Stand-In Heiress's Last Sunflower Blooms in Graveyards - Chapter 17: Chapter 17
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When Timothy returned to work after his leave, nobody mentioned the canceled wedding. It was like nothing had ever happened.
His eyes used to shine—always bright, always full of life. Now they were black holes, empty and distant. His face had become a mask.
That afternoon, dispatch crackled over the radio: car accident on Roosevelt Avenue, victim couldn't reach next of kin.
Timothy pulled his cap low, stubble showing beneath the brim like weeds in an abandoned lot, and headed to the hospital.
After handling the paperwork, Timothy was heading back to his patrol car when he spotted Katherine in the ER waiting area.
She was clutching medical reports, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong?" Timothy approached cautiously.
Katherine looked up in shock, then threw herself into his arms.
Her face pressed against his chest as she sobbed: "Timothy, my dad... something's really fucking wrong with him."
Timothy's hands moved to push her away, then fell uselessly to his sides.
He let her cry against his uniform.
When she finally pulled herself together, she stepped back and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"God, I'm sorry. I totally lost it..."
"Don't worry about it." Timothy squeezed her shoulder: "What's wrong with your dad? Is there anything I can help with?"
Katherine hesitated, avoiding his eyes: "You're a cop, not a doctor. What could you possibly do?"
When their eyes met, she looked away quickly.
Timothy noticed she was still wearing the platinum engagement ring, catching the harsh hospital light.
"I hope he gets better soon."
Timothy turned to leave, but Katherine grabbed his sleeve.
"Timothy," her voice was barely a whisper. "Are we really over?"
"Skylar's dead. She wouldn't want you stuck in the past forever. If you need time, I can give you time..."
Timothy gently pulled free and stepped back, his uniform rustling softly.
He looked at Katherine's trembling lashes and lowered his eyes, his voice rough:
"I'm sorry."
"I used to think time fixes everything. I thought maybe I could fall in love with you. But I was wrong."
Katherine's eyes were red and desperate as she forced a smile: "Timothy, I don't care if you love me or not. I really don't. I just want to be with you..."
Timothy cut her off: "Katherine, you deserve someone who's crazy about you."
As he turned to leave, he nearly collided with Rachel, who was picking up a prescription—antidepressants.
In the hospital café, Rachel slammed the pill bottle on the glass table:
"Timothy, what's with this whole tortured lover act? If you gave such a shit about Skylar, if you really couldn't get over her, why the fuck were you planning to marry Katherine?"
Timothy stared out the window at the city buried under snow, the sky gray and merciless.
"Because I..."
His voice caught. Because what?
Because he'd been trying to prove something to Skylar, to himself.
He'd wanted to show her he didn't need her.
He'd used Katherine, hoping she could help him forget.
But it had been a trap. He'd never stop loving Skylar, and Katherine would never have his heart.
Rachel let out a heavy sigh.
"Timothy, Skylar's gone. You need to let her go."
She wanted to scream at him, but what right did she have? She hadn't been there for Skylar's worst moments either.
And letting him go—that's what Skylar would have wanted.
Rachel walked away without another word.
Timothy pushed through the heavy glass doors just as Katherine was helping her mother to an Uber. Mrs. Farrell looked exhausted, her eyes bloodshot.
As they were getting in the car, Timothy heard Mrs. Farrell's broken voice:
"How could this happen? How could your father have leukemia too..."
The same disease that killed his Skylar.
His eyes used to shine—always bright, always full of life. Now they were black holes, empty and distant. His face had become a mask.
That afternoon, dispatch crackled over the radio: car accident on Roosevelt Avenue, victim couldn't reach next of kin.
Timothy pulled his cap low, stubble showing beneath the brim like weeds in an abandoned lot, and headed to the hospital.
After handling the paperwork, Timothy was heading back to his patrol car when he spotted Katherine in the ER waiting area.
She was clutching medical reports, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong?" Timothy approached cautiously.
Katherine looked up in shock, then threw herself into his arms.
Her face pressed against his chest as she sobbed: "Timothy, my dad... something's really fucking wrong with him."
Timothy's hands moved to push her away, then fell uselessly to his sides.
He let her cry against his uniform.
When she finally pulled herself together, she stepped back and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"God, I'm sorry. I totally lost it..."
"Don't worry about it." Timothy squeezed her shoulder: "What's wrong with your dad? Is there anything I can help with?"
Katherine hesitated, avoiding his eyes: "You're a cop, not a doctor. What could you possibly do?"
When their eyes met, she looked away quickly.
Timothy noticed she was still wearing the platinum engagement ring, catching the harsh hospital light.
"I hope he gets better soon."
Timothy turned to leave, but Katherine grabbed his sleeve.
"Timothy," her voice was barely a whisper. "Are we really over?"
"Skylar's dead. She wouldn't want you stuck in the past forever. If you need time, I can give you time..."
Timothy gently pulled free and stepped back, his uniform rustling softly.
He looked at Katherine's trembling lashes and lowered his eyes, his voice rough:
"I'm sorry."
"I used to think time fixes everything. I thought maybe I could fall in love with you. But I was wrong."
Katherine's eyes were red and desperate as she forced a smile: "Timothy, I don't care if you love me or not. I really don't. I just want to be with you..."
Timothy cut her off: "Katherine, you deserve someone who's crazy about you."
As he turned to leave, he nearly collided with Rachel, who was picking up a prescription—antidepressants.
In the hospital café, Rachel slammed the pill bottle on the glass table:
"Timothy, what's with this whole tortured lover act? If you gave such a shit about Skylar, if you really couldn't get over her, why the fuck were you planning to marry Katherine?"
Timothy stared out the window at the city buried under snow, the sky gray and merciless.
"Because I..."
His voice caught. Because what?
Because he'd been trying to prove something to Skylar, to himself.
He'd wanted to show her he didn't need her.
He'd used Katherine, hoping she could help him forget.
But it had been a trap. He'd never stop loving Skylar, and Katherine would never have his heart.
Rachel let out a heavy sigh.
"Timothy, Skylar's gone. You need to let her go."
She wanted to scream at him, but what right did she have? She hadn't been there for Skylar's worst moments either.
And letting him go—that's what Skylar would have wanted.
Rachel walked away without another word.
Timothy pushed through the heavy glass doors just as Katherine was helping her mother to an Uber. Mrs. Farrell looked exhausted, her eyes bloodshot.
As they were getting in the car, Timothy heard Mrs. Farrell's broken voice:
"How could this happen? How could your father have leukemia too..."
The same disease that killed his Skylar.
End of Stand-In Heiress's Last Sunflower Blooms in Graveyards Chapter 17. Continue reading Chapter 18 or return to Stand-In Heiress's Last Sunflower Blooms in Graveyards book page.