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 his

father ever helped me was likely due to that

to continue, remaining silent for a long while as she tried to ease her emotions, managing only

my classmates on the mountainside. Suddenly, five or six bandits

Dominick froze momentarily.

Chapter 134

slept on her side, her face reflecting deep thought. Suddenly, she clasped his arm with both hands and

him.

“I heard gunshots.

was it you who saved me that

words paused, her cheek resting against his arm before she added insistently,

to the woman nestled beside him, his thoughts mingling

didn’t you

head, meeting his gaze directly. “Dominick, why didn’t you tell

On any other day, he would have likely still been in

ache pulsed through his brain, and he avoided dredging up memories of

night, time seemed suspended for a prolonged

Yet, her determination persisted.

responded

those scenes resurfaced vividly. “Stephanie, I’m

to her and the other part, bluntly put, was his hatred for

long could he hate

hatred weighed heavily on

for every misstep, convinced she owed him, demanding her repayment for a lifetime, no matter the

for you to acknowledge your mistake and seek

eventually, he realized it was

recognize him for

his conflicted expression, struggling to comprehend his demands for contrition and

injured that day? Faced with armed bandits,

clouded; fear gripped her as she recalled the sounds of struggle,

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

to do something for him, but

Chapter 134

by the possibility that

tightly to his arm, she whispered, “I’ve been seeking answers,

do you expect from me? A token

calm, tinged with a hint

to repay you.” She blushed

me by taking credit for what you did. He claimed