Shattered Longings

Chapter 9 The Thorn In His Heart

Bella immediately went to the room and closed the door. It muffled Dominic’s voice as he roared, “Bella!”

She didn’t want to pay him much attention. She bit back the sadness bubbling within her.

There were some things she hadn’t been able to figure out. Had there been anything between Dorothy and Richard? Or were they nothing more than childhood friends? If they were just friends, how did Dorothy cause Richard’s divorce?

Bella had been too young back then. She couldn’t understand many things.

Was the truth what Dominic believed it was? Did Dorothy do everything she could to entrust Bella to the Millers on her deathbed? It made sense. Bella had never dared to dwell on it…

Now, three of the people in that story have passed away. Even if they had left any clues behind, Bella didn’t have the chance to prove its legitimacy. This was a thorn in Dominic’s heart. He wouldn’t allow her to prod at it.

In the afternoon, Bella went to Felix’s home. He had stayed home, just like yesterday.

After greeting him, she began teaching Yvonne to play the piano patiently.

Felix sat beside them and observed them silently. It made Bella feel a little awkward. She could only console herself that she was reading too much into his behavior.

for her? Back then, he’d been

her a glass of orange juice. “I saw you drinking

time someone remembered her preferences from years ago. It moved

orange juice aside and

I survived on a scholarship and by working part–time. I thought you’d ask about that. Who knew you

one’s curiosity is a form of respect for the other. I’ll ask

call from the hospital. She apologized to

said, answering

White, the chief physician, sounded extremely panicked. “Bella, where are you? We don’t have enough hands on deck today. There’s a patient from the

Please come over now!”

be summoned to the hospital

you’ve got something to do, just go. The rest of her lessons can be shifted to when

She

so much. There’s an operation that needs to be

9 The Thorn

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you to become a doctor. I wasn’t as lucky. In the end, I took the path my dad laid out for me. Let