The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 207

But her next words brought it all crashing back.

"That day, my parents got into a horrific car accident. I rushed to the hospital, and then... I saw you and Quinn. In the cafe..." Sloane couldn't finish the sentence. Just picturing that devastating scene made it feel as though a massive boulder was crushing her lungs, making it impossible to breathe.

The hospital, Quinn, the cafe...

Garrison suddenly remembered. It was... the hug!

The crowded cafe, the overwhelming noise... He had wiped the tears from Quinn's eyes with a napkin and pulled her into a comforting embrace. With one hand on her waist and the other rubbing her shoulder, he had whispered, "I'm here," "I'll always be here"...

"Sloane... That... That day was a total misunderstanding..." Garrison scrambled for the words, desperate to clear the air.

Sloane closed her eyes, cutting him off completely. "You don't need to explain, Garrison. I'm just... so tired."

"I've been exhausted every single day for years..."

Looking at her pale, fragile face, an ocean of regret and devastating heartbreak washed over Garrison, threatening to consume him completely.

"I won't make excuses." Garrison took a deep, shaky breath, forcing his rising panic down. "Everything that happened over the years... that was my fault. I failed you."

"But you have to come back with me and get treated."

"There is no cure." Sloane opened her eyes, staring blankly ahead. "It's terminal."

"Just because everyone else gave up doesn't mean I will! Sloane, you have to trust me. I won The Nobel Prize in Medicine for a reason. I swear to you, I will cure you!"

"But The Vitas Strain was destroyed, wasn't it?" Her eyes were perfectly calm, like the surface of an undisturbed, bottomless pool.

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