The Promise He Could Not Keep
"When I'm gone... don't let her spend the rest of her life alone."
The words shattered something inside Stanley.
For a long moment, neither brother spoke.
The city lights beyond the glass windows blurred as Stanley stared at Steve.
Then he laughed.
A broken laugh.
The kind that came from a place too painful for tears.
"You really have lost your mind."
Steve smiled faintly.
"I was afraid you'd say that."
Stanley stood abruptly.
The chair crashed backward.
"I can't do this."
"Stanley—"
"No."
His voice echoed through the boardroom.
Raw.
Desperate.
Angry.
"Stop talking like you're already dead."
Steve fell silent.
Because that was the one thing Stanley could never accept.
The doctors had accept
