Chapter 89

Stella was still fast asleep when Charles quietly led Isabelle out of the hospital room, gently closing the door behind him so as not to disturb her. The hallway outside was dim, filled with the sharp scent of disinfectant. Charles's expression was grim, his eyes dark and unreadable. "Charles," Isabelle called him softly, her tone tinged with unease, "are you... are you starting to doubt me?" When he didn't reply right away, she quickly added, "Did I say something wrong? If I did, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to make things complicated." It was a delicate matter—he didn't have all the facts just yet and couldn't jump to any conclusions. "You're sure she brought it up first?" Isabelle nodded without hesitation. "Yes, she did. I remember thinking at the time, it was kind of odd she suddenly asked about massages. But then she said it was for her health, so I didn't think too much about it." Charles paused, silently processing her words. He recalled what Stella had said before she passe