Shadows Of Stardom

Chapter 60

My eyes fluttered open to a blurry white ceiling above me. A sharp, metallic scent filled the air, stinging my nostrils. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, and Lisa's familiar face came into focus, her eyes wide with relief. Behind her, Kia stood quietly, a concerned presence.

"Jennie! You're awake!" Lisa exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion as she squeezed my hand tightly. "I'll get the doctor." She hurried out of the room, leaving me alone with Ki and a growing sense of confusion.

What… what happened? My head throbbed with a dull ache that mirrored the emptiness in my stomach. I attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my abdomen, causing me to gasp.

"Don't move yet, Jennie," Ki urged, rushing to my side and gently pushing me back down onto the bed.

"How long have I been out?" I asked as he pulled a stool closer to me.

"Five days now," he whispered. "I'm so glad you're awake... Everyone's been worried about you," he added, a hint of emotion in his voice.

"I was really worried about you," he said, taking my hands, but I flinched and quickly pulled them away. Why did I do that?

Gradually, fragments of memories began to resurface—dark figures, a cold, glinting blade, the agonizing burn in my stomach. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the memories away, but they persisted, haunting and terrifying.

"Jennie, calm down... I'm—" I felt his hand on my skin again, and I pushed it away once more.

"Don't touch me... please, don’t touch me," I choked out, closing my eyes tightly to escape the visions, but it wasn’t working.

"I won't, but please try to calm down," he said, though I struggled to comprehend his words.

The doctor entered briskly, with Lisa following closely behind. He examined me with a professional yet reassuring touch, asking questions that felt distant and muffled. I struggled to respond, my throat dry and constricted.

Then it hit me—the weight, the fullness, the gentle flutter… all gone.

My hands instinctively moved to my stomach, pressing against the flat surface. It was… empty. Devoid of the life that had been growing there, a secret promise, a tiny beacon of hope in the darkness.

Panic washed over me like a cold wave, stealing my breath. I couldn't feel it. The faint, rhythmic thump that had once reassured me was silent. Gone.

Tears filled my eyes, hot and stinging. "The baby…" I whispered, the words escaping in a ragged breath. "Where’s the baby?"

The doctor's expression softened, a mix of sympathy and resignation crossing his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted him.

"No! Where is it?" My voice rose, cracking with hysteria. "I can't feel it! I can't feel its heartbeat!"

Lisa hurried to my side, enveloping me in a tight embrace. "Jennie, shhh… it’s alright. Just breathe."

But it wasn’t alright. Nothing felt alright.

Memories surged back, sharp and painful—the kidnapping, the fear, the violation… the endless nights filled with terror. The only thing that had kept me going was the fragile life growing within me. I had vowed to protect it, to ensure it would have a life filled with love, far removed from the darkness that had engulfed me.

And now… it was gone. Taken from me, leaving me empty and shattered.

The door opened, and a wave of tension swept through the room. My brothers, San and Chanyeol, stood there, worry etched on their faces.