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Then, she remembered how Oscar used to be withdrawn as well and didn’t understand why things had turned out this way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

carefully.” Dominick stood before her, his face serious

unique way of reprimanding her, like “walk carefully” or “eat seriously,

I’m just messing around every day. I

think she’s

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. “Stay away

scrutiny, nodded meekly.

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

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

Stephanie’s heart pounded with an inexplicable sense of foreboding. Her face hardened,

eyes

narrowed

as she

noticing her sudden

articulate the reason for her

had

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

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

any business–related affairs, Dominick instinctively kept Stephanie at a distance.

Chapter 186

the more they knew, the more burdens

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 was Dominick’s unique way of safeguarding

thoughts

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

had dared

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

evaporated, replaced by a

and subtle derision. “Can you believe it? Who would reject such an offer? Is he

losing his grip?” Vincent quipped, unable to contain a touch of

an arena known for its steep 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, stirring curiosity

Group, the most influential player in the industry. It was hard to