Crossroads

Chapter 260

Stephanie never imagined that the first person that found her would be him.

She remained huddled in the cramped U–shaped tunnel of the children’s slick, lifting her head slightly. The dim streetlights outside cast a hazy. dreamlike glow as she gazed at the man who suddenly appeared before her. It was Dominick.

When the saw his familiar, stern face, her eyes welled up with tears.

She had so much to say, but the words caught in her throat. She stared at him, afraid he would vanish like a mirage, just like in her dreams, if she called out.

“How long do you plan to hide in there!” Dominick called out impatiently.

Seeing her still motionless, he furrowed his brows in irritation. “Get out!

His deep, magnetic voice was cold and commanding. Yet, she didn’t move. Finally, Dominick’s face darkened. He bent his tall frame, reached in, and, without a hint of gentleness, grabbed her wrist and yanked her out.

Stephanie was caught off guard. Before she knew it, she was pulled forward, her head banging against the slide’s inner wall several times.

Dominick released her as soon as she was out, looking down at her disheveled hair and her pathetic, half–kneeling posture.

“If you want to trade your suffering for sympathy, you’d better make sure you have the worth and ability: Otherwise, you’ll just look foolish His eyes were sharp. his words cold and scomful.

To him, she was worthless now.

hear him. She supported herself on the dirty, andy ground,

to get up, leaning on the broken side of the slide. But her legs were numb from staying curled up in the tunnel for too long, and her

she stood up, her right foot

forward

tell me? Have you lost your voice! He was inexplicably annoyed, his grip on her shoulder firm. She

mind, a painful brand etched

She didn’t cry easily, so why did she always feel so

stubborn or just trying to squeeze more alimony out of the divorce? His

have retorted immediately, saying she

remained silent. She didn’t want a

to it. He had

there wasn’t a sound to be heard, and the flickering,

another word, he scooped her up and strode towards his

picked her up, Stephanie instinctively tried to struggle free, but her efforts only intensified his expression as he tightened his grip. His frustration was evident in the way

seat and slammed the door

he walked to the driver’s side, got in, and started the car. With a press of the accelerator, they sped away from that

mustered darkly, his long fingers gripping the steering

was surprised to see he hadn’t brought a driver, opting

and raised her voice. “I don’t want to go to the hospital. Let me out! I don’t want to go to the hospital”

disinfectant, the wailing sirens of ambulances. Terrifying memories flooded back. Dark red blood, the

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