STELLA'S POV
“Mrs. Hawthorne… Mrs. Hawthorne,” I called, but she just kept walking toward the door, her mind in an entirely different place.
What was going on with her? I rushed on my heels toward her, and when I caught up, I stumbled, almost falling flat on my face.
“Stella…”
“Hi, Mrs. Hawthorne,” I smiled, breathing heavily. Who knew running in heels was so hard? Jesus Christ.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Are you alright?”
“Yeah… yeah, I am. Are you?”
She raised a brow. “Stella, are you questioning my sanity?”
“No! Not at all, ma’am. It’s just that I’ve been calling you. You looked so lost in thought I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”
She gave a soft smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately,” she said, brushing her da
