Chapter 1911
When Love Comes Late
Bella hesitated, unsure whether her feelings from the dream influenced her desire to keep her relationship with Stella hidden from Kristian.
But with Kristian standing before her and directly asking about the DNA test report, she couldnât evade the question.
Unsure where to begin, Bella remained silent.
Stella, equally uncertain, mirrored Bellaâs silence, unsure how to respond to Kristian.
Amid the tense silence, Matthew entered the room.
Sensing the tension, Matthew broke the ice.
âWhatâs going on here?â
He greeted Bella with a nod.
âGood to see you awake.
How are you feeling?â
Kristian looked at him calmly, having come in just after hearing someone greet Matthew in the elevator.
Bella smiled softly, saying, âIâm fine.
Sorry for worrying you.
â
Matthew quickly assessed the atmosphere in the ward.
He approached Stella, setting down the breakfast heâd brought.
âI got some Light food.
The doctor said you could have some when you woke.
â
Bella replied to him with a faint smile, âSorry to trouble you.
â
Turning to Kristian, Bella took a deep breath and confessed, âI just found out that Stella is my daughter.
â
With a mix of relief and apprehension, she handed him the DNA test report.
Kristian had already noticed the report, so Bella knew she couldnât keep it hidden any longer.
Kristianâs shock was palpable; tears welled up in his eyes.
Clutching the report tightly, he approached Stella with deliberate steps.
Taking her hand, he murmured, âYouâre still here.
Thankfully, youâre still hereâ¦â
Stella remained stoic upon hearing Kristianâs emotional outburst, feeling a slight discomfort with his touch.
Expressionless, Matthew gently removed Kristianâs hand and reassured him, âPlease calm down.
Take a seat and explain slowly.
â
Bella, eager for answers, confronted Kristian directly.
âWhatâs going on? Why was Stella kept from us all these years if Stella was our daughter? Why didnât you mention her before?â
Still overwhelmed by emotion, Kristian wiped tears from his eyes and replied solemnly, âThereâs a lot to explainâ¦â
He paused, avoiding the specifics of the past car accident, and continued with a heavy heart, âThat accident nearly took you from me, and Stella disappeared.
You were so fragile that I couldnât bring myself to mention her.
I thought she might not have survived, and since you had forgotten everything, I didnât want to see you in pain again.
â
Kristianâs sincerity was palpable, his face etched with sorrow.
âSo many years have passed, and Iâve missed our child daily.
I never imagined that child would be Stellaâ¦â
Kristian paused, his gaze turning to Stella.
âYouâve grown up.
I didnât even recognize you.
Thank God you survived that accident.
Otherwise, I would have carried that guilt forever.
â
âWhat exactly happened that year?â Bella was insistent, her curiosity unsatisfied.
âTell me everything that happened.
It might help with my treatment.
â
She was also desperate to understand the meaning behind her dreams.
Why did her heart throb painfully every time she thought of the man named Kori?