Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23 Your Woman Is With Me

After wandering for a while, Bella found herself back in the small town where she had lived with Dorothy before she was five.

This place was far from the bustling city, and it still had the same clear blue skies and fresh air as she remembered. It felt like nothing had changed.

After Dorothy passed away, her body was buried here, fulfilling her final wish. This was their birthplace, the place where both she and Dorothy were born, and also where Dorothy's suffering began.

Returning to this starting point meant that she might never see Dominic again. It also meant that she would have to treat the past two decades as a long-forgotten dream. But fully waking up from that dream? That was easier said than done. Fortunately, the house she and Dorothy had rented was still standing. The house came with a courtyard, and it had been renovated over the years. But the ownership had changed, and someone else was living there now.

The house was quite large, enough to be rented out in parts. She had a special attachment to the place, so she managed to get the new owner's contact information and called to inquire about renting a room. After getting the owner's permission, she went to the house to discuss it in person.

one answered.

When she arrived, the gate to the courtyard was open. She called out a few times, but no one After a moment's hesitation, she stepped inside.

The courtyard looked much the same as before. The grapevine and the lush greenery were even more vibrant than she remembered.

surprise, she discovered that the rose bush she had planted as a child was still alive. It had been pruned

almost funny to recall that she once dreamed of creating a perfect

lost in thought, a clear male voice sounded behind her. "Are you here to

and met a pair of

partially. He had a tall, lean build and looked as if he had just gotten out of beu, holding a water cup in one hand and a toothbrush with toothpaste on it in the

was something about him that didn't feel unkempt. Perhaps it was just

live

I'm the one who called earlier about renting a room. Do you

walked over to the faucet in the courtyard, filled his cup with water, and began brushing his teeth as if no one else were around. With his mouth full of toothpaste, he mumbled, "I rent based on vibes. If it's a pretty girl, I'll rent it." Then, he turned and winked at

He seemed a bit unserious. She was already preparing to say, "Maybe I should keep looking

months' rent upfront. Minimum stay of

Woman

you

turning into a scenic area

reluctantly repeated her question, "So, do you... always live

casually grabbed a towel to wipe his face, and replied, "No, just recently. So most of the time, it'll be like you're