Maddy
MADDY
C at is pacing in my suite with her hands fisted in her hair and her face blotchy from crying. She looks like a live wire, ready to snap at any moment. I’m sitting on the edge of the couch, watching her, trying to figure out what to say to help.
My stomach twists with guilt because, no matter how much she denies it, I’m the one who blew this up.
“I—I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she stammers, tears streaking down her face. “It wasn’t supposed to—he said—he said we can’t.”
“Cat,” I try, my voice soft but steady, “you need to sit down. You’re going to make yourself sick.”
She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around her waist like she’s trying to hold herself together.
“No, I can’t. I can’t sit. It’s all falling apart, ,” she says, her voice trembling. “Everything. Nikolai said we… we can’t have the baby. He said it’ll ruin things.”
Her words hang in the air, and my stomach sinks. She’s not sobbing anymore, but the heartbreak in her voice cuts deeper than any tears could. I swallow hard, guilt clawing at my chest.
“What did he mean by that?” I ask, though I already have an idea.
Cat stops pacing and sinks onto the floor, her knees pulled to her chest as she stares at the carpet.
“He said… if people find out, it’ll ruin everything. The friendships, the alliances, everything the Crowns have built. He said it’s not about me, but about what it’ll do to all of us. He doesn’t want me to go through that. Doesn’t want the baby to be the reason it all falls apart.”
“But what about you?” I ask, my voice trembling with anger on her behalf and I move to sit beside her. “Cat, that’s… that’s a lot to put on you. Doesn’t he care about what you’re going through?”
Cat lets out a bitter laugh, swiping at her tears with the back of her hand. “He said he does. He was… sweet about it, even. But it doesn’t change anything, . He doesn’t want this baby. He doesn’t want us.”
The silence between us is heavy, the kind that makes every second feel like an hour. I struggle with what to say, knowing that whatever comfort I offer might not be enough.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my own voice thick. “I didn’t mean to… to make things worse by saying something earlier. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
Cat shakes her head, her blonde hair falling into her face as she waves my apology away. “No, . Don’t. This isn’t your fault. It was always going to come out. Connor would’ve figured it out eventually.”
The mention of Connor sends a fresh wave of panic through her. She starts pacing again, her movements frantic. “Connor’s going to kill him. Oh God, what if he already has? What if he—what if?—”
“Hey,” I cut in, stepping in front of her and gripping her shoulders gently. “Breathe, Cat. Connor’s not going to do anything stupid.”
But even as I say it, I’m not so sure. The way Connor stormed out, the fire in his eyes… No, I can’t think about that right now. Cat needs me.
She nods, taking a shaky breath, but her eyes are still wide with fear. “I didn’t want this,” she whispers. “I didn’t want any of this. I just wanted—” Her voice cracks, and she covers her face with her hands. “I don’t even know what I wanted.”
The door to my suite swings open, and we both jump as Mihai walks in. His face is a storm—his jaw clenched, his eyes dark, his hands fisted at his sides. He looks like he’s barely holding himself together, and when Cat catches sight of him, her face crumples.
“Mihai,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.
He doesn’t say a word at first, just looks at her with concern. But the intensity of his gaze is too much for Cat, and she bolts, rushing out of the room before either of us can stop her.
Mihai’s gaze swings to me, and I feel the full force of it, like a wave crashing over me. He takes a step closer, his voice low but charged.
“How did you know, ?”
I blink, caught off guard by the sharpness in his tone. “Know what?”
“About Nikolai,” he says, his voice like a blade. “How did you know he was the father?”
I swallow hard, the intensity of his stare making it difficult to think straight. “Cat told me,” I manage, my voice quieter than I intended. “She confided in me a few days ago.”
His jaw clenches, and he runs a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath in Romanian that I can’t quite catch.
“This is a fucking disaster,” he says finally, pacing the length of the room. I stand there, unsure whether to speak or stay silent as he paces like a caged animal, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
“I didn’t mean to make things worse,” I say softly, breaking the silence. “I wasn’t trying to?—”
He stops suddenly, turning to face me. “You didn’t make this mess, ,” he says, his voice softer now, though the tension hasn’t left his face. “This… this was bound to blow up eventually.”
I nod, though the guilt still sits heavy in my chest. “She’s scared, Mihai,” I say softly. “She’s heartbroken. And Nikolai… he didn’t mean to hurt her, but…”
“But he did,” Mihai finishes, his voice hard. “He hurt her, and now Connor’s ready to burn everything to the ground because of it.”
I nod, wrapping my arms around myself. “Do you think Connor…?”
“Connor’s pissed,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “And when Connor’s pissed, he doesn’t think straight. I need to find him before he does something reckless. But first, I need to find Cat.”
I step aside as he moves toward the door, my chest tightening with worry for both of them. “She’s scared, Mihai. Go easy on her, okay?”
His gaze softens for the briefest moment, and he nods. “Yeah. I’ll try.”
And then he’s gone, leaving me alone with the heavy silence and the weight of everything that’s just happened.