The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 164

"Sloane, what exactly is going on with your headaches? Why is it this bad?" Josh's eyes were swimming with undeniable worry and heartache.

Sloane leaned against his chest, remaining perfectly still. Her body felt completely drained of strength.

"It's nothing, really... just an old condition."

"What old condition?" Diego poked his head back from the front seat, his tone urgent and loud. "What kind of condition causes that much pain? Have you seen a doctor for this?"

The corner of Sloane's mouth lifted into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

"I have," she murmured. "My... my husband is a doctor. An incredibly brilliant one, actually."

The cabin fell completely silent for a second.

"Your husband?" Diego blinked in shock. "Oh my god, you're married? I always assumed... you were single. I mean, you look so young. By the way, what's his name?"

Sloane's eyes seemed to catch the ambient light, sparkling faintly as if recalling a distant memory.

"You probably know of him. Garrison Foster."

Diego's jaw dropped.

"Garrison Foster?!" His voice skyrocketed an octave. "As in—the Nobel laureate, Professor Garrison Foster?! The genius behind the Vitas Protocol?!"

Josh's brow furrowed sharply, and he shot Diego a murderous glare.

Sloane simply offered a gentle nod. "Yes."

"Holy..." Diego twisted his entire body around in his seat, his eyes wide as saucers. "Sloane, you are way too modest! Your husband is Garrison Foster and you never brought it up?!"

Sloane had just recovered from a severe medical episode. Her voice was breathy and light, floating through the air like a delicate feather, but there was a distinct shine in her eyes.

"He really is extraordinary. His medical skills are unparalleled, and he's the only scientist of his background to ever win the Nobel Prize in Medicine."

As she spoke, a bittersweet, resigned smile graced her lips.

"But... he doesn't have anything to do with me anymore. He's my... ex-husband."

The cabin plunged into absolute silence once more.

*

Ten minutes later, Diego parked the snowcat on a smooth, wind-sheltered patch of the ice shelf.

"Josh, initiate camp mode," Professor Harrison ordered.

"On it."

Josh opened the door, stepped around to the rear of the vehicle, and punched a button on the chassis.

*Beep, beep, beep—*

Following a crisp, mechanical chime, the metal panels on the back of the rig smoothly unfolded. It bloomed like a mechanical flower in the biting wind of the Polar Night. Inflatable struts automatically expanded, hoisting up three layers of heavy-duty thermal canvas. The entire deployment took less than three minutes.

"Holy shit," Diego muttered, poking his head out the door. "This thing is straight out of a sci-fi movie."

Josh hefted a massive equipment crate out of the back, not even looking up. "Get out of the doorway. You're letting the cold air in."

Diego hastily yanked his head back inside. Before he could zip the flap shut, a brutal gust of sub-zero wind slashed through the gap, making him shiver violently. The moment the zipper clicked into place, the world went dead silent. The blizzard outside was still raging, ice crystals violently pelting the canvas, but the sound was entirely muffled, transforming into a distant, muted thud from another universe.