Crossroads

Chapter 25

Dominick wondered in confusion, “Stephanie went missing?”

After she left Reed Villa, she didn’t return to the hotel and suddenly vanished without a trace.

Vincent was also helping to search for Stephanie and couldn’t help but complain, “What on earth is Stephanie up to? She doesn’t even pick up her phone. Is she doing this on purpose to make us search for her?”

Dominick gazed at the slowly setting sun in the sky, his stern face masking his emotions, feeling somewhat irritated.

Scott hurriedly parked the car in front of the hotel and leaned out to shout to Dominick, “Dominick, we’ve found her. She’s at the cemetery…”

Dominick pondered in bewilderment, ‘She’s at the cemetery?”

When Dominick arrived at the cemetery with the others, he immediately recognized the wornan squatting in front of a tombstone in the west section of the graveyard. It was none other than Stephanie herself,

Dominick then approached her with a complex expression and heavy steps

He stood beside Stephanie and scolded her sternly, “Stephanie! What on earth are you trying to do? Are you intentionally making everyone worried, trying to cause a frantic search to satisfy your vanity? Don’t play this trick with me next time, Stephanie. If something happens to the child, you won’t be able to handle the consequences.”

Stephanie suddenly looked up and shouted with resentment, “I know! I know! I’m just a tool for bearing children to your”

When Dominick met Stephanie’s tearful and reddened eyes, his eyebrows furrowed slightly

Afterward, he glanced at the tombstone in front of Stephanie, which bore the name Madison Clark, Dominick then realized that this was the grave of Stephanie’s mother.

As the sun began to set in the west, the sky started to darken. Meanwhile, Dominick and Stephanie just looked at each other in silence, making the already gloomy cemetery seem more cerie

After a long while, Dominick coldly said, “Let’s go back.” His voice was much calmer than before.

Stephanie did not respond to him. She was still squatting in front of the tombstone, unwilling to leave.

Dominick looked down at her frail figure and inexplicably felt annoyed. He scolded her, “Stephanie, what’s the matter with you? Stop acting spoiled and throwing tantrums. I have no patience with women!”

“Come back with me!” He repeated sternly.

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do.” Stephanie kept her head down, her gaze fixed on the photo of her mother on the tombstone, her eyes brimming

with tears.

Dominick was frustrated. “Your mother passed away six years ago. Don’t tell me that just because you returned to Reed Villa today, you’ve become sentimental. I don’thave time to keep an eye on you, Come back with me right now!”

He really didn’t have much patience for women and bent down and simply pulled Stephanie to her feet.

But, for some reason, she was being stubborn today. With her eyes red and swollen, she clung tightly to her mother’s gravestone, refusing to let go.

Stephanie cried out, “I won’t gal I don’t want to! I won’t let you force me. None of you can force me…

Chapter 25

Dominick wondered in confusion, Stephanie went missing?”

After she left Reed Villa, she didn’t return to the hotel and suddenly vanished without a trace.

Vincent was also helping to search for Stephanie and couldn’t help but complain, “What on earth is Stephanie up to? She doesn’t even pick up her phone. Is she doing this on purpose to make us search for her?”

Dominick gazed at the slowly setting sun in the sky, his stern face masking his emotions, feeling somewhat irritated.

Scott hurriedly parked the car in front of the hotel and leaned out to shout to Dominick, “Dominick, we’ve found her. She’s at the cemetery…”

Dominick pondered in bewilderment, “She’s at the cemetery?”

When Dominick arrived at the cemetery with the others, he immediately recognized the woman squatting in front of a tombstone in the west section of the graveyard. It was none other than Stephanie herself.

Dominick then approached her with a complex expression and heavy steps.

Stephanie and scolded her sternly, “Stephanie! What on earth are you trying to do?! Are you intentionally making everyone worried, trying to cause a frantic search to satisfy your vanity?

shouted with resentment, “I know! I know! I’m just a tool for bearing children

met Stephanie’s tearful and reddened eyes, his

which bore the name Madison Clark. Dominick then realized that this

3 23 24 25

sky started to darken. Meanwhile, Dominick and Stephanie just looked

coldly said, “Let’s go back.” His voice was much

did not respond to him. She was still squatting in front of

annoyed. He scolded her, “Stephanie, what’s the matter

with me!” He repeated

her head down, her gaze

with tears.

ago. Don’t tell me that just because you returned to Reed Villa today, you’ve become sentimental. I don’t have time to keep an eye on you.

didn’t have much patience for women and bent down and simply

red and swollen, she

I won’t let you

Chapter 25

Caetorium, and your mother was the first heiress of the military and political Clark family. Even after your mother died of illness and Gary

profoundly hurt by his words and yelled back furiously, “You know nothing, Dominick! How dare you mock

tears, and she instinctively clenched her fists as she recalled the past with the Reed

and heart–wrenching memories triggered the pain suppressed

as tears glistened in the corners of her eyes, “My mother,

she couldn’t help but let

impoverished students from the mountainous area. My mother kindly funded their university education in the city. But in the end, that despicable Courtney, she had an affair with my father and became pregnant with his son…” Stephanie’s voice choked up as she looked up at Dominick and shouted as if venting all her anger, “Do you know that Courtney, that hussy,

did he do that?! Back then, he was just a poor boy. It was because my grandfather, Thomas Clark, appreciated and

respected her father, but after he uttered such

what

at a disadvantage, so she came forward to help me and accidentally pushed Courtney, who then fell and miscarried. My father blamed my mom for

the end,

mom died… She committed

left the Reeds, she had told herself

and moved to Havencrest, living a frugal life, Fearing to worry Diana,

Villa and Reed Villa, but she simply grinned and bore it. However, today,

rolled down her cheeks

Stephanie, his face stern and composed, and didn’t know what to

She cried.

had always avoided recalling the past with the Reed family and the suicide of her mother. She even felt

issue of Courtney’s miscarriage further, yet he still insisted on marrying

being so heartless as to marry that despicable Courtney

She utterly despised the

to another school in her senior year, and left with

12:51 Thu, 20 Jun

Chapter 25

But why?

do this to me too? He cheated on me with Claire. Why is it always the Peterson sisters?

down her cheeks and blurred her vision, she looked

Stephanie murmured, “Why….

do this

she turned to

have to be so hard?! I’ve always worked hard, giving my all no matter what I do. But why is life so unfair?!” Stephanie cried out in despair, which soon

listened to her with her stubborn

gradually stopped crying. She turned her head away, no longer

and helpless as she grappled with her pain alone. She had been reluctant to share her personal sorrows with others as they

Reed Villa and seeing Gary, Claire,

glow on Stephanie’s delicate shoulders. As Dominick looked at her frail silhouette,

口

say as he had never known how to

finally managed to squeeze out awkwardly the two words, his tone

none of your business!” Stephanie snapped, feeling like he was mocking

eyes, choked