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.

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

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

met Stephanie’s tearful and reddened eyes,

at the tombstone in front of Stephanie, which bore the name Madison Clark. Dominick then realized that this was

* 3 23 24

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

go back.” His voice

not respond to him. She was still squatting in front of the tombstone,

He scolded her, “Stephanie, what’s the matter with you? Stop acting spoiled and

back with me!” He

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

with tears.

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

much patience for women and bent down and simply pulled Stephanie to her

for some reason, she was being stubborn today. With her eyes red

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

Chapter 25

her like this, Dominick reproached her angrily, “Stephanie, you are the sole heiress of the Reed family, the wealthiest family in 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

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

were reddened with tears, and she instinctively clenched her fists as

heart–wrenching memories triggered the pain suppressed

glistened in the corners of

she couldn’t help but

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, is only three years older than me?! That year, my dad brought home Courtney, who was pregnant at 20, saying he wanted a son

was just a poor boy. It was because my grandfather, Thomas Clark, appreciated and supported him that he has achieved

he uttered such ungrateful words,

recounted what

Courtney. My mom was afraid that I would be at a disadvantage, so she came forward to help me and accidentally pushed Courtney, who

end,

She committed suicide

the Reeds, she had told herself to endure it

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

had suffered grievances at Nelson Villa and Reed Villa, but she simply grinned and bore it. However,

she held onto the cold tombstone, her tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto it one by

Stephanie, his face stern and composed,

She cried.

and the suicide of her mother. She even

didn’t pursue the issue of Courtney’s

to marry that

She utterly despised the

another school in her

12:51 Thu, 20 Jun

Chapter 25

But why?

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

cheeks and blurred her vision, she looked up at the sky

Stephanie murmured, “Why….

they do this

turned to look at

always worked hard, giving my all no matter what I do. But why is life so unfair?!” Stephanie cried out in despair, which soon turned into helpless sobbing, “What have I done wrong? Please tell me. What did I do

to her with her

gradually stopped crying. She turned her head

curled her frail body, 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

today, upon returning to Reed Villa and seeing Gary, Claire, and Courtney, Stephanie had grown

the setting sun cast its glow on Stephanie’s delicate shoulders. As Dominick

口

what to say as he had never

cry,” Dominick finally managed to squeeze out awkwardly the two words, his tone cold and distant, hardly

Stephanie snapped, feeling like he was

from the corners of her eyes, choked