The next morning was unnaturally still.
Catherine woke slowly, the sun bleeding through her curtains in soft gold. For a moment, everything felt normal — quiet, peaceful. But then, a strange chill crept into her bones. The kind that whispered that something was wrong.
"Dad?" she called out from her room, slipping her feet into her slippers.
No answer.
She walked into the living room. The coffee cup from last night was still there, untouched. Everything was exactly where she left it.
Except him.
"Dad?" she called again, louder now, her voice trembling.
She pushed open his bedroom door — and froze.
There, lying peacefully in bed, was her father.
Eyes closed.
Skin pale.
Too still.
Something was clutched in his hand — a folded piece of paper, creased and worn.
Catherine didn't move. Couldn't. Her lungs locked in her chest, refusing to believe what her eyes already knew.
She stumbled forward, knees hitting the side of the bed, and pulled the letter from his fingers with trembling hands.
My dearest Catherine,
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry you had to come home to this.
I'm sorry that this is how you have to remember me.
But I couldn't bear to see you suffer any longer.
You've given up everything — your dreams, your youth, your freedom — just to keep me breathing. And it breaks my heart. Every single day, I've watched you pretend to smile when I know you're tired. I've seen you carry pain like it's part of your body. And you should never have had to.
This isn't your burden anymore, my little angel.
I want you to live.
I want you to laugh again, to fall in love fully — with someone who treats you the way you deserve. I want you to chase the world, study what you love, and never worry about hospital bills again.
Please don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault.
This is the only way I know how to ease your suffering.
This is my way of giving back — by letting go.
Your mother and I will be watching you from the skies.
Always. Every step. Every tear. Every smile.
And we'll be proud of the woman you become.
You are the brightest light in my life.
And now, it's your time to shine.
With all my love,
Dad.
Catherine's scream tore through the apartment — raw, guttural, animal.
It was the kind of sound that could only come from a soul that had just been shattered.
She collapsed onto the floor beside the bed, gripping the letter so tight it crumpled in her hands. Her sobs came in violent waves, her body convulsing from the weight of it all.
"Please…" she gasped. "Please come back… please don't leave me…"
Her father — the only constant she had left, the only piece of her mother still breathing — was gone.
And suddenly, everything was cold.
Shaking, she grabbed her phone. Her fingers fumbled as she dialed Maverick's number.
Once.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Straight to voicemail.
Her heart cracked again — this time, from a different kind of ache.
She didn't know what to do.
She couldn't breathe.
She couldn't think.
With her fingers trembling, she scrolled to another name.
Aina.
The moment the call connected, her voice cracked through the speaker: "Aina… please… please come. I— I can't— he's—"
Aina's tone instantly shifted from sleepy to alert. "Cath? What happened?! Are you okay?!"
Catherine choked on a sob. "It's my dad… he's… he's gone…"
"I'm coming now. Stay there. Don't move. I'm on my way. Don't hang up, Cath. Just stay with me."
Catherine collapsed to the floor, curling into herself, the phone pressed against her ear, Aina's voice the only thing tethering her to reality.
She didn't know how long she cried.
But the world had shifted.
Her father was gone.
And so was a part of her.