Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 1261

1261 /1280

Mr. Williams watched Dennis, a bittersweet tug in his chest. For all his years, he’d rarely seen anyone care so deeply for his apprentice. There was no use hiding the truth any longer.

He spoke quietly. “Her condition really is caused by the medication. Her immune system is getting weaker, but right now, her life isn’t in danger. Still… you know as well as I do, if things take a turn, it could get serious fast. We don’t know if we can get the antidote ready in time, so…”

He trailed off, unable to finish.

Dennis closed his eyes for a moment, taking it all in. “I understand. Is there anything you need, Master? Anything at all, just say the word. Whatever it takes to make this antidote happen, I’ll do it.”

Mr. Williams felt his eyes sting. He pressed his fingers to his brow, fighting back the emotion, then rested a hand on Dennis’s shoulder. “You’ve already done more than enough, Dennis. Really, you have. Now it’s up to the team to work their magic.”

Coming up with an antidote for a drug nobody had even heard of was already a huge challenge.

Dennis fell quiet, the weight of everything pressing down on him.

Mr. Williams could feel his pain, because he felt it too. He’d always heard Dennis was the kind of person who never lost his cool, no matter what. In every situation, he handled things with calm and control. But this time, he could see it—Dennis was shaken, anxious. Even scared.

That discovery shook Mr. Williams a little. He never doubted the feelings Dennis had for his apprentice; he just hadn’t realized how deep those feelings went. Deeper than he’d ever guessed.

***

While all this was happening, Camila’s check-up ended. When she came back, Dennis didn’t say a word. He just took her hand and led her out.

He had no idea how to fix what was happening to her. The worry and pressure built up inside him, making his whole presence seem colder, more closed off.

Camila noticed, and figured he must still be angry. As they left the institute, she reached for his hand, her voice soft and careful. “Dennis, I know I was wrong. If you want to yell at me, go ahead. Just… please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

If she were healthy, Dennis might have really given her a piece of his mind. Nosebleeds, hair falling out—how could she keep something like that from him? She knew how much it would worry him.

He remembered yesterday, when she’d bought all that yarn, talking about knitting scarves for them. Now he realized, it probably hadn’t just been about passing the time.