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~Alex's POV
Bella continued crying, her body trembling as she clutched the bedsheet. I let her cry, knowing that forcing words out of her while she was this shaken wouldn't help. I sat there, silent, watching her break apart in front of me. It was a strange thing, this feeling of helplessness I wasn't used to.
After a while, her sobs slowed, turning into quiet sniffles. Her fingers loosened their grip, and she wiped her wet cheeks with shaky hands. That was when I spoke.
"Bella," I said, keeping my voice even. "Tell me what these bills are about."
She inhaled sharply, her eyes darting up to meet mine before lowering again. She took another deep breath as if trying to gather the courage to speak. And then, just as I thought she wouldn't say anything, her voice came out, soft, broken.
"It's for my younger sister," she whispered, her fingers twisting the fabric of her hospital gown. "She's been in a coma for ten years."
I blinked, caught off guard. "Ten years?"
