[Day 4, Dec. 23 – The Ophelia Cruise Ship]
Octavia
I woke up to the muted hum of the ship, the gentle sway of the waves beneath me lulling the room into a deceptive calm. The golden glow of the setting sun spilled through the window, painting the walls with hues of amber and honey.
But no amount of beauty could erase the heaviness in my chest.
I pushed myself up, my muscles stiff from lying curled up on the bed. My gaze instinctively darted to where I’d left the manuscript earlier, but it was gone.
For a brief moment, panic bubbled inside me, but it quickly faded into apathy.
What’s the point?
Nathan’s voice echoed in my mind, his dismissive tone still cutting. The memory of him flipping through the pages, barely trying, before tearing it apart with his cruel critique lingered like
