Natasha dashed out of the restaurant in a fit of rage, her steps quick despite the weight of her swollen belly. Embarrassment burned on her cheeks, and her heart pounded like a war drum against her ribs. The evening had taken a cruel turn, and the sting of humiliation lingered with every step she took.
She wrapped her arms around herself as though that would shield her from the pain that threatened to consume her. The words she had heard back there echoed in her mind—mocking, cutting, and unforgiving.
“Maybe like my parents, I’ve also been cursed not to have a peaceful love life,” Natasha muttered through clenched teeth, tears spilling from her eyes and mixing with the soft drizzle beginning to fall.
As she continued down the sidewalk, desperately scanning for a cab, she noticed they we
