"She's awake."
Arthur's voice on the other end made William sit up straight immediately.
"She's okay?" William asked, his voice low.
"She is. Come—hurry up." Arthur paused for a second before adding, "She's been asking for you."
And the call ended. But even after it did, William remained still, his gaze fixed on his phone.
Truthfully, he had never really left the hospital during those three days.
He just hadn't shown himself.
He stayed in his car most of the time, and whenever Arthur told him that Tiara had stepped out for lunch or dinner, he would rush over, just to catch a glimpse of Thalia from a distance.
Now, she was awake and she was looking for him.
Yet somehow, that only made it harder for him to move.
He couldn't deny it, Tiara's words had gotten to him.
How could they not?
He had grown up hearing the same things over and over again.
You're the reason.
You're cursed.
You're a burden.
At first, he fought it. Refused to believe it.
