Whisper Destiny

Chapter 6

~ Natasha ~

For the past few days, I've been keeping myself busy by going out partying every night. During the day, I wander aimlessly around the area, capturing little moments with my camera, my absolute favourite thing to do.

Behind the lens, I can lose myself completely in my own world. Chase is always tagging along too, doing his best to keep me entertained.

Since that morning, Catherine has been conspicuously absent from the house, which, frankly, I'm grateful for. My parents have also been preoccupied with planning the party, and honestly, I have zero interest in getting involved.

Today is Christmas Eve. In our family, we have a tradition: an early dinner, followed by board games and a sapphic romantic Christmas movie.

Yes, we're the wealthy Graysons, but my parents especially my father believe these simple traditions are what truly strengthen our family bonds.

But I've been distant from them since I turned fifteen. I've skipped out on these nights more times than I can count, sneaking out to do who-knows-what. Even when my parents grounded me until New Year's for it, I'd simply do it all over again.

This year, I planned to sneak out with Chase. Unfortunately, he prefers to stay in. Apparently, it's freezing outside and most of the pubs are closed.

Though honestly, I suspect the real reason is that he wants to stay close to Catherine and spend the entire evening staring at her.

So here I am, sitting at the dining table like a dutiful child, having Christmas dinner with my family.

Surprisingly, the atmosphere is... nice. My mother cooked everything herself, giving the staff the day off so they could celebrate with their families and loved ones. I'm not even sure when this tradition started.

I find myself wondering about Catherine's absence, though I have no intention of asking.

As the night goes on, I realise I'm actually enjoying myself. There's a rare warmth between my mom, my dad, and me. We tease each other and laugh over board games, Dad and I teaming up against Mom and Chase.

The chaos is oddly invigorating.

And for once, I find myself loving every moment of it.

Watching my parents, still so affectionate with each other after 30 years of marriage, stirred deep longing within me. I yearned for that kind of affection and love with Nick and I hope it will come true soon.

However, I couldn't ignore the undercurrent of sadness that Catherine's absence brought to my parents. I felt a twinge of guilt but brushed it off, focusing instead on the present moment.

As midnight approached, the room was filled with a pleasant haze of tipsiness. Chase, ever the life of the party, had drunk himself into a stupor and lay collapsed on the couch, snoring softly.


******


I woke up the next morning to the sound of my mother's voice, gently coaxing me out of sleep.

"It's Christmas day, darling. Let's get up" she called cheerfully.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before heading to the bathroom to get ready. Despite my stubbornness—and the occasional streak of madness—I'm actually a morning person. I love the tranquility of the early hours; the quiet calm has a way of settling me. So waking up early has never really been a problem for me.

Surprising, right?

I'm basically a Pandora's box full of surprises.

When I wandered into the living room, I found Chase just emerging from his slumber, looking as though he'd wrestled with a tornado in his sleep.

Grinning mischievously, I grabbed a small pillow from the couch and lobbed it straight at him. His groggy eyes snapped open, and he muttered a curse under his breath.

I couldn't help laughing at his misery.

The mouthwatering scent of my mom's famous cookies and cinnamon rolls drifted through the air, making my stomach growl in anticipation.

"Get up already, Chase," I said with a grin. "It's Christmas, and I expect my present from you."

With that, I headed toward the kitchen.

There, I found my mother and father engrossed in conversation, their hands wrapped around mugs of what I assumed was eggnog. Catherine stood nearby, watching them with a small smile playing on her lips.

To my surprise, the sight felt strangely... comforting. Perhaps last night's events had softened my feelings toward Catherine. Or maybe I'd simply grown a little more mature, learning to handle my emotions with a bit more grace.

Of course, I would never let that show on my face.

I kept my usual hardened expression as I greeted my parents and, as always, pretended Catherine didn't exist.

"Ouch..." I yelped, quickly blowing on my fingers. I hadn't realised the cookies were still hot.

My mother hurried over, concern written all over her face as she gently inspected my hand.

"I just took the cookies out of the oven, pumpkin pie," she said soothingly.

From the corner of my eye, I saw my father chuckle. Catherine, however, maintained her perfectly composed expression though I caught the faintest glint of amusement in her eyes.

"My pumpkin-pie never grows up. You've been doing the same thing since you were a kid," my father said, ruffling my hair before checking my fingers himself. He then planted a kiss on my forehead. "Merry Christmas, darling."

My mother carried the cookies and cinnamon rolls to the family room, where presents nestled beneath the Christmas tree. My father started making his signature hot chocolate, filling the house with its rich, comforting aroma. We settled into the cozy room, exchanging Christmas gifts.

"It would be a perfect Christmas week if Cate weren't here," I thought in my head. But the sight of my parents' happiness makes me let my selfishness go.

My mother handed me a beautiful necklace with a emerald triangle gemstone. She fastened it around my neck, beaming. "I knew it would look good on you. See how the color complements your eyes?" She kissed my cheek, and everyone else agreed. I loved the necklace instantly.

My father's gift was a set of the latest Apple devices...an iPhone, MacBook, and iPad. Each customized to my style. They were one-of-a-kind, just for me.

I joked, "Do you want me to start working with you now, or what, Dad?"

He laughed heartily. "I can't wait for you to join me, my dear daughter."

In return, I gave my parents a trip to Bali after the New Year, knowing how much they loved to travel. They hugged me tightly, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

I handed Chase a small mug that read, "My bestie is gay." He laughed and loved it. He gave me a t-shirt that said, "The craziest person walking on the planet is my bestie." We burst into laughter at our silliness.

Chase also had gifts for my parents, which we've picked out together a few days earlier in the city.

My parents gave Catherine a bracelet and watch set, each uniquely customized to complement the other. They were one-of-a-kind, just like the pieces they had given me. Catherine, in turn, presented my parents a pair of shoes that she personally designed for them, crafted to their tastes. My mother was ecstatic. "I can't wait to show these off to my friends," she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Catherine also gifted Chase a pair of customized shoes. He was over the moon, his eyes welling up with emotion. "These are amazing, I also can't wait to show-off to my friends," he whispered, looking like he might cry.

I hadn't prepared anything for Catherine for obvious reasons.

But Catherine, apparently, had a gift for me.

I made no effort to take it from her. Chase, of course, had no such hesitation. He simply grabbed the box and dropped it straight onto my lap.

"Open it! We want to see!" Chase urged excitedly.

I sighed, already assuming it would be something similar to what she had given my parents and Chase. A pair of shoes, which I had every intention of throwing away later.

But the moment I tore off the wrapping, I gasped.

It was a camera.

Not just any camera. A limited-edition Leica prototype designed by Jony Ive and Marc Newson.

Surprised would be an understatement. A storm of questions rushed through my mind.

Why would she give me something this valuable?

And how on earth did she know I loved photography?

Catherine cleared her throat, pulling me back to reality.

I looked at her, silently trying to telegraph every question swirling inside my head.

"I hope you like it, Natasha," she said calmly. "And I believe this is something you wouldn't throw away."

As if she already knew exactly what had been on my mind.

For the first time in my life, I was at a loss for words to retort back to her.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Catherine," my mother commented, with a glint of something in her eyes that I couldn't quite decipher. Everyone else agreed, murmuring their approval.

I despised Catherine, that was obvious. But I wasn't stupid enough to throw away a Jony Ive and Marc Newson-designed Leica prototype camera. This was an incredibly rare item. I wondered how Catherine had managed to get it. Her connections must be impeccable.