Crossroads

The car was silent, neither of them speaking.

Dominick gazed into her eyes, seeing the humility there. There was something he had long wanted to tell her....

Just then, the piercing sound of a cellphone ringtone broke the silence.

The phone was relentless, ringing as if something urgent was coming.

Stephanie looked at Dominick skeptically as he answered the phone impatiently. His stern face froze for a moment as if something serious had happened on the other end.

"Mr. Wellington, I'm sorry for the interruption, but there's been an incident with Ms. Carter. She felt unwell today during her new show's debut but insisted on going ahead. While taking photos by the lake, she accidentally fell in..."

The voice on the phone belonged to Jessica's manager, who spoke rapidly and with a tremor in her voice, loud enough for Stephanie to hear.

Jessica fell into the lake?' Stephanie was somewhat surprised.

"How is she now?" Dominick asked calmly.

"The rescue was timely, and her life isn't in danger, but she's still unconscious," the manager replied hastily, pausing slightly before continuing, "Mr. Wellington, could you please come over...

"Ms. Carter has been unconscious yet calling your name the whole time. She'll wake up soon and will need to be medicated. Given her temperament, we fear we won't be able to persuade her..."

The implication was clear. They wanted Dominick to come and convince Jessica to cooperate, a typical demand for a star of her caliber.

Meanwhile, Stephanie stole a discreet glance at the man beside her. Dominick, usually so reserved, actually showed such tenderness towards Jessica.

Watching him hang up the phone thoughtfully, she quickly spoke up. "You can drop me off here."

Hearing this, Dominick looked over at her and frowned.

Stephanie's expression turned awkward. "Ms. Carter is sick, and you need to go to her. I won't get in your way. Just let me out here, and I'll get a ride back to Wellington Villa."

She was tactful and knew she couldn't compare to Jessica. Plus, she didn't want to hear about the affairs between them. It made her feel like an outsider and was quite uncomfortable for her.

Dominick slowly pulled the car over and turned to face her, getting close to her all of a sudden.

His deep eyes intensely fixed on her, and he asked in a low voice, "Do you want me to leave?" His voice was laden with an indescribable emotion,

Feeling oppressed under his gaze, Stephanie forced a smile. "Dominick, I know our relationship is just a deal. I won't entertain any fantasies, nor will I interfere in your affair with Ms. Carter....

"I'm truly grateful to your family for helping my aunt with her heart condition. I'll definitely have the baby, and after the baby is born, I'll leave."

"Get out!" Dominick cut her off, his voice booming with anger before she could finish.

Stephanie was taken aback, only to see him staring down at her with a cold, menacing stare that sent chills down her spine.

"Get out of the car now! Did you hear me?"

His rising fury was evident as he glared at her bewildered expression.

Stunned, Stephanie hastily exited the vehicle. As soon as she closed the door, Dominick accelerated abruptly, leaving her in a cloud of dust.

She stood there, dumbfounded, watching his car disappear into the distance. Her face clouded over. "Why did he have to be so harsh all of a sudden?"

She remained on the sidewalk, gazing down at her toes. Her mood soured as she remembered how, just ten minutes earlier, Dominick had kindly asked her where she wanted to go for lunch. Now, they had abruptly parted ways.

"I don't want you to go, but what right do I have to say that..." The words she needed to make him stay were stuck in her throat.

Shortly after that, the Wellington family's chauffeur arrived to take her back.

Stephanie returned to Wellington Villa and was visibly downcast. The chef prepared her a large bowl of bland, tasteless nutritional meals, which she ate without her usual complaints.

George noticed her gloomy mood as he approached while she mechanically ate her meal. "What's wrong?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Where's Dominick? Wasn't he supposed to go to class with you?"

"Yes, we went together, but then he..." Stephanie started, pausing for a moment. "Then he got a call, something urgent at the company, so he had to leave early."

She covered for him.

George was not particularly fond of Jessica, so she dared not say more, fearing George might blame Dominick.

Sometime recently, Stephanie found herself unerting to care about him.

George didn't dwell on it, instead focusing on her belly with concern. "How have you been feeling lately?"

"The baby is doing very well," she replied.

Pleased with the news, George offered some advice. "If you have some time in the evening, try to read more about fetal health. And don't eat crab in the middle of the night, This is common sense, dear."

11:28 Fri, 21 Jun Chapter 41

"Oh." Stephanie nodded, her voice a soft murmur.

As she looked up at the clock on the wall, she guessed that Dominick probably wouldn't be coming home tonight.

After all, Jessica had fallen ill after a mishap in the water, and he was off to keep the beauty company.

Somehow, the thought soured her mood.

With a blank stare, she gazed down at the bland, unappealing bowl of nutritional oatmeal in front of her. Feeling inexplicably sad and frustrated, she kept shoveling spoonfuls into her mouth.

Vincent, the major shareholder of Halo Films, made an appearance at the launch ceremony of the new series. But he didn't expect to have an incident.

The grand reboot boasted an ensemble of prominent actors, but out of all people, it was Jessica who suffered an accident.

Vincent was troubled. He would be indifferent to anyone else falling into the water, but it had to be Dominick's woman,

"Jessica is now resting in the villa..." As soon as Dominick drove up, Vincent hurried over to update him.

The venue was near an artificial lake, its waters clear and blue. Today, being the first day of shooting, everyone was in high spirits, and many actors went to the lake to take photos. No one thought that Jessica would end up in the lake.

But before Vincent could continue, he noticed Dominick's lips pressed tightly together, his expression sour as if something had already set him off earlier.

'Who had upset him?'

"Mr. Wellington, good to see you. Right this way, please..." Jessica's manager, visibly relieved to see Dominick show over with a joyful expression to lead the way.

up, hurried

"Three years ago, Jessica fell into the water, and this time, although she wasn't seriously hurt, she's been trembling and having nightmares, constantly calling out your name... The manager explained the situation as they walked. Dominick listened without a change in expression and pushed open the door. The villa, usually occupied by the film crew, had been temporarily converted into a resting place for Jessica. The other actors didn't dare to offend Jessica, knowing she had powerful connections...

"How are you feeling?"

Upon entering, Dominick found Jessica already awake. He approached the bed and asked indifferently.

Jessica's eyes instantly reddened with tears as if she felt wronged. "Dominick, I...

I'm so scared." Her voice choked up. "I dreamt about the past, about that day we were so happy, taking wedding photos by the river. Then, I fell into a dark abyss, struggling and shouting your name over and over..."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried pitifully. "I thought I was going to die, I thought I'd never see you again."

Dominick stood by the bed, looking at her familiar, tear-streaked face. Something stirred in his chest as he gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

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"It's okay now."

His voice was soft and low, soothing one else. "Mr.m yet distant as if part of him was speaking to someone else. Wellington, Jessica has wanted to marry you for three years. Since the incident on the river where she nearly died, her health has been much weaker than before," the manager sighed from the side.

Dominick looked at her pale face and said calmly, "Call the doctor in." With that, he turned to leave.

As he walked away, Jessica's cries grew louder. She sat up in bed and desperately wrapped her arms around his solid waist.

"Dominick, don't leave, I'm so scared..."

Dominick felt her tight embrace, and as his gaze fell to her face, he was suddenly reminded of the woman waiting at home.

He stared at her intensely, his emotions a tangled mess of repulsion, resentment, and something irresistibly compelling.

Dominick slowly sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her intently.

He gently lifted the hair at the nape of her neck and leaned down, whispering in her ear, "Don't cry." His voice was soft and tender.

Tears welled up in Jessica's eyes as she caught his compassionate look, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck....

Their bodies nestled close together, and they slowly lay down on the bed...

Vincent and the manager turned and walked out, quietly closing the door behind them.

Everyone understood what was about to happen. Vincent's expression remained impassive as he pictured the intimate moments soon to unfold in the room.

"What about Stephanie..."

Vincent murmured, watching the sunset. He actually quite liked the idea of Stephanie as Dominick's wife, but unfortunately, Dominick's heart belonged to someone else.

Stephanie felt the evening stretching out endlessly.

After dinner and a soothing warm bath, she wrapped herself in the blanket and tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Her thoughts involuntarily turned to Dominick's cold expression, and she pressed her lips, her face contorting slightly. "He's with his beauty now. He probably won't come back..."

Because of her pregnancy, Dominick had been cautious not to touch her, but lately, he had been holding her in his sleep as if she were a pillow. Freed from his embrace tonight, she felt strangely uncomfortable.

Stephanie tossed and turned in bed, finally falling asleep in the middle of the night.

She couldn't pinpoint why there was always a restless heaviness on her chest. Early the next morning, habitually stretching her arms, she pushed the man beside her away, only to discover the pillow and blanket next to her were ice cold. Dominick hadn't returned all night.

At five in the morning, sticking to her routine, she joined George for breakfast.

She scrolled through Twitter as she walked, and it was Jessica's Twitter...

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, her expression a mix of shock and confusion as she stared at her phone screen.

"What are you looking at?" George, noticing her sneaky demeanor, barked at her irritably.

Stephanie hastily slipped her phone into her pocket, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Nothing, nothing at all," she stammered, forcing an awkward smile.

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Just moments before, Twitter had exploded with a trending topic about Jessica. That morning, a reporter had captured a suspicious mark on Jessica's neck, and fans and netizens were speculating about who she was sleeping with the night before...