The entire hospital floor had been reserved for Haynes and Rachel, leaving the hallway eerily silent and devoid of any presence. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps resonated through the empty corridor, steadily growing louder.

Stella’s nerves tightened, instinctively causing her to hold her breath. The footsteps passed by the fire exit where she was hidden. Afraid of being discovered, Stella dared not move or even peek out. Only after she heard the soft click of a door closing did she cautiously emerge.

On tiptoe, she approached Rachel’s room, her reflection in the glass revealing just how tentative she was. She stopped for a moment, struck by the absurdity of it all. Here she was, Haynes’ lawful wife, sneaking around like she was the one doing something wrong, terrified of being spotted. And then there was Rachel, strutting in without a care, bold as ever, acting like she owned the place—and him.

Yes, Rachel was undeniably significant in Haynes’ life. Stella had never doubted that. Otherwise, how could Rachel summon Haynes with just a phone call? Why hadn’t she, as his rightful wife, warned Rachel to keep her distance? Was it because, deep down, she knew she couldn’t compete with Rachel?

As Stella’s thoughts spiraled, the sound of conversation from inside the room interrupted her reverie. “Haynie, you didn’t have to rush over right after your trip. Tomorrow would’ve been just fine,” Rachel’s voice said lightly.

After a brief pause, a familiar, cool voice came through the door. “I heard you went out today?”

Stella’s heart slowly sank. Haynes had indeed come to see Rachel immediately after landing. And she had foolishly wondered if Rachel was deliberately causing trouble.

The sharp scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, almost overwhelming. Inside, the conversation continued.

“I was just bored being stuck here all the time. I needed some air, nothing to worry about,” Rachel said. Then her voice dropped, almost conspiratorially, “Oh, by the way… Since Abby has apologized, maybe you could ease up on her. She is, after all, Ms. Cameron’s friend.”

Haynes responded with a nonchalant murmur. But Stella knew him well enough to understand that if he hadn’t already acted against Abby, he wouldn’t have responded at all.

Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly, the pain almost suffocating. Foreman had deceived her! Stella clenched her teeth so hard she tasted blood.

“Bang!” Something fell to the floor with a sharp clatter. Rachel’s voice followed, a soft exclamation of surprise. “Oh, Haynie, I’m sorry, I got your coat dirty!”

His coat? Stella’s eyes widened. She had always had a talent for art and music. Though she focused on the violin, her painting skills were notable.

For Haynes’ birthday, she had designed and personally crafted a bespoke jacket for him. Haynes, usually so reserved, had shown genuine appreciation for the gift. He had even kissed her spontaneously for the first time, breaking his usual reticence.

That moment had made Stella think she’d finally broken through to him. After that, she poured even more of herself into caring for Haynes, making sure every little part of his life was perfect. But now, peeking through the door, she spotted the jacket she’d given him-ruined, with a stain she couldn’t ignore.