Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)

Chapter 40

Chapter 40 Without Reason

Bella stiffened, feeling the urge to cry. If only there had been a justifiable reason, she would've followed Dominic without a second thought, even if it meant never having a rightful place beside him. But there wasn't a reason-not a single one. Bella took a deep breath and smiled at him. "No, I won't."

was.

Dominic frowned and looked at her for a moment before leaving. At that moment, she was overwhelmed with the urge to chase after him, but she fought it down, her vision blurring with tears.

She didn't find the strength to go outside until his car was long gone, a profound sense of loss flooding her heart.

She couldn't wrap her head around why he would ask her to come with him. After all, he had clearly loathed her for so many years.

Why was he giving her false hope? She was too afraid to take another step forward, fearing she would fall back into the same endless pit of despair.

When she arrived at the hospital, her mind was elsewhere, the scene of Dominic asking her to leave with him replaying over and over in her head. The more she dwelled on it, the more unsettled she became.

a figure peering in from the doorway.

nodded timidly but didn't enter. Bella sighed. "If you're

indescribable odor-a

help but wrinkle her nose and silently put on a mask. As she did so, she noticed the man take two steps back, as if aware of their unpleasant

His clothes were so worn

was visible was grimy, as if he hadn't showered in days. Yet, he was a step

the most was the open wound on his barefoot, oozing pus and blood; it was probably too painful for him

him to sit down. "How'd you hurt your foot?" she asked with a frown. The man's eyes darted around nervously,

realized he was mentally impaired. Out of a sense of

the bill and be careful with that foot. Make sure to keep it clean." The man sat there, his eyes glued to her, watching her surreptitiously. It didn't take long for Bella to realize that

pay for you. Now, get

Chapter 40 Without Reason

using the disinfectant twice. The stench of the festering wound

she turned, the man had already left. A moment later, an

felt a little embarrassed. It wasn't like she enjoyed this. Most people in her line of work