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.

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

suddenly looked up and shouted with resentment, “I know! I know! I’m just a

Stephanie’s tearful and reddened

the name Madison Clark. Dominick then realized

3 23 24

and Stephanie just looked at each

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

respond to him. She was still squatting in front

what’s the matter with you? Stop acting spoiled

with me!” He repeated

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

with tears.

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

women and bent down and simply pulled Stephanie to

was being stubborn today. With her eyes red and swollen,

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

Chapter 25

political Clark family. Even after your mother died of illness and Gary remarried, you are still more fortunate than many others out there. Don’t wallow in self pity here. You have no right to do so. Now, get

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

instinctively clenched her fists

agonizing and heart–wrenching memories triggered the pain suppressed deep inside that threatened

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

her deceased mother, she couldn’t

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, is only three years older than me?! That year, my dad brought home Courtney, who was

Clark, appreciated

had always deeply respected her father, but after he uttered

recounted what

came forward to help me and accidentally pushed Courtney, who then

the end, my

died… She committed suicide in

left the Reeds, she had told

other and moved to Havencrest, living a

years, Stephanie had suffered grievances at Nelson Villa and Reed Villa, but she simply grinned and bore it. However, today, she couldn’t bear it

onto the cold tombstone, her tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto

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

She cried.

the past with the Reed family and the suicide of her mother. She even felt responsible for her

prison, didn’t pursue the issue

to marry that despicable Courtney shortly after her mother had been

She utterly despised the

family, and so transferred to another school in her senior

12:51 Thu, 20 Jun

Chapter 25

But why?

on me with Claire. Why is it always the Peterson sisters? Why do they

her tears streamed down her cheeks and blurred her vision, she looked up

Stephanie murmured, “Why….

they do this

she turned

does it 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 turned into helpless sobbing, “What have I done wrong? Please tell me. What did I do wrong? Why does

listened to her with her stubborn yet tear streaked

She turned her head away,

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 painful

Villa and seeing Gary, Claire, and Courtney, Stephanie had grown

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

口

didn’t know what to say as he had never known

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

Stephanie snapped, feeling like he

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