CHAPTER 105

CHAPTER 105
POV NOAH

Seeing Isabela like that was destroying me.

It wasn’t just the fact that she was there, lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by wires, machines, and that strange silence that only exists in places where life and death walk side by side.

It was her.

It was Isabela.

The woman who always seemed to have everything under control.

Strong.

Untouchable.

Unshakable.

But now…

She was broken.

Completely.

Her eyes were still watery, red, and swollen from crying so much. Her skin was pale, without that glow I knew so well. Her lips were dry and trembling, as if any word demanded an absurd effort.

It didn’t feel real.

My hand was still holding hers carefully, as if even my touch could hurt her. My thumb slid slowly over her skin in small, repetitive movements… almost automatic.

It was all I could do.

All I was capable of doing.

Because, for the first time…

I didn’t know how to fix it.

The words she had said earlier still echoed in my head.

Not hers.

Her daughter’s.

Shame.

Slut.

Just another woman.

My jaw clenched hard.

I felt my teeth press together.

A wave of anger rose through my body, hot and suffocating.

But along with it…

Came something worse.

Sadness.

Because I knew.

I knew how much that had hurt.

I knew how much Isabela loved that girl.

I knew those words had hit exactly where it hurt the most.

Right in the heart.

“Hey…” I murmured, my voice low, controlled. “It’s going to be okay…”

She didn’t respond right away.

She just gave a slight nod.

Weak.

Barely noticeable.

As if even that small movement was too much.

I stayed there.

With her.

Unhurried.

Not in any hurry at all.

Time seemed to slow down inside that room. The sound of the machines was constant, rhythmic… almost hypnotic. The air had that strong hospital smell—too clean, too cold.

But none of that mattered.

Only her.

Sometimes silence says more than any words.

And in that moment…

Silence said everything.

After some time—minutes, hours, I didn’t even know—the door opened.

The doctor walked in, steady steps, professional expression.

“How are you feeling, Isabela?”

She took a second to answer.

“Better…” she murmured, her voice still weak.

He nodded, checking the machines, writing something on her chart.

“You’ll still feel pain, dizziness… maybe some confusion,” he explained. “That’s expected, considering the trauma. But your recovery is within expectations.”

I let out a slow breath.

I hadn’t even realized I was holding it.

“Can she have one more visitor?” I asked, not taking my eyes off her.

The doctor hesitated for a moment.

“Only one person. And for a short time.”

I nodded immediately.

That was already more than I expected.

I stepped out of the room and found Alex leaning against the hallway wall, restless, running a hand over his face.

“You can go in…” I said. “He allowed it.”

Alex straightened right away.

“How is she?”

“She woke up… still weak… but better.”

He let out a heavy breath.

Of relief.

“Thank God…”

He went into the room, and I followed.

As soon as he saw Isabela, his expression softened.

“You almost gave me a heart attack, you know that?”

She tried to smile.

A small smile.

Fragile.

But still…

It was a smile.

“Sorry…” she murmured.

Alex stepped closer to the bed.

“I was desperate… when I saw the news, when you hung up like that…” he ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I thought something had happened… and then this actually happens…”

“I can imagine…” she said, with effort.

I took her hand again.

I hadn’t let go for a single moment.

Alex kept talking.

Trying to lighten the mood.

Telling her about the scare, the drive to the hospital, and how out of control I had been.

“I’ve never seen this guy like that,” he said, pointing at me. “I thought he was going to punch someone on the way.”

Isabela let out a small laugh.

Soft.

But real.

And that…

That made something in my chest loosen.

A little.

Just a little.

But it was enough.

The room felt lighter.

More human.

More… breathable.

The door opened hard.

The sharp sound echoed through the room.

And I didn’t even have to look to know who it was.

Daniel.

Always him.

My whole body went rigid instantly.

The tension came back like a punch.

He walked in with heavy steps, his expression closed, his eyes filled with something that mixed anger, wounded pride, and control.

“What are you doing here?” he shot, looking straight at me. “Get away from my wife.”

My blood boiled instantly.

“Your wife?” I repeated, standing up slowly.

“Yes. My wife.”

I took a step forward.

“You’re separated.”

He let out a short, bitter laugh.

“That doesn’t give you the right to be all over her inside a hospital.”

My jaw clenched.

“I’m not leaving.”

The atmosphere shifted completely.

Heavy.

Sharp.

“Aren’t you ashamed?” he continued, his voice rising. “After everything you’ve caused?”

“I caused it?” I shot back. “You’re the one who destroyed that marriage.”

He stepped forward.

“Insolent kid…”

“Enough…” Isabela’s voice came, weak but firm enough to make us look at her.

But Daniel ignored it.

“You took advantage of a married woman…”

“Don’t talk about her like that!” I cut in, louder.

“Or what?” he snapped back.

“Noah…” she called again.

Weaker.

More tired.

I looked at her.

And that was enough.

Her face was tense.

Exhausted.

Fragile.

She couldn’t take this.

“Please… stop…”

I closed my eyes for a second.

Took a deep breath.

The anger was still burning.

But her…

She came first.

“I’ll stop…” I said, stepping back.

But Daniel didn’t.

“Of course… now you want to play nice?” he mocked. “After destroying my family…”

The door opened again.

This time, the doctor walked in.

And there was no patience in his eyes.

“That’s enough.”

Silence.

Immediate.

“This is a hospital,” he said firmly. “Not a place for this kind of argument.”

He looked at each of us.

“Visiting hours are over.”

My chest tightened.

“But…”

“The patient needs rest,” he cut in. “She just came out of major surgery. This is not the priority right now.”

No one answered.

Not me.

Not Daniel.

There was no room to argue.

I let go of Isabela’s hand carefully.

Slowly.

As if that was harder than anything else.

She looked at me.

And in that look…

There was fear.

Pain.

And something else.

Something that made me freeze inside.

“I’ll come back later…” I murmured.

She nodded slightly.

And I left.

Step by step.

With a heavy chest.

With the crushing feeling that…

Leaving her there…

Alone…

Was, without a doubt…

The hardest thing I had ever done.