The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 446

Sloane's fingers went completely still against the armrest.

She knew Piper didn't mean any harm. She was just the kind of girl who spoke whatever came to mind, naturally treating everyone around her like family.

But the question still hit like a tiny, perfectly aimed needle, sliding right into the softest, most bruised part of Sloane's heart.

Jackson Taylor... probably still didn't even know she was awake.

Since her recovery, Jackson hadn't reached out to her, and she hadn't bothered to call him. That place... hadn't been her real home for a very long time anyway.

"I..." She parted her lips, forcing a small smile. "I..."

A hand reached over from the seat beside her, sliding over hers with a steady, undeniable grip.

It was incredibly warm. The long fingers bore a thin layer of calluses, and while the grip was gentle, the intent behind it was absolute.

Sloane turned her head. Josh was staring directly at Piper. His expression was totally relaxed, but his tone carried a terrifyingly heavy weight that demanded zero further questions.

"I'm her family," he stated evenly. "Is there a problem?"

Piper froze for a full second, her mouth dropping into a perfect 'O'. Her eyes darted wildly between Josh's face and Sloane's, processing the data, before she violently shot up from her seat, grabbed Sloane's free hand, and hauled her out of the chair.

"Let's go, Sloane! We need to get backstage!"

She dragged Sloane toward the wings, making it two steps before whipping around to glare aggressively at Josh, stubbornly tacking on, "I'm not running away from you! I'm just actually in a hurry!"

A few moments later, the host's voice boomed over the speakers. "Next up, The Echoing Fawn!"

The house lights dimmed. The host stepped off, and the heavy velvet curtains slowly swept open.

"She's not playing tonight? She's singing?"

"What's her name?"

"No idea. I only know the pianist is Piper, the one everybody says is dating Professor Jace. Nobody ever paid attention to this girl..."

"Yeah, but wow... she's stunning..."

Piper raised her hands. The moment her fingers fell, a sharp, crystalline intro bled from the piano. It wasn't a classical piece. It wasn't a trendy pop song. It was 'Love's Final Requiem.'

The arrangement was incredibly sparse. The piano lingered almost entirely in the lower octaves, completely stripping the track down to leave an agonizing amount of empty space for the vocals.

Sloane lowered her head slightly, her hands wrapping loosely around the microphone stand. She closed her eyes, and sang the first line.