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.

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

know! I know! I’m just a tool

and reddened

the name Madison Clark. Dominick then realized that this

23 24

darken. Meanwhile, Dominick and Stephanie

while, Dominick coldly said, “Let’s go back.” His

was still squatting in

and inexplicably felt annoyed. He scolded her, “Stephanie, what’s the matter with you? Stop acting spoiled and throwing tantrums.

me!” He repeated

to do.” Stephanie kept her head down, her gaze fixed on the photo of her mother on the

with tears.

years ago. Don’t tell me that just because you returned to Reed Villa today, you’ve become

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

being stubborn today. With her eyes red and swollen, she clung tightly to her mother’s gravestone, refusing to let

“I won’t go I don’t want to! 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 remarried, you are still more fortunate than many others out

and yelled back furiously, “You know nothing, Dominick!

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

pain suppressed deep

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

she remembered her deceased mother, she

Courtney, she had an affair with my father and became pregnant with his son…” Stephanie’s voice choked up as she looked up at

grandfather, Thomas Clark, appreciated and supported him that he has achieved what he has today. I

had always deeply respected her father, but after he uttered such ungrateful words, she began to

recounted what

me and accidentally pushed Courtney, who then fell and miscarried. My father blamed my mom for Courtney’s miscarriage and actually sent her

end, my mom

mom died… She committed

the Reeds, she had told herself to

she and her aunt Diana depended on each other and moved to Havencrest, living a frugal life, Fearing to worry

Stephanie had suffered grievances at Nelson Villa and Reed Villa, but she simply grinned

tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto it one

stern and composed, and didn’t know what

She cried.

avoided recalling the past with the Reed family and the suicide

her mother’s suicide in prison, didn’t pursue the issue of Courtney’s miscarriage

him for being so heartless as to marry that despicable

She utterly despised the

so transferred to another school in her senior year, and

12:51 Thu, 20 Jun

Chapter 25

But why?

this to me too? He cheated on me with Claire. Why is it always the Peterson sisters? Why do they have to give me a hard time… Stephanie’s

blurred her vision, she looked up at the

Stephanie murmured, “Why….

do

emotional as she turned to look

all no matter what I do. But why is life so unfair?!” Stephanie cried out in

to her with her

crying. She turned her head away, no

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

Villa and seeing Gary, Claire, and Courtney,

glow on Stephanie’s delicate shoulders. As Dominick looked

口

say as he had never known how to comfort

squeeze out awkwardly the two words, his tone cold and distant,

Stephanie snapped, feeling like he was mocking

the tears from the corners of her eyes, choked up, trying to isolate herself behind a