Tabitha's POV
Joanna was a kind-hearted werewolf. Though her family was far from being well-off, she always remained optimistic.
I found her optimism contagious.
In her, I seemed to see my past self. She was like sunshine, happy all the time as if even the end of the world would not bring her down.
"Just like me, all you need to do is lift the corners of your mouth gently. Your baby inside your belly will also be happy when you're in a better mood."
Joanna beamed, her smile pure and sincere.
Maybe it was her warm smile, or maybe her mentioning the baby cheered me up. Unconsciously, I placed my palm on my belly, and a small smile crept onto my face without me even realizing it.
Joanna, noticing it, jumped in joy.
"I knew it, Ms. Hartley. You look absolutely stunning when you smile. You are the most beautiful and exquisite person I've ever seen. If you were to enter showbiz, you would surely become a big star," she exclaimed, her tone dripping with admiration.
I shook my head slightly. Little did she know that I used to dream of becoming a doctor.
If in the future... No. What was in the future for me now?
All I really wanted was for this baby to be born safe and sound. I can't even dare to hope for anything more.
In the world of werewolves, fate was always unpredictable.
If one was too greedy, the Moon Goddess would take back everything he or she currently possessed.
Gotta live in the moment and treasure what I had now, I told myself.
Snapping back to reality, I got up, ready to go. If it weren't for the slightly unnatural drooping of my right hand, I would have looked no different from an ordinary person.
Joanna walked me to the car and said with a smile, "Have fun, and don't worry too much."
Derek got out of the car and opened the passenger door for me. Then, he helped me get in and thoughtfully fastened my seatbelt.
In the past, what he just did for me would have made me ecstatic.
But now, I only felt it pathetic.
Back when things were good between us, what I looked forward to the most was Derek taking a day off to stay with me. I would prepare all the camping gear in advance, and we would go camping in the outskirts on weekends.
He was so patient whenever we were together, always supporting whatever I wanted to do.
We would set up a tent by the river. He'd go fishing, and I'd be grilling away.
When the stars came out at night, I'd snuggle up in his arms and count them with him.
I never really cared about fancy stuff. As long as he could spend more time with me, I would be very happy.
Back then, I laughed a lot. He always said that I looked as cute as a little fox when I smiled.
But now... I knew those happy times were gone and would never return.
As I sat in the car, my eyes were glued to the road ahead, gripping the seatbelt like it was my lifeline, not even sneaking a look at him.
It was so quiet in the car that it felt kinda eerie. Derek, as if couldn't stand it, broke the silence with a light cough. "I bought some desserts on the way back. If you're hungry, you can have some."
I glanced at the exquisite pastries placed beside me. There was even my favorite fruit tea.
"I'm not hungry," I shot back coldly. But as soon as the words left my mouth, my stomach let out a loud growl.
I awkwardly paused for a moment. Well, before coming out, I had vomited once, so it was normal for my stomach to rumble.
Derek, hearing it, chuckled lightly. "You didn't change a single bit. Just stop making a fuss and eat some."
I shot him a frosty glare, saying word by word, "Derek, do you still think we're still like what we were before? Like you can just sweet-talk me back to being your girl?"
These past few days, we hadn't really tackled this topic head-on. Today, I finally decided not to hold back anymore. "We were done a long time ago. You may have trapped me for now, but sooner or later, I'll manage to get out of here. As long as I'm alive, there's no way we could ever get back together."
I expressed my true feelings loud and clear.
Derek's expression shifted a bit, but he quickly regained his composure, as if he'd been expecting this moment all along.