Chapter 275

Isabella smelled the disinfectant on him, frowned, and pushed him away.

But Matthew held on too tightly, and her push had no effect, so she increased the force, pushing hard.

Unexpectedly, Matthew lost his balance and stumbled, hitting the bed frame.

But Matthew seemed unaware of the pain; his eyes still fixed on Isabella, the red veins in his eyes looking terrifying.

He paused for a moment, then reached out again, trying to hold Isabella's hand.

But Isabella was quicker. Seeing him reach out, she quickly stepped back several steps, the wariness in her eyes and the fear on her face stinging Matthew.

Isabella avoided his gaze and asked, "What happened to you?"

Matthew was stunned, touched his cheek with his hand, and turned his head away in shame.

He thought he must look terrible now!

And his worst side was shown to the person he loved the most.

Before entering the room, Emma had informed Isabella that Matthew had lost his ability to speak after a nail injured his vocal cords. Isabella felt no sympathy for him, not after what Charles and Emma had done. Still, seeing Matthew in such a state stirred a pang of pity.

Recalling Emma's request, she handed him the bag of food she had brought.

Seeing the familiar pattern on the bag, a flicker of life returned to Matthew's eyes. He clutched the bag tightly, his gratitude evident despite his inability to speak.

Worried about any further outbursts, Isabella quickly withdrew her hand and said, "Emma sent me to check on you."

The mention of Emma elicited little reaction from Matthew. He sat by the bed, opened the bag, and pulled out some food. As he bit into it, he chewed silently, savoring the taste.

Perhaps it was the food's flavor that finally brought a semblance of a smile to his otherwise grim face. He lifted his hand and gave a thumbs-up, a silent but heartfelt thank you.

Isabella took a seat in a nearby chair and began, "Matthew, Samantha has been arrested."

Matthew paused mid-bite but continued eating, showing little interest in her news.

Isabella pressed on, "After you went to prison, a lot happened. Charles used Samantha to take away Sebastian and my child. He's been relentlessly targeting Sebastian, driving us into a corner. Charles, he's truly despicable!"

Her voice was edged with bitterness, especially when she thought of Sweetie. The pain was palpable, and she felt helpless.

Lost in her own turmoil, she didn't notice that Matthew had stopped eating and was quietly observing her.

Suddenly, voices from outside the door broke the silence. Isabella thought she heard Charles' voice.

Just then, the door to the hospital room swung open from the outside, and a police officer hurriedly informed Isabella that her visiting time was up and she had to leave.

The next visitor was Charles.

Isabella rose and walked straight out without a backward glance. Matthew's gaze followed her, hoping she might pause to look at him, but she didn't even turn around.

As Isabella's figure vanished from sight, the spark in Matthew's eyes seemed to fade along with her departure. He lowered his head, staring at the half-eaten food in his hands, lost in thought.

Moments later, the mattress beside Matthew shifted as Charles sat down and gently patted his shoulder. "Matthew, I've been swamped lately and haven't had a chance to visit. How are you holding up?"

Matthew slowly lifted his head and met Charles' gaze, nodding slowly after a pause.

Charles, now embodying a fatherly figure, looked at Matthew with a warm, loving smile. "Tomorrow's my birthday. You've always sung me 'Happy Birthday' every year. It's a shame we can't do it this year."

Charles sighed and added, "But that's okay. In a few months, you'll be out. When you're home, we'll definitely make up for the birthday celebration, right?"

Matthew looked at Charles and nodded again, though his expression remained subdued.

Charles felt a sense of change in Matthew, though he couldn't quite pinpoint what had shifted. Given everything Matthew had been through, some change was understandable.

Charles leaned in and gave Matthew a hug. "When you're out, I'll hand over the Landon Group to you. You're my son and the heir to the Landon family. Don't worry, no one's going to take it from you-Sebastian's share included. Consider it his way of making amends."

This time, Matthew didn't respond with a nod.

Instead, he lowered his head once more and continued eating his food in silence.

Charles left the room shortly after, and outside, only Emma remained.

"Where's Isabella?" Charles asked.

"She's already left," Emma replied.

Despite being married for decades, they now felt like strangers. Their conversation was as cold as the space between them: a question and an answer, devoid of warmth.

Charles glanced at Emma and said, "The visiting hours are over. Come with me. There are still details for tomorrow's party that need your attention as the hostess."

Emma didn't reply but followed him out.

In the underground parking garage, the driver opened the back seat door. Charles got in first, and Emma followed behind.

Before the car door closed, Charles turned to the driver and said, "Wait outside for a moment. I need to have a word with her."

"Understood, Mr. Landon." The driver nodded, then closed the door and stepped outside to wait.

As soon as the door was shut, Charles raised his hand and slapped Emma hard across the face.

In the confined space of the car, the sound was shockingly loud.

Emma staggered from the blow and slammed against the car door, causing another muffled thud.

Charles adjusted his cufflinks, his face contorted with anger, and coldly demanded, "Who allowed Isabella to come?"

Emma, still reeling from the slap, leaned against the car door, trying to catch her breath.

Charles pressed on, "Didn't I tell you not to let Isabella near Matthew?"

Emma finally gathered her composure and, with her head bowed, explained, "Matthew is going home tomorrow. I just wanted to fulfill his wish before he leaves. He's been wanting to see Isabella."

"Isabella? Is she some kind of deity?" Charles snapped, his voice echoing with fury in the car. "Is it so impossible for you to manage Matthew without her? If Matthew's lost his mind over her, must you lose yours too?"

Emma kept her head down, silent and submissive.

Once he'd finished venting, Charles rolled down the window and signaled the driver to get back in.

He then grabbed a couple of tissues, wiped Emma's face, and, with a cold edge to his voice, said, "Emma, you better not cause any more trouble."

As the car pulled away, Isabella and Laura stepped out from behind a pillar where they had been hiding.