Chapter 42

• ALICIA’s POV
• “So you’ve been hiding this from me?” Lisa’s voice was sharp, a dagger of accusation. She was pacing back and forth in the small, private room, her movements frantic and angry. “You found this out and just… kept it to yourself? There has to be a treatment. Something that can help you get better.”
• I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears, but it was no use. The dam was already breaking. “I know, I know. I’ve been feeling weak for a while now, but I kept telling myself it was just stress. Remember that time I fainted because of a pounding headache? I really thought it was just too much work. But then, on my twentieth birthday… When I got the test results back, I thought they would be normal. It turned out it was gastrointestinal cancer.” My voice broke on the last word, and the first hot tears slid down my cheeks.