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?”

events, her voice laden with gravity, oblivious to

heard about it, and that’s understandable. The only time my father ever helped me was likely due to that scandal, though it was also to protect the Reed

her lips lightly, reluctant to continue, remaining silent for a long while as

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

Dominick froze momentarily.

Chapter 134

thought. Suddenly, she clasped his arm with

him.

“I heard gunshots.

you who

cheek resting against his arm

his gaze to the woman nestled beside him, his

didn’t you tell

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

day, he would have likely still been in his study,

pulsed through his brain, and

time seemed suspended

Yet, her determination persisted.

Dominick responded in a deep

scenes resurfaced vividly. “Stephanie, I’m angry that you accepted Kevin’s pursuit without reason, I’m angry that you married

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

long could he hate her

burden of hatred weighed heavily on

responsible for every misstep, convinced she owed him,

for you to acknowledge your mistake and

was in vain; eventually, he

beginning, she didn’t recognize him for who

demands

Faced with armed bandits, how did

memories were clouded; fear gripped her as she recalled the sounds of struggle, gunfire, and cries of pain

by the acrid scent of blood. She knew the man who had come to her rescue

do something for him, but fear paralyzed

Chapter 134

feared the worst, haunted by the possibility that her actions

whispered,

expect from me? A token

tinged

I’m here to repay you.” She

by taking credit for what you did. He claimed