Hudson knelt on the boat deck, weeping for what felt like an eternity. None of the agony gnawing at his chest eased in the slightest.
Regret pierced through him like thousands of needles, stinging every inch of his body, tormenting him past all endurance.
Chelsea, her performance of grief now complete, slumped down beside him.
"Hudson, don't do this. Celia loved you so much. If she's watching from somewhere up there, she wouldn't want to see you falling apart like this.
"It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, Celia never would've ended up in the hospital... Everything is my fault..."
Her voice faded to a whisper at the end, and her body swayed, collapsing against Hudson's shoulder.
Hudson instinctively reached out to steady her, his brows furrowed tight.
Standing nearby, Blake cau
