Chapter 51

Charles's knees gave out, and he nearly collapsed. "She's... gone? Really gone?" He repeated those words over and over, his eyes reddening in seconds. His whole body started shaking, and he clutched his head, mumbling nonstop. "This can't be real... this can't be real..." Sophie's sweet little face kept flashing in his mind, and her soft voice calling "Daddy" seemed to still echo in his ears. Stella watched him fall apart like that, and her heart clenched with pain. She missed Sophie just as deeply—her daughter was her entire world. She bit her lip hard to keep the tears in, turned her face away. She couldn't bear to watch him another second. "When... when did it happen? Why?" Charles's voice cracked as he asked, almost begging, hopelessness all over his face. He already knew the answer deep down—but he had to ask. "You don't deserve to know." Stella snapped, turning back sharply. Was he pretending not to remember—or did he really forget? The one who refused to donate bone marrow back