Chapter 7 Wes POV The morning of the engagement party , I waited at the airport for three hours . Willow never showed . The panic that seized me then was deeper than anything I'd felt when she said we couldn't go back to how things were . This was primal fear . [ ] Suddenly , all the small details clicked together like a horrific puzzle . [] Her gaunt face . The coughing fits that came regardless of where she was . Those strange periods where she'd sleep for hours on end , no matter what was happening around her . ]] The Willow I knew had never been like this , even at her most exhausted . [] I immediately called her father . " Mr. Blake , the medical reports - did you personally oversee the forgery ? " ] There was a pause on the other end . [ ] " What … what do you mean ? I thought you were handling all that ? " His voice shot up several octaves : " We assumed this was your idea , so naturally you'd be the one managing it ! We never got involved . What are you saying ? Our Willow's illness … are you telling me it's not fake ? But the medical report said she has lung … lung … " By the end , I could clearly hear the tremor in his voice , the panicked edge that wouldn't let him finish the sentence . My brain felt like it was exploding . [] Her mother quickly took over the call , demanding answers : " Where is she ? Where's our Willow ? We need to find her now ! " I boarded the first available flight to the hospital where she'd last been admitted . [ ] The journey from airport to hospital was torture - my heart racing violently , strangled by fear and panic until I could barely breathe . ] ] When the doctor showed me her test results , I lost it - grabbed him by his coat collar and slammed him against the wall . ] " Who the fuck are you saying has stage four lung cancer ? You think you can just curse her like that ? " ] I tore out of the hospital , running frantically in the direction she'd left . I kept expecting to see her around the next corner - her face cold as she called me heartless , or perhaps like that day , sarcastically asking if I wanted to go to Aspen with her . I would go ! I want to go with you anywhere , Willow . [ ] Please , just come out and see me . ] The wind cut into my face like tiny blades . I found nothing . I crouched on the sidewalk , pulling at my hair , sobbing like a child . [ ] A desperate thought struck me - maybe this was Willow's elaborate scheme to prevent my marriage to Rosalie . [] She'd always been so healthy , so vibrant . There's no way she could have this disease . This had to be her plan . ] So if I went through with the wedding , would she reappear ? I latched onto this absurd logic like a drowning man to driftwood , rushing home to announce the wedding would proceed immediately . [ ] I made sure the news spread nationwide . Rosatie wore Willow's wedding dress , her face a picture of demure joy as she approached me . ] In that moment , I caught the flash of triumph in her eyes , the barely contained gloating . Since her return , my feelings toward Rosalie had been dominated by guilt . ] I wanted to make amends for my childhood mistake , so I bent over backward to fulfill her every wish . ] Whatever she wanted , I provided ] They Chase Blood Oyey Love Now They Cry at My GRAVE 33 part of any it then she wanted attiersend and support move J So 1 carelendy hurt hey , confining vs was 1 kawy dla was unhappy ! al support she couldnt go far.j She'd been on trivering since chithood , wing her tedy manage all her ascens . ] ] Now , Mr. Blake was walking mall town they kidds serving to makers One second . Two seconds . There was ! ] My heart sank deeper with mark passing memora Suddenly , the doors swing open ! ] My eyes widened , and 1 inchctory brusted Rossler's hand ande , shoving her out of my way as I sprinted toward the entrance . They fo