Crossroads

Chapter 26

Stephanie returned to her old high school, and since today was the school’s centennial celebration, the campus

is was very lively.

She excitedly grabbed Dominick’s arm and shared memories of her past. “I used to climb this very tree back then. Sometimes when I missed curfew, I’d climb the tree to jump the wall, but more often it was to hide from people.”

Dominick looked down at Stephanie, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement, and let out a resigned laugh as he let her chatter

on.

Vincent also had followed along and now couldn’t helpingly tease her, “Who were you hiding from? Your admirers?”

Stephanie, not one to be modest, nodded and replied, “Yes, it was quite troublesome.”

Vincent immediately rolled his eyes at her words. “You surely are confident.”

Instead of arguing with him, Stephanie reminisced seriously, “Confidence is something you develop. After my mother passed away back then, I had a fallout with my family. I didn’t want to rely on the Reed family’s money, so I started working part-time jobs. I was clueless at first, constantly getting scolded, and sometimes wrongly accused. But to avoid starving, I had to toughen up and be confident!”

Dominick felt for her at these words.

Stephanie looked up at the locust tree across from the school and started to get lost in her thoughts.

Since her mother’s suicide when she was 17, she had become extremely sensitive. Her first year after breaking off from the Reed family was very tough.

And since Diana was in poor health, Stephanie gave all her scholarships to Diana. She always tried to act tough, but in reality, she had only about 20 dollars left for food for the entire semester.

There were times when Stephanie even went days without eating. Once, unable to bear the hunger any longer, she ate a meal without paying and ran out of the restaurant while being chased by the staff.

She had been the pampered young lady of the Reed family since childhood, so being criticized for dining and dashing was deeply distressing for her. But Stephanie was truly hungry back then and had no other choice.

Stephanie was terrified back then. As she heard the curses and footsteps of those chasing her, she swiftly climbed up an old locust tree on a secluded path, curled up among the leaves, and held her breath in fear.

She didn’t know how long she had been up there. It wasn’t until the sunset painted the street in a dim light that Stephanie cautiously poked her head out to look around.

However, just as Stephanie leaped down from the tree, a man suddenly appeared on her right.

She then landed squarely on him.

The man was casually

g with headphones on when Stephanie suddenly fell from above, knocking him down to the ground.

Instead of cursing at her, he looked utterly bewildered.

Chapter 26

Stephanie didn’t dare to look at his face, thinking he must be furious.

After quickly climbing off the man, instead of apologizing, she wore a fierce expression and angrily scolded him, “Can’t you watch where you’re going? Don’t block my way…”

She actually didn’t know why she was angry, perhaps it was because the man was dressed in expensive clothes, which made her feel resentful as she too had once been a cherished heiress of high society.

Still, Stephanie was scared for her life. After scolding the man, she immediately ran off

Looking back now, she felt like she had been too arrogant at that moment. Fortunately, the man didn’t seek revenge on her.

recounted her

was also gazing at the same tree as if reminiscing

over there. Their milkshakes are famous and delicious,” Stephanie said,

customers. Stephanie had planned to just grab a milkshake and leave, but the shop’s owner recognized her and specially set up a table

she handed the menu to Dominick. “Steffi used to work here. She was the

strange, but he took the

do the ordering.” Vincent said, as he knew very well that Dominick had never been to such a crowded place

out from their left. “They have a couple’s combo here, Kevin. Should

looked over in the direction of the voice. It was indeed Kevin and Claire, and they were with a three- year-old girl, looking like a cozy

ཆ་ཇན་བག་ཞ

Claire turned to call the waiter, she saw them and paused for a moment. Afterward, she fixed her gaze sharply

recent events involving the Reed family and didn’t want to be in the same space as Claire and the others. Therefore, she stood up, ready to leave. “Let’s go. There’s

voice and spoke softly. “Kevin,

this, Kevin looked up with a complex expression

marriage license. Your relationship is out in the open. Unlike some people, hiding behind lies and parading their out-of-wedlock kid around. Come on, if

11:21 Fri, 21 Jun

Chapter 26

pale upon hearing

asked, “What are you afraid

table full of desserts and drinks. Even though neither

either, and they also ordered a table full of drinks and sweets, with her

Kevin.

try some,” Claire smiled as she scooped a spoonful of

women and loathed the overly dramatic types the most. Therefore, as he looked

across

to glance

about that Kevin. What do you see

the other hand, just glanced thoughtfully at Stephanie

intense gaze, lowered her head to take a sip of her

days Stephanie has been using Dominick to throw her weight around and bully us. But now, when

“Stephanie, Courtney became your stepmom at just the age of 20, and now her sister Claire has stolen

her milkshake tightly and glanced out of the corner of her eye at Claire, who was

her head and called

look at Stephanie, she suddenly leaned forward, wrapped her right hand around his neck, and

was sitting across from them,

and kissed passionately in the crowded beverage outlet,

and could not quite grasp the situation yet. At that moment, he could only

glared at them, feeling extremely uncomfortable

密67%嗇

67%歐

Chapter 26

first time meeting Dominick. He was the kind of man whose looks and

got flustered and

voice was

saw him angrily stand up and stride out with a dark expression, leaving

just a kiss. Why are you so

you,” Claire from the opposite table

part of the Nelson family, then you can start calling him by his first name,” Vincent snapped at

wrong with him?” She thought, ‘Dominick even drove off by himself.

Vincent

t was a

puzzled, but after thinking about it, he tried to explain to her, “Dominick has never liked physical contact with women since he was young. He only ever had one girlfriend before. And he tends to react strongly when other women touch him because