Elena's POV

Everyone’s eyes kept darting toward Stella, who was seated in her usual spot, smiling, yet slightly pallid beneath the layers of makeup.

I had sensed it before, a tension that her cheerful facade couldn’t fully mask. Curiosity mixed with caution as I decided to probe gently.

“Yes, Miss Stella, what illness do you have?” one of our colleagues asked, finally voicing what several others had been thinking.

Stella blinked at the question, her eyes widening just for a ...