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Chapter Sixty Three

“Look at those documents. Go through them.”

Richard’s voice didn’t rise, but it didn’t need to. He threw the file onto the table, not gently, not aggressively either. Just enough force for the papers to slide out of place, corners peeking from the folder like they were trying to escape.

Damien stood across from him, unmoving. He looked at the file once, then away. His jaw set hard, the muscle ticking at the side of his face.

“I don’t need to read that,” Damien said. His voice was steady, but there was strain underneath it. “I already know what it is.”

Richard didn’t sit. He stayed where he was, both hands resting on the back of the chair, fingers gripping the wood. “Then you already know what’s coming.”

Damien let out a short laugh that held no humor. “Another country. Another doctor. Another man in a white coat telling me the same things in a different accent.” He shook his head slowly. “Another promise that something will finally change.”

“You’