Crossroads

Chapter 134

Sleep evaded her.

Stephanie tossed and turned in her bed, her movements restless, as if burdened by unspoken thoughts that kept her from drifting into

slumber.

“Stephanie.”

On the other side of the bed, Dominick noticed her agitation, finally unable to resist calling her name in a deep, subdued tone.

Immediately, Stephanie settled down.

Yet, within moments, she shifted again.

“Dominick, are you having trouble sleeping?” Her voice was clear and unwavering, betraying her own alertness despite the late hour.

The faint light from the bedside lamp cast a soft glow on Stephanie’s profile. She harbored a genuine fear of the dark.

“Dominick, can I ask you something?”

With evident inner conflict, Stephanie edged closer to Dominick, her tone betraying a hint of urgency as she posed another question.

He remained silent, his gaze fixed on her, prompting her to hesitate in her subsequent words.

“That year, during our high school graduation trip… You were our assistant teacher. Did you… Did you attend that trip?”

She asked cautiously, as if wary of touching upon sensitive matters.

“No,” Dominick replied bluntly.

Stephanie furrowed her brow suddenly, visibly perplexed. “But that’s impossible. Kevin said…”

“What did he say?”

you…” Her eyes searched Dominick’s face intently, a mixture of doubt and suspicion coloring her voice. “It couldn’t have been yo

Meanwhile, Dominick lowered his eyes subtly, offering no further explanation.

“Have you heard anything about the incidents during the trip that year?”

her voice laden with gravity, oblivious to

father ever helped me was likely due to that scandal, though it was also to protect

silent for a long while

if you hadn’t seen it yourself. It was at sunset that day when I was unfortunate enough to get separated from my classmates on the mountainside. Suddenly, five or six bandits from a mountain village attacked me. They dragged me down the hillside, pounced on

Dominick froze momentarily.

Chapter 134

her face reflecting deep thought.

him.

“I heard gunshots.

who saved

arm before she added insistently, “I krlow you saved

his gaze to the woman nestled beside him, his thoughts mingling but remaining

you tell

her head, meeting his gaze directly. “Dominick, why

wasn’t particularly late at 11 PM. On any other day, he would have likely still been in

was exhausted, and a dull ache pulsed through his brain, and

night, time seemed suspended

Yet, her determination persisted.

Dominick responded in

“Stephanie, I’m angry that you accepted Kevin’s pursuit without reason,

her and the other part, bluntly put,

long could he hate

hatred weighed heavily

completely, holding Stephanie responsible for every misstep, convinced she owed him, demanding her repayment for a lifetime, no

I’ve waited for six years for you

eventually, he realized it was all

didn’t recognize him for who

observed his conflicted expression, struggling to comprehend his demands for contrition and reconciliation, but acknowledging

were you injured that day? Faced

fear gripped her as she recalled the sounds of struggle, gunfire, and

She knew the man who had

to do something for

Chapter 134

the worst, haunted by the possibility that her

she whispered,

do you expect from

voice was calm, tinged with a hint

to repay you.” She

me by taking credit for what you did. He claimed