Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 486

This was the first time Silas had ever laid eyes on Ethan.

The moment he saw the boy, a flash of genuine shock rippled through him.

Prior to this, he had only heard fleeting mentions of this disease from Willow or read brief, clinical summaries in the news. He knew these patients suffered immensely, but he had never witnessed it firsthand.

Seeing it in person was infinitely more devastating than simply hearing about it.

The boy's fragile frame could not even fill out his loose clothing; he looked so terribly thin that a strong gust of wind might blow him over. His inability to stand up straight, the faint scars mapping his face, and the undeniable timidity and gentleness in his eyes—every detail hit Silas hard. A man accustomed to the ruthless slaughter of the business world and the glittering vanity of high society found his heart inexplicably sinking, his brows furrowing tightly.

Fate had shown this child zero mercy.

Because of that, even though he was slightly annoyed by the boy's choice of greeting, he kept his mouth shut.

Calling Willow by her first name, but addressing him as Mr. Thorne? It made him sound like an entirely different generation.

But Silas was not about to bicker with a sick child. He swallowed his petty annoyance and offered the polite, obedient boy a courteous nod. "Hello."

Although Silas had deliberately tried to soften his tone, his overpowering aura still sucked the air out of the room, plunging the space into a heavy, tense silence.

Leo Yardley, ever the observant assistant, wisely kept his eyes down and his mouth shut, fading into the background to minimize his own existence.

But a moment later, the light in his eyes dimmed as his thoughts shifted. He hesitated for a few seconds before asking, his voice trembling with tentative worry, "Willow, are you okay? I heard some bad things happened in the village, but my parents would not tell me anything. They said I am just a kid and do not need to know. But I was so worried about you."

Looking at the pure, genuine concern in the boy's eyes, Willow felt incredibly touched. She gently ruffled his soft hair. "Do not worry, I am perfectly fine. I ran into a tiny bit of trouble earlier, but it is completely resolved now. Everything is absolutely fine."

"Really?" Ethan pressed, still not entirely convinced.

"Of course it is true," Willow smiled, her tone firm and soothing. "Look at me, I am standing right here, safe and sound, aren't I? There is no need to worry about me."

With that, she sat down on the cushion beside Ethan, pulling out the study materials she had prepared for him. She patiently opened the books, carefully explaining the concepts he had missed, word by word.