.

But then I remember the pain in my abdomen, and my mind snaps back to reality.

"I'm in pain," I say, trying to sit up.

"What happened? Did the baby survive?"

Zak's expression changes again, and he looks at me with a mixture of sadness and guilt.

"Cathy, the baby... I had to choose between you and the child. I couldn't bear to lose you. I love you, and I always will. We can try for another baby once you are all healed up."

I feel like I'm living in a nightmare.

The baby is gone.

I'm trapped in a world of pain and sorrow, and I don't know how to escape.

As I lie there, trying to process my emotions, I realize that I'm torn.

A part of me is grateful that the baby is gone, that it won't have to suffer the consequences of Zak's actions.

But another part of me is grieving, mourning the loss of a life that never had a chance to begin.

And then there's the issue with Cody. I don't know what to believe.

Zak's words are poison, designed to destroy my relationship with my son. But what if they're true? What if Cody really does hate me?

I feel like I'm losing my mind, torn between my love for my son and my love for Zak. I don't know who to trust or what to believe.

As the days pass, I become more and more withdrawn. I'm trapped in a prison of my own making, unable to escape the pain and the sorrow that surrounds me.

I try to pray, to ask God for guidance and comfort. But my prayers feel empty, hollow. I'm not sure if God is even listening.

I feel like I'm walking through a desert, alone and unafraid. But the truth is, I'm terrified.

I'm terrified of losing Cody, of losing myself. I'm terrified of being trapped in this prison forever.

As I sit in the darkness, surrounded by the shadows of my own doubts and fears, I realize that I'm at a crossroads. I can choose to believe Zak, to trust him and follow him down the path of destruction.

Or I can choose to believe in myself, to trust my own instincts and follow my own path.

It's a choice that's not easy to make, but it's one that I have to make. I have to choose between my love for Zak and my love for myself.

I have to choose between my desire for happiness and my desire for truth.

As I sit there, weighing my options, I realize that I'm not alone. God is with me, guiding me and comforting me. He's the only one who can help me make sense of this mess, the only one who can help me find my way out of this prison.

I take a deep breath, and I start to pray. I pray for guidance, for comfort, and for strength.

I pray for the courage to make the right choice, to follow the path that's right for me.

As I pray, I feel a sense of peace wash over me.

It's a peace that's not easy to explain, a peace that's not easy to understand.

But it's a peace that's real