Stella's eyes were filled with tears, as she looked around in confusion. She saw Trevor sitting at the foot of the bed, gently applying ointment to her injured feet while Felicity was sleeping in a nearby chair.Stella then glanced at the window and noticed that the room was brightly lit. It was a stark contrast to the pitch-black darkness in her dreams. Her body ached all over, and she could still feel the lingering chill in her bones.Stella withdrew her gaze, looked at Trevor, and softly called out his name.Her voice caught her by surprise; it came out hoarse and strained. Trevor jolted at the sound and looked at her abruptly."Stella, you're awake. How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Are you in pain? Are you thirsty or hungry?" Trevor was emotional. His words were stumbling over each other.Felicity, who had been dozing off, was now wide awake. She jumped up from her chair and rushed over while being almost on the verge of tears. "Stella! You're finally awake! I was so
Trevor felt that being transparent at times like these was better than hiding the truth. Even if they managed to keep the reason behind Keegan's absence a secret, Stella would likely harbor resentment for being kept in the dark once she found out.Trevor closed his eyes and gently held Stella's shoulder, "Stella, try to stay calm and listen to me. Keegan... hasn't been found yet."Stella immediately stopped trying to break free. She turned her head to look at Trevor, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief, "What do you mean he hasn't been found?"Trevor's voice grew hoarser, "The search and rescue team has combed through the river twice, and there has been no sign of Keegan. Th-they say he might have been swept to a different part of the waters. The search area has been expanded, but it's been three days now..." It was improbable that Keegan was still alive, but Trevor did not voice that out.The color drained even further from Stella's already pale face.Trevor thought s
"What makes you say that?" The doctor asked.Trevor briefly recounted the situation, and the doctor said, "I see. People can respond differently to the loss of a loved one. Your sister might be displaying unexpected strength, but she could also need time to come to terms with it. The only thing you and your family can do is just be there for her."Trevor nodded as he took the doctor's advice.Stella seemed resolute in her belief that Keegan was still alive. She ate her meals on time and actively participated in rehabilitation. Before she knew it, a week had passed.When friends came to visit, Stella would behave just as she normally would. This facade carried an underlying unease. Yet, no one dared to touch the subject. Only Stella would ask Trevor about the progress in the hospital's search efforts with unwavering determination every single day.Each time Felicity overheard, it sent shivers down her spine. Just two days prior, they had recovered Keegan's watch and one of his shoe
Marshall had a light-hearted way of speaking that never made anyone uncomfortable. However, Felicity could not stand him. She felt nothing but disdain for him every time she thought about how Keegan had been tragically killed and how Stella was refusing to accept his passing.Therefore, when Felicity saw that it was Marshall at the door, she promptly turned back into the room.Marshall hesitated for a moment before following her in and quietly shutting the door."Stella," Marshall gently called her name.Stella looked up at him and paused.Marshall was wearing a light gray casual outfit today. She had bought a similar one for Keegan. The resemblance made Stella feel like she was in a trance and left a bitter taste in her mouth."Feeling better today?" Marshall's question brought Stella back to reality.She turned away, suppressing her emotions before looking up, "Much better, Mr. Moore. You must be busy with work. You don't have to come and visit me. I'll be discharged in a coup
Stella kept her gaze low, choosing not to respond to the topic. It was not something she wanted to discuss.After a while, she asked, "How is Grandma? I've been unable to reach her on the phone."Marshall considered his words carefully, "She's been rather shaken up. She's currently resting and not accepting any visitors."Following Keegan's incident, Marshall and Vermont had visited Cordelia's residence multiple times. Each time, they were greeted by Dahlia. She would always give them the same excuse as to why Cordelia was not there.Now was the time for the family to come together and search for Keegan, but instead, they were focused on staying with Cordelia. This indicated one thing—there will be a massive change in the Kane family. Everyone was looking out for their future.The two of them spent quite a while on the terrace. Eventually, Stella spoke up. "Mr. Moore, could you bring me my bottle? I'm feeling a bit thirsty."Marshall adjusted the jacket around her and said, "Is i
The surveillance footage captured Stella leaving the hospital doors and blending into the bustling crowd. Stella was missing, and she had not taken her phone with her. She had not even changed out of her hospital gown before leaving.Trevor rushed over upon hearing the news. As soon as he saw Marshall, he grabbed him by the collar and threw him a punch. His breath seethed with anger as he said, "What the hell did you say to Stella?!"Trevor's punch sent Marshall crashing into a nearby rack, leaving him seated on the floor.Felicity was startled and quickly stepped forward to intervene, "Trevor, this has nothing to do with Mr. Moore. Stella probably left after receiving this message."As she said that, she handed Stella's phone to Trevor. There was a message from a notary officer requesting Stella's presence on the specified date to read Keegan's will. She was one of the heirs to Keegan's estate. The message had been sent the night before and had been opened all this while. Stella w
The minivan jolted along the road. The smell of gasoline and food made all the passengers inside uncomfortable, even those not prone to motion sickness.A woman was holding a six-month-old baby who was crying loudly, irritating the people around her.One of the passengers complained, "Please make the baby stop crying. It's so annoying!"The woman felt embarrassed and kept apologizing to the people around her. Then, she unbuttoned her shirt, intending to breastfeed the baby.Some passengers looked away uncomfortably, while others looked at her in disgust.The woman was rather young, and the baby in her arms was probably her first child. The passenger's reaction made her feel ashamed as her eyes turned slightly red.Suddenly, she felt someone draping a shirt over her shoulder, making her feel embarrassed for breastfeeding her baby in public.She paused and turned to the woman sitting next to her, who was wearing a mask and a cap.The woman dressed very casually, just like everyon
Stella suddenly remembered what she had told Keegan at Solstice Shore previously.She said that she wanted him to become a father before he turned thirty-five, or he would have to use a cane to attend the parent-teacher conference.Although Keegan did not like her mocking him, he could not help but join her in fantasizing about their life in the future.However, their dreams of a wonderful future ended on New Year's Day. The person she had shared those dreams with had disappeared forever in that icy river.Stella kept quiet, but she was overwhelmed by emotions inside. She then shut her eyes for some time before saying in a low voice, "My husband... has gone missing."The mother paused, not understanding what Stella meant by "missing".'Did he leave her after they fought, or did he run away with another woman?' The mother wondered to herself.As she thought about how to respond, she heard Stella continuing, "He fell into the water, and they couldn't find him even after twelve day