ANNABEL‘S POV
The air in the room grew heavy, and my words stumbled out in disbelief. "Cancer? Mum, that's... that's not possible. You can't have cancer."
Lily's eyes were filled with a mix of pain and acceptance. "It's true, Annabel. I'm human, and humans are prone to these things."
Tears welled up in my eyes, and Thomas instinctively placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lily," he said softly, his voice a gentle anchor in the emotional storm.
I turned to my mother, my voice breaking. "But you're strong, Mum. You've always been resilient. You can fight this."
Lily smiled through her own business days tears, reaching out to cup my cheek. "I appreciate your optimism, sweetheart, but sometimes even strength can't ward off certain things. It's a part of being human."
I
