Crossroads

Chapter 186

“Dominick really adores Stephanie, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, so you need to be careful not to upset her, or else Dominick would get mad at you. Did you get that, Yvonne!”

After lunch, the lary weekend afternoon found them wandering leisurely in the back garden of Wellington Villa Stephanie, full of excitement, had brought fish bait and eagerly teased the fish in the pond. As she glanced over towards the gazebo, she noticed two women engaged in what seemed like an intimate conversation

She didn’t know what Hayley and Yvonne were chatting about, but when Yvonne glanced in her direction, Stephanie felt an odd look in her eyes.

Stephanie didn’t have much of an impression of Yvonne, finding her rather reserved. She had wanted to get closer to her, but everyone said she was too bossy and might scare Yvonne away.

Stephanie was frustrated. How would she scare Yvonne?

Then, she remembered how Oscar used to be withdrawn as well and didn’t understand why things had turned out this way

She sprinkled the fish bait into the pond. Several fish energetically leaped out of the water to snatch the food, creating splashes and ripples. Stephanie found it amusing, her eyes lighting up mischievously as she tossed the bait to another corner.

“It’s quite satisfying to watch others work so hard.”

Stephanie was being childish, stretching her neck to peer into the pond with narrowed eyes, smiling cunningly, amusing herself with the fish.

“She can play by herself all day…

A familiar deep voice came from behind. Stephanie froze for a moment, then turned to see Dominick walking towards her. Her cheeks blushed slightly, maybe from the afternoon sun, or perhaps from the subdued smile on Dominick’s face.

That glance unsettled her heart.

Stephanie instinctively stepped closer to him, but the pond had no railing, and the ground was scattered with smooth pebbles of various sizes. As a result, she slipped and staggered on her feet,

Startled, Dominick quickly ran over but Stephanie wasn’t that fragile. She adjusted herself slightly, waving her hand and reassured him, I’m fine, really”

Dominick stood before her, his face serious as he assessed

like “walk carefully” or “eat seriously, as if he needed to watch

every day.

her think she’s

reckless act had dearly ruffled Dominick’s feathers. As he steadied her, his gaze fell upon her flushed profile, a mix of exasperation and amusement tugging at his lips.

his scrutiny, nodded meekly. “Okay,” she

trailing behind them at a leisurely pace, couldn’t help but smirk knowingly. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he observed

meanwhile, happened to be strolling along the corridor just then. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of

sense of foreboding. Her face hardened, and her

eyes

narrowed

as she

Dominick inquired, noticing

reason for her

she felt that someone had been

expression and wanted to delve deeper, but before he could, his phone buzzed insistently. It was

turned and took a few steps away before finally pressing the answer button. “What’s up?” he

Dominick instinctively kept Stephanie at a distance. He had once told

Chapter 186

older, the more they knew, the more

her to know too much, a protective measure fueled by his possessiveness and desire to shield her from the harsh realities of the business world. This

his imposing profile, her thoughts swirling with a mix

to decipher the content of his conversation. However, his cold, clipped tone

dared to cross

been idly lingering nearby, feasting on the latest gossip, when he noticed Hayley briskly approaching from

evaporated, replaced

her expression a blend of astonishment and subtle derision. “Can you believe it? Who would reject such an offer? Is he strapped for cash, or is there something more calculated behind

Mason losing his grip?” Vincent quipped,

investment requirements and slow returns. Despite the challenges. Mason had been riding a wave of success. Whispers suggested he had put significant personal capital on the line,

influential player in the industry. It was hard to fathom