Chapter 41: Stitches in Silence.Violet Virgilson.

The ward was quiet now. Almost deceptively so. Every hum of the machines, every whisper of the nurses outside the door felt amplified in the stillness. I had been by Vincent’s side for days, or maybe longer—I had lost count. Time had blurred into a continuous loop of worry, hope, and the constant rhythm of his breathing.

I leaned closer, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead, careful not to disturb the fragile peace of his ...