"That wretched Isabella Scott!" Sophia Reed seethed, her teeth clenched in fury. She paced the room relentlessly, unable to contain her agitation.
Suddenly, her phone lit up, cutting through the tension. A news alert flashed across the screen—"Blackwood Enterprises CEO Spotted at Hospital Late at Night with Unidentified Woman." The headline only darkened Sophia's mood further. She snatched her phone to examine the report more closely.
The photo was grainy, showing only a man's broad back—tall and commanding, unmistakably Ethan. The woman beside him was blurred, but her slender silhouette sent a chill down Sophia's spine.
"Could that be Isabella?" Sophia froze, her breath catching.
A wave of nausea washed over her, tightening her chest with anxiety.
She zoomed in on the image, scrutinizing the woman's figure, the style of her clothing, the length of her hair. The more she studied it, the more it resembled Isabella.
"Impossible! It can't be!" she muttered, refusing to believe what she saw. Why would Ethan be at the hospital with Isabella? What had happened between them?
No. She needed to see for herself!
Slamming on the brakes, Sophia shoved the car door open. Her stilettos clicked sharply against the pavement. She nearly stumbled but quickly regained her balance.
She marched into the bustling downtown hospital.
From a distance, her eyes locked onto a familiar figure standing by the ICU entrance—Ethan.
He carried himself with his usual authority and grace, yet something about him felt entirely different.
Beside him stood Lucas and... Isabella.
Sophia's breath hitched.
All three of them together? What was happening? How brazen could Isabella be? Irritation surged through her. No, she couldn't charge over recklessly.
She fished a compact from her purse, flipping it open. She meticulously applied powder until her face appeared deathly pale.
Then, she smudged her lipstick with a fingertip, giving herself a frail, sickly appearance.
Taking a slow, uneven breath, she staggered toward the ICU entrance, feigning weakness.
Reaching the group, she coughed softly twice, her body swaying as if she might collapse.
Ethan turned, his brows furrowing at the sight of her.
"Sophia? What are you doing here?"
Feigning surprise, Sophia covered her mouth. "Ethan? You're here too? I wasn't feeling well, so I came to see a doctor."
She leaned against the wall, her gaze darting among the three people as if puzzled by the situation.
"So... what's going on?" she asked, her tone dripping with curiosity.
Lucas, supporting Isabella, gave her an unreadable look but remained silent. Ethan's expression darkened as he glanced toward the closed ICU door, his lips pressing into a tight line.