The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 335

But what made Garrison's breath catch in his throat was her eyes. Her irises were a deep amber, catching the sunlight until they looked almost translucent. Unlike the heavy, lingering loneliness he had grown so used to seeing in Sloane's gaze, right now, her eyes were bright and untainted, as clear as obsidian washed clean by the rain.

Those were the eyes of a vibrant twenty-something-year-old.

The sunlight slanted through the window, entirely enveloping her. She sat there, a youthful soul basking in the afternoon glow, staring quietly outside like a plant happily soaking in the sun.

It hit Garrison all at once. Her body was twenty-six, but her soul was twenty-one.

And he... was already thirty-five.

Garrison stood in the doorway for a moment before gently knocking on the frame.

Sloane looked up, saw him, and offered a polite nod.

"Are you feeling any discomfort?" He walked over to the bed, leaning in to carefully check the vitals monitor.

Sloane took a moment to assess how she felt, then shook her head. "I'm fine, my chest just feels a little tight..." Then she looked up at him, a hint of anxiety in her voice. "Excuse me, where is my backpack? My sports physiology notes are in there. I have an exam tomorrow, and I really need to review."

Garrison was speechless.

He stayed silent for a few seconds. After confirming her vitals were stable, he turned to face her.

"Sloane, you are very sick. You need to be hospitalized for treatment."

Sloane's head started ringing. It actually felt like it was throbbing. She couldn't understand the black-and-white images, nor could she comprehend the medical jargon, but she understood the final line of the diagnostic summary: Immediate hospitalization recommended.

Seeing all the color drain from Sloane's face, Garrison quickly added:

"Don't be afraid. I am your primary physician. I'm going to cure you."

"Okay," Sloane took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. Her voice was much quieter now, but she fought to keep it level. "Then... I need to call my professor and my coach. I have to ask for a leave of absence."

She looked up at Garrison, tears already brimming in her eyes. She tried so hard to hold them back, her lips trembling as she forced the words out, "I guess... I won't be competing in The Olympic Trials this year."

With that, she couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears spilled over, falling drop by drop like a broken string of pearls, splashing onto the CT scan resting on her knees.