Chapter 316

Charles Hart stared at Stella Johnson’s red-rimmed eyes, his throat tightened. He wanted to reach out to her, but she took a quick step back, dodging his touch. The strong smell of disinfectant in the hospital room mixed with the heavy silence around them, making it hard to breathe. “Charles, we need to calm down, both of us.” Stella turned her face away, avoiding the hurt and panic in his eyes. Her voice was cold, emotionless. “Focus on your recovery. We’ll talk once you’re better.” “What does that even mean, Stella?” Charles pushed himself up on the bed, the movement tugging at his wound and draining the color from his face. But he kept his eyes locked on her. “You’re really letting all these misunderstandings ruin what we have?” Stella clenched her fists. “I’m not giving up. I’m just exhausted. Misunderstanding after misunderstanding, and every time I’ve tried to explain. I just... can’t anymore.” She bit her lip hard and turned to leave, afraid that another second in that room woul