Chapter 911

Chapter 911:
Stella let out a teary laugh, giving the back of his hand a playful little pinch—careful not to hurt him. “Can’t a girl cry when she’s happy?”
William gave her a crooked smile, one that somehow still lit up his whole face. His eyes were soft, full of emotion.
Then he stared at her for a while, serious now, before finally asking, “So… when I was out, you said you loved me. Did you mean that?”
Her face turned bright red, her eyes darting away. But she didn’t deny it. After a pause, she looked up and met his gaze. “Of course I meant it,” she said quietly but clearly. “I love you, William.”
The spark in William’s eyes shone brighter. His lips curved into a smile so genuine it made Stella’s heart ache.
Still smiling, he murmured, cajoling, “Say it again.”
It was the first time she’d said it out loud. He wanted to hear it again—and again after that.
Stella leaned in, kissing his pale lips softly, then whispered by his ear, “I love you. When you’re better, I’ll say it every day—for the rest of our lives.”
He could hear it as many times as he wanted. She wouldn’t hold back anymore.
During those long days William was unconscious, Stella had done a lot of thinking. Life was unpredictable—fragile. One moment everything was fine, and the next, it was all falling apart. Holding back, hesitating—it only meant losing time you could never get back.
No matter what came next, no matter what had come before—Stella knew she loved William. And this time, she wasn’t going to run from it.
William had already taken ninety-nine steps toward her. Now it was her turn to take the last one.
Outside, the sun had dipped beneath the horizon, and night had quietly settled in. But inside the hospital room, the warmth between them felt like a new dawn.
Propped up against the pillows, William’s voice was low but steady. “What’s the situation with the organization?”
Stella, sitting nearby, peeled an apple with calm focus. “Amon’s in custody—but he’s not saying a word. He’s being held at the Carter estate, in the basement. When you’re strong enough, you can question him yourself. We managed to catch the guys from the last attack, but…” She paused, frowning slightly. “I’m worried there are more out there.”
William didn’t need convincing. He already knew. Amon wouldn’t have thrown his entire hand at them in one go—he was too smart for that. What they caught that night? That was just a fraction.
His brows pulled together as he processed it. He could feel it in his gut—this wasn’t over. “Stel,” he said quietly, “once I’m back on my feet, I’ll handle Amon. But until then, promise me you won’t go charging into things alone.”
Stella didn’t respond right away. Her lips pressed into a line. “I’m not just sitting around twiddling my thumbs while you’re out,” she said, clearly bristling. “While you were unconscious, I worked with Luca and the others. We caught Amon.” She hated being underestimated.
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