That morning should have arrived in quiet peace.
Pale sunlight crept slowly through the narrow gap of the window, brushing the curtains and the stone floor of the chamber with a soft golden hue. Normally, Liv would have loved a morning like this, silent, warm, and calm.
But today felt different.
The air in the room felt hotter. Not the comforting warmth of dawn, but a heat that made her chest feel tight. Liv's breathing grew shallow as she stirred half-awake, caught between sleep and reality.
Then the sensation came.
Pain in her abdomen.
At first it was faint, an odd pressure, easy to dismiss. Liv blinked slowly, thinking she might have slept in the wrong position. Her hand moved instinctively, resting over her swollen belly.
But the pain didn't fade.
It intensified.
Sharp. Constricting. As if something inside her was contracting without warning.
"Ah…" Liv let out a soft groan, her brows knitting together. Her breath caught in her throat.
Her heart began to race.
