Chapter 319

Michael Anderson sat there, fingers absently stroking the carpet, his eyes fixed on the bloodstained bandage in Stella Johnson’s hand. A sudden laugh slipped past his lips, dry and bitter like old medicine. "The first time I saw you, it was under that sycamore tree at the orphanage. You were crouched down, patching up a stray cat. Your dress got all muddy, but your smile—man, it was brighter than the sun." Stella's chest tightened. She looked at Michael through his glasses, catching the flickering reflection of the shattered crystal light on the ceiling. "I had just broken out of a psych ward," he said abruptly, grabbing her wrist—but jerked back when his fingers brushed the wound. "Had half a blister pack of lithium in my pocket. Then you looked up and asked me, ‘Wanna help feed the cats?’ Your voice was soft, like a cloud." He lowered his head, staring at his trembling fingers. "Since that day, I watched you from afar every single day... saw you name a stray dog ‘Sunny’, share your b