Isabella slowly stirred awake, the soft light of the Hawaiian sun filtering through the curtains. She blinked, adjusting to the quiet of the room. The bed felt empty beside her, and then her eyes fell on a small note lying on the nightstand:
"Went to the market. Be back soon. — Elijah"
A faint smile crossed her lips at the familiar handwriting, but it quickly faded as a sharp pang shot through her stomach. She winced, curling slightly against the sheets.
Her mind began to race. Maybe it's just the food from yesterday… she thought, but the ache was more insistent, more troubling than she remembered.
Isabella sat up slowly, pressing her hands against her abdomen. The quiet of the house only made her feel more vulnerable. She tried to dismiss the thought, tried to tell herself it was just a stomach ache from yesterday's dinner, but an uneasy feeling gnawed at her.
No… maybe it wasn't just the food, she admitted silently, a flicker of worry crossing her mind.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and breathed deeply, trying to steady herself. The tropical breeze through the open window carried the scent of the ocean and flowers, normally calming, but today it did little to soothe the churning in her stomach.
She knew Elijah would be back soon, and the thought of having him by her side made her feel slightly safer, but until then, Isabella was left with a quiet uncertainty — a mix of physical discomfort and a strange, growing suspicion that something more might be going on with her body.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she hugged her knees, silently waiting for him to return, wishing she could figure out what was happening before he walked through the door.