Chapter 45

Stella really couldn't be bothered with Charles. She had zero interest in arguing with him again—it just felt pointless. Especially since she was planning to file for divorce anyway. Charles misunderstood her silence as agreement. He gently lifted her injured leg and started massaging it. It had been a long time since the two of them had this kind of quiet, almost intimate contact. Stella felt weird about it—awkward even—but didn't say anything. Her body was still a bit stiff though, not used to being touched by him anymore. But he did have skillful hands—his touch hit just the right spots, and the aching in her leg slowly eased up. Eventually, her tense muscles relaxed. She kept her eyes shut, not speaking. The room was so quiet, you'd think time had stopped—all Stella could hear was their breathing blending together. After a while, Charles finally stopped, looked up at her, and said softly, "That's it for today. I'll keep working on it tomorrow." Stella still didn't open her eyes or