Elena’s POV

The words had barely left my lips when silence fell across the room. My tone had been calm, but even I could hear the tremor beneath it. I could feel the way my eyes burned, the way the tears pressed behind them, waiting for permission to fall.

Dara was the first to break. Her voice wavered, thick with emotion. “Elena, don’t say that. Please. We’ll work with the doctors. You’ll get better soon.”

Genna rushed to agree. “Yes. The doctors here are amazing. You have to ...