Chapter 55

Chapter 55


The hospital room felt different after Julian left.

Adele didn’t even notice when he did. She’d woken to see the chair beside her empty, his jacket gone from the corner of the room. The silence that followed made everything else louder, the clock ticking, the faint hum of the air conditioner, the soft voices of nurses outside her door.

She turned her face toward the window, watching the slow movement of the trees outside. Her chest still ached when she breathed too deeply, but it wasn’t the physical pain that bothered her most. It was the one that sat heavy in her stomach, the kind that comes when something you trusted starts to feel uncertain.

The nurse had just come in to check her temperature when she heard a knock on the door.

“Adele,” a soft, familiar voice said.

It was Eva.

Adele felt relief wash through her. “You came.”

“Of course I did,” Eva said, stepping in with that mix of energy and calm that always followed her. “You look better.”

Adele gave a small smile. “I’ve been worse.”

Eva dropped her bag on the chair Julian had been sitting in and sat beside the bed. She looked around like she could sense the tension that still lingered.

“Has he been here?” she asked quietly.

Adele hesitated before nodding. “He left a few hours ago.”

Eva’s eyes searched her face. “Did something happen?”

Adele didn’t answer right away. She twisted the bedsheet in her hand, thinking. “Katherine came yesterday.”

Eva blinked. “What? She came here? Why?”

“I don’t know,” Adele said, shaking her head slowly. “She just showed up. Said some things that…” She stopped, her throat tightening. “She said things that made me question Julian.”

Eva frowned. “Like what things?”

“She said he still talks to her. That they  have something. She made it sound like I’ve been the fool all along.”

Eva’s mouth parted, but she didn’t speak. She reached out, taking Adele’s hand gently. “Do you believe her?”

Adele sighed. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Julian wouldn’t say anything when I asked. He just kept looking at me like he was guilty.”

Eva leaned back, thinking. “That doesn’t sound like something she’d say without a reason. Katherine doesn’t just show up to talk. She does everything for a reason.”

Adele turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Eva said carefully, “I’ve seen her around lately. With Isabel8.”

Adele’s eyebrows drew together. “Isabelle?”

“Yes. They’ve been meeting more often. I thought it was weird, because those two barely talked before. Now I see them whispering in corners, like something’s cooking.”

Adele looked away, her mind running. “Do you think they’re planning something?”

Eva shrugged slightly. “With them, who knows? But I don’t like coincidences. And you ending up hurt right after Katherine starts playing games again? I don’t buy it.”

Adele felt a cold wave of realization move through her. “Julian doesn’t even know half of it.”

“Then maybe someone should tell him,” Eva said. “Before this turns into something worse.”

Adele hesitated. “Would he even believe it coming from me? He already thinks I’m emotional about all this.”

Eva gave a small, reassuring smile. “Then let me handle it. I’ll talk to Selene first, I know how you feel about her, but she changed, for real after your incident and she is Julian’s family,she’ll know how to bring it up to him.”

Adele didn’t argue. She just nodded, grateful and exhausted.

When Eva left the hospital an hour later, the sun was already leaning west. She walked out with her phone in her hand, scrolling until she found Selene’s name.

“Hey, you free?” she asked when Selene picked up.

“Barely,” Selene said. “What’s going on?”

“It’s about Adele,” Eva said. “We need to talk.”

Selene met her at a café not far from the company building. She was dressed sharply as always, but there was something in her expression  that mix of curiosity and calculation that came out whenever someone mentioned Julian.

Eva didn’t waste time. She told her everything about Katherine visiting Adele, about what she’d said, about about Katherine and Isabelle becoming seemingly close recently.

Selene sat there, stirring her coffee absently. “You’re saying Katherine went to the hospital herself?”

“Yes,” Eva said. “She insinuated to  Adele that Julian had something to do with her. And Adele believed her. At least a little.”

Selene leaned back, her eyes narrowing. “That’s bold. Even for Katherine.”

“And the weird part,” Eva added, “is Isabelle. They’ve been spending time together lately. You know how Isabelle moves ,nothing she does is without motive. I think they’re planning something.”

Selene stayed quiet for a moment, tapping her nail against the cup. Then she nodded slowly. “You might be right. I’ve seen them together too. 

“So what are you going to do?” Eva asked.

Selene’s eyes hardened a little. “Talk to him. Directly.”

Julian was in his office when she showed up. He was standing by the window, staring out at the city like he’d been trying to find peace in its noise.

Selene didn’t bother knocking. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Do you have a minute?”

Julian turned, his face tired. “If it’s about work”

“It’s not,” she said sharply.

He sighed. “Then what?”

She crossed her arms. “I heard you’ve been spending more time with Katherine.”

Julian froze, then frowned. “Who told you that?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes, it does,” he said. “Because whoever said it doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”

Selene took a step closer. “Then tell me what’s really going on. Because people are starting to talk, Julian. Katherine’s been showing up in strange places. And now Adele’s lying in a hospital bed after Katherine paid her a visit. You expect me not to ask questions?”

Julian ran a hand through his hair, visibly irritated. “I didn’t know Katherine went there. I didn’t send her. I’ve barely spoken to her since she pulled that stunt.”

“Then why has Isabel been spending time with her?” Selene asked.

That caught him off guard. “Isabelle?”

“Yes,” she said. “They’ve been meeting often. And don’t pretend you haven’t noticed. Whatever they’re planning, it’s not harmless.”

Julian’s jaw tightened. He turned back to the window. “I’ll handle it.”

Selene gave a small, humorless laugh. “Handle it? Julian, this isn’t something you can handle by sitting in silence. Katherine doesn’t stop. Isabelle doesn’t either. Together, they could destroy more than you realize.”

He didn’t answer.

Selene took a breath, her tone softening. “Adele’s already caught in the middle. She thinks Katherine told the truth. And if you keep avoiding her, she’ll believe it.”

Julian finally turned to face her. There was something raw in his eyes. “What do you expect me to do, Selene? Go to her hospital bed and tell her that the woman who ruined my life is trying again? That she’s teaming up with someone I trusted?”

“Yes,” Selene said simply. “That’s exactly what I expect you to do.”

For a long moment, the room went quiet.

Julian looked down at his hands, then back at her. “You think Isabel’s really involved?”

Selene nodded. “I think she’s the one helping Katherine stay close. She knows how to use information. And she’s always had her eye on your position, Julian. Don’t act surprised.”

Julian exhaled slowly, his voice low. “If she’s helping Katherine, I’ll find out.”

Selene studied him for a second, then nodded. “Good. Because if you don’t, I will.”

She turned to leave, but before she reached the door, she stopped. “Adele doesn’t deserve this. You know that, right?”

Julian didn’t look up. “I know.”

When she walked out, he stayed by the window for a long time. The city outside looked smaller than usual, almost fragile. His reflection stared back at him from the glass, and for a moment, he didn’t recognize himself at all.

Eva called Adele that evening. “Selene spoke to him,” she said.

Adele sat up a little in her hospital bed, holding the phone close. “What did he say?”

“Not much. But he knows now. And I think he believes something’s off with Isabel too.”

Adele sighed. “I don’t even know what to think anymore.”

Eva’s voice softened. “Just rest. Let them deal with it. You’ve had enough chaos for one week.”

Adele gave a tired smile. “Easier said than done.”

When the call ended, she stared at the ceiling for a long time. Somewhere deep down, she still hoped that when Julian walked in next, she’d see something honest in his eyes something that told her she hadn’t been foolish to care.

But until then, all she could do was wait.