<b>Chapter</b>228
Stephaniedidn’tknowwhatDominickandtheothersweretalkingaboutinthestudy.Itseemedlikesomethingurgenthadhappened.Theyhadbeenupiedfrom8AMtonoon,andtheyrefusedlunch.Thestudydoorwasstilltightlyclosed.
Stephaniespentadrowsyafternooninthebedroomnextdoor.Atabout6PM,Sandraknockedonherdoorandaskedherwhatshewantedtoeatfordinner.Standingatthedoor,<b>Stephanie</b>sensitivelyheardthedoorknobofthestudyturn.
Shewalkedtowardsthestudy,whereVincentandtheothers<b>had</b>indeeeout,
Seeingthis,Sandraalsowalkedoverandasked,“Mr.Hayes,<b>do</b>y
“Noneed.I’mleaving”
youwanttostayfordinner!”
Vincentrepliedbriefly,holdingafewdocumentbagsinhisrighthand,andleftinahurry.WhenhepassedbyStephanie,hejustncedatherin
silence.
Stephanie,with<b>a</b>frown,watchedhimgodownthe<b>stairs</b>andleave.Shefelt<b>that</b>Vincenthadsomethingurgenttodo,andheseemedtobenervousaboutsomething
“Restmore…”N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.
<b>Scort’s</b>voicecamefromthestudy.He<b>should</b>betalkingtoDominick.Stunned,Stephaniehurriedly<b>pushed</b>thedoorofthestudyopenwithherrighthandandwalkedoverquickly.
StephaniealmostbumpedintoScout,whowaspreparingteout.
Seeingheranxiousface,Scottsmiledathergently,“Keepaneyeon<b>Dominick</b>andnotifyusimmediatelyifanythinghappens.”
Stephaniedidn’tunderstandwhathemeant.
Scottdidn’tsaymuchtoher<b>,</b>asifeverythingwasnormal.Hebypassedhercalmlyandadded<b>in</b><b>a</b><b>low</b>voice,“Staywithhim.”
Stephaniethought,StaywithDominick?Heis aman.Doesheneedmpany?
Stephaniefeltsomethingwasoff,soshe turnedherhead,onlytoseeScottstrideaway.
Feelingheavy–hearted,shewalkedintothestudyandfound<b>Dominick</b>reading<b>thick</b>documents.
“Scottjustsaid…”Stephaniepaused.Afterstruggling,sheaskedhimdirectly,“Areyousick?”
DominickknewStephandehaein.Herepliedwithoutevenraisinghishead.“I’mfine.”
Stephaniefeltthathewasbeingperfunctory,whichannoyedher.“Youarenotachild,gotoseeadoctorifyouaresick,orIwillbeworried!”PerhapsStephanie’sstatementwasmovingDominickpushedthedocumentsonthetableasideandstaredatherforalongtime.
“Stephanie,Iwantyou<b>to</b>promisemesomethingHisvoicesoundedalittlehoarseandserious
Duetohissolemntone,Stephaniebecamenervousandstammered,“Whatisit?”
“Promise<b>me</b>thatyouwon’trunaroundandyouwon’tleaveWellington<b>Vi</b>
“Why?”
Dominickhu
hadmentionedthisbefore,andheemphasizeditagain.Stephanielookedathimsuspiciously.
“It’sdangerousoutthere.”
Listeningtohissimpleandinsincereexnation,Stephanieraised hervoicewhilerefutinghim.“It’snonsense.Besides,I’mnotoneofthoseweakandfragilewomen.Icanprotectmyself.”
Heranswerseemedtodissatisfy Dominick,andhesuddenlystoodup.Comparedwithherbody,histandhandsomefigurehadamoreoppressiveanddomineeringaura,
Dominick’sattitudewasunusuallytough.HeshoutedatStephanieinacoldvoice,“Stephanie,you’dbetterbegood.Otherwise,Iwillconfineyou toyourbedroom!”
Stephaniewas<b>furious</b>.<b>What</b>ajerkBad–temperedDominickalwayswantedotherstolistentohim!
Stephanietookabigstepin
forward,mmedherhandsonthe<b>desk</b>,andtoldDominickangrily.“IfIwanttorunaway,doyouthinkyoucanstop
Acrossthetable,theyconfrontedeachother,
<b>12.27</b>PMc
Chapter228
DominickwasangryaboutStephanie’srebelliousmanner.Suddenly,hisheadstartedtoacheevenmore.Stephanie’sfacewastense.Shedidn’twanttotalkwithDominickanymore.So,sheturnedaroundandleftwithoutevenlookingathim.
“Don’tleave<b>.</b><b>”</b>
AssoonasStephanie<b>turned</b>around,she<b>heard</b>Dominick’sstammer.Hisvoicewaslowandhoarse,whichsoundedveryawkward.
In<b>fact</b><b>,</b>StephaniefeltsorryforDominickworking<b>so</b>hard.Maybetoomanythingshadhappenedrecently,andshesoftenedforamoment
“Isee,”Stephanierespondedsullenly.Shetookitasanagreementveryreluctantlysoasnottopisshimoff.
Shecouldn’thelpbuininalowvoice,“You’resounreasonable.”
WhenDominicksawherapproachinghim,hissternfacesoftenedalittle,butheremindedheragain,“Rememberwhatyoupromised.”
“Dominick,doyouknowthatyouhaveabadtemperandit’sreallyhardtogetalongwithyou?Youareveryauthoritarian!”
StephaniewasenragedwhenshesawhowtiredDominicklooked.Shegrabbedhisarmanddraggedhimoutofthestudywhileusinghim.
Dominicknced<b>at</b>herandletherbe.Instead,hecheeredupalittleallofasudden.
“Youmustrememberthis,orIwillbeworried”PerhapsDominickwasexhausted<b>,</b>sohetookherintohisarms.Restinghisheavyheadonhershoulders,heremindedheragaininherear.
ThestubbleonDominick’schinrubbedagainstherneck,makingherfeelitchyallover.Stephanielooked<b>at</b>himsidewaysinfrustration.Finally,shedraggedDominickintothebedroomnextdoorandhadhimsitonthebigbed.“Dominick,whendidyoubesonagging?And.<b>look</b>atyourstubble.Youhavebesoslovenly
Dominicktouchedthestubbleonhischinandfrowned.Hewasindeedveryufortable.Toomanythingshadbeenbotheringhimthesedays.
Dominick<b>was</b>sittingon thebed,whileStephanieputherhandsonhisshouldersandstoodinfrontofhim.Perhapstheheightdifferencegaveherconfidence.Dominickdidn’tlookverygood.Itwasobviousthathewastootiredfromstayingute.Withhisstubble,he lookedquitehaggard.AsStephanielookedathim,shebecameangrier.
Shesnorted,“Dominick,it’sonlybeenafewdays,butyou’veturnedintoasloppyoldman.
“Doyoudislikeme?”
Noticingherburninggaze,Dominickhadastrangefeeling.
WhenStephanieheardthat,sheredathimangrily.“Whodares!”
“Stephanie,whodoyouthinkwoulddaretodothat<b>?</b>”
Dominickstaredather.His wordscarriedprovocation,butStephaniewasamused.
Stephanieblushed inguilt.ShethensawDominicksmile.Thoughhewasexhausted,hestillteasedher.
Stephanie<b>sat</b>downonthebedsideandreachedourtotouchDominick’sforeheadnaturally.“Dominick,pleaseconfessandIwillgiveyouleniency.Doyouhaveafever?
“ForgetitI’llgogetthethermometer…Justsitthereanddon’tmove<b>,</b>orliedownonthebed.Anyway,don’tmove!”
Withoutwaitingforhisresponse,Stephaniewalkeduptothebedsidetable,openedtheseconddrawerfromthebottom,andskillfullytookoutthemedicineboxtosearchforthethermometer.
DominickwatchedStephaniebustlearound.Duetothesplittingheadache,heclosedhiseyesandsecretlybreathedasighofrelief.Thiswasbearable.
Suddenly,somethingconfusingcametohismind.Stephaniewasbingmoreandmorefierce.Butshewastimidwhenshefirstgotmarried.Whydidshe belikethis!
With<b>a</b>frown,Dominickthoughtaboutthisproblemseriouslybuttonoavail.