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?”

certain events, her voice laden with

understandable. The only time my father ever helped me was likely due to that scandal, though it was also

lightly, reluctant to continue, remaining silent for a long while as she tried to

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 me, and tore my clothes. I was terrified and fought desperately to

Dominick froze momentarily.

Chapter 134

face reflecting deep thought. Suddenly, she clasped his arm with both hands and

him.

“I heard gunshots.

it you who saved me that

cheek resting against his arm before she

nestled beside him, his

didn’t you

meeting his gaze directly. “Dominick, why didn’t you tell me that you did those

would have likely still been in his study, but tonight he felt a

dull ache pulsed through his brain, and he avoided dredging up

tranquil night, time seemed suspended for a

Yet, her determination persisted.

angry,” Dominick responded in

events of that year, those scenes resurfaced vividly. “Stephanie, I’m angry that you accepted Kevin’s pursuit without reason,

in truth, was only partially known to her and the other part, bluntly put,

could he hate her

of hatred weighed

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

six years for you to acknowledge your mistake and seek

was in vain; eventually, he realized it

she didn’t recognize him

struggling to comprehend his demands for contrition and

Faced with armed bandits, how

sounds of struggle, gunfire, and cries of

blood. She knew the man who had come to

for him, but

Chapter 134

feared the worst, haunted by the possibility that her actions could

she whispered,

you expect from

was calm, tinged with

to repay you.” She blushed

by taking credit for what you did. He claimed he saved me, and I