Crossroads

A loud crash echoed through the room.

When struggling. Stephanie accidentally knocked over the crystal lamp on the bedside table, crashing it to the ground and sending shards skittering across the floor.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Mrs. Wellington, is everything alright?"

Sandra, who was guarding the door, rushed in nervously upon hearing the noise.

She was shocked to see Dominick pinning Stephanie to the bed, leaving her torn between staying and leaving Stephanie was truly embarrassed. "Get off me!" she cried out as she pushed against the man on top of her.

Dominick shot her a cold glance. Then, he stood up straight, seemingly losing his interest.

He left the room without a word, and Stephanie finally exhaled a sigh of relief.

The way that Dominick looked at her was strange. It seemed to mix with a bit of conflict, resentment, and somewhat...longing Stephanie furrowed her brows and couldn't understand why Dominick was acting weird.

It was two in the morning, and the place was silent.

Stephanie stood by the bed and looked at her toes, fooling a bit restrained. She felt like an outsider at Wellington Villa.

Sandra moved quickly, clearing away the fragments on the floor. She caught Stephanie's downcast expression and offered a word of consolation. "Mr. Wellington has always been distant and cold. He probably went to rest in the study tonight"

Sandra hesitated before adding, "Mr. Wellington... He doesn't really like dealing with women. He's only had one girlfriend that we know of"

"Dominick's girlfriend? Who was that unlucky woman?" Stephanie thought.

She was a bit surprised to hear this, wondering why he wouldn't marry the woman he liked.

Looking at the kind Sandra, Stephanie was about to speak, curious to learn more.

But Sandra, as if afraid to say too much, quickly turned and walked towards the door.

She hurriedly said, "Mrs. Wellington, you should get some rest, especially now that you're pregnant. Besides, there is a family tradition. We need to have breakfast with Mr. George Wellington early in the morning"

Then, the door shut again with a click.

Silence filled the room. Stephanie lay back in bed, her gaze lost on the luxurious ceiling above her, unable to sleep.

Wellington Villa was still too strange to her, and Dominick's unpredictable moods made him difficult to deal with...

The clock on the wall ticked softly. She pulled the blanket over her head. "I need to have breakfast with that old man tomorrow morning..."

Stephanie was restless all night.

Eventually, the dawn slowly lightened the pitch-black sky as the time ticked by

ZU JUN A maid knocked and entered the room "Mr. Werne With dark circles under her eyes, Stephanie locked Her thoughts had kept her wake most of the night. She was put about to She glanced at the clock on the wall it was only five

"Five o'clock; Seriously? Did that old man really expect me to show up at this four for brakes

"These rich folks are really hard to please, the grumbled softly to herself However, Stephanie kept her complaints to herself. Living under someone else's root meant she had room to get inte She had to do everything carefully under the Wellingtons" rules

After freshening up and changing her clothes, she followed the mard to the e main house in Wellington Villa.

Upon arriving at the dining room, George and Dominick were somewhat solemn atmosphere.

Stephanie looked at George, and after a moment of hes the table orning Mr. George Wellngan" He

Although George was almost eighty, he was still robust and imposing Hearing Stephanie's greeting he didn't even this head but subtly glanced Brad beside him.

Brad immediately understood and ordered the servants to serve m ve breakfast.

"Mrs. Wellington, please, this way..." Brad gestured for her to sit to the left of D Stephanie nodded at Brad, but her steps faltered.

She didn't want to sit next to Dominick.

Just then, Dominick looked up and caught her eye...