Crossroads

Chapter 253

was already early winter, and the wind carried a biting chill in the dead of night. Since most of Stephanie’s clothes got soaked in Flaming Bar Molly immediately pushed her into the bathroom for a hot bath when they returned to the apartment.

Stephanie was unusually quiet, a silence that made Molly very y uneasy.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Molly paced nervously outside, afraid she might soak too long and pass out, or worse, do something foolish due to the shock.

Fortunately about fifteen minutes later, the bathroom door opened

“Your hair is all wet from the bath. Let me get the hairdryer. Molly said as she hurriedly fetched it, along with the household first aid kit.

Molly’s tiny apartment was about 700 square feet. The master bedroom had an en–suite bathroom, while the separate bathroom was on the small balcony. Since the master bedroom was Molly’s, Stephanie, respecting others‘ privacy or perhaps due to a deep–seated reluctance to be close to anyone, always chose to use the bathroom outside on the balcony

Molly finally dried Stephanie’s long hair and led her to the guest room. She quickly opened the first aid kit and began to massage the bruises around Stephanie’s wrist. “Does your wrist still hurt?” Molly asked

Stephanie sat on the edge of the bed, expressionless and silent, but she didn’t refuse Molly’s help. As Molly applied the medicinal alcohol to her bruises, she cursed angrily. “That bastard Dominick actually grabbed your wrist so hard it bruised. Is he out of his mind“”

When Molly mentioned Dominick, she glanced up at Stephanie cautiously and lowered her voice, calling softly. “Stephanie..

Her quietness made Molly worry even more.

“Stephanie, if you’re feeling upset, just say it. Don’t keep in bottled up. I’ll do my best to help you” As soon as she spoke, Molly’s eyes welled up with

cars.

hard. Stephanie trembled slightly and

only made Molly cry harder. “Stephanie, don’t worry. You have us, your friends. Women today are independent. We don’t need to please or rely on anyone. We can earn our own

bottle of medicinal alcohol aside and hugged Stephanie tightly, her voice choked with emotion, desperately trying to find the right words to comfort her. “Look at you, always walking on eggshells since you married Dominick. Even if they serve you gourmet food, you’d still lose your appetite. If they don’t appreciate

feeling the bones of her emaciated frame. In just over a month, Stephanie had lost more than 20

a word, only tensing up whenever

out of it. She looked up, embarrassed to see that she had soaked Stephanie’s freshly changed clothes with her

herself was a tearful mess made Molly wonder whether she was too weak or Stephanie was pretending to be too strong. If she

Let’s have

You mu

oatmeal before going to sleep, Molly said, standing up and pulling Stephanie

didn’t resist her pulling. As they reached the door, she

eyes welled

simple bowl of oatmeal tasted so good, with the

two bowls and placed them in front of Stephanie. Oscar sat with them at the table, but he didn’t

you haven’t eaten all day. Have some, too. Molly said, increasingly

of oatmeal she offered. He didn’t move, just quietly sitting with them, seemingly

their meal and were about to get up, he looked at Stephanie and spoke. “Dominick

as clear and pleasant as ever,

table, unable to

10:35 AM ď ď·