Crossroads

Chapter 190

Stephanie leaned back, casually glancing towards the restaurant entrance, her gaze tinged with boredom and mild curiosity.

In the next heartbeat, her eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by what she saw.

“Thank goodness you’re

you’re here. The words rushed out from a figure sprinting towards her breathlessly.

Stephanie struggled to comprehend the situation. Hayley appeared before her, drenched to the bone. Water dripped from her clothes, hair, and fingertips, painting a picture of utter disarray.

“What are you doing?” Stephanie asked, a hint of disbelief coloring her tone

Hayley’s voice trembled with urgency and regret as she gasped for air. “Stephanie, I’m so sorry, I used Dominick’s phone earlier, but I shouldn’t have answered your call just now…” Her complexion, pale from the torrential rain, betrayed her distress. “We were worried sick about you. Please don’t be angry with Dominick. I’m really sorry about this.

“She was sorry? What for? Stephanie wondered.

“Stephanie, why are you being so willful!”

From beyond the restaurant’s glass doors, a figure strode purposefully towards them, his voice laced with biting frustration

“In this pouring rain, you run off and then shut off your phone. Are you deliberately seeking attention, Stephanie?“

Vincent’s anger flared, his e

Leyes narrowing as he observed Stephanie seated calmly while Hayley stood before her, soaked and apologetic. He fought the urge to reprimand her on the spot.

He had cautioned Dominick countless times against indulging women as it only fostered unnecessary drama.

The atmosphere in the small restaurant, which was not more than a thousand square feet in size, tensed noticeably with the arrival of these prominent guests.

The few waitstaff huddled in a corner, if their memory served them right, recognized the man with brown hair as Vincent, the most popular among women in the city. The other man, though unfamiliar to them, seemed even more formidable and less approachable based on his demeanor.

Clearly, these were important individuals

Stephanie’s face remained impassive, unmoved in her seat.

Ignoring Vincent’s chastisement completely, she sat in silence. Yet, she couldn’t ignore Dominick’s intense gaze, which spoke volumes.

“What have I done wrong this time? Stephanie thought.

remained expressionless, his gaze finally settling on Hayley, who stood before him, drenched

white, semi–transparent dress, clung to her damp skin, revealing her delicate shoulders and the faint outline of

was rare for Stephanie to remain

and it being dinner time with many patrons around, an uneasy

you go back, please don’t scold her. This is

looking remorseful. He handed her his coat, which she gratefully accepted and offered a

car drove through the rainy night, Hayley looked back frequently with

a small pot of soup on the table. Stephanie turned her attention away from the scene outside the window,

appetite is impressive,” Vincent remarked

angrily. She calmly picked up her spoon and began eating, treating Vincent as if he

worried you’d turned off your phone because of jealousy, so she ran

continued to ignore

to reprimand you?” Vincent persisted, sensing something

Chapter 190

eating about half the soup. Finding it bland, she set the spoon down and said calmly, “It’s all my fault” With that, she stood up

my fault“, it was said in a fit of anger. But tonight,

What was wrong

with her!

Sandra was waiting at the entrance. As soon as they got out of the car, she hurried over to

you alright?” Sandra’s voice quivered with concern. But the woman stepping out of the car seemed oddly composed, her first words demanding. Td like some soup,

before turning to Dominick who had also emerged from the car. “Mr. Wellington, earlier on the phone, you mentioned. He mentioned that Stephanie was not at the hotel and

as a glance and

expression remained impassive as she watched the man

the past, during their arguments, he would have surely reprimanded her immediately. But now, she couldn’t pinpoint when it had started; the dynamics between them had shifted.

in fact, worse than an

in her

her. “Mrs.

for his

contain it any longer upon their return home, she vented

not talk to me for the rest

another bath. She lay in the tub, the warm water soothing her

idly splashed the water in the large bathrub, the droplets

ventilation systems in every corner, offered her a sense of security as

full–length mirror on the

sons go hungry. Her thoughts wandered, realizing she hadn’t eaten enough for dinner and promptly got

Stephanie and causing her to almost slip

times do I have to tell you to not soak in the bathtub for too long?