Chapter 163: Charlotte’s Troubles

Three days later, Kristoff was finally discharged from the hospital.

The doctor had declared that his legs and ankles were healed, but there was nothing "recovered" about the expression on his face.

His brows remained knitted together, his jaw tight enough to crack stone.

The oppressive aura surrounding him made every doctor and nurse in the hallway instinctively step aside.

Owen hurried after him, carrying a stack of documents and a garment bag.

"Boss..."

He studied Kristoff’s grim expression with concern.

"Why do you look so gloomy? Is your leg still bothering you?"

He flashed an awkward smile.

"If it hurts that much, we can always stay another day."

Kristoff stopped walking.

Slowly, he turned his head and fixed Owen with an icy stare.

"You seem to have a lot of free time."

His voice was calm.

"How about I transfer you to Esquatoria to oversee our new branch?"

Owen nearly dropped the files in his arms.

"I take it back!"

He threw both hands into the air.

"Boss, I’m already drowning in work! Every department kept looking for me while you were in the hospital."

He looked as though he were about to cry.

"And your schedule for the next two weeks is packed solid. If you send me away, who’s going to keep everything from falling apart?"

He forced out a dry laugh.

"If you send me away, who’s going to deal with your impossible workload?"

Kristoff resumed walking without another word.

Owen scratched the back of his head.

What did I say this time?

He’s been in a foul mood ever since he woke up.

Kristoff’s eyes darkened. His lips turned into a thin line.

That ungrateful woman. I risked my life for her, she did not even visited me.

"Oh, right, Boss..."

Owen’s tone became casual.

"I actually saw Miss Isobel yesterday."

Kristoff stopped so abruptly that Owen almost walked straight into him.

The corridor seemed to fall silent. Slowly, Kristoff turned around.

"What did you just say?"

His voice was low, dangerously low.

Owen instinctively swallowed.

"I... I saw Miss Isobel the other day."

"I think she was coming out of your hospital room."

His brows furrowed as he recalled the scene.

"She was carrying a food bag."

"I called out to her, but she looked startled."

"She left in such a hurry... almost like she didn’t want to stay in the hospital another second."

A dangerous glint flashed across Kristoff’s eyes.

"When?"

His voice was clipped.

"Yesterday...."

For a heartbeat, Kristoff said nothing. Then his hands slowly curled into fists.

The veins on the back of his hands stood out beneath his skin.

So...

It wasn’t that Isobel hadn’t come.

She had come.

But someone had stopped her from seeing him.

A single face surfaced in his mind.

Charlotte.

His expression turned glacial.

How dare she.

...

The drive back to Dalton Realty headquarters was unusually quiet.

Normally, Owen would use the time to brief Kristoff on meetings, contracts, and urgent matters that had piled up during his hospitalization.

But he didn’t dare utter another word.

The temperature inside the car felt several degrees colder.

Kristoff sat in the back seat, staring out the window, his expression unreadable.

But Owen knew better. His boss wasn’t calm. He was furious.

...

The realization kept replaying in Kristoff’s mind.

Isobel came.

She had taken the time to prepare food for him.

She had gone all the way to the hospital despite everything that had happened.

Yet he never saw her.

He had spent three days convincing himself she hadn’t cared enough to visit.

Three days resenting her.

Three days believing that she was an ingrate.

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

I was wrong.

His eyes slowly darkened.

Charlotte, you are getting bolder.

...

The elevator doors slid open onto the executive floor.

Every employee who caught sight of Kristoff immediately stood.

"Welcome back, President Dalton."

He nodded to show his acknowledgement.

His gaze settled on the bouquet of fresh Hydrangeas sitting on the coffee table.

He frowned.

"I don’t remember asking for flowers."

Owen glanced over.

"They just arrived, Boss."

"Who sent them?"

"Your fiancée ."

Kristoff looked away without another word.

"Call her." He commanded.

Less than a few seconds later, Owen handed his phone to him. Charlotte was on a video call."

"Darling," she greeted with her elegant smile.

"Why didn’t you tell me? I should have come to pick you up. I thought you will be out later."

Kristoff didn’t respond.

He simply watched her.

The silence stretched.

Charlotte’s smile began to falter.

"Is... something wrong?"

Kristoff leaned back in his chair.

"I have a question."

His voice was calm.

"So think carefully before you answer."

Even if she was not facing him, Charlotte felt an inexplicable chill.

"Did Isobel come to the hospital yesterday?"

For the briefest instant...

Her pupils contracted. It lasted less than a second.

But Kristoff caught it.

Charlotte quickly composed herself.

"I don’t know. I was with you, remember?"

Kristoff’s gaze remained fixed on her.

"Really?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

Another long silence followed.

Then Kristoff reached for his phone. Without looking away from her, he pressed a button.

"Zander."

A voice answered immediately.

"Yes, President Dalton?"

"I need the surveillance footage from the 5th floor of Hope Hospital yesterday."

Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat.

"Between 11am and 2:00 in the afternoon."

The color slowly drained from Charlotte’s face.

"Kristoff..."

"There won’t be any need for that."

Kristoff raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

Charlotte forced a smile.

"It... it’s only that the hospital has strict privacy policies."

"I’m sure obtaining the footage will take time."

Kristoff’s lips curved into a humorless smile.

"I own thirty percent of that hospital."

"I don’t wait for permission."

Charlotte’s fingers tightened around her handbag.

She felt cornered.

Kristoff ended the call and set the phone on his desk.

"I’ll ask you once more."

His voice was no louder than before.

"Did Isobel come to see me?"

Charlotte lowered her gaze.

"...Yes."

The single word barely escaped her lips.

"And?"

"I..."

She hesitated.

"I told her you were asleep."

Kristoff’s expression remained unchanged.

"So she left?"

Charlotte nodded.

"I thought..."

"You thought what?"

His voice cut through the room like a blade.

"I thought it would be better if she didn’t disturb your recovery."

A cold laugh escaped him.

"Better for whom?"

Charlotte froze. ℯℯ𝑙.

"You..."