บท 36: A Ray of Hope

The whole ride home was silent. No one brought up the conversation from the hospital, and Bella, still unwell, kept her eyes closed for most of the journey.

As they arrived home, Marleen gently stopped Anastasia from heading to her room. "I'm sure she said it just because—"

"It's okay, Mom," Anastasia interrupted, knowing exactly what Marleen was about to say. "We're just married on paper, nothing more." Though she spoke calmly, a faint ache tugged at her heart, one she didn't fully understand.

"Even if it's only on paper, he's still your husband, and... well, it just doesn't sound right, does it?" Marleen's voice was gentle, but she was certain Ethan wasn't involved in this. Bella had been acting out of character, and people make mistakes, including Bella. "Maybe... meet him, and carefully... ask?" She trailed off, unsure of the best approach but felt meeting Ethan might help clear things up.