Alexander turned the phone over in his hand and finally spoke in a quiet, unreadable tone.
"So," he said, his voice low and steady, "You told her you loved her."
Quinn blinked. "W-well, yes. I mean—not me obviously, sir! I only said what I thought you would say, so she wouldn't worry. You told me not to tell her the truth, remember?"
Alexander's gaze didn't move from his face.
"And you thought writing things I never said was helping?"
"I… I-I thought it would comfort her. I thought you'd appreciate it later. She was asking questions—if I hadn't said something—"
"You thought pretending to be me was a smart idea?" Alexander interrupted, not raising his voice, but the dangerous silence between his words carried the weight of a gun being loaded.
The air in the hospital room turned cold.
Quinn's breath hitched. "I—I only meant—"
