Crossroads

Chapter 232

“I love

chimi

Diana stood frozen, caught off guard, listening to Stephanie’s helpless scream of these three simple, direct words.

Diana knew her niece was never a weak woman. She was headstrong, stubborn, and rarely complained. But seeing her like this, sobbing uncontrollably, Diana Felt deeply conflicted and distressed.

Due to the heavy rain, traffic on the highway ahead had come to a standstill. Many people curiously looked at them through their car windows, with the sounds of rain, thunder, and muffled conversations filling the air.

The scrutiny made Diana uncomfortable. She looked at Stephanie, who was drenched and appeared weak, especially with her visibly belly. She really shouldn’t be out in the rain like this.

“Tim doing this for your own good. Let’s go home now…” Diana softened her voice, trying to calm her down.

pregnant

The woman in front of her remained silent, refusing to move. Diana knew her temperament well and dragged her towards the gate of their place, gripping her wrist tightly enough to leave marks.

want to go back to Wellington Villa, Stephanie insisted, standing her ground against Diana’s attempts to move

her.

No matter how much Diana persuaded or reasoned with her, it was useless. Frustrated, Diana finally snapped, “You say you love him, but do you even know what love is, Stephanie? I’ve known you since you were a little girl. I know you better than anyone. You don’t even understand your own feelings. When Kevin chased after you because his mother told him to, you felt you owed him and agreed immediately. You gave everything, waiting patiently. And what did you get in the end? Claire came in and wrecked your marriage, and you were left out in the cold.”

Indeed, she had lost everything.

jaw clenched as she listened to Diana. Everything Diana said

three years of sexless marriage to Kevin, years of cold neglect, had taken a toll. She was more guarded,

before.

think you owe him… You jumped into this engagement because of the trauma

a home. Is that

if her hidden secret had been exposed. Her stubborn voice sought an excuse for herself. Everyone made

isn’t yours. What did your grandfather always say? “If you don’t get something, it’s because you didn’t ask for it. And if you asked but still

unable to find the right words. Unlike Hayley, she wasn’t quick–witted or sharp–tongued. All she wanted to say was, “Dominick is

Diana’s eyes bore into hers, her

love with him. You’ve been living in a bubble, sheltered by the Reed and Clark families your whole life. But then your grandfather died, your father cheated, your mother committed suicide… Deep down, you couldn’t

don’t owe them anything. You were abducted by those thugs on your high school graduation trip. Kevin just happened to be passing by, and the bullet in Dominick’s head wasn’t your fault. Even if

time

mind

her memory, but she knew

down as people began opening car doors and approaching. “What are you arguing about! Go home.

she’s pregnant. Don’t drag her out in the rain.

swirled around Stephanie, adding to her

her mind, a foreign and terrifying word. Her body went rigid. “What

a bullet fragment lodged in

Chapter 232

words cut through her shock. “Stephanie, you can’t keep running from the truth. This is reality. Just like that traumatic high school trip you’ve blocked out because you’re scared to face it. Reality doesn’t allow you

only drag you down, make you feel guilty, trap you in this mess with no way out. You need to face reality. The reality is that Dominick made his own bad choices. You have nothing to do with him. You

hospital that day after the accident. Dominick pulled through, but Oscar… He was in a coma for six years. They’re even now. No one owes anyone anything. If it weren’t for Oscar, Dominick would be dead. That bullet in his head? That’s his

silent, letting the cold

to drag her down and trap