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

shoulders and the faint outline of her legs beneath the skirt. The

rare for Stephanie

dinner time with many patrons around, an uneasy

her. This is all my fault,”

looking remorseful. He handed her

the car drove through the rainy night, Hayley looked

a tray, carefully placing a small pot of soup on the table. Stephanie turned her

appetite is impressive,” Vincent remarked sarcastically, seating

up her spoon and began eating, treating Vincent as

phone because of jealousy, so she ran out into the rain to find you.

continued to

wrong to reprimand you?” Vincent persisted, sensing something unusual in Stephanie’s

Chapter 190

and said calmly, “It’s all my fault” With that, she stood up and walked towards the

in bewilderment. Usually, if Stephanie said, “It’s all my fault“, it

What was wrong

with her!

at Wellington Villa, Sandra was waiting at the entrance. As soon

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

by the request 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 that

without so much as

she watched the man move heavily beside her,

have surely reprimanded her immediately. But now, she couldn’t pinpoint when it had started; the dynamics between them had

silent treatment was, in fact, worse

settling in her

trying to console her. “Mrs. Wellington, in truth, Mr. Wellington is

for

any longer upon their return home, she

silent treatment he wants, then that’s what he would get. He better not talk to me for the

She

water in the large bathrub, the droplets

bathroom, expansive with its ventilation systems in every corner, offered

warmth, the full–length mirror on the right wall obscured by a haze of steam, enveloping the

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

startling the naked Stephanie and causing her

I have to tell you to not soak in the bathtub for too