"Kat…" My voice wavered. "Can I stay here tonight? I just… I can't go home right now. Not like this. Not when Mom's waiting with all her plans and her temper. I need to clear my head first."
Katherine didn't hesitate. She tightened her grip on my hand and gave me a small, reassuring smile. "Of course you can. You don't even have to ask. You know this is your second home."
The relief that washed over me was almost enough to make me cry again, but instead, I hugged her tighter, whispering a shaky thank you against her shoulder.
For once, I didn't have to pretend to be okay. For once, I didn't have to brace myself for disappointment or anger. Here, in Katherine's room, wrapped in her acceptance, I could exist broken, messy, but safe.
And tomorrow… Tomorrow I will go back home. I would face my mother and her fiery temper, and maybe even the conversation I'd been running from. But tonight, I just needed to rest. Tonight, I needed to remember that even if my father had rejected me, and even if my mother didn't always understand me, I still had someone who chose me, someone who stayed.
I curled up on Katherine's bed, my head against the pillow she'd fluffed for me, and as she turned off the light, she whispered from the other side of the room, "You're stronger than you think, Amelia. Don't forget that."
For the first time in weeks, I closed my eyes and let myself believe her.
The morning light slipped through the curtains when I got up from Katherine's couch. She was already in the kitchen, fixing a quick breakfast.
"Thanks for letting me stay over," I said as I adjusted my bag on my shoulder.
She nodded. "Anytime."
I stepped closer and gave her a brief hug before moving to the door. "I'll head home now."
"Alright. Take care," she replied.
I opened the door, stepped outside, and started the walk back to my house.
By the time I reached my street, the sun was already high. The walk from Katherine's place had taken longer than I expected.
I stopped in front of the gate, pushed it open, and stepped into the compound. The house was quiet, the curtains drawn halfway across the windows.
I walked up to the front door, turned the handle, and went inside.
The familiar scent of home greeted me as I closed the door behind me.
"Where have you been all day?" mother demanded, arms crossed as though she had been waiting.
Amelia paused, meeting her gaze but refusing to explain further. "I was at Katherine's place," she replied flatly. "Since I couldn't have peace of mind here, I decided to stay there."
Her mother's brows tightened. "Amelia—"
"I said what I needed to say," Amelia cut in, moving past her toward the hallway.
The silence that followed pressed heavily in the room, but Amelia didn't turn back.
"Mum, please," I whispered, my voice trembling as if it carried the weight of years I had never been allowed to speak. "For once, can I just have peace of mind? Isn't it enough that you couldn't find a man who would love your daughter from the very beginning? And now you want to bring another husband into our lives. Why?"
"Please, Mother… just let me be. I'm not against your marriage, I won't stop you from being happy, but don't drag me into it. Please don't force me to smile when all I want is silence. I'm not interested, and I can't pretend. Please… just let me be."
For a moment, the air between us was heavy, almost suffocating. My mother's face stiffened, her lips trembling as if searching for the right words.
"You think this is easy for me?" Her eyes glistened with hurt, maybe guilt.
"Do you know how long I've lived carrying the shame, the whispers, raising you alone while the world judged me? All I ever wanted was to give you a family.
"Mum, I never asked for it, so don't pretend it's all for my good. You just can't stay without hurting me—that's why you decided to bring in another man, calling it 'father' and 'family.' Knowing fully well I'm not interested, you still went ahead.
You're just being selfish. You're not even thinking of my happiness in all this, so please… don't put it on me."
Her words lingered in the air like shattered glass, sharp and cutting.
"How dare you, Amelia? After everything I've sacrificed, you stand there and call me selfish? You think it's easy to raise a child alone, to fight every day just so you can have a better life? And now that I finally want something for myself, you spit it back in my face as if I don't deserve happiness!"
Her voice rose, each word fueled with anger, trembling not from weakness but from years of swallowed pain. "You're ungrateful, Amelia. Completely ungrateful!"
My chest rose and fell as her words cut deep, but instead of breaking me, they ignited something darker. Tears stung my eyes, yet my voice came out fierce, almost shaking the walls.
"What did you expect, Mum? Bringing me up with all these traumas? You should have aborted me as he asked you to! Why bring me into this world only to regret my existence every single day?"
I clutched my chest as though I could hold back the weight crushing my heart.
"Just let me be. Please… go ahead with your wedding, live your life, but don't drag me into it. Don't include me."
Her eyes blazed as she snapped at me. "So this is about your father, isn't it? Amelia, don't let his actions consume you. He made a mistake that he'll regret for the rest of his life. But don't punish yourself for his sins." Her voice shook with fury as she pointed at me. "And watch your tone. I am still your mother, and whether you like it or not, you will give me the respect I deserve."
I exhaled shakily, forcing myself not to scream. "Alright, Mom… please, just give me a break from all this drama. I need rest. Save your strength for Matt—the almighty, soon-to-be man of the house."
"You're not stepping out of this house from now, until you learn some respect. I've given you more than enough freedom, and you've done nothing but abuse it."