Forbidden Love✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 21

The next morning, Santa wakes up slowly, his head pounding as he stirs beneath the thick blankets of his bed. His eyes are swollen and tender from all the crying he did the day before, and his heart feels just as heavy as the evening before. The walls of his room, which he once found comforting, now feel like they’re closing in around him.

He pushes himself up, trying to shake off the aching sadness that seems to seep into his very bones. Standing up, he drags himself toward the bathroom. As he opens the faucet and fills the tub with warm water, he stares at the water rising, feeling a strange numbness settle over him. When the tub is finally filled, he sinks into the water, letting it wrap around him like a fragile embrace.

For a few moments, he closes his eyes, resting his head against the edge of the tub, letting himself drift. But even in the calmness of the water, his mind won’t let him forget. Thoughts of Perth come flooding back, stirring a bittersweet ache within him. He remembers Perth’s warmth, his laugh, the way he’d listen with that quiet understanding that always made Santa feel seen.

Tears well up in Santa’s eyes again as he sinks deeper into the water, whispering Perth’s name softly as if saying it could somehow bring him closer. But all it does is deepen the hollow feeling in his chest, a reminder of the distance and the walls that now separate them. After a while, he forces himself to get out, his heart heavy with longing and sadness. He wraps himself in a robe, trying to hold himself together as he steps back into his room.

Heading toward his walk-in closet, Santa grabs a fresh set of clothes and slips them on, the familiar routine doing little to distract him from his thoughts. He walks back to his bed, sitting on the edge, staring blankly at the walls as he feels the loneliness settle in.

A soft click at the door catches his attention. Santa’s heart skips a beat, when the door creaks open, he sees Alin, the maid, slip in quietly, a tray in her hands. She places it carefully on the floor, barely glancing at him before she steps out, locking the door behind her with a finality that makes his chest tighten.

Santa looks at the tray, his appetite lost, but he knows he has to eat something. He reaches for the tray and brings it onto the bed, staring down at the simple breakfast, his vision blurring as tears well up once more. He takes a small bite, but the food feels tasteless. The silence of the room feels heavier than ever, pressing down on him with each second that ticks by. His tears fall silently as he picks at his food, unable to hold back the ache that consumes him.

Finishing as much as he can, he sets the tray back in front of the door and moves to his desk. Sitting down, he takes a small stone—that Perth had given him during at the lake. Santa clutches it tightly, pressing it against his chest as he closes his eyes.

"Perth," he whispers, his voice choked, "I miss you…so much. I hope I can see you soon."

He clings to the memory of Perth’s touch, the way he would gently ruffle Santa’s hair or wrap an arm around his shoulder. It feels like a lifetime ago, that warmth and sense of belonging. Now, he feels trapped, confined not only by the castle walls but by the expectations that weigh on his heart, a royal duty that feels more like a chain than a calling.

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Meanwhile, in her own room, Becky wakes up, the early morning light filtering through the curtains as she blinks, disoriented and heavy with sleep. She stares at the ceiling for a few moments, her mind numb, as reality slowly sinks in. The events of the previous day replay in her mind, and a wave of sadness washes over her. She pulls herself out of bed, feeling the emptiness of the room pressing in on her.

In the bathroom, she fills her tub, the soft gurgle of water the only sound breaking the silence. She slips into the warm water, sinking down until only her face is above the surface. She closes her eyes, trying to find some solace in the quiet, but her heart aches as her thoughts drift to Freen.