Chapter 58

Their movements froze. Isabella stood at the threshold, her face calm. Taking in the scene, she said, "The treatment is done. You can go check."

Whitney and Gwenna rushed past her, their worries momentarily forgotten as they hurried into the room. Samuel's eyes lingered on Isabella, who gave him a small, reassuring nod. For the first time in hours, the tension in his brow eased. With a quiet sigh, he reached out to take her hand, a gesture that felt surprisingly natural.

Isabella, momentarily startled, glanced down at their joined hands. Samuel said nothing, simply guiding her inside as they followed the others into the hospital room.

In the room, Gwenna had abandoned all pretense of grace, her eyes red as she rushed to the bedside. "Sarah, how are you?"

Sarah grasped her mother's hand and nodded, her face glowing with joy. "Mom, I can move my legs again!"

Gwenna let out a deep breath, her relief palpable. "That's wonderful, truly wonderful."

Whitney stood frozen, staring in disbelief. He thought, Her legs she can move them? Could Isabella really know medicine? Instinctively, he glanced at Isabella, then at Samuel. An awkward expression crossed his face as he recalled his earlier outburst. But soon, overwhelming joy washed away the embarrassment, and he felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Turning to Isabella, he offered a formal bow. "Ms. Stout, thank you."

At that moment, he was truly grateful. He had taken a gamble and won.

Isabella hadn't expected such sincere thanks. She stood, slightly taken aback, before nodding and replying, "Mr. Ximenes, you're too kind. It's just a doctor's duty."

Rachana, clapping her hands joyfully, chimed in, "I knew Mommy would be healed! Samuel's wife is amazing!"

The little girl's cheerful words softened the atmosphere. Only Hoy, sitting in a chair by the window, remained silent, his expression complicated as he stared outside. Even Sarah, who had been the most resistant to her daughter calling Isabella "Samuel's wife," simply smiled this time, not bothering to correct her.

Isabella glanced at Rachana, her heart warming. I like this little girl more and more. If I could, I'd love to have a daughter of my own one day. A daughter Without thinking, her gaze flickered toward Samuel. But his expression remained calm.

"What am I thinking?" Isabella quickly pushed the thought aside, refocusing. She stepped forward. "Mr. Ximenes, for the follow-up care, you'll need to pay close attention. Let me show you the points where she'll need regular massages."

Whitney nodded immediately. "Of course."

Isabella spoke clearly, explaining each detail meticulously, even demonstrating the technique for him to memorize.

Once everything was arranged, Samuel turned to Isabella and said softly, "Let's go."

Isabella was surprised. "Aren't you staying to keep your sister company?" she asked gently. Her condition is just starting to improve. She needs her family around her, she thought.

But Samuel shook his head. "She has plenty of people with her."

Isabella paused, a strange feeling rising in her chest. Does he mean he's staying with me instead? she wondered, glancing at him uncertainly. Suppressing the odd sensation, she turned to leave. Just as she reached the door, Gwenna called out, her eyes full of hope. "Isabella, when will you come over to the house for dinner?"

Isabella stopped. She turned back with a polite smile. "Next time, for sure." Before Gwenna could say another word, Isabella added, "Everyone, I'll be leaving now."

The room fell silent as all eyes followed her and Samuel out the door, each filled with mixed emotions. As the door clicked shut, Gwenna turned and glared fiercely at Hoy. "If you keep acting like this, we're going to lose a daughter-in-law," she snapped.

Hoy looked back at her, still frustrated. "What do you know?"

Gwenna was clearly provoking him, and Hoy was well aware of it. But with Samuel marrying a woman from such a different background, their differences in values would only increase, making things difficult over time. Gwenna averted her gaze and muttered quietly, "Old fossil."

No one dared breathe a word. But all of them had the same question burning in their minds: Isabella? How could she possibly know how to heal someone? And even more puzzling: We tried so many doctors, all to no avail. But Isabella managed to help. Who is she, really?

In the quiet parking lot, only two figures moved—Isabella and Samuel, one following the other. Isabella headed straight for their car, her mind elsewhere, instinctively reaching for the backseat door. Just as her hand touched the handle, Samuel's cool voice cut through the air. "Sit in the front."

Isabella glanced up at him, mildly surprised. His face was composed, but a strange feeling swept over her. Why does it even matter? It's just a seat! She didn't argue; it made no difference where she sat. As she settled into the front seat, Samuel was already in the driver's seat. Curious, she asked, "Why do you want me to sit in the front?"

Samuel didn't look at her, his gaze fixed straight ahead. "I'm not your driver," he replied in a low voice.

Isabella blinked in surprise. So that's it? she thought, suddenly aware of how her actions might have come across. Sitting in the backseat did make it seem like she was treating him more like a chauffeur than a husband. She nodded slightly. "Got it."

Isabella didn't dwell on it. Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Luna, full of complaints about the day's events. Isabella's lips tugged into a small smile. She's probably pacing around her room right now, hands on her hips, fuming, Isabella thought, amused by the image.

With her phone in hand, she glanced at Samuel. "Aren't we leaving?"

Before she could process his response, she felt the sudden shadow of his figure lean over her. Her body instinctively tensed. Isabella looked up, her eyes meeting Samuel's deep, intense gaze. They were so close she could smell his subtle scent. Her gaze dropped briefly to his throat, where she saw his Adam's apple bob slightly, and a strange feeling stirred within her. She swallowed hard, her voice shaky. "W-What are you doing?"

The air between them felt thick, charged with something she couldn't quite place. Samuel's gaze never wavered. His eyes dropped to her trembling lashes, delicate as butterfly wings, stirring something deep within him. For a split second, the temperature in the car seemed to rise, the space between them growing intoxicatingly warm. But then, with a swift motion, Samuel reached across her to pull the seatbelt into place.

Click. The sound of the seatbelt snapping into the buckle broke the tension, and Isabella's cheeks flushed a deep red. She turned quickly to the window, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."

Samuel noticed every bit of her reaction, and a small smile played at the corner of his lips. "You're welcome."

The car started moving. Though the ride was smooth, Isabella's heart was far from calm. This was one of the few times I've really embarrassed myself, she thought. But Samuel remained composed, showing no sign that anything unusual had happened. His indifference helped Isabella regain her composure, little by little.

The car stopped at a red light. Isabella realized that they hadn't talked much in the past few days, all because of Samuel's inexplicable anger during their last drive. After pondering for a moment, she decided it was time to have a conversation with him. She glanced sideways at Samuel, carefully choosing her words. Her eyes were sincere as she said, "Since we're married, I'll do my duty as your wife."

She paused to gauge his reaction. Samuel, however, didn't even flinch. His smile had completely faded, and his gaze was fixed on the road ahead. His voice was cold when he responded, "So, what are you really saying?"

Something's off in his tone, Isabella thought, but she had already said it, and there was no taking it back now. Besides, she didn't plan on retracting her words. "I want to pursue my career," she said, her voice steady. "I just hope you won't interfere."

Samuel's fingers relaxed slightly around the steering wheel, and the tension between his brows eased. "I won't meddle in your career," he said calmly. He thought she was going to talk about something else, but didn't expect it to be about work. Everyone has the right to pursue their own goals and their own identity. Samuel understood that. He respected it. And Isabella was no exception.

She blinked, surprised by his easy acceptance. Almost without thinking, she blurted out, "Then why were you so upset when you came out of the bar last time?"

(The final section with "היום €8 曲 SEND GIFT 0 COMMENT 4:24 PM" appears to be unrelated and was removed.)