<b>Chapter</b>229
Ourile,theskywasfilledwithrollingdarkclouds.Thewindhowled<b>,</b>whippingthetreebranchesintoafrenzyandsendingleavesanddustswirlingthroughtheair.Astreakoflightingsuddenlycutthroughthedarksky,followedbyadeafeningpofthunder.Itwasanightthatmadeonewanttohideunderthecovers.
Stephanielookedoutthewindows,feelinguneasy.
togooutatthistime.
“Theweatherisnasty,Itlookslikeatyphooniing…”Itwasclearlynotwiseto
Allday,thewindhadbeenpickingup,andtheskyhadbeengrowing<b>darker</b>.Buttherainstill<b>hadn’t</be,andthecloudsseemedtobeholdingtheir<b>breath</b>,gatheringstrengthforamassivedownpour.
Stephaniereachedout,shuttingthewindowstightandpullingthecurtainsclosed.
Justassheturnedtoleave,sherememberedsomethingandcalledout,Dominick
Thequietbedroomseemedevenmoresilent<b>because</b>ofthethunderoutside,withnoresponse,
“Dominick!”Herfacesuddenlyturned anxious.Shequicklywalkedoverandfeltrelieved<b>to</b><b>see</b>themanstillsittingbythebed.“Dominick,whydidn’tyouanswerme?”sheasked,ahintofannoyanceinhervoice.
AfigureobscuredhisviewasDominickfinallylookedup,hisvoedwithahintofmixedfeelings,“What’sthematter?
“What’sthematter?<b>I</b>called<b>you</b>threetimesStephanieleanedin<b>close</b><b>,</b>scrutinizinghimwithsomeconfusion.
“Iwasthinkingaboutsomething.”Hespokeasifitwas nothing,turninghisheadtoavoidhergaze.Then,hequicklyadded,histonecalmas<b>usual</b>,“Something<b>about</b>thpany.”Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Thpany?You’rejustmakingexcuse.Hewaslying.
Stephaniestopped<b>,</b>hereyesboringintohim<b>,</b>her facefilledwith<b>nervousness</b>and<b>frustration</b>.Sheraisedhervoiceandyelledathim,Itoldyoubefore,whenIcallyouthreetimes,youhavetoanswer,nomatterwhat..<b>Dominick</b>,don’tyoudarepullthiscrapwithme.Youcan’tjustignore
Hearinghervoicedrop,DominickknewStephaniewasthatkind<b>of</b>woman.Evenifshewasscared,thetoughestwordsshe<b>could</b>can’tignoreme…
utterwers,
You
Shewastheonlyone<b>who</b>daredspeaktohimlikethat<b>,</b>andevenbefoundhimselfspoilingherwhims.Repeatedsetbackscouldbreakaperson,burhedidn’twanthertofeelwronged.Shedeservedtobespoiled,tobealittlereckless
“When<b>have</b>Ieverignoredyou?”Dominickreached,pullingherontohip.Hestared<b>at</b>herface<b>,</b>watchingherangermeltintouncertaintyandunease.Allheremotionswerewrittenonherface.Shewasactuallyquitelost.
“Ivebeendealingwithsomethintely.It’sabittricky,”hesoftlycontinued,lookingintohereyes.Thatwasn’talie.
“So,thismorningatbreakfast,isthiswhat youwerethinkingabout?”
“Yes.”Hiseyessuddenlydriftedawayfromhers.
Stephaniewasn’tsosure.Sheshiftedslightlyandwrappedherarmsaroundhisneck,lookingathim.Strangely,shestartedtofeeluncontrobly
<b>Maybe</b>hewasjusttootiretely.
“Dianamadedinnerformstnight,”<b>Stephanie</b><b>said</b>,hervoicesoftening.Justthetwoofus,eatingsimplehome<b>–</b>cookeddishes.”Shespoke<b>as</b>iftoherself,unsurewhyshewassharingthisbutfeeling<b>a</bpulsiontotellhimanyway.
*Dianatoldme<b>a</b>lot.Shesayssomeonelikeyouiswayourofmyleague,thatI’lwaysfeellikeIdon’tmeasureupifImarryyou.”
Dominick’sbodystiffened,butshecontinued,herwordsdevoidofany<b>insecurity</b>,WhenIfirstmarriedintotheWellingtonfamily,sure,Iwasintimidated”
Shenuzzledcloser,herfaceburiedinthecrookofhisneck.Hisshoulderswerebroadanforting,his<b>chest</b><b>solid</b>andwarin<b>.</b>Dominickwasingreatshape.She’dcheckedhistemperatureearlier,justtobesure.
“ButeventhegreatMr.HayesofHavencrestgetsbossedaroundbymeeveryday.WhyshouldIfeelsmall”sheaddedateasingtoherwords.ShehaetorealizethateventhesprawlingWellingtonVi<b>was</b>coldandunfamiliar.SheknewDominickhadherback.Nomatterwhatshemessedupormisspoke<b>,</b>he’dbethere.
Withhimaround,therewasnoreasontofeelhumble.
Dominickhadn’texpectedhertosaysuchthings.He<b>didn’t</b>fullyunderstandwhatshemeant.Thplexitiesofemotionsbetweenmen<b>and</b>
<b>13.28</b>PM?
Chapter920
womenwereapuzzletohim.Sull,herwordssurprisedhim,andaflickerofwarmthspreadthroughhim.
Stephanie,however,wantgoodatsayingsentimentalthings.Hercheeksflushedassheraisedherhead,tryingtobeserious.“Dominick,areyouhungry?ShouldIaskSandratobringdinnerupnow!”
“D’sfine.Iamgood.”
“Butyouonlyhadsomeinoatmealforbreakfast.”ItseemedlikeDominickwasreallyeasytotakecareof.
“Idon’tfeellikeeating.Maybter…”
Hewasclearlypushinghimselftoohard.Assoonashespoke,asharppainshotthroughhishead.Hisfaceturnedpaleashegrittedhisteethtoendureit.
“Isyourheadhurtingagain?”
Seeinghimwince,Stephanieslippedoffhip,andhervoiceedgedwithconcern.
Somethinginhereyes,therawworryshewasn’teventryingtohide,touchedhim.“Yeah,”headmittedquietly,notbotheringtodenyitthistime.
“Lay
down.I’llgettheondgiveyouarub…”
StephaniewasusedtoDominick’smigraines.Thedoctorhadsaidtheywerecausedbyhitenightsandoverworking.Itseemedtobenothingserious,soshewasn’toverlyconcerned.Overtime,she’dfiguredouthowtoapplyjusttherightforcewiththeoiltogivehimsomerelief.
“How’sthatfeel!”
Stephaniewasn’tborntobe<b>gentle</b>,butshetriedherbesttolearn.
Herfingersgentlypressedonhistemples.Thecoolmedicatedodded<b>a</b>soothingeffect.Dominickfeltsomerelief.Atleastshewasn’tpressinglikeshewastryingtopophisheadlikeaballoonanymore.
“Ifyou’retired,justtakeanap,Stephaniesaidsoftly.IhaveSandrabringupdinnerwhenyouwakeup
“Okay,”hemurmured.
Ithadbeenagessincethey’dsharedsuchapeacefulmoment.Maybeitwasthestormragingoutside,butthewarmthinsidetheirbedroomfeltespeciallyprecious.
Dominick,rememberyoupromisedto takemetothatboxinggym?Anddon’tforgetaboutshootingandhorsebackridingtoo.NowthatI’vehadthebaby,Iwanttogo
“Youneedtorest”Herejectedherimmediately,hisvoice<b>firm</b>.Heknewsheneededto recoveraftergivingbirth.
“Fine,butonce<b>I</b>amalright,Iwanttogo.Themembershipforthatclubis<b>so</b><b>expensive</b>.Astheboss‘wife,Ishouldatleastcheckitout”
Stephaniestartedunbuttoninghisshirt,revealinghassculptedchest.Hertouchwassoftasshetracedherfingersalonghisskin.Dominick’seyesbecameslightlyhary,andhejuststared<b>at</b>hersilently.Theroomseemedtofillwithunspokentension.Stephanierolledhereyesathim.Whatishethinking?”Sherubbedsomemedicinal oilontohisshouldersandchest.
Hermoodbrightened,andshecontinuedhernegotiation,“Andoursons.Idon’twantthemgrowingup<b>to</b>beweak.Theyneedtolearntostandupforhimselffromayoungage.EvenThomassaidthatapersonwhocanprotectthemselvescanprotecttheonestheylove.”
Stephaniewasn’t<b>sure</b>whichwordmadehimtenseup,butshe<b>felt</b>his bodyshudderslightly.Sheturnedherheadtolookathim.“What’swrong?AmIpressingtoohard?”
“No.”Hisvoicewas<b>a</b>bithoarseashequicklydeniedit.
“Yourgrandpaandmygrandpahavesimrtemperaments,hesuddenlysaid,asifchangingthetopic.
“Theydo<b>,</b>botharestubbornStephaniethoughtforamomentandthencasually<b>asked</b>,“Sincemygrandpaandyourgrandpaareaboutthe<b>same</b>age,theyshouldknoweachotherevenifthey’renotclose.SohoetherksandtheWellingtons<b>have</b><b>zero</b>contact
“Isitbecauseone’sinpoliticsandtheother’sinbusiness,sotheydon’thavemuch<b>in</bmon?Or<b>is</b>itthatyourWellingtonfamilyistooarrogant,50Thomasdidn’t wanttobebotheredwithyouall…
“Hey,Dominick,tellme…”
Hismindstartedtodrift,herwordsblurring intoapleasanthum.
<ol>
<li>n.iwasnicejusthavingher<b>voice</b>there.</li>
</ol>
“Stephanie,”hemumbled,“we..Livinglikethisforever,it’sgood.”
MaybeDominick<b>was</b>trulyexhausted.Heclosedhiseyesandwhisperedsoftly.
“Likewhat?Shecouldn’tquiteunderstandwhathewasthinking.
14:20PM
Chapter229
Hedidn’tborate,hismindtoocloudedandheavytoformthewords.Allhewantedwastorest.Hisstlingeringthoughtwasthathavingherbyhisside,simplylivinglikethis,wouldbewonderful.
“Dominick…Dominick?Dominick!”
Stephaniestoodfrozenbesidethebed,her<b>face</b>drainingofcolorassheshriekedhisnamethreetimes.
Buttherewasnoanswer<b>.</b>