The Silent Patient Book Reviews Novels & Stories

CONFESSION AND TEARS I sat on my bed with my legs crossed as I ran my eyes on Sorrow’s history textbook. My eyes were now aching and everything I was reading was becoming blur. I finally dropped the textbook on my bed then reached my hand on my phone which on the drawer just beside me. I stared at Apple’s number for a minute before tapping on it. It started ringing but no one picked it. Something was wrong, Apple never let her phone ring for

I added, “By the way, Don killed that debt collector. He’s been sentenced to death. “You’re about to get out soon. Who knows if those people will come after you? And with that huge debt, you could spend your whole life selling yourself and still never pay it off.” Fiona’s expression went blank and hollow. Finally, she just stared at the table in front of her. I put down the microphone and walked away without looking back. The next day, the prison called. Fiona had hanged herself. I was cooking with Lara when I heard. “What’s on your mind? You zoned out for a second there,” she teased. I leaned my head against her shoulder with a grin. “Nothing. I’m just really glad you believed me when thing

⸻ The sterile white walls of the clinic felt colder than the autumn wind outside. Serena sat on the hard plastic chair, the silence in the room pressing down on her like a heavy fog. The small paper cup of water trembled in her hands, forgotten as her thoughts raced faster than her heartbeat. Triplets. The word echoed in her mind, surreal and overwhelming. Three lives growing inside her — each a fragile spark of hope and fear tangled together. Serena’s breath hitched, her gaze dropping to the smooth curve of her abdomen that was still hidden beneath her loose blouse.

There's something fragile about how quiet the room is. My phone rings. Timothy. I watch the name blink on the screen, and my fingers tap the green button before I can stop myself. His voice comes through the speaker, too high and yet so soft, “I miss you alrea—” I press the red button so fast, my fingers trembling. My father coughs, a sharp sound that makes my blood run cold. Did he hear?

"What is?" "The silence," I whispered, looking around the room. "In Switzerland, the silence always felt... heavy. Like the house was holding its breath, waiting for Daniel to lose his temper or for another guard to change shifts. It was a dead silence. But here... it feels alive. I can hear the waves. I can hear the wood popping in the fire. I don't feel like I’m hiding, Adrian. I feel like I’m actually here."

The room was silent except for my own ragged breathing. The red book lay closed on the desk. The padlock was sealed again, as if it had never been opened. For a few seconds, I couldn’t move. My chest rose and fell too fast, my heart still racing from what I’d just seen. I stared at the book, half expecting it to start glowing again. It didn’t. It just sat there—quiet, harmless, pretending innocence. My hands were trembling. I looked down and realized I’d dug my nails into my palms so hard that my skin had broken. Tiny spots of blood dotted my hands.

I begin to read in silence, and my phone is silent too because I mute it. As the silence engulfs me...I hear a cough coming from behind me, where the other books racks are. High and occupied with books and it is not see-through because there's no space left in between the books. I just heard a cough. Is someone there? Nobody is here right? Because when I came in it was silent and the lights were turned off apart from the one pouring into the window. " Is anyone there?" I voice out. A little startled but I make sure my voice isn't shaky when I ask.

I take a deep breath to calm myself, remind myself why I’m here, and that regardless of him, I would achieve my objectives. I take a few more deep breaths before I feel more at ease in my center and pull open the book to get some studying done. I settle into the peaceful silence, going through each word and it’s meaning carefully while taking down notes with my pen. It goes on for a while. After about thirty minutes of silent reading passes, my eyes just move up to Silas on their own, out of pure curiosity to see what he’s doing. He remains in the same position, staring intently into his book before casually flipping a page. My curiosity on what exactly has his attention all wrapped up like

Inside it was a display glass holding a book. A wave of whispers drifted through the room as if everyone in the room were talking at once. Frowning, I looked around frantically. The room’s attention was partially transfixed on me and the book. But no one was saying a word. In fact, there was a pin drop silence in the room with even hearts not daring to beat loud. ‘I don’t feel good, Kian. Stop these voices! They are making me sick! They hurt!’ Zarek howled in my head, and I cursed under my breath, pressing my throbbing temples.

I left his office with that line echoing in my head. Back in my office, I closed the blinds. Shut out the city. Shut out the noise. Just me and the silence. And him. His voice played in my memory, over and over. Smooth. Calm. Patient. I want you. I’d been around dangerous men before. Men who thought they owned the world. But nothing about Moretti felt loud or careless. His danger was quiet. Surgical. The kind of man who didn’t need to raise his voice—because the room went silent when he walked in.