Crossroads

Chapter 21

Dominick didn’t do anything inappropriate towards her. He simply took some gauze and hydrogen peroxide from the medical kit to dress her wound.

The wound was somewhat deep, and as the hydrogen peroxide touched the cut, Stephanie couldn’t help but frown. Dominick glanced at her, still wearing a cold expression and saying nothing, but his movements became much gentler. After he finished, Dominick turned to tidy up the medical kit while Stephanie quickly slipped her shirt back on.

When Dominick turned back to look at her, she had already put on her jacket and was nervously meeting his gaze.

“Thank you,” Stephanie said awkwardly,

Dominick didn’t respond. Instead, he looked at her intently for a moment as if pandering something.

“Let’s go back.” He suddenly spoke up and strode toward the door.

However, Stephanie didn’t follow up immediately. When Dominick reached the door, he turned back to look at her with some displeasure, saying again, “Back to Wellington Villa.”

Stephanie sat in the wooden chair, biting her lip. “I need to wait for my aunt to come back. I have something to talk with her about,” she explained, hesitant to leave.

“Your aunt’s still in the sanatorium on a new medication. She can’t come home just yet, Dominick said flatly.

Stephanie was taken aback by the fact that he even knew about this.

With no excuses left, she lowered her gaze to her ankle, bit her lip, and braced herself to stand up. Then, she walked towards him with small steps.

Dominick seemed preoccupied with something else and barely paid attention to her as she followed him.

They walked out, one in front of the other…

The old apartment building had no elevator, forcing Stephanie to tackle five flights of stairs.

Each step sent a jolt of pain through her ankle, making her wince and pale slightly.

Dominick, naturally fast with his long legs, was already out of the building when he turned around and realized Stephanie was not in sight.

His brow furrowed as he stood impatiently, looking up toward the stairs.

Just as Dominick looked up, his usually stern face softened in surprise.

He frowned and took the stairs two at a time, finding her sitting on a step on the second floor.

“What’s this? Lost your tongue? Couldn’t you say your foot was injured?” he shouted, clearly angry.

Stephanie was already throbbing with pain, and his shout only fueled her grievance.

She couldn’t understand why he was yelling at her. “It is none of your business!” she retorted.

Dominick’s face darkened with anger.

12:49 Thu, 20 Jun M

Chapter 21

His patience was wearing thin, He watched her stubborn defiance and quickly bent down to scoop her up.

struggled. “Put me down, I can walk on my

on your own?” Dominick repeated through

he was thoroughly provoked,

set her down besides the

and watched her like she was a

on!” His voice was a cold command. “Start walking, Stephanie,

by his sinister voice, she felt a little frightened, panicked, and

at him, bit her lip, and took a step. She wouldn’t let him look down on her, and she would do anything to

the truth was, her right ankle, already twisted, was swollen now from walking

floor.

left foot landed, but her right leg buckled. She pitched forward,

the floor. She quickly grabbed the staircase railing, saving herself from a worse fall. But

up!” Dominick barked.

Show me you

of helping, Instead, he continued to urge

began to moisten as she heard

squatted down, completely losing

She bowed her head, her hands clutching the stair railing tightly, enduring the

wanted to steel herself to

pain was just too

She choked up, the words

was that? Louder!” His harsh voice

head, meeting his gaze. Her eyes

eyes, unexpectedly feeling a twinge

warned coldly, taking a step

resist, though her body tensed up

was broad and firm. Nestled in his embrace, she didn’t dare to move. She could feel his strong heartbeat and his

difficult

“Mr. Wellington.”

Thu, 20 Jun

Chapter 21

upstairs to look for Stephanie but was shocked to see

commanded

into the car,

buckle her seatbelt, their bodies pressed close together, Stephanie felt incredibly embarrassed ad instinctively

up, sternly calling out

daring not to

some reason, when Dominick called her by her name, her face suddenly flushed

and forcefully slammed

at his words,

smoothly, leaving Dominick standing there,

you didn’t get violent when you busted

carrying a woman down and wondered when he

Dominick ignored his teasing

Vincent didn’t dare joke further and spoke honestly. “No MMS from the satellite card

at

showed a man and a woman seemingly wrapped in an intimate embrace, and it was Stephanie

pointed to a surveillance camera above

been hugging like in the photo.” He turned to Dominick with a