《Love the Second Time Around》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    Chapter 1 He Is Back


    I did not know that someone as happy-go-lucky and yful as Julius Keaton would be upset when he


    discovered, on our wedding night, no less, that I was not a virgin.


    To be honest, I was struck by a moment of guilt then. Had I known that this would be a big deal to him, I


    would have gotten a discreet procedure at the hospital. It might have preserved the harmony of our


    marriage.


    That night, Julius seemed moody as he asked me about ¡°the guy.¡± He tried to mask his emotions but


    failed miserably. Who would me him? After all, I was not who he perceived to be. Looking at the


    devastation written on his face, I could not bring myself to utter the name buried deep in my heart.


    Thus, I apologized meekly instead.


    Maybe it was this incident that had caused irrevocable cracks in our arranged marriage. Yet, little did I


    know that a more dangerous crisis would befall our already rocky marriage.


    I was aic writer. In cruder terms, I had been frencing in the industry for many years. Though I


    had never gotten a significant breakthrough, I earned enough to pay the bills.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, a call from my editor, Shannon Harper, changed my life forever.


    She told me that my first work, I Only Want to Be With You, had caught the eye of Gxy


    Entertainment¡¯s CEO. They were interested in buying the rights to myic to make a movie.


    Then, she requested me to drop everything immediately and dragged myself to the VIP room on the


    fifth floor of the Feuilles Restaurant for a discussion.


    Needless to say, any writer who received praise for their work would naturally be ecstatic¡­ Except I


    wasn¡¯t.


    Not only was I not the least bit ecstatic, but I was also perplexed at their interest. Why does it have to


    be that particr work?


    Hesitantly, I plodded toward the designated room, trying toe up with ways to reject the offer that


    would not end with Shannon strangling me. After years of working together, she was more like a friend


    to me than my editor.


    I allowed myself to ponder the issue a moment longer before I pushed open the door.


    The first thing that entered my sight was a set of massive floor-to-ceiling windows. Sitting before the


    windows was a man in a wheelchair. With his back to me, he seemed to be looking at the scenery


    beyond the window in intense concentration. However, he was so focused that he did not notice my


    arrival.


    I could not exin why, but his silhouette seemed oddly familiar to me. In fact, it was a bit too familiar.


    That¡¯s weird¡­ Have I met him before?


    Cautiously, I approached him from behind and stopped when I was a respectable distance away.


    ¡°Hello. Are you the one interested in obtaining the rights to myic?¡±


    He froze at the sound of my voice. Gradually, he turned around to face me.


    The careful smile on my face froze when I saw who he was. I could feel the blood rushing to my brain


    through my veins, giving me a numbing sensation.


    And why wouldn¡¯t I, when my whole world was about to be turned upside down?


    ¡°What¡¯s with your expression? Have you forgotten an old friend? Let me introduce myself again, then.


    Hi, I¡¯m Dominic Hartnell, and I¡¯m back.¡±


    Dominic Hartnell. The name that lurked in the depths of my heart, and the very same one that I could


    not tell Julius on our wedding night.


    It was impossible to imagine that he would reappear before me like this after five years.


    I stared at him, frozen like a statue, seeming to have lost all ability of speech. My gaze then traveled on


    its own ord to his lower body. It took a Herculean effort, but I managed to eke out, ¡°Your l-legs¡­¡±


    An indifferent smile appeared on his face as he patted his legs. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Nothing more than sitting in a


    wheelchair.¡±


    His nonchnce was a jarring contrast to his unambitious demeanor five years back.


    Still, I could not control the sadness that seeped into my being. I approached him before asking


    tearfully, ¡°What happened?¡±


    He stared back at me in a daze. Before I could react, his arms had reached out to pull me into a hug.


    His rich and maic baritone reached my ears, drawing me into a trance.


    ¡°T-this¡­ You don¡¯t need to know about this. All you need to know is that your life is about to change


    now that I¡¯m back.¡±


    I realized with a jolt that I was here because of Gxy Entertainment¡¯s interest in acquiring the rights to


    my work. If that¡¯s the case¡­ Is he back to seek revenge on me?

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Chapter 2 A Terrifying Reunion


    Dominic chuckled when he sensed the tension in my body. ¡°Oh dear, what¡¯s happened to our star


    writer? You used to respond so well to these intimate gestures. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I might think


    this was your first time with a man.¡±


    =His mockery was painfully obvious; after all, he was the one who took my V-card. Upon that, I


    attempted to escape his embrace, but my efforts were to no avail against the strength of his arms.


    ¡°Stop it! I¡¯m married!¡±


    I had no choice but to pull out my marriage card, thinking that he would release me. What he did next,


    however, was anything but expected.


    Dominic seemed to ignore my pleas as his slender fingers crept upward underneath my blouse.


    ¡°Oh? This doesn¡¯t seem like the body of a woman who¡¯s enjoying her marriage bed. Don¡¯t tell me your


    husband can¡¯t satisfy your needs?¡±


    His words made me blush furiously. I opened and closed my mouth like a fish, unable to find the words


    to exin my situation. Am I supposed to tell him that my husband has barely touched me since he


    found out that I wasn¡¯t a virgin? Excuse me, but you¡¯re the one responsible for this whole thing!


    Meanwhile, Dominic¡¯s smile grew bigger at my silence. In a sh, he had lowered his head to kiss me


    smack on the lips.


    What the heck is he doing? How can he kiss me when I¡¯ve already told him that I¡¯m married? He would


    never have done something like this in the past!


    I used all my might to shove him away, almost falling to the ground if not for his long arms and sharp


    reflexes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you hate it? Or do you hate this version of me now?¡±


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    I red at him furiously. ¡°What¡¯s your deal? Did youe back just to humiliate me?¡±


    A hint of smugness flitted across his face; he seemed amused by my bristling state. That easy smile


    almost sent me down memoryne right till he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I came back to look for my woman. Is there a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°Dominic Hartnell!¡± I shrugged his hand off in embarrassment.


    I wondered what had happened to him in the past five years to turn him into this insensitive jerk.


    At the sight of my anger, he lowered his lids and blinked. When he next raised his head, he seemed to


    pull me into the depths of his gaze.


    ¡°I thought you might¡¯ve forgotten my name, but you hadn¡¯t. In that case, why is your name on the work


    instead of mine?¡±


    Dominic¡¯s cold tone caused me to take a step back. I always knew this day wasing, but I never


    thought it would y out like this.


    ¡°Did you trick me here on the pretense of buying the rights to my work?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t have that much extra cash to buy something that¡¯s rightfully mine. I wanted to


    see how well a thief would be living, that¡¯s all. I have to say, though, it doesn¡¯t look as morous as I


    thought it would be.¡±


    The smirk on his face drained the color from my face, and his words rendered me speechless.


    ¡°Scared now, eh? You needn¡¯t be. That precious work is nothing in my eyes anyway. I am only


    interested in your body.¡±


    He then wheeled himself toward my motionless figure. Lifting his head, he smiled bewitchingly at me


    with his eyes boring into mine.


    Yet I knew clearly of his hatred for me; after all, his work had be mine after that ident. I had


    not, however, expected him to get back at me in such a manner.


    I tried to calm down before meeting his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I would never cheat on my husband. I can¡¯t


    and won¡¯t agree to your request. I won¡¯t sell the rights to my work either. If you¡¯re here because of that,


    I¡¯ll make a public announcement rifying that the work belongs entirely to you.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    A scoff escaped Dominic¡¯s lips as I red at him in bewilderment, failing to see the humor in our


    situation.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Chapter 3 Karmic Revenge


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t want toe across as rude, but this situation is impossible.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s sarcastic tone was driving me mad. At that point, I just wanted to know his real intention of


    coming back here. ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me, Dominic. Get to the point.¡±


    He arched his brow in response and smiled derisively.


    ¡°Liliana, how long are you going to lie to yourself? You im that you have no intention to sell the rights


    to your work, yet here you are. Five years have passed, and your bold derations to return my


    copyright has evaporated into thin air. Please, you¡¯re only putting on such a noble act because I¡¯m


    back. Who on earth do you think you¡¯re fooling? I know you too well. Your art is more important to you


    than anything else in the world. I mean, why else would you dump me five years ago over one work?¡±


    Faced with his usations, I could only lower my head in shame. This incident had been the greatest


    regret in my life. Even if it had started with a simple matter of taking the wrong manuscript, I had


    remained silent during the copyrighting process despite realizing that the work belonged to him.


    He¡¯s right. I¡¯m nothing but a thief who¡¯s robbed him of his work and the recognition he deserves. Our


    break-up was his fault, though.


    I took a deep breath to center myself before meeting his gaze.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying. The only reason I came here was to reject thepany¡¯s offer, and I never imagined


    that you would be here. I don¡¯t want to linger on our break-up either; it¡¯s been five years, and I¡¯m


    already married. We can¡¯t travel back to the past anyway, so what on earth do you want me to do to


    gain your forgiveness?¡±


    He pursed his lips and sneered. ¡°You don¡¯t need my forgiveness, Liliana. You¡¯ve already gotten what


    you deserved.¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I knitted my brows in iprehension at that. Huh? What did he mean by that?


    Just then, Dominic tossed a sh drive to me. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you sell your stolen copyright. I¡¯m only


    interested in your body. If you¡¯re feeling regretful, I¡¯ll be waiting for you in bed.¡±


    He then shouted in the direction of the door. ¡°Calvin, let¡¯s go!¡±


    The door to the room opened from the outside barely a secondter. A young man entered the room


    and beelined for Dominic, wheeling him out without sparing me a nce.


    I watched his departing figure as my hand tightened on the sh drive. I had no idea what was in it, but


    there was a more pressing question in my mind. Where¡¯s the representative from Gxy Entertainment


    who¡¯s supposed to meet me today?


    My phone rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. It was Shannon.


    ¡°Hey, Liliana. Did you go to the restaurant? I¡¯m so sorry, but Gxy Entertainment just informed me


    that their boss had some urgent matters to attend to, so they¡¯d like to reschedule the meeting.¡±


    Then why is Dominic here instead? Is he acquainted with the boss of Gxy Entertainment?


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll head home then.¡±


    I hung up in a mood. After a while, my gaze traveled to the sh drive once more. Oh well. I guess I¡¯ll


    know what¡¯s in it once I open it. And so, I found myself rushing home in record time.


    I headed straight for theputer once I got home. Before I plugged in the sh drive, I took a deep


    breath to steel my nerves.


    To my surprise, a video appeared onscreen instead of documents like I had been expecting. The


    footage was blurry, and it looked like the inside of a car.


    The video quality sharpened a short momentter, and I could make out a man and a woman


    onscreen.


    The couple was engaged in a passionate romp, and the video had left nothing to the imagination.


    What¡¯s that jerk Dominic doing by sharing explicit videos with me?


    Just as I decided to turn off myputer, my gaze froze on a corner of the screen. My throat closed


    up, and my heart plummeted when I realized who that man in the video was.


    It was none other than my newlywed husband¡ªJulius!

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Chapter 4 Confrontation


    I was so mad that I took a ss from the table and threw it at theputer screen. Smash! Smoke


    billowed out of the brokenputer. I had never felt more alone in my life.


    I must havee across as such a na?ve fool earlier when I dered righteously to Dominic about my


    intent to remain faithful to my spouse and my family when he had been holding on to footage of my


    husband¡¯s phndering ways all along. God, he must have been trying so hard not to burst into


    laughter.


    Shakily, I pulled my phone out to dial my husband. I had to retype the number several times when my


    fingers slipped from anger. At one point, I even had to close my eyes and breathe deeply to subdue my


    fury.


    The line connected quickly, and I heard Julius¡¯ greeting over the phone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He sounded like


    he always did, indifferent and a bit distant.


    What¡¯s up? Are you for real now?


    I couldn¡¯t believe he still had the audacity to ask me that when I was about to explode from my anger.


    ¡°Oh, I just wanted to know where you were two days ago.¡±


    The date of the incriminating video was from two days ago.


    I remembered that I had prepared dinner that night. At about seven, Julius had yet to return, so I called


    to check on him.


    The phone rang on and on for a long time. Just when I thought my call would go unanswered, Julius


    picked up.


    He said he had some business engagements and told me to have dinner alone. Before I could even


    mutter a reply, he had hung up.


    ording to the timestamp, the video started at half-past seven. He was with that b*tch when I called!


    Some business engagement, eh? And to think I was that gullible to believe him! They were probably


    about to get down and dirty around that time.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Two days ago? I must¡¯ve been entertaining some clients. Look, I¡¯ve been working overtime or


    entertaining clients every day. Where else could I be?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Julius did not sound guilty or worried at all as he parroted his usual


    reply. Right then, I could not help but wonder if he had been cheating on me for every ¡°overtime¡± and


    ¡°client entertainment¡± he had imed.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? I didn¡¯t know that a sales director had to sleep with his clients for entertainment. The


    company must¡¯ve saved a lot on entertainment funds if the director could do the deed in his car. Going


    by your willingness to offer your body, I¡¯m sure you must be the darling of yourpany!¡±


    I had never been an impulsive person, though I was an ugly sight when I lost control.


    If Julius were here, I would¡¯ve thrown that ss to his face and not the monitor!


    My outburst caused Julius to fall radio silent. A few secondster, he spoke calmly. ¡°I have no idea


    what you¡¯re talking about, Liliana. You¡¯re delusional.¡±


    ¡°Oh, puh-lease! I have the footage of you banging that woman, so you can drop your act right now.¡±


    I was doubly infuriated because Dominic had been the one who shared the video with me. My clueless


    naivety had been stripped bare as an object for his ridicule.


    Julius paused for a while before replying, ¡°I¡¯m in the office right now, and I don¡¯t want to argue with you.


    We can talk about this at home.¡±


    Click!


    What the heck? That b*stard actually hung up on me! I stared at my phone in shock, not knowing if his


    nonchnce was proof of his innocence or his utter ignorance of my anger.


    The only thing I knew with certainty was that my marriage was on the precipice of ruin despite my best


    efforts to maintain it.


    It¡¯s been barely six months! What should I tell my parents and friends if I divorce him now? How would I


    appear to them?


    Exhausted, I copsed onto the couch. My eyes roved over the mess in the house, gradually welling


    with tears. No amount of emotional strength could save me from my sorrow.


    After that, I pretty much spent the entire day in a nearatose state on the couch, with no mood to


    eat or drink. My calm appearance was a jarring contrast to the frantic emotions in my heart as I awaited


    Julius¡¯ return.


    Perhaps I had exhausted myst reserves of energy on my tears, and I unknowingly fell asleep on the


    couch.


    Muchter, I jerked awake at a noise in the house. Dazed, I got up and realized that the lights in the


    bedroom were on. Julius is back.


    With that, I hopped off the sofa in a rush and dashed toward the bedroom. I wanted to ask him why he


    ignored me when he got home. Yet when I pushed open the door, the words caught in my throat at the


    scene in the bedroom.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Chapter 5 Paying The Price For Her Past


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    A woman was actually lying on my bed, and she was even wearing my camisole nightgown. When she


    caught sight of me, she shed me a sweet smile.


    If I weren¡¯t still at home, I would definitely think that I had entered the wrong room. At a closer look, I


    realized that she was actually the woman in the video.


    All at once, my temper red. I rushed over and raised my hand to swing it across her face. s,


    before my handnded on her face, another hand gripped mine and yanked me away, causing me to


    stumble and fall onto the floor.


    As my head jerked up incredulously, I was greeted by none other than my so-called husband, Julius.


    Throwing me a cold look, he closed the bedroom door and then stalked toward me step by step.


    ¡°Nevermind if you have a mistress out there, but you actually dared to bring her home to sleep


    on my bed, wearing my nightgown? Are you f*cking insane, Julius Keaton?¡±


    Seeing that Julius was drawing ever closer to me, I tried my best to scramble up. Unexpectedly, he


    scooped me up before yanking the covers off the bed and wrapping me up in them. My screams and


    curses fell onto deaf ears. In fact, his entire person was so calm that fear struck me.


    Meanwhile, the woman on the bed remained sprawled leisurely with the ever-present smile on her face.


    When I could no longer move a single muscle, Julius shoved me onto the bed. Since I was trussed up


    like a turkey, I tumbled straight onto the bed,nding right beside the woman.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Julius? What the hell are you trying to do?¡±


    The turn of events was simply too bizarre. I waited the entire day for an exnation from him, yet it was


    such an oue that greeted me. As such, unease inexorably pervaded me.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want an exnation?¡± Julius¡¯ lips curved into a smirk, and he started stripping.


    I had seen that countless times, but today, it seemed utterly revolting.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you an exnation through action. After all, a short video can¡¯t possibly capture


    everything vividly, no?¡±


    Hearing that, my mind splintered into a million pieces. Oh God, is this really the Julius I know? Does he


    know what he¡¯s actually talking about?


    ¡°Julius¡­ We¡¯re a married couple, for f*ck¡¯s sake, not enemies! Not only are you nary the slightest bit


    guilty for having cheated on me, but you¡¯re even this shameless? You must be f*cking certifiable!¡± I


    roared at the top of my lungs.


    Unadulterated despair settled into the deepest recesses of my heart at that moment.


    Having stripped to almost his birthday suit, Julius leaned down and gripped my chin with a sneer


    ying on his lips. No matter how much I struggled, I simply couldn¡¯t break his hold on me.


    ¡°Liliana, you were never all that pure, so why are you feigning such decorum? We¡¯re just repulsing


    each other, no?¡±


    At once, my eyes went wide in shock. What the hell? What kind of logic and perception is this?


    Everyone has a past!


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me with widened eyes as though you¡¯re a chaste virgin!¡±


    After saying that, Julius dropped his hand. At the same time, the woman boldly slid forward and hugged


    him around the waist. Right before me, she started getting all intimate with him and even regarded me


    with a provocative look in her eyes.


    I felt as though I was on the verge of losing my mind. If I¡¯d known that he¡¯s so bothered about my past, I


    wouldn¡¯t have settled for him no matter what! I only got together with him back then because I felt that


    he¡¯d make a good husband. Besides, I wasn¡¯t young anymore, so it was better to have a family than to


    be a spinster. But now I¡¯m paying the price for mypromise?

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Chapter 6 A Frenzy


    Out of the blue, my head was jerked back forcefully though I had turned away. In the next moment, I


    locked gazes with Julius.


    The man was eyeing me with utter contempt. ¡°Look at me! I want you to also experience how it feels to


    see your husband being intimate with someone else! If you dare close your eyes, I¡¯m going to strip you


    bare!¡±


    Right that moment, a light bulb went off in my head as understanding dawned upon me.


    So, it¡¯s all because I was no virgin, huh? For that reason, not only does he despise my body, but he¡¯s


    also been keeping a mistress out there just to take revenge on me? And now that I¡¯m aware of his


    infidelity, he decided to have me witness it with my own eyes as a humiliation just so that I¡¯ll also share


    in his indignity?


    When that conclusion came to me, I was wholly devastated. My mind went nk, and the two figures


    before me turned blurry.


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    How much does he hate and loathe me that he¡¯s taking things so far?


    Never had I felt such hatred as I did that moment. Although I was wrapped up like a mummy and


    couldn¡¯t move, my legs were free. Without an ounce of hesitation, I kicked Julius¡ªwho was still


    pistoning away¡ªhard.


    Thud!


    As expected, he fell right off the bed. At that, the woman shrieked in fright, perhaps worried about him.


    My wrath was so great that I turned and mped my teeth on the woman¡¯s bare shoulder like a


    madwoman. I could care less about dealing with the aftermath of this manic episode. At that moment, I


    only knew that I had had enough, and I just wanted everything to stop. As I sunk my teeth onto her


    supple flesh, an ear-splitting cry of agony instantly reverberated around the entire room.


    ¡°Have you lost your f*cking mind? Let go! It hurts like hell, you know?¡± The woman pped me across


    the face, but I could only endure it since my hands were restrained.


    She put a lot of strength into the p, for even my ears started buzzing. Nheless, I refused to


    loosen my grip on her. Even when I smelled traces of blood, I remained resolute.


    Following that, the woman started wailing. At the same time, my hair was grabbed hard and yanked


    back forcefully, forcing me to let her go. Such excruciating pain radiated from my scalp that for a


    moment, I thought she had yanked all my hair out.


    If I hadn¡¯t encountered a fake Julius today, that means¡­ this is the real Julius Keaton, and I¡¯ve never


    known him at all!


    On the heels of that, I paid the price for my impulsiveness earlier.


    I twisted wildly so that Julius couldn¡¯t force himself on me, but he pped me several times. I saw stars


    at his blow, and dizziness assaulted me. Worse still, I could even sense blood trickling out the corner of


    my mouth.


    A woman¡¯s strength was no match for a man, much less this man who was now a rabid dog that had


    lost all rationality.


    Just when he was about to vite me, I lifted my head and mmed it against his, going all out. After


    all, there was nothing else left for me to lose.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    When I had exhausted the final vestiges of my strength, I heard Julius¡¯ agonized screech. mping a


    hand against his eye in pain, he rolled right off the bed.


    Smirking with blood staining the corner of my mouth, I turned and stared chillingly at the woman who


    was now trembling in terror at the side.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Chapter 7 Drag You Down To Hell


    ¡°You like this man, yes? He¡¯s all yours then. However, be prepared to go to prison. Don¡¯t think that


    having an affair is no big deal. I¡¯m all battered and bloody today, so I can totally lodge a police report


    against the two of you for attempted murder to cover up the affair!¡±


    Upon hearing that, the woman was so petrified that she shook her head profusely. ¡°No, no, it was him


    who told me toe over so that you can witness your husband being intimate with another woman! I


    didn¡¯t n on doing anything at all! It was all him!¡±


    ¡°You want me to believe you? Well, there is a way. Let me go, and I¡¯ll know whether you¡¯re sincere!¡± I


    gritted through clenched teeth.


    My murderous gaze zed with fury, making the woman¡¯s face nch. Perhaps she had no qualms


    carrying on with a married man, but she was probably unwilling to go to prison just because of this.


    Hesitating, she nced at Julius, who was still howling on the ground with his hand over his eye.


    Gritting her teeth, she reached out and untied the knot on the covers. Having obtained my freedom, I


    wrapped the covers around myself and sauntered up to Julius.


    Right away, Julius raised his head and red at me furiously with his remaining eye as though he


    wanted to kill me. However, I noticed a stream of blood trickling down through the gap between his


    fingers.


    Ah¡­ it looks like I injured his eye quite badly with my bash just now that he¡¯s actually bleeding. While


    this isn¡¯t the result I wanted, I don¡¯t regret it. Well, this is probably the so-called tit for tat!


    ¡°Julius, everyone has a past. I didn¡¯t know that you have such a strong virginityplex. If you¡¯d told


    me frankly on our wedding night, I would¡¯ve set you free. But since you did such a repugnant thing, I¡¯ll


    see you in court!¡±


    After saying that, I snagged my clothes that had been thrown to the floor and spun around to leave the


    room that had a nauseating sense hanging in the air. But just as I reached the door, Julius¡¯ enraged


    voice rang out.


    ¡°Liliana Zti, you¡¯d better pray that my eye is fine. Otherwise¡­ I¡¯ll make your life a living hell! So you


    want to be free of me, huh? Dream on! I¡¯ll have you wishing for death!¡±


    Good grief! Things havee to this, yet he¡¯s still shamelessly threatening me in a booming voice.


    Where on earth did his confidencee from?


    Slowly turning around, I shed the stranger before me a cold smile. ¡°Okay, then. At most, I¡¯ll just drag


    you down to hell with me. Two can y at that game!¡±


    I did nothing wrong, so I stood upright proudly, not at all afraid of his threat. To my surprise, Julius


    startedughing uproariously. He slowly climbed to his feet and ambled toward me.


    I would be lying if I were to say that I wasn¡¯t the least bit afraid. After all, I would really be doomed if he


    were to go crazy and kill me.


    Therefore, I gradually backed away and inched to the door. cing my hand on the doorknob, I geared


    up to rush out the door.


    ¡°Do you still remember a story you once told me? What was it that you did when you published your


    firstic?¡±


    The moment I heard that, my mind caved in with a bang. At that time, I decided to be honest with him


    to demonstrate my sincere attitude toward the marriage. Never had I thought that it would now be


    a bargaining chip for him to threaten me.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I muttered with quivering lips.


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    Clocking the apprehension in my eyes, Julius¡¯ smile turned all the smugger. His grin grew so wide that


    he even tugged on his injury, the pain making him frown deeply.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally afraid, huh? Do you think you can still publishics if everyone were to know that


    you¡¯re a thief?¡±


    Argh! Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought that my dearest husband would threaten me


    when even Dominic, the owner of theic, didn¡¯t do so. What a failure am I!


    I stared at him impassively, doing my best to portray a dauntless front.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, for I can just rify things. So, don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll be afraid.¡±


    ¡°rify things? You can rify things before ites to light, but it¡¯ll be an excuse if you do so after


    you¡¯ve been exposed. You know that very well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Julius strolled up to me with a sneer, infuriating me so greatly that I was trembling all over.


    He then reached out and grasped my chin, the force of his fingers piercing my skin and prating


    deep into my bones. The pain was so intense that my face contorted in agony.


    ¡°Do you know how filthy I find you? At the thought that you once slept with another man, I feel so damn


    disgusted that I want to use bleach on you. A promiscuous woman like you doesn¡¯t deserve happiness!


    As such¡­ I¡¯m going to bind you to me for the rest of your life so that you, too, can experience how it


    felt for me to have been deceived by you!¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Chapter 8 A Misunderstanding


    Thud! Julius mmed my head against the door hard. A muffled thud sounded at the back of my head,


    and my vision went ck time and again as I slid down the door.


    ¡°F*ck¡­¡±


    He sucked in a breath, probably because his injured eye hurt once again. Turning, he swung his leg at


    me hard, kicking me in the stomach. Caught off guard, I sprawled to the side, the pain so debilitating


    that I couldn¡¯t get up for a long time.


    ¡°Damn you, b*tch! I¡¯m going to the hospital now. I¡¯ll let you off if my eye is fine, but you¡¯ll be getting it


    otherwise!¡±


    Julius¡¯ incensed voice rang out above my head. Hearing that, wave after wave of grief washed over


    me. Who would¡¯ve thought that the person making such a remark would be the husband whom I¡¯ve


    married for half a year?


    After having been put through the wringer just now, I had no energy left. Furthermore, I was both


    physically and mentally exhausted in the face of such a huge blow that I could only remain slumped on


    the ground.


    I watched as they put on their clothes and left. At that moment, hopelessness engulfed me, and I felt


    utterly devastated as though a typhoon had ripped through me.


    What should I do? What exactly should I do to satisfy everyone? Sure enough, one can never make a


    mistake, for one mistake triggers the next.


    A long whileter, I struggled to my feet. Recalling Dominic¡¯s stiption earlier in the afternoon, I


    chuckled wryly. No wonder he didn¡¯t care that I was married. It¡¯s because he knew that my marriage


    was just a joke. So I guess this is karma, eh?


    Pain immediately assailed me, not an inch of my body spared. I rummaged for some antiseptic and


    doctored my injuries. Then, I curled up on the sofa without eating anything, spacing out as I stared at


    the ceiling until I finally dozed off groggily.


    After sleeping for an indeterminate time, I was roused by the persistent ringing of my cell phone.


    With my eyes half-closed, I answered the call listlessly without even ncing at the caller ID.


    ¡°You¡¯re not half-bad, Liliana. After having not seen you for a few years, you¡¯re actually ying games


    with me now.¡±


    Dominic?


    My eyes swiftly popped open. I nced at the screen of my cell phone, only to be greeted by an


    unknown number. However, I didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of his words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t? Well, well¡­ The two of you are really something else. One righteously dered that she


    wasn¡¯t going to sell the copyright, yet the other went straight to the entertainmentpany and


    demanded an outrageous amount. ying hard to get, huh? How intriguing!¡±


    At that, bewilderment manifested on my face. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to feign ignorance. We were once so intimate that we knew each other¡¯s bodies


    inside out, so don¡¯t you think that¡¯s entirely unnecessary?¡±


    Dominic¡¯s shameless remark reminded me of the humiliating scenest night. A sense of mortification


    rose within me, and I snapped into the phone.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! You¡¯re ted to know that my husband is cheating on me, right? And you¡¯re gratified to


    see that my marriage is in shambles, aren¡¯t you? Yes, I owe you because I took the wrong manuscript!


    Indeed, it¡¯s also my fault for keeping mum when I signed the contract! You may take revenge against


    me if you wish to do so, but I¡¯m not ying the game with you. Just do whatever you want!¡±


    My voice was hoarse and shaky, brimming with a sense of helpless despair. I was just about to hang up


    after shouting at him when his terse voice drifted out of the phone.


    ¡°What happened? Don¡¯t tell me he terrorized you when you confronted him after watching the video?¡±


    Tears streamed down my face as I recalled the protective and domineering Dominic from five years


    ago.


    Once, he couldn¡¯t bear to see me suffer the slightest hurt. No matter who bullied me, he¡¯ll charge over


    like a ferocious lion and stand up for me. Now, however, he¡¯s among those who are bullying me!


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! Besides, aren¡¯t you terrorizing me as well? I hate you!¡±


    I hung up on him with a beep before curling up on the couch and bawled my heart out. When I calmed


    down, I registered the words he said on the phone.


    Julius actually asked the entertainmentpany for money? But how did he know that I received an


    offer for the copyright?Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Chapter 9 A Confrontation With Coraline


    Enduring the pain, I propped myself up from the couch. No matter what, I¡¯m not going to allow him to


    do as he pleases. Even if we were still a loving couple, I wouldn¡¯t allow him to interfere in my work,


    much less when our rtionship is now in tatters.


    After washing my face, I changed. While I was still contemting how I should conceal the scratches


    on my face and neck with makeup, loud pounding sounded at the door.


    Through the peephole, I saw my mother-inw, Coraline Zelinsky. All at once, trepidation surged within


    me. Ugh! She¡¯s definitely not here for any good reason, considering the suddenness of her visit. Yet, I


    couldn¡¯t ignore her.


    Having no other choice, I slowly opened the door. Before I could even greet her, she pped me hard


    across the face. My ears buzzed at the strike as though a bee was flitting around me.


    ¡°Give my son his eye back, you b*tch!¡±


    ¡°Coraline, I¡­¡±


    Before I had even finished speaking, she charged forward and grabbed my hair, cursing me out


    aggressively.


    ¡°Julius is still receiving treatment in the hospital, yet you came home to sleep! How nice! You don¡¯t care


    about him at all, huh? You¡¯re such an ungrateful b*tch!¡±


    ¡°Coraline, can you please be reasonable? Not only did your son fool around with another woman


    behind my back, but he even brought her home! I did nothing wrong!¡±


    Irritation swamped me as she continued yanking at my hair. After breaking free from her grip, my scalp


    smarted so badly that I felt as though it was going to tear.


    ¡°Fool around? Hah! You speak as though you¡¯re oh-so-pure. What right do you have to condemn Julius


    when you¡¯re not even a virgin on your wedding night? It¡¯s already merciful of him that he didn¡¯t divorce


    you after finding out that you¡¯re such a sl*t. Now, he merely went out for somefort, yet you dare to


    kick up such a fuss?¡±


    I finally knew why the reason for Julius¡¯ questionable morals. Sure enough, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far


    from the tree! But that aside, I never thought that he¡¯d actually tell his mother about our marital issues!


    How abhorrent!


    I was so livid that I didn¡¯t want to yak with her anymore. Just when I was nning to m the door in


    her face, she clutched at my clothes while standing by the door fiercely as though having discerned my


    intention.


    A momentter, she abruptly screeched.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re really something else, Liliana! Sure enough, you¡¯re cheating on Julius with another man!¡±


    As I looked down, I glimpsed the bruises from my scuffle with Juliusst night, marring my skin under


    my clothes.


    What a lunatic! I rolled my eyes at her. ¡°This isn¡¯t the evidence of me having an affair out there. Open


    your eyes and look carefully. This is the evidence of your son roughing me up after bringing his


    mistress home. So you want to kick up a fuss, huh? I¡¯ll y along with you!¡±


    Coraline had always been a shrew. As she single-handedly raised Julius, she pampered him greatly


    and would forever side with him regardless of whether he was in the right or otherwise.


    Back then, my greatest worry about this marriage was the fact that I would have such a mother-inw.


    Butter, I thought that everything would be fine as long as I didn¡¯t provoke her.


    But from the look of things now, I was really too naive then!


    Upon hearing that, Coraline was startled for a moment since that possibility probably never crossed her


    mind. In the next second, she hastily slipped her mask back in ce and glowered at me in disdain.


    ¡°This is nothing. Look at my son¡¯s eye! I¡¯ve never seen such a ruthless woman like you who¡¯d poke out


    her own man¡¯s eye! What exactly are you plotting? So, you were eager to bag my son when you saw


    that he came back from abroad, but you¡¯re now disdaining him after having gotten yourself some rich


    man? I¡¯ve seen brazen women, but never one as shameless as you! You¡¯re obviously a b*tch whose


    family never taught you any manners!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I snapped at longst. I don¡¯t care if she castigates me, but not my family! Thus, I


    snarled, ¡°The video of your son getting it on with another woman in the car is now in my hands, so


    you¡¯d better not anger me!¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Chapter 10 The Fallout


    No matter how aggressive Coraline was, she was still a housewife at the end of the day, so she gulped


    at my threat. But in the next moment, she grabbed me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! You¡¯ve got to take responsibility when my son has suffered such great indignation, and his


    eye is even injured! Come with me to the hospital right away! You¡¯re going to pay the hospital bill and


    not a cent less at that!¡±


    Her shrill voice drew the neighbors over, and I heard a lot of vilements from them.


    It just happened that I was nning to go to the hospital to confront Julius about how he knew about


    the offer for my copyright, so I readily agreed.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The moment I pushed open the ward door when we arrived at the hospital, Coraline started wailing as


    though she had lost her son, tears pouring down her face at will without the slightest warning. In fact,


    even an actress might lose to her.


    ¡°Oh, my poor son! Can you still see me when you¡¯re so badly injured? I¡¯ve brought your cruel wife here,


    and we¡¯ll have herpensate you today!¡±


    Julius was lying on the bed with one eye securely bandaged. How nice if it¡¯s a ck bandage. I can just


    add a few strokes, and he¡¯ll appear just like a cyclops!


    For some odd reason, Julius wasn¡¯t bothered though I kept silent. His expression was as calm as ever,


    but his uninjured eye glinted. ¡°Darling, there are no overnight grudges between couples, no? I was also


    at fault yesterday, so I apologize. Are you okay?¡±


    Perhaps his attitude was too bizarre that Coraline got up in arms before I had even reacted.


    ¡°Julius, have you been gotten your wires crossed from her blow? Why are you showing concern for


    her? It was her who injured you, causing you to be in pain now! She may not appreciate it at all even if


    you¡¯re considerate of her now!¡±


    Chuckling, Julius took his mother¡¯s hand and patted it lightly. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t involve yourself in our


    matters, okay? It was just a squabble, and arguments aremon between couples. As long as we


    love each other, all that isn¡¯t a problem. Don¡¯t you agree, Liliana?¡±


    As he spoke, the pieces of the puzzle slotted into ce. Haha, this is all a show for my


    copyright! Sneering, I strode forward and pinned my gaze on him.


    ¡°How did you know about the offer for my copyright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, your editor, Shannon, phoned youst night. Since you didn¡¯t answer, she rang me up instead.


    We¡¯re a family, after all, so who else would she notify if not me?¡±


    Ah, so it was Shannon. I fell asleep curled up on the sofast night, so I indeed didn¡¯t hear my phone


    ring.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about copyright, Julius?¡± Coraline hastily inquired when she noticed his strange attitude


    toward me. Ultimately, she was no fool.


    ¡°You have no idea how amazing your daughter-inw is, Mom. An entertainmentpany took an


    interest in heric and offered to buy the copyright from her. I¡¯m just about to discuss the price with


    her, so don¡¯t blindly poke your nose into this.¡±


    At the mention of money, Coraline¡¯s eyes lit up. Her expression shifted so quickly that it was


    comparable to the speed of light. She was promptly all smiles as she rushed over to me.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when it¡¯s such wonderful news, Liliana? If Julius hadn¡¯t received the call, you


    would¡¯ve had such trouble negotiating for a good price with those big bosses.¡±


    I was so nauseated at their hypocritical demeanor that bile rose up my throat. Well, I wonder how nasty


    they¡¯ll be when they learn that I¡¯m not going to sell the copyright.


    Ignoring her, I fish out my cell phone from my handbag. As soon as the call connected, I stared right at


    Julius and drawled, ¡°Shannon, I¡¯m not going to sell the copyright, so please turn thepany down.¡±


    Right when my words fell, Julius sprang out of bed. Coraline reacted swiftly as well, pouncing over to


    snatch the cell phone in my hand. Hurriedly dodging, I pulled open the ward door to sprint out.


    But just after I had opened the door, my leg hit something hard. The pain was so great that tears almost


    escaped my eyes. When I lifted my gaze, the sight of Dominic in his wheelchair greeted me.


    At that moment, his gaze was terrifyingly chilly.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Chapter 11 Malicious Remarks


    I couldn¡¯t cry, especially in front of Dominic, so I sniffled and held my tears at bay. In a curt voice, I


    demanded, ¡°Why are you here? Are you here to see me make a fool of myself?¡±


    However, Dominic didn¡¯t even spare me a single nce. His eyes were fixated behind me. The corners


    of his lips then tilted a fraction, a contemptuous smile ying on his lips.


    ¡°So this is the man you chose? He didn¡¯t seem to be anything special in the video, and I thought he¡¯d


    look better in the flesh, but he¡¯s still as unsightly. It looks like your tastes are rather¡­ dismal, if I might


    say.¡±


    What the hell? Things are tense now, yet he¡¯s still in the mood to insult me?


    Seething, I pressed my lips into a tight line. Before I could retort, Coraline¡¯s shrill voice rang out.


    ¡°Who are you, you damn cripple? You¡¯re just a handicapped man, yet you dare disparage my son? Hah!


    You¡¯re at the wrong ce if you want to show off! I, Coraline Zelinsky, have never been afraid of anyone!


    You¡¯d better scram, or I¡¯ll make it so that you¡¯ll be wholly paralyzed!¡±


    I was initially peeved at Dominic, but when I heard Coraline call him a cripple, anguish flooded me. Once,


    he was admired for his long legs back at university. Not only was he handsome, but he excelled in


    various sports. Now, however¡­ he couldn¡¯t even stand up, and he was even scorned by a shrew such


    as Coraline!


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Seeing red, I geared up to stalk forward and tear into her, but a hand gripped my arm.


    When I nced over my shoulder, Dominic seemingly wasn¡¯t bothered by Coraline¡¯s words at all.


    Instead, he appeared nonchnt.


    ¡°Even a disabled man is better than your useless son. He¡¯s a so-called graduate who returned from


    abroad, yet he only got his position as sales director by bedding some woman. I wonder if his manhood


    will be whittled down by overuse.¡±


    Pfft¡­


    I should be hopping mad to hear my ex-boyfriend insulting my husband, but a giggle escaped me. Damn


    it! What¡¯s up with me? Liliana, this isn¡¯t the time tough!


    Sure enough, my amusement enraged Julius. Shooting daggers from his uninjured eye, he stalked


    toward Dominic menacingly. Seeing that, I quickly stood before Dominic, afraid that Julius would hurt


    him.


    Unexpectedly, Dominic gripped my hand tightly with his long and slender fingers before yanking me


    behind his wheelchair. As I watched Julius swing his fist at him, my pounding heart lodged in my throat.


    All of a sudden, a figure shed before my eyes. On the heels of that, Julius¡¯ cry echoed, and he was


    thrown away. He wailed with his hands mped over his uninjured eye.


    Only then did I notice another man who had appeared out of nowhere. Hey, he¡¯s the person waiting for


    Dominic outside the door that day! Hmm¡­ what¡¯s his name again? Calvin, I think.


    Calvin¡¯s expression remained calm and unruffled as though it wasn¡¯t him who hit Julius earlier. He merely


    stood beside Dominic without saying anything.


    ¡°Oh my God, this is murder! Help! Someone, help! My daughter-inw¡¯s lover wants to kill her husband!¡±


    Coraline wept piteously as she hugged Julius, who was sitting on the floor. Her strident voice


    reverberated around the ward.


    My head throbbed at the scene she was making, and I massaged my temples. Indeed, Dominic had


    gotten me a leg up on her, but the consequences¡­ well, they might be far more troublesome.


    Coraline¡¯s ability to twist the facts was remarkable. She definitely wasn¡¯t easy prey since she was a


    widow who raised her son single-handedly.


    Perhaps cognizant of my worry, Dominic enunciated, ¡°You¡¯d better think twice before you kick up a fuss.


    I¡¯m not your foolish daughter-inw who¡¯d take every abuse you dish out. Since you¡¯re alleging murder,


    I¡¯ll grant you your wish!¡±


    I was inwardly cursing him out for snubbing me, but his next remark stunned me. Is he for real? Is he


    serious aboutmitting murder because of someone like Julius? Is he dumb or what?


    Frantic, I grabbed his hand. But before I could dissuade him, he swept his gaze over me. ¡°Why, are you


    distressed on his behalf?¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Chapter 12 Do You Regret It


    Me, distressed? Hah! As if! Has he taken leave of his senses?


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, you dumb*ss!¡±


    After blurting that out to Dominic, my gaze met his smirking gaze. In an instant, regret deluged


    me. Great! That¡¯s just great! I was really off my rocker to show concern for another man right in front of


    my husband!


    ¡°Tsk-tsk¡­ Sure enough, you¡¯re a sl*t, Liliana Zti! You could¡¯ve had a good life with your husband, yet


    you had to fool around with a cripple! What do you have to say now that I¡¯ve caught you red-handed? I¡¯ll


    tell you what, you¡¯ve got to pay for my son¡¯s medical expenses and the damages you wrought by having


    an affair!¡±


    Coraline shot forward, almost poking me in the face with her condemning finger. Out of the blue, Dominic


    shifted his wheelchair. The culprit that had clipped me earlier smacked against her, the crippling pain


    making her wail aloud.


    Upon seeing that his mother was injured, Julius could no longer be a coward and keep silent. He


    staggered to his feet. Despite his lingering fear of Calvin, he bit the bullet and rushed forward.


    To my surprise, he didn¡¯t charge at us but helped his mother up instead. Then, he turned and cut me a


    murderous re.


    ¡°Just you wait, Liliana! I¡¯ll show you what true ruination means. You love drawingics, no? In that


    case, don¡¯t even dream of ever doing that again for the rest of your life!¡±


    I understood his meaning at once. He¡¯s probably threatening to expose me for having stolen someone¡¯s


    work¡­


    With that, I nced down at Dominic, but I remained exceedingly calm since it was something I owed


    him in the first ce, and a reckoning was inevitable.


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m no one important, so it doesn¡¯t matter even if I never drawics again. It¡¯s just a


    change of profession, no big deal. However, our marriage hase to an end, Julius. I¡¯ll see you at City


    Hall when you¡¯re discharged from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams! It¡¯s fine if you want a divorce, but you¡¯ve got to pay my losses in full. You¡¯ll never be rid


    of me if you give me even a cent less. I¡¯m not going to allow you both to live happily for nothing!¡±


    My mild temper was on the brink of being obliterated by Julius¡¯ shamelessness. Jeez, has he forgotten


    everything that happenedst night? How dare he condemn me for having an affair now and demand


    compensation? Argh! I really can¡¯t believe his shamelessness!


    ¡°What kind of losses would you have suffered? You were the one who had an affair and hit your wife.


    And what about your offense of ndering an artist?¡±


    At Dominic¡¯s sudden interruption, I gaped at him in astonishment. Didn¡¯t hee back this time to settle


    the score with me? So, why is he now saying that my stealing of his work is nder?


    ¡°Hah! Save it! She told me herself that she took the wrong manuscript but said nothing when her


    manuscript was selected. Therefore, this is a veritable fact that she can¡¯t deny!¡±


    Julius threw Dominic a triumphant look as though nothing scared him since he had dirt on me.


    ¡°Oh, really? Where¡¯s the proof, then? And where¡¯s the original author? Once copyright matters are


    involved, there must be an original author. Can you find the person and have him or her testify against


    Liliana for copyright infringement? If you can¡¯t, this is no more than nder!¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Dominic¡¯s words had Julius dumbfounded. Likewise, I was stunned.


    All at once, I plunged into a turmoil. Everything he¡¯s doing today is to help me, but why would he do so?


    He told me he detested me yesterday and returned to collect the debt I owe him. So, what¡¯s the meaning


    of this?


    ¡°Calvin!¡± Dominic called out faintly.


    The man standing beside him immediately leaned down and wheeled him out the door. Meanwhile, I


    remained rooted to the spot in a daze, but his low and rich voice then sounded behind me.


    ¡°Why are you still standing there? Are you reluctant to leave?¡±


    ¡°Coming¡­¡± I walked out with him in sheer confusion.


    Just after we had gone out the door, Dominic¡¯s wheelchair came to a stop.


    ¡°Do you regret it? Do you regret dumping me and finding such a worthless piece of trash?¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Chapter 13 Personal Caregiver


    Do I regret it? That¡¯s a question I¡¯ve asked myself countless times back then. Yet, I never had an answer,


    for there is no turning back regardless of my sentiments. I took his manuscript, but he¡­


    Thus, I lowered my eyes and forced a faint smile. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to regret. Few women are so lucky


    to never meet a scumbag in their lives.¡±


    At that, Dominic arched a brow. ¡°Am I included in the list scumbags in your life?¡±


    I was taken aback for a moment, having never expected him to toss me such an incendiary question.


    Pursing my lips, I chuckled. ¡°Take a guess.¡±


    ¡°Well, you take a guess on whether I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    After saying that, Dominic shifted the wheel of his wheelchair. Seeing that, Calvin promptly stepped


    forward and wheeled him. Meanwhile, I rolled my eyes in exasperation and trailed behind them.


    I was going to bid Dominic farewell after exiting the hospital, but Calvin blocked my path. I had seen him


    send Julius flying with a single move, so I cowardly shouted at Dominic.


    ¡°Hey! What else do you want from me?¡±


    I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Calvin wouldn¡¯t block my path without Dominic¡¯s instructions, so


    I naturally had to confront the real culprit instead.


    By then, Dominic was already seated in the car. Winding down the car window, he sely cast a nce


    at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why I came to the hospital today?¡±


    For a moment, I was stunned before asking, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think a cripple came to the hospital?¡±


    Upon hearing his slightly mncholic tone, my heart clenched. Gah! Why on earth did I mention that? He


    must havee to the hospital to seek treatment, considering the condition of his legs. Yet, I still asked


    him such an idiotic question!


    ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll give you a lift, and also¡­ let¡¯s discuss how you¡¯ll be paying your debt.¡±


    Um¡­ I guess I can¡¯t decline that since I owe him.


    Dourly opening the car door, I slipped in. After I had gotten into the car, Calvin settled into the driver¡¯s


    seat and started the car.


    I tried my best to wedge myself against the window and maintain a distance from Dominic. Regardless of


    my circumstances with Julius right then, I was a married woman before the divorce, so I didn¡¯t want a


    whiff of a rumor.


    ¡°My proposal yesterday is still valid. Have you changed your mind?¡±


    Dominic finally spoke after a long silence. The subject, however, had my face instantly flushing bright


    red. What kind of rotten proposal was that? He has an interest in my body and is waiting for me in bed?


    Would I possibly consider that for real? Besides, Calvin is here, yet he¡¯s not at all bothered. His boldness


    has truly grown by leaps and bounds in the few years we¡¯ve been apart.


    ¡°In your dreams! I¡¯ll never agree to that!¡± I rebuffed without turning to look at him.


    ¡°Really? Don¡¯t forget that your husband currently has dirt on you. Say, if he tracks me down, should I


    agree to testify or feign amnesia?¡±


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    My head snapped to the side, and I gaped at him in shock. Wasn¡¯t he helping me earlier? Why did he


    suddenly do a one-eighty?


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me with widened eyes as though I¡¯m picking on you. Ah, all creditors nowadays are


    always the jerks, while debtors are the big bosses¡­ I don¡¯t even know how life will be for a disabled


    person like me, so how would I dare hope that someone would repay me a debt?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The misery behind his words almost had my teeth chattering. I knew full well that it was deliberate on his


    part, but at the thought of his legs, anguish and dejection suffused me.


    ¡°Ask for anything else besides that, and I¡¯ll do my best to amodate you,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Deal! I¡¯m not a difficult person, and you can see my current state for yourself. While Calvin is my


    executive assistant, he¡¯s still a man, so he doesn¡¯t know how to take care of me most of the time. Hence,


    you can move into my ce and be my personal caregiver.¡±


    At that, I lifted my head nkly with bafflement etched on my face.


    Huh? His personal caregiver?

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Chapter 14 epting Her Fate


    Although I had no inkling where Dominic had been in the past few years or how he had been doing, he


    did not seem so destitute that he hadn¡¯t the money to hire a caregiver, what with his luxurious car and


    having an executive assistant.


    A sliver of regret crept into me at my rash words earlier. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t shake off the


    feeling that he had dug a trap and was just waiting for me to fall into it.


    ¡°Are you going back on your word now? Weren¡¯t you the one who said you¡¯d do your best to


    amodate me? I¡¯m just asking you to take care of me, yet you can¡¯t even do such a simple thing?


    Liliana, are you really sincere in apologizing and making amends?¡± Dominic finally spat coldly when I


    hesitated for too long without saying anything.


    Anxiously stealing a gander at him, I saw that his cheeks were now puffed up against his chiseled


    countenance.


    Even if I know that it¡¯s a trap, how can I decline when both of us have said as much? In fact, isn¡¯t there a


    saying that goes like this¡ªcurses, like chickens,e home to roost?


    ¡°Alright, I agree. But let me make it clear that I¡¯ll only be taking care of you. There¡¯ll be no monkey


    business!¡±


    ¡°But of course! What monkey business do you have in mind? Did you really think that I¡¯ll use my hands


    and mouth on you?¡±


    What the hell? Ugh! How I wish to clobber him! Truly, I¡¯ve never met anyone with a more seriousck of


    filter than him. Ah, forget it! My brain cells are all going to die off if I stay with him much longer.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Subsequently, I morosely muttered, ¡°Drop me off at my parents¡¯ ce in Dellmoor. I miss them.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it makes sense that you¡¯ve got to tell them about your divorce since it¡¯s such a serious matter.¡±


    Huh¡­ Is he perchance a mind reader? Indeed, I was going home to feel my parents out since I wasn¡¯t


    certain whether they would be able to take it when I was asking for a divorce just after being married for


    half a year.


    But speaking of being a mind reader, it was even more apt about the taciturn Calvin. Just from our


    conversation, he drove me right up to my parents¡¯ house without fail.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be starting your duties tomorrow. I¡¯ll have Calvin pick you up.¡±


    Dominic left after saying that, giving me no opportunity to decline. Sighing, I went upstairs. Throughout it


    all, I kept racking my brain on how I should broach the subject of my divorce with my parents when I


    arrived home.


    After all, they were both lecturers. Though they were highly educated, their thoughts remained as


    antiquated as millennia ago.


    Everyone else supported change and freedom in love, but they held fast to the ssic principle of dating


    for the express purpose of getting married.


    While my thoughts drifted, I had unknowingly reached the door. But at the thought that they might


    reprimand meter, I wavered, for their lecture could truly bore me to tears.


    Mustering all my courage, I knocked on the door. It was my mother who opened the door, and she froze


    for a moment at the sight of me.


    Then, she peered at the corridor behind me before asking, ¡°Where¡¯s Julius? Didn¡¯t hee with you?¡±


    Panicked, I stammered, ¡°No¡­ He¡¯s in the office, working.¡±


    I didn¡¯t bring any luggage since it was ast-minute decision toe over, so my mother didn¡¯t suspect


    anything. The moment she turned back around, she started chattering.


    ¡°Your father is reading in the room, so keep it down. Why did youe back out of the blue? Don¡¯t tell


    me you fought with Julius?¡±


    Saying nothing, I plopped down onto the couch and turned on the television. Truth be told, nothing


    registered to me. Soon, my father came out of the room. When he spotted me, his expression turned


    unweing as though having seen someone who shouldn¡¯t be there.


    Well, well¡­ Sure enough, a daughter who¡¯s married is no longer part of the family. My father had married


    me off, so it seemed to me like he didn¡¯t even want me as a daughter anymore.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to lecture you, Liliana, but you should really change that obstinate temper of yours.


    Julius is really quite good-natured since he can tolerate you. If you had a row with him, just go home


    instead ofing back every so often. What will our neighbors say of you when they see you showing


    up so frequently?¡±


    That was my mother¡ªshe always advocated reconciliation rather than separation. As soon as my father


    heard that I quarreled with Julius, he immediately got into a tizzy.


    ¡°What? The two of you had a row? No wonder you came back. Well, I¡¯d advise you to go home after


    dinner so that Julius isn¡¯t worried.¡±


    Ah, I just knew that they would say this since Julius is a good man in their eyes. Even I had been


    deceived for a year. But little do they know that it was all an act of his!


    Steeling my resolve, I gritted my teeth and inquired tentatively, ¡°Mom, Dad, what if I were to divorce


    Julius? Would you both agree?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Chapter 15 Divorce Vetoed


    ¡°What did you just say? You want to divorce Julius?¡±


    My father¡¯s voice abruptly rose several decibels, drowning out thetter part of my utterance.


    ¡°Lili, did you cheat on Julius?¡±


    I gaped at my father in shock. What? How could he think that? I¡¯m his biological daughter! Why are they


    siding with Julius instead? Don¡¯t they need to think about me? And do I have no reason toe back


    home just because I¡¯m married?


    With my head hung low, I glumly asked, ¡°Why must it be my fault? Did you never consider that it¡¯s Julius¡¯


    transgression?¡±


    At the side, my mother regarded me dubiously. ¡°So, what exactly did he do that you¡¯d go so far as to


    divorce him?¡±


    What exactly did he do? I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it.


    Honestly speaking, the indecent scenes in Julius¡¯ video still lingered in my mind. At a loss for words, I


    heaved a sigh.


    Right then, my father started lecturing me again.


    ¡°Tell me, how could the two of you divorce when you¡¯ve only been married for half a year? You¡¯ll be the


    laughing stock of the century, and the Zti family will be humiliated!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Lili,¡± my mother seconded earnestly. ¡°Say, why do you want to talk about divorce when


    everything has been fine? Not only is Julius mature, but he¡¯s also gentlemanly and considerate. On the


    whole, his personality is pretty sterling. Most importantly, he¡¯s a good match in terms of social status. It¡¯s


    not easy to find such a man nowadays. Just listen to me and go home right away. He doesn¡¯t have it


    easy either, so you should be considerate of him as his wife¡­¡±


    ¡°I got it, Mom.¡±


    I propped a hand against my forehead as the veins at my temple throbbed.


    It was in as day from their stance that they were against my divorce, but my mind was set. As such, I


    could only keep them in the dark for the time being.


    After staying for dinner, I fibbed and said that I was going home. When I got downstairs, I hailed a taxi


    and went straight to a hotel. Checking in hastily, I then settled into a hotel room.


    I would never again return to that so-called house. At most, I would find some time to go back and pack


    my luggage.


    After taking a brief shower in the bathroom, I came out in a towel, my hair dripping wet. Just when I was


    about to call room service for a blow-dryer, my cell phone rang.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    As I nced at the caller ID, Julius¡¯ name greeted me. Ugh! Is he nning to hound me?


    Swiping a finger across the screen, I answered the call. In the next moment, Julius¡¯nguid voice drifted


    out of the phone.


    ¡°Have you made up your mind, Darling? Are you selling the copyright or not?¡±


    Hearing that, I curled my lips in exasperation. ¡°I think you have Alzheimer¡¯s, Julius, and it¡¯s getting worse.


    I don¡¯t think you need to be in a hurry to get discharged since you should also consult a neurologist. I¡¯ll


    repeat this once more¡ªI¡¯m not going to sell the copyright. So, don¡¯t even dream of getting a single


    penny from me!¡±


    Surprisingly, Julius wasn¡¯t enraged by my words. Instead, heughed. But hisughter was so sinister


    that my heart clenched.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try me, Liliana. As I said, you¡¯ve got to sell the copyright and give me the money if you want a


    divorce. Then, we can discuss everything nicely. Otherwise¡­ not only will I oppose the divorce, but I¡¯ll


    also smear your family¡¯s reputation by telling everyone that you weren¡¯t a virgin at marriage. The entire


    world will know about your promiscuous ways. So, do consider it carefully!¡±


    As my hands balled into fists, my nails dug into my palms. The pain was a constant reminder to remain


    calm instead of acting impulsively.


    But how could I possibly calm down? Argh! He¡¯s just taking advantage of my parents¡¯ traditional views on


    marriage! In their eyes, sex before marriage is a definite no, and it¡¯s tantamount to a cardinal sin¡­


    ¡°Exactly, b*tch! You injured my son¡¯s eye so badly, yet you refused to rpense him! Now, you must


    give him the money for the copyright¡­ Otherwise, I¡¯ll kick up a fuss at your parents¡¯ university. We¡¯ll see


    whether they can still hold their heads up in public!¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Coraline was even more arrogant, threatening me with my parents with


    every single word out of her mouth. I was so incensed that I was seized by the urge to smash my cell


    phone.


    Gah! What should I do now? Should I capitte?

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Chapter 16 Pandering To Dominic


    No, their family is insatiable! Even if I capitte now, they can still seek my parents out and kick up a


    fuss in the future. As such, I definitely can¡¯t give in to them!


    ¡°Julius, I actually want to end things amicably with you. But since you¡¯re now ckmailing me after you


    cheated on me in the first ce, then don¡¯t me me for disregarding our past affections. If you really


    want to go so far, then I¡¯ll y your game by all means!¡±


    Without waiting for a response from him, I hung up on him with a beep and even cklisted his number.


    Hmph! We¡¯ll just see who can hold out longer! Besides, I¡¯ve got Dominic backing me up, no? As long as


    he doesn¡¯t testify, the fact that Imitted copyright theft doesn¡¯t exist. As for the issue of having lost my


    virginity before marriage¡­ Well, I lost it to Dominic anyway, so I¡¯ll just bring him home to meet my


    parents if worsees to worst. No matter what, I¡¯ll never cave in! Therefore, I must curry favor with him


    for now and never offend him.


    After making up my mind, I promptly called room service and asked for a blow-dryer. Quickly drying my


    hair, I then fell into slumber the moment my head hit the pillow. I was resolved to look my best tomorrow


    since the crisis would likely pass if I pander to him and get into his good graces.


    However, my sleep was fitful with countless bizarre dreams that alternated from Julius chasing after me


    with a machete and Dominic pinning me down while urging me to repay the debt I owed him. When I


    woke up, a beam of light filtered in through the window. I touched my forehead, only to find it all sweaty.


    Subsequently, I dragged my tired body to the bathroom and washed up. When I came out after I was


    done, the phone in the room rang.


    Hmm? Logically speaking, no one knows that I¡¯m here. Still, I answered the phone in mystification.


    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Zti. This is Calvin Merchant here. I¡¯m already waiting in the car in front of the


    hotel.¡±


    Calvin¡­ Merchant?


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    That was the first time I heard his voice. It was low and rich, very mellifluous. Uh¡­ The thing is, how did


    he know that I¡¯m here?


    ¡°Um¡­ You¡­ I¡­ No, I mean, this early?¡± I stuttered.


    In the end, I didn¡¯t ask him the question ying in my mind. Perhaps it was because he had been as cold


    as ice the few times I had seen him that I still harbored fear toward him.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell said he¡¯s hungry and requested that you buy him breakfast.¡±


    Upon hearing that, I almost burst a blood vessel. Jeez, he has money and an assistant, yet he¡¯s adamant


    about picking me up so that I can buy him breakfast! Suddenly, I felt that pandering to him wouldn¡¯t be a


    walk in the park. Argh! He¡¯s just an old cunning fox!


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting, Ms. Zti,¡± Calvin reminded coldly when I said nothing for a


    long time.


    At that, I pouted morosely. ¡°Okay, got it. I¡¯lle down right away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting, Ms. Zti.¡± After saying that, Calvin unceremoniously hung up. Meanwhile, I was


    foaming at the mouth.


    I then dourly packed up and left.


    As soon as I walked out of the hotel, my attention was snagged by a ck Maserati right at the entrance.


    Through the car window, I saw Calvin¡¯s expressionless face. When he saw me, he politely inclined his


    head at me.


    At that moment, my eyes almost popped out of my head.


    Dear heavens! This is simply preposterous! He¡¯s actually driving me around in such a luxurious car just


    to buy breakfast from a stall¡­


    Despite my exasperation, I could only open the car door and climb into the car. No sooner had I sat down


    than Calvin spoke.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, Mr. Hartnell asked whether you still remember the pancake stall at the northern gate back


    during your university days.¡±


    The pancake stall at the northern gate?


    All at once, I was stunned speechless. Whoa! I didn¡¯t expect Dominic to remember that. I thought he¡¯d


    long since forgotten about it. After all, who¡¯d still remember the ce where he first met his ex-girlfriend


    after breaking up?


    ¡°I do, but I¡¯m not certain whether it¡¯s still there.¡±


    So what if I remember? Some things can never be recovered when they¡¯re gone. Perhaps the memory


    remains, but time never waits for anyone.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell said when there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. I¡¯ll drive you there.¡±


    Having said that, Calvin started the car. I slowly gazed out the window as our first meeting back then


    shed across my eyes.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Chapter 17 Dine And Dash


    At that time, I was a freshman, while Dominic was a sophomore. He was my senior as well as a


    renowned figure in our university, but he seemed very busy and seldom made an appearance. Thus, I


    had only heard of him but never seen him in person.


    Unexpectedly, a misunderstanding transpired during our very first meeting.


    Initially, I had a date with my roommate at the pancake stall. Knowing that she was alwayste, I ordered


    some snacks while waiting. But even after I had finished eating, there was still no sign of her.


    I didn¡¯t have any money with me back then as I went there right after my lecture, so I frantically phoned


    my roommate time and again. However, she didn¡¯t pick up a single call of mine for some reason.


    When I noticed that the stall owner was eyeing me suspiciously, I was so embarrassed that I didn¡¯t quite


    know what to do. At that precise moment, a figure appeared and nonchntly sat down at my table on


    the chair opposite me.


    Seeing that, the stall owner hurried over. After casting him a look, the stall owner smilinglymented


    on how he had finally arrived after I had been waiting for such a long time before asking for his order.


    Only when I heard his remark did I realize that he mistook the man in front of me as the person I had


    been waiting for. I was just about to wave a hand and counter him when my cell phone dinged with an


    iing message.


    When I opened it, I saw that it was an apology from my roommate. She said that she was having a row


    with her boyfriend then and couldn¡¯t make it, so she told me not to wait for her.


    All at once, my mind went nk. I¡¯ve never once eaten without paying the bill. Am I supposed to dine


    and dash now?


    Panicked, I lifted my eyes and looked at the man across from me. He had his head lowered as he


    perused the menu solemnly. I couldn¡¯t see his countenance, merely his long and slender fingers.


    His fingers were tapered and delicate, making it apparent that he was an artist.


    Gritting my teeth, I steeled my resolve. I got to my feet and muttered, ¡°Uh¡­ You go ahead. I¡¯ll be leaving


    first.¡±


    With a grimace on my face, I spun around and sprinted away without waiting for his reply. Never had I


    run so swiftly, even during my physical education ss usually. I ran hell-bent for leather as though it was


    a 100-meter sprint, panting heavily. It wasn¡¯t until I reached the university entrance did I screech to a


    stop.


    Just when I was sweating profusely and thanking my lucky stars, a figure blocked my path. When I


    looked up, sheer terror struck me that I cried out and copsed onto the ground on my butt.


    What the hell? Can he teleport? How did he get here so quickly?


    He looked down at me condescendingly. The first thing out of his mouth put me on the verge of flipping


    out. ¡°You dared to pull a dine and dash despite your stubby legs, huh? I really admire your courage.¡±


    Getting to my feet glumly, I dipped my head and mumbled, ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I was desperate. I¡¯ll


    return you the money I owe you. Just give me your PayPal ount, and I¡¯ll wire it to you.¡±


    Since I had my head lowered, I naturally couldn¡¯t see his expression. I could only see a pair of legs in my


    line of sight. Jerking my head up in shock, I realized that the man who was a head taller than me had


    come so near that he was an inch away from my face.


    Flustered, I hastily backed away, only to be pinned against the wall.


    ¡°Wow, there¡¯s actually such an advanced way of asking for someone else¡¯s phone number nowadays,


    huh? I¡¯ve learned something new. Actually, there¡¯s no need to go to such trouble. I¡¯ll tell you my dorm


    room number, and you can bring the money over.¡±


    Sh*t! So, I actually pulled a dine and dash on someone from the same university? Gah! Why am I so


    unlucky to be caught? How am I going to show my face in public if word of this gets out?


    ¡°Block C, Room 508. I¡¯m Dominic Hartnell. Don¡¯t forget to pay me back!¡±


    The tall figure turned around and left after saying that. Only then did I realize that he was my legendary


    senior, Dominic. When I wanted to call out to him, he was already long gone.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, Ms. Zti.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Oh, okay. Thank you.¡±


    Calvin¡¯s voice pulled me back from my memories. I swung my gaze at the pancake stall, surprised that it


    was still there.


    I promptly scrambled out of the car and ordered some pancakes for takeaway. Then, I rushed over to


    Dominic¡¯s house. The moment I stepped foot into the house, I was greeted by hisnguid voice. ¡°You


    must have made the pancakes yourself from scratch.¡±


    I was panting, yet he was merely criticizing from the sidelines. Red-hot anger swamped me that I was


    gripped by the urge to throw the pancakes at his face.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Chapter 18 A Deliberate Order


    ¡°Here are your pancakes. Watch out that you don¡¯t get obese eating that many pancakes early in the


    morning!¡± I muttered huffily.


    However, Dominic ignored me entirely. Reaching out, he took the pancakes from me.


    As he swept a cid gaze over me, hemented, ¡°It¡¯s cold. I don¡¯t like eating cold food, but since you


    went so far to buy this, I¡¯ll just eat a few bites for your sake.¡±


    Hah! How shameless!


    Just after a few bites, Dominic suddenly blurted, ¡°I wonder whether I¡¯ll get indigestion from pancakes that


    are a few years overdue.¡±


    I was initially chagrined, but my heart inevitably jolted upon hearing that.


    I understood his meaning. Back then, he didn¡¯t get to eat pancakes because of me, and Iter became


    his girlfriend, so I naturally forgot about the pancakes I owed him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. My stomach is lined with steel. No matter how many years, I¡¯ll continue waiting until I get to eat


    it.¡±


    It was a simple utterance, but my face flushed, and my heartbeat elerated for some inexplicable


    reason. I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he didn¡¯t mean it explicitly. Instead, there seemed to be an


    underlying meaning to it.


    ¡°Oh, how did it go with your parentsst night?¡± The man put down the te. As though he was having


    steak in the restaurant, he didn¡¯t forget to wipe his mouth elegantly after he was done eating.


    Recalling my parents¡¯ reaction, I hung my head and shook it dejectedly.


    ¡°You know how my parents are. They both have antiquated perceptions, so they¡¯d never agree to me


    getting divorced¡­¡±


    I hastily stopped before I had finished speaking as Dominic was staring at me with his profound eyes.


    Damn it! I¡¯ve misspoken again. Back then, my parents considered him their prospective son-inw, but


    we unexpectedly became strangers in the end. And what do I take him for to utter such a remark


    nonchntly as though nothing had ever happened?


    ¡°Indeed, I know how they are. However, your life is yours, not your parents¡¯. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not


    getting a divorce just because they disagree?¡±


    After throwing me a nce, he shifted his wheelchair and gave his back to me. His voice was as


    indifferent as ever.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m getting a divorce! I don¡¯t want to be linked to that scumbag for even a moment longer! But


    I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be quite aplicated process since I¡¯ll need time to persuade both Julius and my


    parents.¡±


    Hmm? Why do I feel as though I¡¯m exining myself to him? What has it got to do with him whether I¡¯m


    getting a divorce? I¡¯m just here to be his caregiver.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough about me. Tell me about my duties as your caregiver. What are my working hours?¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty, so go and get me a ss of water.¡±


    I waited for a long time, yet I didn¡¯t receive a single word in response. Instead, all I got was a blunt


    order. Jeez, does he think he¡¯s all high and mighty just because he¡¯s in a wheelchair?


    Upon seeing that I wasn¡¯t doing his bidding, Dominic looked up and swept his eyes over me. ¡°Do you


    know what a caregiver is? In simple terms, it¡¯s personal care. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not a baby, or I¡¯ll definitely


    have you feed me milk as well.¡±


    Cough, cough¡­ At that, I went to get him some water.


    I only found my way to the kitchen after wandering around with my gaze darting everywhere. I was only


    nursing my anger when I came in earlier, so it wasn¡¯t until then did I realize that the house was incredibly


    huge.


    Not only did the first floor have a massive living room, but there was also a small dining room, followed


    by a kitchen and a lounge at the side. I hadn¡¯t the time for a tour, so I simply took a peek. To my surprise,


    there was even a pool table in there.


    Besides, there was a circr staircase that spiraled up, so there were seemingly two floors. I reckoned


    that the bedrooms and all were upstairs.


    Goodness gracious! This is a luxurious mansion that only exists in the movies! What exactly happened to


    him in the past few years? Did he rob a bank or something? But¡­ how does he go up the stairs to sleep


    every day when he now has limited mobility?


    While my thoughts drifted, I poured a ss of water for the demanding man. Unexpectedly, he refused to


    take it from me, merely staring at me with his head tilted up. I didn¡¯t quite understand his meaning, so my


    mind whirred in an attempt to figure him out.


    In the end, he coolly demanded, ¡°Feed me!¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Chapter 19 Battling It Out


    Excuse me, but do I look as though I¡¯m the kind of person who¡¯d pamper someone else? At that, I


    mmed the ss of water onto the table with a thud. ¡°You can either drink it or leave it! It¡¯s your legs


    that are immobile. Are your hands crippled as well?¡±


    After saying that, regret swamped me for having mentioned his legs. Fortunately, Dominic didn¡¯t seem


    bothered. The corners of his lips lifted casually. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve still got to borate on the meaning of


    a caregiver and a creditor.¡±


    ¡°Here! Drink!¡±


    When his words fell, I picked up the ss of water while gritting my teeth and ced it beside his lips.


    Arching a brow, he lowered his head and took a few gulps of water. ¡°Although your attitude isn¡¯t great, it¡¯s


    passable since I¡¯m not such a particr person anyway.¡±


    Argh! Can I smash the ss against his irritable face?


    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t think about sshing me with the water. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me if you¡¯ve got to bathe


    me.¡±


    Someone just shoot me now¡­


    ¡°By the way, when are you nning to go back and pack your things?¡±


    Switching from one topic to the next, Dominic continued asking me questions. I initially wanted to ignore


    him, but it seemed rather strange to have no conversation between us.


    Hence, I pursed my lips and answered impatiently, ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, you can just wear my clothes if you don¡¯t have a change of clothes tonight.¡±


    After saying that, he contemted for a moment before suggesting, ¡°How about trying them on now? I¡¯ll


    see how they fit you.¡±


    What the hell? Dream on!


    Striding straight up to him, I bent down and leaned forward. Then, I shed him a wicked smile. ¡°Have


    you ever yed bumper car?¡±


    Dominic was taken aback for a moment. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Before he had gathered his wits, I turned the wheelchair handles and pushed him toward the wall.


    When he was about to hit the wall, Dominic finally shouted, ¡°You¡¯re f*cking insane!¡±


    All of a sudden, I turned the wheelchair handles again and pushed him toward the coffee table at the


    side. I was initially nning to bring it to a screeching halt before it truly hit the coffee table, but Dominic


    was so impatient that he was already bracing himself for impact.


    And so, when I brought it to a stop, he flew right out of the wheelchair.


    Oh sh*t, this wasn¡¯t what I intended to do!


    ¡°Liliana Zti!¡± Although I couldn¡¯t see his expression, I could tell that he was seething in anger from


    his voice alone.


    ¡°Haha¡­ I was just demonstrating how the bumper car works in detail. It seems that your intellect is


    lacking, and you really can¡¯t grasp the intricacies of it. I¡¯ll teach you again next time.¡±


    After saying that, I beat a hasty retreat, leaving him roaring behind me. When I saw Calvin with a cold


    expression at the door, fear struck me, and my knees shook. But out of worry for Dominic, I still mustered


    the courage to approach Calvin and ask him to check on Dominic.


    No sooner had I stepped out of the mansion than my cell phone started ringing. When I saw that it was a


    call from my mother, I promptly answered it.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was very noisy on the other end of the phone, the racket sounding as though someone was having a


    row.


    ¡°Lili, tell me honestly whether you cheated on Julius.¡± That was the first thing she said to me as soon as I


    picked up the phone.


    At once, understanding dawned upon me. Good grief! Julius and Coraline truly went to seek my parents


    out! How despicable!


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe their nonsense, Mom! They¡¯re both shameless scoundrels who are trying to ckmail our


    family! You should quickly lodge a police report and kick them out of our house!¡±


    Nheless, my mother didn¡¯t pay my words any mind. She merely hissed repeatedly, ¡°That¡¯s out of my


    control. Anyway, your father is livid, so hurry home!¡±


    When I heard that my father¡¯s temper had red, I immediately hung up and raced out.


    I finally got a taxi and rushed home. When I reached the stairwell, I could already hear the pandemonium


    from my house despite the distance.


    ¡°Look, it was your daughter who wronged me first. She wasn¡¯t a virgin when she married me, and she¡¯s


    still fooling around with another man even after marriage. And look at this¡­ She even injured my eye so


    badly. So, you all should at leastpensate me, no?¡±


    That was Julius¡¯ voice.


    That b*stard!


    I was so enraged that I kicked the door open. ¡°Julius, juste at me if you¡¯re so high and mighty! What


    good is there in taking it out on my family?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Chapter 20 Scam


    Julius turned around in horror when I called out to him. But when he realized nobody was backing him


    up, he snarled at me. ¡°What the f*ck were you shouting for, Liliana? And why¡¯d youe back? Think


    you¡¯re a bigshot now?¡±


    I quickly shoved him away and stood before my father, extending my arms to defend him. ¡°I told you I¡¯m


    not selling the copyright, and you can give up on the money. If you harass us anymore, I¡¯ll call the cops


    on you.¡±


    ¡°Do it then. I¡¯m suing you guys for fraud anyway. Can¡¯t believe a slut like you are the daughter of two


    professors. What a joke. Oh, and your brother is still working on his degree, isn¡¯t he? Say, what if I tell his


    ssmates his sister is nothing but amon whore? I wonder what would happen to him?¡±


    It was then I realized Julius was nothing but a scumbag who would do anything to get his hands on my


    copyright. My father¡¯s face was red with fury, which was bad. He had hypertension, so he mustn¡¯t get


    agitated, but this b*stard came and ruined that.


    Thus, I calmed my father down first and took a deep breath to hold my anger down. ¡°Julius, you¡¯re not


    short of money,¡± I said coolly. ¡°You¡¯re the sales director, so why do you care about the money anyway?¡±


    Julius looked surprised that I was shooting him that question, but heposed himself and shot back at


    me angrily, ¡°Just so you forget, you almost made me blind, so that money goes to my medical fees.


    Besides, you took fifteen thousand from my family as a betrothal gift, and I had to pay for your expenses


    after we¡¯re married. Of course, I¡¯m entitled to your money.¡±


    I knew he was scum, but this must be a new low. First of all, I didn¡¯t even spend a single cent of his


    money after we were married. He ignored me most of the time after our marriage, and I made my own


    money from my work. In other words, he lied, and now he was acting like an entitled Karen.


    To be frank, I was infuriated by his demands, but at the same time, I was amused. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d rather be


    a nun than your wife if I had known your true colors sooner.¡±


    Julius looked at me closely, his gaze filled with nothing but murder and greed. The sight of him made me


    sick, but I held it down.


    ¡°My patience is running thin, but I¡¯m willing to give you some time to think this through. You have a week


    to cough up five hundred grand, or else.¡± He stormed out of my house, mming the door when he left.


    The moment he left, I heaved a sigh of relief and cursed under my breath, ¡°That madman.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Down on your knees!¡± My father roared, and a chill ran down my spine. I kneeled as he told me to, and


    when I looked up at him, his face was red again.


    ¡°Calm down, Dad. Don¡¯t work yourself up over this. It¡¯ll worsen your condition.¡± I tried to hold my dad, but


    he shoved me away. Caught by surprise, I plopped back down on the ground.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! You¡¯ve brought nothing but shame to the family!¡±


    I was shocked that he would yell at me that way, but I stared at him innocently.


    ¡°Tell me, did you make your money from stealing someone else¡¯s work?¡±


    Dammit, Julius even told him about that. That b*stard really went all the way. ¡°This is a


    misunderstanding, Dad¡ª¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding? So you¡¯re saying this is nothing but a rumor? I don¡¯t believe you. Liliana, have you


    forgotten the lessons I¡¯ve drilled into your head? Honesty is the best policy, and now you¡¯ve broken that


    creed.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting out of control. First, you mess around before you get married, and then you cheat on your


    husband? You¡¯ve shamed the family name!¡±


    Wait, I didn¡¯t cheat! Sh*t! Julius lied out of his *ss! But my father was so furious that he started coughing


    violently. Hence, I couldn¡¯t even exin myself to him, or he might wound up in a worse condition. ¡°Calm


    down, Dad.¡± I patted his back.


    ¡°Out! You¡¯re no daughter of mine!¡± He shoved me again, but this time, his words hurt me more than he


    ever did.


    My mother sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening. This is the most humiliating day ever for us, Liliana.¡±


    So that was all they saw me as? A humiliation? I wanted to shout, for everything they had said to me hurt


    like hell.


    ¡°You¡¯d bettere up with a way to salvage the situation. I can¡¯t believe you did this even though you¡¯re


    already a public figure. Never would I have thought that my daughter would be an immoral woman.


    You¡¯re a disgrace and a disappointment! I hope that you¡¯ll reflect on what you¡¯ve done because you¡¯re


    banned froming home until you¡¯ve repented.¡±


    I had already given up all hope when my dad told me that. Julius was the one at fault here, but what did


    my parents do? They med me for bringing shame to the family instead of trying to salvage the


    situation. Honestly, with the way they act, I might as well be an adopted child.


    Tears streamed down my face, but I wiped my tears away. ¡°This isn¡¯t my fault. Why should I shoulder the


    responsibility?¡±


    My father gaped at me, as he never expected me to talk back.


    ¡°I should never have settled in the first ce. I¡¯m already twenty-seven, but yet I married myself off so


    easily because you pressured me into it. All because marryingte is embarrassing to you! All you guys


    ever cared about is your reputation.


    ¡°Because of that, I never told anyone I took the wrongic. I lived ording to your expectations all


    my life. I lived how you wanted me to so I wouldn¡¯t embarrass you. I never had a chance to live life how I


    wanted to, but never again. From now on, I¡¯m going to live how I want to, and I¡¯m telling you, none of this


    is my fault.¡±


    With that, I stormed out of the house, and finally, I let my tears fall freely. I could hear my parents sighing


    behind me, but I didn¡¯t care. I knew my life was a failure, for I lost my family and my marriage in just a


    few days. If I wasn¡¯t careful, I could even lose the career I loved too.


    I couldn¡¯t shake Julius¡¯ threat out of my head. He was someone who¡¯d go through with his threats, so if


    he really were to do it, my family would end up losing out the most.


    At that moment, I could foresee a life of poverty waiting for me if I didn¡¯t settle this. What should I do? He


    wants five hundred grand. How am I supposed to cough up that much money? Why does he want so


    much cash anyway?


    As I was trudging along the streets, somber and crestfallen, it suddenly started raining, and there was


    nowhere I could go. Just then, a ck car slowly stopped beside me.


    The window rolled down, revealing Dominic in the car. As usual, his face was inscrutable, and he told me


    coldly, ¡°Get in.¡±

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Chapter 21 You Are Not A Good Guy Either


    I sniffled, staring at him sadly. It was weird that he showed up here, but at least I wasn¡¯t alone anymore,


    so I went into the car as he told me to.


    However, he didn¡¯t even look at me after I got in. ¡°Drive,¡± Dominic told Calvin.


    Calvin revved the car up right after I settled down, and I looked at Dominic. ¡°Were you following me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. You pulled a prank on me and made a run for it. I¡¯m just here to get my


    employee back.¡±


    Well, he had a point. Dominic was a fierce guy, but at least he was better than that b*stard Julius. Thanks


    to him, I was feeling slightly better, so I stole some nces at him.


    Dominic was still as inscrutable as ever, and he was looking straight ahead. His eyshes were so long


    that I couldn¡¯t help but keep staring at him.


    Then he pointed out my rude behavior without even batting an eye, ¡°Stop staring at me. If you keep this


    up, you¡¯re gonna drool all over in the car.¡±


    His remark enraged me, and I roared at him, forgetting the fact that I was his caregiver. ¡°Can¡¯t even look


    at you? Why did you show your face then? It¡¯s not like I can do anything else other than ogling it.


    Besides, I can ogle whoever I like. It¡¯s none of your business anyway.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is my business. I¡¯m not your boyfriend or anything, so you staring at me makes me


    ufortable. No, to be precise, I feel disgusted.¡±


    Wow, I couldn¡¯t believe he just insulted me right off the bat. Was he like a talk show host or something?


    Damn, I wanted to bite him, but I held my rage down and shifted the topic to his life.


    My gaze turned toward his crotch deliberately and asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    I asked that because I saw him holding his crotch when he crashed into the coffee table. Since it was


    getting out of control at that time, I had to escape.


    His face fell when he heard my question. ¡°Damn you. Do you want it to still hurt?¡±


    Hey, I didn¡¯t say anything. If anything happens, it¡¯s on you. Even so, I apologized, ¡°Sorry for that. It won¡¯t


    happen again, I swear.¡±


    Dominic didn¡¯t ept my apology, so he kept mocking me, ¡°So, chased out of the house, huh? You can¡¯t


    go up against your husband and his mother, not when you¡¯re this weak. I wonder why, though? Did you


    use up all your edge when you dumped me?¡±


    He sounded as cool as a cucumber, but I was hurt by what he said. The breakup wasn¡¯t something I


    would like to mention, so I didn¡¯t understand why he kept mocking me with it. Hey, if it was anyone¡¯s fault,


    it was yours, okay?


    ¡°Stay out of my business and stay in yourne.¡± I looked outside the window, refusing to continue the


    conversation.


    ¡°D¡¯you think I like this? I¡¯m just trying to keep you alive so I can collect my debt.¡±


    ¡°Hah, I won¡¯t die that easily, and I¡¯ll clear my debt. But get off your high horse. You¡¯re the same kind of


    scumbag as he is. The only difference here is your goal.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    At that moment, I was getting more and more frustrated. I just got out of a big fight, and now Dominic


    kept mocking me. Curses. Is fate trying to pull a prank on me?


    Upon that, Dominic was stunned for a moment, then hemented coolly, ¡°Yeah, scumbags live the


    longest, so I guess I¡¯ll keep being one. Can¡¯t let you off that easily, can I?¡±


    Infuriated, I shut my eyes, trying to block his face out of my sight. He was getting insufferable, so I


    wanted to leave right away. ¡°Stop the car!¡±


    Calvin ignored me, of course, so I shot Dominic a re, but all he did was arch an eyebrow. Left with no


    choice, I slumped back against the seat. ¡°Where are you guys taking me to?¡±


    Dominic answered unhesitatingly, ¡°I have an appointment tonight, but my partner got into some trouble,


    so she has to sit this one out. Well, I have to get someone, so that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±


    Huh? Aren¡¯t I just a caregiver? This is way above my pay grade. ¡±No. That¡¯s your problem, not mine,¡± I


    refused.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your permission. You owe me, so you¡¯re in no position to negotiate,¡± he answered


    matter-of-factly.


    That was thest straw. I stared at him angrily, asking, ¡°What do you want? I told you I¡¯d clear your


    name, but you said no. That¡¯s not my fault, so why do you still dwell on it after all this time? Are you a


    man? Just get this over with!¡±


    As soon as I finished, I hurled my phone. ¡°Do you want me to die for you before you¡¯re satisfied?¡±


    Dammit, my luck was as rotten as it could be. Why was everyone threatening me left, right, and center?


    Was I really that much of a pushover? Was that how everyone thought of me? Nothing but a pushover?


    I thought Dominic would fly into a rage after that, but to my surprise, he was still as calm as ever. His


    resting b*tch face was still as annoying as usual too. But that was really weird because he used to be


    someone who loved tough, and he was always happy.


    Fast forward to this day, and Dominic looked like he overdosed on Botox. He had the same expression


    24/7, and I knew if I had to see him every day, I¡¯d probably get depressed.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not going, then forget it. Gxy Corporation¡¯s boss is attending the party tonight, so I was


    going to help you out with your copyright and see if they would give you a bigger cut. But since you¡¯re not


    interested in money, then please get out.¡±


    Hearing that, I froze up for a moment. Yes, he was doing it out of goodwill, but I wasn¡¯t selling my


    copyright anyway, so there was no need to ept his help. I was going to get out, but then I


    remembered Julius¡¯ threat.


    Julius wanted me to cough up five hundred thousand for him, or else he wouldn¡¯t sign the papers, and he


    would harass my family at their workce as well. It seemed like I really needed the money.


    Even if I couldn¡¯t give him five hundred thousand, at the very least, I had to cough up the betrothal gift.


    Eventually, I made a decision. Just when Dominic was about to tell Calvin to stop, I smiled at him.


    ¡°Wait. I can be your partner for the night. No big deal!¡±


    Dominic saw through my acting, and his face fell. He clicked his tongue in disgust, but he said nothing


    more to me. A short whileter, we stopped before a ssy boutique. Calvin then went to take the


    wheelchair in the trunk and helped Dominic up.


    I tugged on his sleeve, whispering concernedly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any money on me, so I can¡¯t afford any


    clothes here. Can I attend the event without a dress?¡±


    Dominic shot me a look of disdain. ¡°What? Do you think you can attend the ball wearing nothing but your


    dolman? This is tacky as hell.¡±


    I quickly looked at my getup, which was a simple one. I was wearing a dolman, a pair of jeans, and a pair


    of sneakers. It was the typical getup of a student.


    He nced at me for a moment, then he ¡°graciously¡± announced, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t waste my time. I¡¯ll buy a


    dress for you, but I¡¯m putting this on your tab.¡±


    Oh God, please no. I have a bad feeling about this. ¡±How am I paying then?¡±


    ¡°Take a guess.¡± He gave me a smile that sent a chill down my spine.


    Crap.


    ¡°Can I say no?¡±


    Upon that, he gazed at me sharply but answered in an eerily calm tone. ¡°You can try.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Chapter 22 No Choice


    Evidently, what Dominic meant was if I didn¡¯t value my life, then I should go ahead and reject him.


    Needless to say, I still wanted to live, but I was also not willing to cooperate. After all, women do not


    think with the bottom half of their bodies. What we had was already in the past, so I couldn¡¯t


    understand why he kept pestering me.


    I could only me myself for being a fool. Being married was one of the worst decisions that I had ever


    made. It not only restricted my freedom but also blinded me. For the past few months, I felt like a bird


    locked up in a cage. If only I loved myself more back then, maybe I wouldn¡¯t have ended up with a


    b*stard like Julius.


    After imagining one hundred and one scenarios of Julius¡¯ death, I suddenly felt a smack at the back of


    my hand.


    Huh? Did Dominic just smack me?


    I innocently rubbed the back of my hand while staring at him, scolding, ¡°Are you crazy? Why did you hit


    me?¡±


    Dominic raised his eyebrows slightly at that, looking all smug but deadly attractive at the same time.


    ¡°Hello, earth to Liliana. Clearly, your heart is somewhere else. Do I even matter to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course you do. But you said so yourself that my heart is somewhere else!¡± Ished back at him. After


    I blurted it out, I realized I shouldn¡¯t have said that. I nced back at him, who was beside me, and I


    could feel the pressure from his gaze.


    ¡°My heart is suffocated by money, so how could I be thinking of anything else?¡±


    I carefully added another sentence to save my previous statement. After seeing disdain on his face, I


    secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, I quickly picked a ck dress and went to the fitting room.


    After putting on the dress, I came out of the fitting room, feeling flustered.


    Since I wasn¡¯t paying attention while picking clothes, I chose a dress that had a huge side split up to my


    thighs. What was worse was that it also had a deep V neck. Great, that¡¯s just great¡ªeverything is out in


    public. You know what? I might as well don¡¯t wear any clothes!


    However, thedy assistant next to me seemed a little worried that I might not buy the dress. Thus, she


    continuously threw praises at my figure andplimented how elegant I looked while wearing the dress.


    Although I did not say anything, it was quite apparent that I liked what I was hearing. After all, I could see


    that stupid grin on my face from the mirrors. After a while, I told her my decision. ¡°I-I¡­ this¡­ I want t-


    this.¡± For some reason, my tongue decided to fail me, and I lost the ability to articte.


    Immediately after I finished speaking, Dominic¡¯s cold voice came in like a bucket of cold water sshed


    onto my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s better not to wear anything than to wear this. Why don¡¯t I just grab a ck robe for you so you can


    run naked at the party instead?¡±


    With my fingers tightly clutching the dress, my face flushed red at his remarks. If you don¡¯t want to buy it,


    then don¡¯t. Why do you have to yell out your snide remarks?


    At that, I waved my hand in anger. ¡°I change my mind; I won¡¯t be getting this anymore. This is obviously


    just a long lingerie robe! What¡¯s the point of having so much fabric that covers nothing?¡±


    After saying that, I realized that I might have seemed a bit too out of ce. Flustered, I raised my head


    and discreetly nced at Dominic. Wait a minute¡­ Is he¡­ughing?


    What the heck? Dominic¡¯s actuallyughing at me?


    Doesn¡¯t he hate me?


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Thus, I blinked a few times and looked at his face again, and it was back to


    the previous aloof expression.


    Seeing that, I was relieved. For a moment, I thought I was seeing things.


    In the end, under Dominic¡¯s request, he chose avender halterneck dress, which screamed elegance


    with the right amount of skin showing.


    I had to admit that he had great taste. The dress hid my insecurities, which was my t-chestedness, and


    at the same time, entuated my shoulders and slender arms. To be honest, I was delighted with the


    outfit.


    After we finished shopping, I went to the said hotel with Dominic. Calvin didn¡¯t follow, though; probably


    because wasn¡¯t used to these kinds of events, so I had to wheel Dominic in myself.


    When we arrived, the dinner party had not started yet, but the hall was already full of celebrities. While


    we were waiting, I saw several familiar faces that often appeared on the screens.


    What kind of dinner party is this? It was very visually pleasing for a person like me, as I usually would not


    pay much attention to the fashionmunity.


    In other words, there were many good-looking men at the dinner party.


    I was always a firm believer in appreciating all types of beauty. And because of that, I loved all stunning


    and clever men.


    That was also the main reason why I could put up with Julius. His appearance stood out among all the


    other men, so I chose to be with him.


    Although everything went downhill with him eventually, my appreciation for gorgeous human beings had


    always stayed the same. It stubbornly stuck with me for twenty-seven years.


    ¡°Be careful not to flood this ce with your dripping saliva. If you like looking around that much, maybe I


    will hammer your eyeballs on the wall so that you can look at handsome men every day.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s voice had always been invigorating. Hence, that sentence alone woke me up from my


    fantasies.


    At the same time, someone walked over, and I happened to know this person as well. He was a good-


    looking young man, and I even binge-watched his television series a while ago.


    He raised his champagne and said gently, ¡°You¡¯re here, Dom. Is this your girlfriend? She¡¯s very cute and


    elegant.¡±


    That guy was really good with words. However, Dominic didn¡¯t seem to like other peopleplimenting


    me, so he just said inly, ¡°She¡¯s my caregiver.¡±


    He even gave me a provocative look after saying that. I red back at him, but he ignored me and


    waved at another man not far away.


    ¡°Yo, James Dalton, since I¡¯m here now, let¡¯s sign the contract right away.¡±


    The man called James Dalton heard Dominic, turned around, and looked at us. His full and thick


    eyebrows made him even more charming that he already was, and he seemed like a talented young


    man.


    When I was still lost in my thoughts, he was already in front of us. Just then, Dominic smacked my hand


    once again, and I yelped in pain.


    ¡°Are you daydreaming? Can¡¯t you see that James is greeting you?¡±


    Feeling aggrieved, I touched the ce where he smacked and glowered at him. To my horror, I realized


    that James was waiting in front of me with his hand extended toward me, so I quickly reached out to


    shake it.


    ¡°Hello Mr. Dalton, I¡¯m Liliana. Nice to meet you.¡±


    James smiled at me, then he teased Dominic.


    ¡°So this is the fabled mischievous little girlfriend you were talking about.¡±


    Um¡­ What?


    Mischievous little girlfriend? So that was how Dominic described me in front of them?


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Before I could gloat about it, Dominic denied everything. ¡°It¡¯s not her. She is just my caregiver. We don¡¯t


    know each other very well either.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± James responded. Instantly, my heart felt like a Titanic that collided with a cier, sinking into the


    depths of the ocean.


    I turned my head and looked to the other side. Then I heard James mention another person¡¯s name. A


    name that felt like a knife stabbing through my heart.


    James asked, ¡°I heard Camille Madison will being back soon. She came back to marry you, right?¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Chapter 23 Were You Jealous


    Camille Madison was a name that haunted me for the longest time.


    I thought that I would never meet her again. But s, who knew she woulde back or even


    intended to marry Dominic.


    A bitter smile formed on my lips upon that. But what was I to say? After all, they were together from the


    very beginning, and it would be weird if they did not end up married.


    I lowered my head to hide the sadness in my eyes with my bangs. However, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t


    enough, so I kept cursing myself in my mind. Liliana, get a hold of yourself, you dummy. You already


    knew what was going to happen five years ago, so why are you even upset?


    But it was easier said than done. My heart throbbed as if it was dripping blood.


    ¡°Yes. Our parents are quite agreeable with each other. I guess it won¡¯t be too long before it happens.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s soft voice exploded in my head like a p of thunder. I was stunned for two seconds, then


    continued to keep my head low.


    All of a sudden, he turned to me and chided, ¡°Hey! Is there money on the floor? Your head is almost


    stuck to your chest, for Pete¡¯s sake¡­ I¡¯m aware of your insecurities about that area, but even if you¡¯re


    ashamed about it, there¡¯s no reason to be that upset.¡±


    I felt like a fool being deliberately dragged around and hurt by Dominic with thousands of knives.


    Although I was quite a heartless person myself, it didn¡¯t mean that I could endure being ridiculed by him


    all the time.


    Upon that thought, my heart clenched in agony.


    Hence, I unapologetically kicked his wheelchair out of spite. And because I was not used to wearing


    heels, I couldn¡¯t control the strength in my legs. Whoosh! In just a split second, that beautiful crystal-


    embellished heels flew off of my feet.


    And it finallynded about five meters away from Dominic, elegantly.


    I stood still with one foot bare, but Dominic¡¯s wheelchair went in circles due to the strength of my kick.


    ¡°Is your leg itching? Or are you having a seizure?¡±


    Despite that, Dominic¡¯s rant did not quell my vigor. Thus, Ished back at him without hesitation, ¡°You


    think it felt good kicking you?¡±


    I lifted my dress while limping toward my other shoe. Many had their eyes on us due to themotion


    earlier, so it made the already awkward journey toward the shoe even more punishing.


    Although I was embarrassed in front of everyone tonight, they didn¡¯t know who I was. So at least I didn¡¯t


    have to protect my image.


    Yet, who would¡¯ve known, at that moment, a female with a charming voice suddenly spoke, ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t


    you Liliana Zti? It¡¯s an honor to see you here!¡±


    Both my hands were upied since I was lifting my dress while wearing the shoe. As I looked up, I saw


    a woman half a head taller than me in a bright red dress standing in front of me.


    She had the kind of face that looked beautiful but easily forgettable after a nce¡ªthe typical oval face


    shape with deep-set almond eyes and a high nose bridge.


    The only slightly more noticeable point about her was her fair and supple skin. Though strangely enough,


    the color on her neck was a few tones darker than the color on her face.


    That had me guessing about her actual skin tone.


    Just as I was scrutinizing her from head to toe, she reached out to me and grabbed my hand.


    ¡°Liliana, my name is Molly Flint, and I¡¯m an actress. I really liked reading yourics. Especially your


    first piece of work, it¡¯s so enjoyable that I couldn¡¯t put it down after I started reading it.¡±


    So there are people among these stars who were actually my readers¡­ I smiled awkwardly, but I truly


    didn¡¯t recognize the woman in front of me. I guessed she must be a small-time actress with no more than


    seven to eight lines. She also had a distinct ent that was quite umon in this industry.


    I forced a polite smile at her. But just as I was about to greet her, she had already released her grasp and


    extended her hand toward Dominic.


    ¡°Are you Mr. Hartnell? Oh my God. You look even better than you were in the photos. I saw your fashion


    show in Paris, and it was beautiful. You¡¯re so talented¡­¡±


    I awkwardly retracted my smile right then. This woman must be using me to get close to Dominic.


    Ah, I guess it¡¯s yet another one of those women. Just that fashion show in Paris, huh?


    I looked at Dominic suspiciously. So he went into fashion design, eh?


    The actress was still introducing herself, but Dominic didn¡¯t seem to be the least bit interested and


    immediately interrupted her.


    ¡°Actress? Why haven¡¯t I seen you before?¡±


    And boy, was that an embarrassing moment. Molly just stood there, not knowing how to react.


    After that, Dominic propelled his wheelchair toward me and said, ¡°What are you still standing here for?


    Let¡¯s go talk about the contract.¡±


    He had ordered me around so casually, so I suddenly thought of Camille. Would he order her about as


    well?


    At that, I turned my face away and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want the money?


    I¡­


    Even though I was a little shaken, I would never back down to someone like him. Therefore, I continued


    to look away, not willing to look at him.


    What¡¯s so great about his face? He¡¯s just a little more good-looking than your Average Joe. But still, he¡¯s


    about to be someone else¡¯s husband soon, so why do I have to worry about him?


    ¡°Liliana, you have three seconds to think about it, or I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll get what you deserve.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s voice was so threatening that it gave me goosebumps all over my body.


    Forget it. I need money, and being nice never worked on me anyway. I guess that¡¯s just how it is now¡­


    Silently following behind James into a private room, I then bowed my head and wheeled Dominic ahead


    while ignoring everyone¡¯s watchful gaze.


    There was already a woman in business attire waiting inside. As soon as we got seated, she handed us


    the contract.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, Gxy Corporation sincerely wants to cooperate with you. Please look at the terms of the


    contract, and see if it is up to your satisfaction. If it¡¯s possible, let¡¯s make it quick so we can start our


    preparations for the next step.¡±


    I nodded and took a look at the contract. When I nced under the column for broadcasting rights, an


    amount of three hundred thousand was written right there. Instantly, my jaw dropped down in surprise.


    ¡°Three hundred thousand?¡±


    Isn¡¯t that too much? Despite that, I was overjoyed.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡±


    After making a fuss, Dominic and James stared at me at the same time.


    ¡°No¡­ No problem! I¡¯m very satisfied!¡±


    To prevent them from changing their minds, I quickly signed wrote my name on it.


    After signing the contract, James left the room. I wanted to stand up and send him off, but Dominic


    stopped me. He grabbed me and pulled me toward him, but I lost my bnce and sat on hisp


    identally.


    The smell of cologne he was wearing made me nostalgic. That alone, apanied by his deep baritone


    voice, was enough to be the best-tasting poison in the world.


    ¡°Lilliana, were you jealous just now?¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24 An Embarrassing Dance Party


    I quickly stood up, but he held me down again. To prevent me from getting away again, he used both of


    his hands to hold me.


    ¡°Dominic, what¡¯s wrong with you. Won¡¯t your thighs hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to feel the pain, but I can¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Those words made me stop struggling immediately. I felt an inexplicable sense of sadness.


    ¡°Tell me. When you suddenly kicked me, was it because you were jealous?¡±


    As Dominic came closer and closer, I suddenly let out augh.


    ¡°Why would I be jealous? You¡¯re not my husband. You can be with whoever you want and marry whoever


    you want. What has it got to do with me?¡±


    Dominic squinted his eyes and inched in even closer. He looked at me for a long time, and then he


    slowly loosened his grip.


    ¡°It seems like you do know your ce after all. Based on your current condition, I would be disgusted if


    you were to be my girlfriend, let alone getting married.¡±


    Those words were quite hurtful. Regardless, our rtionship was only limited to the contract. Moving


    forward, I would only be his caregiver, so I wouldn¡¯t let him drag me into something else ever again.


    Without saying another word, I got up and left with my bag.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Dominic refused to let go of my hand, which made me extremely annoyed. For a moment, I actually


    thought of smashing his head into smithereens with my bag.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±


    I dropped those words on him expressionlessly and nned to leave. However, he didn¡¯t loosen his grip.


    ¡°Which home?¡±


    I was stunned when I heard that. He¡¯s right¡ªI¡¯m his personal caregiver, so where else could I go back


    to?


    Despite that, I was still angry. I looked at him coldly and said, ¡°Even if I am a caregiver, I should have


    time off work! But right now, I don¡¯t even have any of my own time, or would you like me to report you


    what you eat and what you expel every day?¡±


    ¡°If you dare to do it, then I¡¯d read it.¡±


    As always, he had a headstrong attitude. His tone was cold and aloof when he spoke.


    ¡°Come with me to the dance party downstairs. There are a lot of acquaintances today, so it¡¯s not polite to


    leave early.¡±


    Hearing that, I dropped my head and sighed. Fine. It¡¯s inconvenient for him to go about by himself


    anyway.


    After leaving the room, someone came over to talk with Dominic. I stood still beside him and saw an


    elegant-looking woman walking toward him.


    ¡°Dom, would like a dance?¡±


    So she came to hit on him? But she must have terrible vision. Not to be mean, but have you ever seen


    someone in a wheelchair dance?


    I examined the woman thoroughly. Although she didn¡¯t look overwhelmingly beautiful, she was still


    gorgeous. She had big doey eyes that no one could say no to.


    ¡°Are you taunting me?¡±


    As expected, Dominic¡¯s expressions were as cold as ice.


    The woman¡¯s face tightened and showed a look of confusion. ¡°Your legs, are they not¡­¡±


    Before she had the chance to finish, Dominic¡¯s armtched on me and pulled me over to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you


    see that I already have a partner?¡±


    I was dumfounded, but I still forced a smile to her.


    The woman probably felt insulted. She looked at me with a heartbroken expression and ran to one side


    to cry.


    Seriously?


    While I was stunned, Dominic pulled me toward him and handed me a drink. ¡°Do you remember the


    campus sorority meeting in freshman year?¡±


    His deep voice reverberated in my ear, his eyes exceptionally sensual. At that, my thoughts went back to


    exactly nine years ago.


    It was an event organized by our school and several other schools. Everyone had to wear a mask to


    participate. I was just in my freshman year, and without my usual curfew back home, I naturally wouldn¡¯t


    give up the opportunity to participate.


    I remembered that I painted a mask of a little prince on a whim. That night, I found a tall and thin figure in


    the crowd.


    The man was dressed in white and wearing a fox mask. However, his eyes were as clear as the night


    skies.


    Perhaps it was those eyes that drew me to him. Because after that, I was literally hooked. Thus, I


    initiated this friendship, and fortunately for me, he didn¡¯t refuse.


    It wasn¡¯t until we removed the maskster that I found out that the person was Dominic, whom I owed


    some pancakes. It was so awkward that I wanted to bury myself in a hole.


    However, that was also the reason we were here today.


    Upon that thought, I raised my head and looked at Dominic. His profile shone divinely under the lights of


    the dance floor. It looked so beautiful as if it was a moving oil painting.


    His eyes were euphoric; he must be thinking of what happened that night. But immediately after, his eyes


    fell straight on me.


    I could hear myself gulping right at that moment.


    Slowly, his face inched closer. Together with his warm breath, he got closer and closer toward me. When


    he was so close that I could see his long eyshes clearly, I closed my eyes in anticipation.


    Out of nowhere, I heard his voice, full of disgust and contempt. ¡°Your makeup is wearing off, and there¡¯s


    a lump of mucus in the corner of your eyes.¡±


    I¡­


    Damn it. I will definitely get back at him for this. I should¡¯ve just ¡°identally¡± kick his wheelchair right


    now.


    With that, I manifested the energy from my entire being to my foot, calcting how much force I should


    exert for him to get out of my face. However, he turned the handle on his wheelchair and dodged my kick


    as if he had long anticipated my intentions.


    Just like that, I missed my footing and slipped. What followed was a sharp pain radiating from my ankle. I


    looked down toward my foot and realized that not only did I break those beautiful heels, but I also twisted


    my ankle.


    F*ck! That¡¯s just my luck.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I raised my head again, and I saw Dominic looking all suspicious.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    That man still had the audacity to ask me in this nonchnt manner. I wanted tosh out at him, but


    there were too many guests around. Though I wasn¡¯t that famous, I was still a cartoonist, so I needed to


    leave a good impression on the rest.


    Hence, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and say, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just twisted my ankle.¡±


    He lowered his head and nced at my ankle. ¡°Oh, I guess that¡¯s karma?¡±


    You b*stard.


    I cursed secretly. Why didn¡¯t I realize that he was this cunning before? Nine years ago, he resembled a


    harmless rabbit¡ªa man full ofpassion for others. But now¡­ he was like a big bully wolf.


    Fortunately, Dominic stopped and did not continue to fan the mes. He hugged my waist and brought


    me down on hisp. We then went between the bustling crowd on the dance floor and pushed the


    wheelchair out of the lobby toward the hotel entrance.


    As soon as we approached the entrance, Calvin arrived.


    Immediately, I buried my face in Dominic¡¯s arms, feeling embarrassed. A fully-abled person is sitting on


    thep of a disabled person. Ugh¡­ how embarrassing.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re already an embarrassment since the beginning. Get down quickly. How can I get in the car if


    you¡¯re sitting on me?¡±


    Gah! This b*stard never fails to humiliate me. Though I was grumbling inwardly, I still smiled at Calvin


    while limping toward the car.


    The entire ride was silent as soon as we departed. Halfway through the journey, I thought of Dominic¡¯s


    drastic changes over the years and asked, ¡°Dominic, where were you all these years?¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25 Caught In The Act


    ¡°I¡¯ve only thought to ask after five years have passed, but why did you leave?¡± Dominic sneered at me.


    Maybe because I was rather thick-skinned or maybe because I was feeling nostalgic that night, but I


    just leaned back in my seat and sighed softly.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I go. Your memory follows me everywhere.¡±


    I was lost for a long time after the break-up. Thus, I could not think of anything else besides him.


    It had happened around graduation season. At that time, everyone in the dorm was busy with their final


    thesis or job applications. I was the only one who had been wallowing in grief over a heartbreak, so it


    had been painful trying to get through each day.


    Tears pricked my eyes as I recalled that time from five years ago. I lowered my head and let my hair


    hang over my face to hide my sorrow from Dominic.


    Dominic looked away and said nothing. I could not tell if he was mad at me or if he, like me, was just lost


    in his memories.


    Finally, the car pulled to a stop in front of the mansion, and Calvin was the first to get out. He immediately


    readied a wheelchair for Dominic. Calvin was a true gentleman, and like aic book superhero, he was


    always there whenever he was needed.


    I reluctantly got out of the car after Dominic and limped after him. Pain shot through my legs the moment


    I put my weight on it. I instinctively hopped a few steps, and my legs nearly gave out again.


    Fortunately, Calvin was close enough for me to grab onto. Otherwise, I would have toppled to the


    ground.


    Dominic seemed upset by this and said with a sour expression, ¡°Are you an idiot? Why are you prancing


    around in high heels? Are you doing that on purpose just so you could fall into Calvin¡¯s arms?¡±


    Before I had the chance to retort, Calvin had jumped ten feet away from me as if I had the gue.


    Ugh! I wish I could hit Dominic with the pointy end of my heels! I thought to myself angrily.


    When we were all safely inside the house, Calvin politely bade Dominic farewell. I looked up at him,


    wanting to thank him for his help, but he merely threw me a quick nce and turned tail.


    Do I scare him so much?


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Calvin is still a virgin. He¡¯s not for you.¡±


    I red at Dominic and mmed my hand on the coffee table. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not a virgin, and because of that,


    I can¡¯t go home, and my marriage is in shambles! Are you happy now?¡±


    Even so, Dominic refused to be provoked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy indeed. The worst your luck, the happier I


    am.¡±


    ¡°This is all your fault, and yet, nothing has happened to you! Why must I be punished for this?¡± I blurted


    out angrily. My temper red, and I did not think twice about the words spilling from my mouth.


    Upon that, Dominic¡¯s lips twitched. He rolled his wheelchair over to the couch and hoisted himself over.


    Then, he reached up and roughly tugged me down to sit next to him.


    ¡°Well, I can be punished for it too. Would you want that?¡±


    How did he manage to turn this conversation around? What does he even mean by he can be punished


    too? He¡¯s about to be happily married! Hmph, this man¡¯s just rubbing salt into my wound.


    I did not want to speak to him anymore and tried to shove him away, but it was as if his chest muscles


    were made of iron. That man did not budge even an inch, but instead, my fingers ended up hurting.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let me go, or I¡¯ll report you for molesting me!¡±


    ¡°Huh! The police would be more likely to believe it if I were the one reporting you!¡± Dominic retorted.


    Ugh! Forget it. I can¡¯t beat him with words. I turned my head away from him in a huff.


    His breath felt warm on my cheek. It made my skin tingle, and my face flushed red. Luckily, all he did was


    give me a quick squeeze. Then, he hopped back onto his wheelchair and wheeled himself into the


    bathroom.


    After a moment, the sound of running water could be hearding from inside. A memory from long ago


    suddenly surfaced, and I recalled that he had been a clean freak. He could never go to bed without


    taking a shower.


    At that time, I thought that his habits were ridiculous. He was an art major, for crying out loud! How could


    an art major focus on his work if he was so preupied with cleanliness?


    It was because of his clean-freak habits that I had forced him to join a Wilderness Survival Club with me.


    The club had required us to run around a jungle every day. Although it was not as intense as the Bear


    Grylls television show, it was still quite the experience.


    In the daytime, me, Dominic, and the other members of the club would forage in the forest, and when


    night fell, the two of us would squeeze into a tent to talk and sing. It had been an especially happy time.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At that time, Dominic had felt very ufortable going all day without a shower, and he tossed and


    turned each night, trying hard to fall asleep. Meanwhile, I would cuddle up to him and gently coaxed him


    to sleep every night.


    After a week in the Wilderness Survival Club, Dominic had learned to fall asleep even with the smell of


    sweat sticking to his skin.


    Back then, he was so innocent and sweet. The head of our dorm used to call him my ¡°devoted puppy.¡±


    He had really adored and spoiled me in those days.


    But who could have guessed that five years would change Dominic so much. Now, he no longer went a


    day without poking fun at me or insulting me in one way or another.


    How does he even manage to take a shower while in a wheelchair?


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The sound pulled me away from my thoughts. Following that, Dominic rolled out of the bathroom in his


    wheelchair. He was wearing a white bathrobe and had a towel wrapped around his head.


    His face looked much softer at night. He had a slender neck and beneath them, his corbones stood out


    prominently. All that together with the strong lines of his chest and abs under his bathrobe made for a


    delicious sight.


    I squinted, trying to get a closer look at what was beneath his bathrobe, but Dominic tossed a towel at


    my head.


    ¡°Go take a shower,¡± hemanded casually.


    I suddenly realized that I had not yet removed my makeup, and it was true that I needed a hot bath and a


    comforting foot soak. ncing at Dominic, I was worried if he would take this opportunity to ravish me.


    Maybe I¡¯m worrying about nothing¡­ A typical man may make decisions with his other ¡°head,¡± but


    Dominic doesn¡¯t even have a functioning lower half! Satisfied with my own reasoning, I quickly went into


    the bathroom.


    After sshing about in the shower for a while, I came out of the bathroom to find the living room empty


    of Dominic. Did he go upstairs?


    I searched around and found a room at the back of the first floor. I should¡¯ve known! How could he go


    upstairs with a wheelchair? Meanwhile, Dominic was already asleep when I opened the door and peeked


    into the room. He looked so peacefulying in bed.


    For some reason, I felt emboldened and tip-toed closer to his sleeping figure. Standing silently by his


    bedside, I gazed down at the familiar face that I had buried away deep in my heart.


    I really don¡¯t understand how God could be so unfair to treat such a handsome man so kindly. His nose


    is still as perfectly structured as I remembered it to be, and his lips are still so soft¡­


    The years had not left a single trace on Dominic¡¯s face at all. Instead, it had given him an appearance of


    maturity. Looking at him now, he seemed wiser than his years.


    His eyshes were especially bewitching; they were long enough to start a storm if he blinked his eyes


    too hard. My heart stirred as I looked at him.


    I recalled that he slept like the dead, so I reached out my hand and gently caressed his cheek. Following


    the lines of his face, I ran my fingers over his eyes and down the bridge of his nose to his chin.


    As a matter of fact, I had followed this exact route down his face countless times back in university. Now


    that I was doing it again after so many years had passed, my heart started hammering in my chest, and


    my face flushed red.


    As my fingers trailed over his lips, the heat of his breath made my fingers tremble. All of a sudden,


    Dominic¡¯s eyes flew open.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26 The Day Is Over


    My eyes widened in surprise, and I retracted my hand, but Dominic grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto


    him. He hugged me so tightly around my waist that my body was pressed close to his.


    ¡°D-Dominic, I-I was not¡­ This is not what it looks like. I was just trying to get rid of mosquitoes for you,¡±


    I stammered.


    Hearing that, Dominic¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.


    ¡°Oh really? Are you giving them a massage?¡± he retorted.


    I flushed and stuttered an excuse, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t want to wake you. Now that I owe you again, what would you


    have done to me if I had woken you up from your sleep?¡±


    Suddenly, Dominic ran his hand up along my spine from my waist, my skin tingling from his touch.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re very clear on where you stand. Besides owing me for the pancakes, your debts to me


    seem to have grown even more. Besides, I¡¯d helped you sessfully negotiate a contract tonight, so


    shouldn¡¯t you thank me for that?¡±


    ¡°H-how?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, a man and a woman both in bed in this position¡­ What do you think?¡±


    Oh my God! Isn¡¯t the lower half of his body no longer functioning? How could he ask such a shameless


    thing?


    I moved my face as far away from him as I could and tried to wriggle out of his arms but for naught.


    Instead of letting me go, he wrapped his hand around my jaw firmly and squeezed it so hard that I


    thought he would crush my bones with his bare hand.


    ¡°That hurts¡­¡± Iined and cursed him silently.


    However, being the stubborn mule that he was, Dominic ignored me and said, ¡°You used to love being on


    top of me. Are you not attracted to the way I look now? Come on, pleasure me.¡±


    Is he f*cking crazy? I gritted my teeth and wrenched his hand off my chin.


    ¡°Why should I pleasure you? You¡¯re not my husband!¡±


    As soon as he heard that, his face twisted in anger. ¡°It seems you really miss being with that psycho.


    Liliana, you disgust me.¡±


    Did he seriously just say that? Right then, I could not hold back any longer. After all, his hot-and-cold


    attitude was irritating me, and I wasn¡¯t going to back down without putting up a fight.


    ¡°I disgust you? For the record, you¡¯re the one who asked me to be your caregiver! If I had a choice, I


    wouldn¡¯t spend even a minute with you!¡± I yelled.


    Silence ensued as soon as I finished yelling, and it was suffocating. It was so quiet that, in fact, I could


    hear the man breathing in front of me.


    ¡°Get out if you don¡¯t want to be here! Don¡¯t stay in my house any longer!¡± Just as I was regretting my


    outburst, Dominic shouted coldly in reply.


    Any guilt that I was feeling vanished instantly.


    I jumped off his bed and proceeded to the door. But before I could walk out, Dominic caught my wrist


    again.


    ¡°I bought that dress for you, so return it to me.¡±


    Upon that, I rolled my eyes in exasperation. How immature! It¡¯s just one dress! Whatever! I don¡¯t like this


    dress anyway. If he wants me to return it, then I¡¯ll take it off!


    Just as I wanted to rip it off my body, the rational part of me suddenly wondered what I would wear if I


    took off the dress. I then turned to Dominic and stared at him coldly, ¡°Where are my clothes?¡±


    With a smirk on his face, Dominic then spread his arms casually wide and answered, ¡°Well, they were


    dirty, so I threw them away.¡±


    What the hell? He threw away my clothes and won¡¯t let me keep the ones he bought me. Does he want


    me to leave this house naked?


    ¡°What should I wear then, my dear Mr. Hartnell?¡± I asked angrily.


    ¡°How should I know? You can leave naked if you want. I couldn¡¯t care less.¡± He tucked his hands


    comfortably under his head and looked at me eagerly.


    I had never felt such fury in my entire life.


    Ah, forget it! Beggars can¡¯t be choosers. I shouldn¡¯t let him get to me.


    ¡°Where should I sleep?¡± I forced the words through my lips as my head hung in defeat.


    ¡°Aww, so you¡¯re not leaving? Well then, I¡¯ll take you in like the little lost puppy that you are. Tsk-tsk, I


    really am too kind. Anyway, you can sleep in any of the rooms. Pick whichever you like best.¡±


    Without even looking up, I knew from his cocky tone that he was holding back a smile. If he wasn¡¯t in a


    wheelchair, I would have long murdered him!


    ¡°Okay, then, good night.¡±


    I decided to sleep on the second floor to be as far away from him as possible. Any closer and I might


    have nightmares about him.


    After that, Dominic stopped bothering me and did not say anything else. I closed his bedroom door


    behind me and went up to the second floor.


    There were a lot of rooms on that floor, so I simply chose one and opened the door. As soon as I walked


    in, I was stunned. This is the bedroom of my dreams!


    From the color of the walls to the adorable princess-style bed, this room was exactly what I had


    fantasized for the longest time. Although I was no longer a child, I still harbored the fantasy in my heart.


    I happily rushed towards the huge pink bed. It was so soft andfortable, and the sheets smelled


    fresh. I could not wait to roll around the bed all night.


    Feeling tired, I finally slipped into a dream, hugging arge pillow close to me.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Both my body and heart had been hurt badly, and I was exhausted both physically and emotionally.


    Thus, I fell into a deep sleep as soon as I had closed my eye. It would have been a restful sleep if it


    wasn¡¯t for the demon haunting me in my dreams.


    It was as if the demon was sitting on my chest, trying to suffocate me. I tried to peel my eyes open and


    escape the dream, but I was too tired, and I could not wake myself up. Nheless, the demon in my


    dream kept crushing my lungs.


    However, for some reason, it looked a lot like Dominic.


    He annoys me in the daytime and irritates me in my dreams! Ugh! That¡¯s how much I despise him!


    Luckily for me, nothing else unusual happened that night other than that.


    The next morning, I was awakened by a shrill ring. I reached out sleepily for the source of the sound. It


    wasing from the phone sitting on the bedside table.


    I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and picked up the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met a caregiver who needed to be awakened by her employer! I¡¯m hungry. Make me


    breakfast!¡±


    The line then cut abruptly. A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered where I was. Argh¡­ Sh*t! This


    is Dominic¡¯s house, and my life as his caregiver begins now.


    I looked longingly at my big,fortable bed and bade it goodbye bitterly. Then, yawning all the way, I


    went into the bathroom to wash up.


    Dominic was seated on the couch tapping away on hisptop when I finally came downstairs.


    Without a word, I headed straight into the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator to see what I could


    throw together to make for breakfast.


    What the hell? There¡¯s nothing in this fridge but beer! Am I supposed to conjure breakfast out of thin air?

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27 Screwed Up


    ¡°Hey, there isn¡¯t anything in the fridge, so what am I supposed to do?¡± I turned towards the living room


    and yelled.


    Without even looking up from the screen, his slender fingers never stopped typing as if they were


    dancing across the keyboard. However, the words that left his lips the next second were unpleasant.


    ¡°Are you the caregiver, or am I the caregiver? All I care about is the food. You should take care of the


    rest.¡±


    I¡­


    Hearing that, I admitted defeated and decided to leave to get groceries at the supermarket nearby. But I


    looked down and noticed that I was still wearing the dress from yesterday. I would just be digging my


    own grave if I went out like this.


    ¡°Um¡­ Can we skip breakfast today? I want to go home and change.¡±


    As soon as I said that, he mmed hisptop shut and looked up at me, his eyes full of contempt.


    ¡°What? Should I let you go home and put on makeup too? Let me tell you, I have to have breakfast or I¡¯ll


    be having gastric pain. If that happens, you¡¯ll be having an even harder time returning your debt.¡±


    I ignored his sarcastic words as all I could focus on were the words ¡°gastric pain¡± he mentioned. Why


    would he have gastric pain? For all the yearly checkups we had previously, I recalled that he was always


    healthier than me.


    My mind then wandered back to the fridge; there was nothing except bottles of beer in it. Well, how did


    you not die from gastric pain then?


    Right then, a loud knocking came from the door, and I nced at Dominic in confusion. Who could it be


    so early in the morning? It¡­ It can¡¯t be Camille, right?


    ¡°What are you standing around for? Go open the door!¡±


    I red at him upon hearing that. If it weren¡¯t for his legs, I would have thought that he must be ordering


    me around on purpose. Huffing in frustration, I opened the door and saw that it was Calvin, who was


    holding a huge bag in his hands.


    He nodded slightly at the sight of me before turning sideways to squeeze his way through the doorframe,


    keeping as much distance between us as he could.


    I was perplexed to see him do that.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, I¡¯ve brought the things you asked for.¡±


    ¡°Great. Give it to her. Or else she¡¯s going toe up with another excuse to ck off.¡±


    Hearing that, I nced at the bag in Calvin¡¯s hand, and he quickly handed it over to me. I opened the


    bag to look and found a light blue women¡¯s suit.


    Does this mean Dominic had called his assistant early in the morning to prepare this for me?


    My lips twitched and curled into a smile. At least he¡¯s got some conscience.


    ¡°Don¡¯t smile just yet. The money used to buy the suit will be deducted from your pay. Also, I want to have


    my breakfast in half an hour, or you¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡±


    My smile instantly vanished, and I couldn¡¯t even fight back. Annoyed, I ran to the room on the second


    floor to get changed.


    By the time I was finally downstairs, Calvin was nowhere to be seen. I wasn¡¯t sure what Dominic was


    busy with, but I couldn¡¯t care less about him. I left the house after notifying him that I was going out.


    Only when I got out did I realize that there wasn¡¯t a single soul nearby. Besides the mansions and the


    luxury cars speeding along the road, I was the only person walking.


    At that moment, I absolutely despised the rich. What was the point of living in such a high-ss area?


    They were just making life difficult for themselves since there wasn¡¯t even a ce nearby to buy


    anything.


    But it didn¡¯t seem right after I gave it another thought. Normally, people would drive when they go out, so


    why would they think that it wasn¡¯t convenient? Only a working-ss person like me would walk to the


    ce I needed to go.


    I suddenly thought of the half-an-hour time limit Dominic gave me, so I started to run. Ten minutester, I


    finally saw a grocer. I was so happy that I almost ran up to the shopkeeper to give him a kiss.


    With that, I immediately rushed into the grocer and swept a bunch of food products into my basket as


    though I were a tornado. Earlier, I noticed that Dominic¡¯s kitchen was there just as an extra space


    because I could see that he never cooked in it before.


    After paying, I realized that twenty-five minutes had passed. There were only five minutes left, and there


    was no way I could get back in time. I wasn¡¯t afraid of his harsh words but was worried that he would be


    having his gastric pain soon.


    With the bags full of groceries in hand, I quickly ran back to the house. I was panting by the time I


    pushed the door open but was immediately met with Dominic wiping his mouth, with an empty te and


    a cup of milk on the coffee table before him.


    He looked up at me and shook his head in disdain. ¡°Are you some kind of refugee? Why do you look like


    you just went to rob someone?¡±


    Still panting, I let go of the bags I was holding and rushed toward him, thinking to give him a piece of my


    mind. Once I reached where he was, I stomped on the coffee table.


    He shrunk his head unwittingly and stared at me in shock.


    ¡°So what if you¡¯re my creditor? So what if you¡¯re crippled? I was so worried that you would get gastric


    pain from not eating that I ran back here with those bags full of groceries. But look at you. You¡¯re here


    enjoying your breakfast and milk. This is just outrageous!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡ª¡± Dominic was about to say something but was interrupted when I mmed my fist on the table.


    ¡°Yes, I do owe you, and I might not be able to return everything no matter what I do. But I¡¯m human too.


    Is it fun for you to trick me like that? Did you feel satisfied seeing me fooled by you all day long like an


    idiot? Or when I had to bear all your ridicules? Alright, let¡¯s make things clear right this moment. There¡¯s


    a deadline even when it¡¯s a prisoner¡¯s sentence. When do you n to stop making a fool out of me? A


    monthter? Half a year? Or maybe a year? I¡¯ll leave once I¡¯ve returned everything. I don¡¯t even want to


    spend an extra minute with you!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and vented all my frustrations and anger right then. Honestly, I didn¡¯t even


    care what he would do to me after this. All I wanted to do was scold him first.


    ¡°Your stomach won¡¯t be able to stand it if you don¡¯t eat, Mr. Hartnell. I¡ª Oh, you¡¯re back, Ms. Zti.


    Then should I bring both of your breakfast out now?¡±


    My head snapped towards him when I heard Calvin¡¯s voice, and I saw him walking out of the kitchen. He


    took a nce at me in puzzlement before going around me to take the empty te and cup of milk, all


    while trying to keep as much distance between us as possible.


    ¡°Um, Calvin, what¡­¡± I swallowed hard before asking.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s mine. Mr. Hartnell said you¡¯re not familiar with the ce around here, so he told me to go get


    breakfast. But he told me to eat first when I came back and said that he wanted to eat with you. I was


    worried that he would suffer from gastric pain again and was about to urge him to eat a little, but you¡¯re


    back already.¡±


    It was the first time Calvin had said so much to me, but for some reason, I wanted to dig a hole and bury


    myself right then and there.


    With that, I quickly put down my leg as I chanted silently, ¡°You can¡¯t see me. You can¡¯t see me.¡± Then, I


    turned and tried to leave, but a cold voice sounded from behind me.


    ¡°You may go now, Calvin. Head back to the office first. Remember to close the door when you head out.¡±


    I could tell that the man was speaking through gritted teeth, and instantly, the temperature dropped by a


    few degrees. Thinking back to what I said to Dominic earlier, I knew that I would be dead meat soon.


    Calvin seemed to notice that something was wrong, and he left after answering. He even shut the door


    close like he was told as he headed out.


    I¡­


    ¡°You have three seconds to get here.¡±


    His low and cold voice sounded from behind me, and I sighed dejectedly upon hearing it.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28 Torture


    I didn¡¯t want to die too miserably, so I quickly turned to smile at him. ¡°You must be very hungry, Mr.


    Hartnell. Come on, let¡¯s eat¡­¡±


    After that, I couldn¡¯t continue talking anymore because I could feel the fiery wrathing from his


    intense gaze. If he could kill me with just one look, that would be it.


    ¡°One,¡± he started counting down.


    My lips twitched when I knew that I couldn¡¯t avoid it anymore, so I slowly made my way towards him.


    ¡°Are you crippled too? Don¡¯t you know how to walk anymore? Would you know how to roll your way here,


    then?¡±


    Hearing that, I didn¡¯t dare to take my time anymore. After taking two huge strides, I was finally in front of


    him.


    Even so, I did leave some distance between us so that I could run away from him if I needed to.


    Dominic then started to scrutinize me up and down.


    I was starting to feel ufortable under his gaze, so I found the courage to say, ¡°Mr. Hartnell, I was


    wrong, alright? Come on, hurry up and say what you want.¡±


    All I did was scold him earlier. He should have gotten straight to the point. Why did he have to torture me


    like that?


    At that moment, I stopped worrying. After all, I was already in deep sh*t, so there was no point fretting on


    what was about toe.


    ¡°Tell me what you did wrong, and I¡¯ll let it go if I¡¯m satisfied with the answer. Otherwise, both of us will


    have a long talk about it.¡±


    I wanted so much to kick him when I saw the look that said¡ª¡±I¡¯m kind enough to spare you¡±¡ªon his


    face.


    You drama king! I¡¯ve already admitted that I was wrong. What else do you want me to say?


    ¡°Two!¡± My heart thumped when he started counting down again.


    Alright. Whatever you say, boss.


    To make sure that I could satisfy him sooner, I started to talk so that I could clear my name. It didn¡¯t


    matter if it was true or false; words poured out of my mouth the moment I thought of them.


    I was already starting to feel thirsty from all the talking, but he still remained indifferent. He didn¡¯t tell me


    to stop, nor did he say that he was satisfied. All he did was stare at me with an odd smile on his face.


    This damned man!


    Even though I was cursing Dominic in my heart, I said out loud with a smile, ¡°May I know if you¡¯re


    satisfied with what I just said, Mr. Hartnell?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t make up anything else, and my legs were starting to go limp after the intensive run this


    morning.


    My heart thumped loudly as I awaited his answer. After a long moment of silence, he then finally replied,


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Upon hearing that, I heaved a sigh of relief.


    However, before I could even take a break, Dominic said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll go heat up your breakfast now.¡± The food that Calvin bought must have gotten cold


    right now, so it wouldn¡¯t be good for his stomach.


    At that moment, I realized how much of ackey I was being.


    ¡°Who wants to eat that? Didn¡¯t you get groceries already? I¡¯m giving you ten minutes to make


    something.¡±


    Why the hell did you ask Calvin to get you food if you weren¡¯t going to eat then? Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s


    shameful to waste food?


    I red at him when I noticed the subtle smile on his face.


    That a**hole must be gloating, seeing how busy I am.


    Didn¡¯t you say that you would get gastric pain if you¡¯re hungry for too long? Why didn¡¯t you just die from


    the pain then?


    I was still fuming as I went to pick up the bags full of groceries before going into the kitchen reluctantly.


    What can I make in ten minutes? With a frown, I started to dig through the bags.


    I saw a box of waffle mix in one of the bags, and I shouted, ¡°Are waffles okay, Mr. Hartnell?¡±


    It could be made in a few minutes, and it was filling, so it was the perfect food for him.


    Unexpectedly, Dominic answered in disgust, ¡°You¡¯re making something so unhealthy for me?¡±


    I was left speechless at his words. Why don¡¯t you make your own breakfast then?


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut up some fruits for you too,¡± I said through gritted teeth.


    A moment passed before he replied, ¡°Whatever. I doubt that you¡¯re able to make anything good anyway.¡±


    I almost smashed the te I was holding when I heard what he said.


    What is his problem? Would he feel ufortable all over if he kept his snide remarks to himself?


    Frankly speaking, if there was a drug or poison that could cause him to lose his voice, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate


    to use it.


    While grumbling under my breath, I was filled with resentment as I continued to prepare his food. Oh,


    how I wished the fruits that I chopped up were him instead!


    Dominic would also remind me of the time every now and then, and it was getting on my nerves.


    After ten minutes, I was finally done. Then, I ced his breakfast in front of him.


    ¡°Please enjoy, Mr. Hartnell,¡± I said in a ttering manner.


    I stared at him nervously. Even though I knew that he wouldn¡¯t say anything nice, I still looked forward to


    seeing how satisfied he would be.


    My eyes brightened when I saw that he finally started to eat. ¡°Is that alright, Mr. Hartnell?¡±


    He swept a cold nce at me and avoided my question by replying, ¡°Where¡¯s your te of food?¡±


    I was stunned for a moment but quickly answered, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You should go ahead and eat.¡±


    After all, I had lost my appetite after receiving all the snide remarks from him.


    ¡°Go get another te.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what he was trying to do, but I quickly went to get a te just as told.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    To my surprise, he then pushed his te towards me while saying, ¡°Put half of it in yours.¡±


    Huh? What does he mean by that? Did I make too much? I remained standing there as I stared at him,


    dumbfounded at his words.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Your waffles are hard, and they don¡¯t taste good at all. Am I supposed to finish


    all this alone? Hurry up and take half of it.¡±


    My expression turned uglier upon hearing his words.


    Forget about saying something nice; the least he could do is not make me seem so worthless. Hey, I


    worked my a** off for this, okay?


    I huffed in frustration as I took half the portion of the waffles and put it on the empty te while he


    continued to stare at me.


    Whatever. If he¡¯s not grateful, I¡¯ll eat it myself.


    Holding the te, I started to shove the waffles into my mouth.


    Excuse me? How does this not taste good? And how in the world is this ¡°hard?¡± My waffles are the


    epitome of perfection!


    It was obvious he didn¡¯t know how to appreciate it and was trying to pick a bone with me.


    After breakfast, I felt as though all my brain cells were about to die due to my frustration for him.


    As I cleaned up and took the dirty dishes into the kitchen, I heard him giving me instructions on what to


    do again.


    ¡°I need you to clean up the whole house. Use a rag to clean the floors, and I want all the ss in the


    house to be so clean that one can see their reflection on it. Call me when you¡¯re done preparing lunch.


    And don¡¯t even think about cking off. If I catch you doing that, I¡¯m going to deduct half of your sry.¡±


    Once he was done, he wheeled himself back to his room and closed the door with a thud.


    I was too consumed with anger to speak as I put the dirty dishes into the sink.


    What on earth did I do to be tortured like this?


    I felt like I was about to burst from rage soon.


    Now that I was the only one left, I wanted so much to leave everything and run away.


    However, I thought of the threatening words he said earlier, and my courage shrunk.


    In the end, I finally epted my fate and started to follow his orders.


    By noon, I felt as though my back was about to break. I had never done housework like this in my entire


    life.


    After setting the table, I went to his room, but no one answered even when I had knocked on his door for


    a long time.


    I was left confused. Did he fall asleep?

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Chapter 29 A Death Wish


    I knocked on the door, but no one answered.


    Thus, I hesitated for a while before I yelled through the door, ¡°Mr. Hartnell? Dominic, it¡¯s time to have


    some food.¡±


    However, only silence greeted me.


    Could it be that he died in his sleep? Worrying that something untoward would happen, I said, ¡°I¡¯m


    coming in.¡±


    With that, I turned the knob and realized that the door wasn¡¯t locked.


    Once I entered the room, I saw Dominic lying on the bed without a nket.


    Given his eyes were closed, I guessed he was sleeping.


    I came up to him, unsure if I ought to wake him up.


    After all, I was worried that he would reprimand me if I disturbed his sweet dream.


    However, I also remembered that he wanted me to inform him when the food was ready.


    I felt conflicted, thinking that he would scold me regardless of what I did.


    As I observed him up close, I couldn¡¯t help but think that God was unfair.


    I wondered why he didn¡¯t have any wrinkles on his face at his age. Besides, he had even be a


    wealthy bachelor, as if God had given him all the good qualities a man could have.


    As I bent over and lowered my gaze, I gradually realized that something was wrong with Dominic.


    At that moment, he looked pale-faced with sweat all over his forehead.


    Is he sick?


    I then lifted my hand to touch his face, and it was cold as ice.


    Anxious, I kneeled beside the bed to give Dominic a nudge while yelling, ¡°Dominic, wake up. How do you


    feel?¡±


    Fortunately, he was awake after I shouted a few times. I immediately asked if he was feeling unwell.


    A few secondster, he croaked, ¡°Gastric¡­ pain¡­ Pills. I need my pills.¡±


    I jumped up and hastily flipped through the dresser to look for his pills.


    I¡¯m sure he has gastric pain because he had breakfastte. Why didn¡¯t he eat the food that Calvin bought


    for him?


    Ugh¡­ And now, he¡¯s suffering because of it.


    While I was scolding him quietly, I got increasingly nervous because I couldn¡¯t find any pills.


    ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯m going to the living room to find the pills. If there are no pills at home, I¡¯ll go out to buy


    some.¡±


    Knowing that gastric pain could get serious at times, I swiftly returned to the living room to see if I had


    any luck. Yet, I still couldn¡¯t find any pills.


    Meanwhile, Dominic¡¯s face and lips were drained of all color.


    Why didn¡¯t he tell me earlier? I mean, it would¡¯ve gotten worse if I didn¡¯t go into his room.


    ¡°Dominic, let me get you to the hospital now.¡± Judging from how he looked, I reckoned he would still feel


    the pain even after taking pills.


    However, I tried helping him up a few times but to no avail.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stop it. Are you trying to kill me now that I¡¯m sick?¡± Dominic was still harsh to me even though his voice


    was hoarse.


    He still dares to treat me so harshly even when I¡¯m the only one here to help him?


    Doesn¡¯t he know that if I leave him here, he will die and rot, and no one will ever know about it!


    Nheless, I could only curse silently but never execute it. After all, I was already a bundle of nerves.


    ¡°Stay here. I¡¯m going to call an ambnce.¡±


    ¡°Call Calvin.¡± Once he said so, I dialed Calvin¡¯s number instead.


    Calvin arrived quickly. Once I heard the doorbell rang, I dashed toward the door as fast as lightning.


    I was worried that his situation would worsen, for Dominic¡¯s face looked increasingly paler. Besides, he


    refused to go to the hospital no matter how hard I persuaded him.


    Calvin and a gorgeous woman, who had a box in her hand, rushed toward Dominic¡¯s room.


    I was shocked once I realized that she was a doctor. She professionally checked Dominic¡¯s pulse and


    put him on an IV drip.


    Miraculously, Dominic seemed to feel better after only a minute or so. It all felt so surreal to me.


    I stood at the door and asked nervously, ¡°How is he now? Should we take him to the hospital? I mean,


    his face contorted in a grimace of pain just now.¡±


    While packing up her stuff, the doctor said patiently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He¡¯s not going to die anytime


    soon.¡±


    Her reply stunned me instantly. Is this thetest trend of how doctors speak?


    ¡°Ms. Zti, let¡¯s go outside so that Mr. Hartnell can get some rest. He will be fine.¡±


    I felt relieved after hearing it from Calvin.


    After all, Dominic trusted Calvin, and thus he definitely wouldn¡¯t look for an unreliable doctor to treat


    Dominic.


    The three of us exited the room and gently closed the door.


    ¡°Thank you, Calvin. Also¡­ thank you, doctor. Please have a seat. I¡¯ll get you some water.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Zti, you don¡¯t have to. Taking care of Mr. Hartnell is my responsibility,¡± Calvin said from behind.


    Regardless of his responsibility, I had to thank Calvin foring all the way here to help Dominic.


    Besides, I was way more generous than the stingy Dominic.


    After putting two sses of water before them, I gazed at Calvin and said, ¡°You can go ahead if you¡¯re


    busy. I¡¯ll stay here to take care of him.¡±


    Since Dominic asked Calvin to head back to the office this morning, I reckoned he would be rather busy.


    Before Calvin could reply, the female doctor who sat beside him said something that bewildered me.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa! So, you¡¯re the one?¡±


    I looked at her, baffled. ¡°Huh?¡±


    However, she didn¡¯t dwell on it but began to introduce herself. ¡°I¡¯m Yvonne Baker from People¡¯s


    Hospital.¡±


    For some reason, I could feel a very strong auraing from her as I scanned her from head to toe.


    Calvin and Yvonne stayed for a little longer and chatted with me. Before they left, Yvonne asked me to


    prepare some light meals for Dominic when he woke up.


    I nodded in agreement.


    After they left, I went back into Dominic¡¯s room to check up on him.


    Since he was sleeping soundly, I left to attend to my own matters.


    Later that night around eight, Dominic woke up and came out of the room. However, I was working on


    something on myptop and didn¡¯t see him as he came out.


    ¡°Is this how you look after a patient?¡± I was shocked, and my hands shivered the moment he yelled.


    With that, I hastily put down myptop and stood up from the couch.


    ¡°Why did you get up? Wait for me. I¡¯ll get you some chicken soup. Yvonne said you should have some


    light meals since your stomach is quite sensitive now.¡±


    Even though he ignored me, I didn¡¯t want to be that petty to pick a fight with a patient.


    Besides, I guessed he was almost overwhelmed by the pain. Although he looked better now than he was


    in the morning, he was still not spirited and didn¡¯t argue with me like usual. Instead, he returned to his


    bedroom after having his meal.


    As such, the night was tranquil and peaceful.


    Before going to bed, I purposely set the rm to wake up early so that he wouldn¡¯t have breakfastte.


    The next morning, Dominic woke up shortly after I finished preparing breakfast.


    After sitting in front of me, he asked, ¡°Were you worried about me yesterday?¡±


    I stopped stirring the pot upon hearing it. A few secondster, I purposely said, ¡°Yes. After all, there were


    only two of us here yesterday. I can¡¯t bear the responsibility if something terrible happens to you.


    Besides, others might even frame me for killing you. So, I¡¯ve to prevent it from happening at all costs.¡±


    The moment I finished, I heard him mming the table loudly.


    I looked up at him, clearly perplexed. What¡¯s going on?

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30 Favor Of God


    Dominic pulled a long face and said harshly, ¡°You should be nervous and worried because you owe me.¡±


    I gulped down my food but didn¡¯t respond to it.


    Yes, you¡¯re right. So do I have to sell the rest of my life to you?


    Just then, someone knocked on the door. Guessing that it was Calvin, I went to open it.


    After Dominic left with Calvin, I spat in anger at the door. What an unreasonable man!


    I became the punchbag for his escaping fury in these two days.


    It was bad enough with what happened with Julius earlier, and now Dominic also joined the party.


    As I thought about divorcing Julius, I wondered when Gxy Corporation would transfer the money to


    me because we had signed the contract.


    Once I got the money, I would return the betrothal gift to him. If he insisted on giving me trouble, I would


    take legal action against him. After all, I didn¡¯t believe he was that audacious.


    I enjoyed the tranquility, given that Dominic would probablye back tomorrow morning.


    After a while, I grabbed myptop and walked toward the balcony. I saw the recliner yesterday and


    thought I could sit here to enjoy the scenery and the breezy weather.


    After making a ss of fruit juice and putting some snacks next to the recliner, I began drawing my new


    drafts.


    I didn¡¯t spend a lot of time finding new ideas. After all, Shannon and I agreed that I just had to draw like


    usual.


    More importantly, I had to work on something else and couldn¡¯t be Dominic¡¯s caregiver for the rest of my


    life.


    Time flew by when I was drawing. It was almost 1 p.m. when I finally paused to get some rest. Just as I


    expected, Dominic hadn¡¯te home.


    Since I only had some porridge in the morning and overworked myself just now, I was famished.


    As I was thinking about what I could eat, my phone on the balcony rang.


    As such, I returned to the balcony to answer the call.


    Shannon invited me to lunch, saying that she wanted to tell me some good news.


    I agreed to it delightedly. After hanging up the phone, I packed my stuff and left the house.


    Then, I hailed a taxi to head toward a caf¨¦.


    The caf¨¦ was considered our operation base. Besides, we would always visit it when we were free.


    When I arrived, I saw that Shannon was already there while the food was served.


    The boss greeted me warmly upon seeing me. After all, I had be a loyal customer after visiting his


    caf¨¦ many times.


    Once I sat down, I couldn¡¯t wait to try the food and picked up a piece of meat. A momentter, Shannon


    asked, ¡°Liliana, guess what I¡¯m about to tell you?¡±


    She had a secretive smile on her face but still failed to conceal her excitement.


    After gulping down a piece of meat, I immediately picked up another piece and said, ¡°Oh, will you just tell


    me already!¡±


    Shannon pursed her lips and replied, ¡°That¡¯s no fun. Well, someone wishes to ask you to design a poster


    for a movie. Liliana, I think you¡¯re getting more and more popr now.¡±


    Upon hearing it, my first impression was that Shannon could have met a fraud. Nheless, considering


    that Shannon had already been an editor for many years, she could easily differentiate a conspiracy


    scheme.


    Thus, I figured that the chances of Shannon being scammed were extremely slim.


    Still, I stared at her doubtfully and said, ¡°Which movie is that? Did he meet you in person? Is he reliable?


    Besides, I¡¯ve never designed a poster for a movie before.¡±


    Feeling that I was hesitant, Shannon quickly exined the whole thing.


    I grew increasingly excited as I listened to it. Besides the fact that the movie was based on a popr


    fantasy novel, its male and female leads would be A-list celebrities.


    If I epted the job, I would be moving closer to the pinnacle of my life!


    We left the caf¨¦ after enjoying the meal. Before parting ways, Shannon asked me to think about a


    preliminary idea for the movie poster or, even better,e up with a draft for them.


    Deep down inside, I really valued this opportunity. After all, I would have an extra source of ie if my


    work was selected.


    After saying goodbye to Shannon, I made up my mind to work hard on it. As I was waiting for a taxi by


    the roadside, I suddenly received a text message.


    It was something that excited me: Transactionplete.


    I immediately checked the bnce of my bank ount using my phone. Shortly afterward, I was


    delighted to find out that a few digits were added to my bnce.


    Feeling relieved, I looked up at the sky and thanked God for finally favoring me.


    Although it was still working hours, I called Julius right away. I didn¡¯t want to wait any longer since I had


    received the money.


    The earlier I could solve the problem, the more at ease I would feel, after all.


    Since Julius wanted money so much, I was sure that he would agree to meet me.


    Just as I expected, he agreed to it almost instantly. Then, I purposely asked to meet him at a caf¨¦ near


    his office.


    Given its proximity to hispany, Julius dared not do anything to me in the caf¨¦ because he valued


    reputation above everything else.


    Not long after I sat in the corner of the caf¨¦, I saw Juliusing from outside.


    As such, I lifted my hand and gestured for him toe over.


    Before he could even sit down, I asked straightforwardly, ¡°Have you brought the divorce agreement


    along?¡±


    He threw the folder onto the table and gazed at me arrogantly. ¡°Once you transfer me the money, I¡¯ll not


    only sign on the agreement but also have it processed immediately.¡±


    Iughed mockingly upon hearing it.


    Considering that Julius got a high-paying job, I couldn¡¯t understand why he was obsessed with money. In


    fact, I felt that something was off when I asked him previously.


    However, I didn¡¯t ponder over it for long, for we wouldn¡¯t cross each other¡¯s path once we got a divorce.


    ¡°Julius, I can transfer one hundred and fifty thousand, which is what the betrothal gift is worth, to you


    right away on the condition that our rtionship ends today,¡± I said calmly.


    However, Julius suddenly got furious and stood up.


    ¡°What do you mean? One hundred and fifty thousand? Are you paying a beggar? Well, don¡¯t think about


    getting a divorce if you can¡¯t pay me five hundred thousand!¡±


    As he talked loudly, many customers in the caf¨¦ turned their gazes toward us.


    Shortly afterward, I took a sideways nce at him and replied indifferently, ¡°You¡¯d better speak louder to


    let everybody know. Let¡¯s see if you can keep your reputation in yourpany.¡±


    He pulled a long face and sat down upon hearing it.


    Knowing that my tactic worked, I continued, ¡°I¡¯m telling you nicely now. One hundred and fifty thousand,


    take it or leave it. Well, I don¡¯t mind dragging you through the courts if you refuse to ept it. Regardless


    of your decision, I won¡¯t agree to pay you an extra cent.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare threaten me! Find the real author if you¡¯re that great, and we¡¯ll bring this up in court. I can


    sue you for defamation if you can¡¯t get it!¡±


    Julius¡¯ expression darkened, for he probably didn¡¯t think I would be that firm.


    ¡°Are you clinging to a wealthy man now? I mean, it¡¯s the only thing that a b*tch like you can do! Why


    don¡¯t you ask a favor from your crippled lover? Since he¡¯s so rich, I¡¯m sure you can get five hundred


    thousand effortlessly by spreading your legs a few more times. Everything is negotiable as long as you


    agree to pay me.¡±


    My body trembled in anger upon hearing his unpleasant words.


    ¡°Julius, you¡¯re nothing but a foul-mouthed bully. Do you think everyone is as cheap as you? Let¡¯s cut it


    short. I¡¯m paying you one hundred and fifty thousand. Do you ept it or not?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 31 A Failed Negotiation


    The man in front of me stared at me with dissatisfaction and hatred.


    Unperturbed, I stared him back indignantly.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! I don¡¯t want to waste so much time on you. Hurry up and give me an answer.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, you¡ª¡± As soon as Julius spoke, someone called his name.


    A man dressed in a white suit with a name badge and ck trousers came up to us.


    ¡°I wonder why you left the office just now. Anyway, I understand now that you¡¯re on a date. Hello, Mrs.


    Keaton.¡±


    The man looked familiar, for we met during the wedding. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, he was Julius¡¯ colleague,


    and they were close to each other.


    Julius looked displeased when his colleague addressed me as Mrs. Keaton. Right then, I realized he


    hadn¡¯t told others that we were getting a divorce.


    Nheless, it wasn¡¯t a surprise to me. Since our marriage was short-lived, Julius would understandably


    want to save himself from embarrassment.


    After forcing a smile at Julius, I turned to Julius¡¯ colleague and said, ¡°I remember you. Aren¡¯t you


    Brayden?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Keaton¡¯s memory is impressive. I am Brayden.¡± He was delighted because I still remembered him.


    I smiled and continued, ¡°Brayden, please don¡¯t call me Mrs. Keaton from now on. Julius and I¡­¡±


    ¡°Darling!¡± The next moment, Julius yelled aloud on purpose and put his arm on my shoulder.


    Brayden and I were both startled upon that.


    ¡°Brayden, she was saying that you don¡¯t have to be that polite. By the way, why are you here?¡± Julius


    interrupted and deliberately changed the subject of conversation.


    I pulled his arm away and took a step to the side.


    After that, I made a mental note to shower at least three times to get rid of whatever germs transferred


    from Julius¡¯ filthy arm.


    As the two looked at me, they each exhibited a different expression.


    A few secondster, Julius let out an awkward smile. Brayden probably sensed that something was off


    between us and chose not to dwell on it.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to buy a drink. Anyway, I¡¯d better head out to work. You two carry on, then.¡± With that, Brayden


    turned around and left.


    After Brayden left, Julius red at me as though he was preparing to murder me.


    Unperturbed, I pretended to grab my bag, straightened my clothes, and gazed at the entrance. ¡°It


    appears that we can¡¯t make a deal today. Since you¡¯re probably busy, I cane to your office next time


    to talk.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, don¡¯t you dare push your luck!¡± Julius said coldly and gripped my arm.


    However, I wriggled free from him and glowered at him scornfully. ¡°Am I, though? You cheated on me


    first and threatened me afterward. Now that I¡¯m willing to return the betrothal gift to you, why aren¡¯t you


    satisfied? Julius, how can you be that shameless?¡±


    Screw it. There¡¯s no use trying to reason with someone obsessed with money.


    ¡°Just wait for the subpoena issued by the court.¡± With that, I took out some notes from my bag and put


    them on the table. ¡°Here¡¯s the money to pay for my drink. Let¡¯s not take advantage of anyone.¡±


    Then, I ignored Julius¡¯ ferocious gaze and walked toward the entrance right away.


    I took a deep breath as soon as I exited the caf¨¦. At this point, I had no choice but to look for awyer.


    Hence, I scrolled through my contact list, but I soon realized that my friends probably didn¡¯t know any


    lawyers.


    Although Dominic knew goodwyers, I didn¡¯t intend to ask for his favor to avoid being ridiculed by him


    again. Besides, given that he had helped me a lot, I didn¡¯t want to owe him more.


    At that, I decided to visit themercial district on my own. Since there were a lot of office buildings


    there, I thought I could easily find somew firms.


    After arriving at themercial district, I went straight to the well-known Wisteria Building.


    As I entered the lobby on the ground floor, I saw some receptionists and a signboard.


    Without hesitation, I came up to them and asked, ¡°Hi, may I know if there arew firms upstairs? I wish to


    look for a reliablewyer.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Zti?¡± Someone called my name once I finished asking. I turned around and realized that it was


    James, the president of Gxy Corporation.


    ¡°Mr. Dalton, what a coincidence. Are you here for business matters?¡± I greeted him smilingly because he


    was the reason I could settle the scores with Julius.


    James was wealthy and even possessed an entire office building that hispany built on its own.


    Besides, he was rather friendly, unlike Dominic, who always pulled a long face.


    ¡°Yes. Ms. Zti, are you here for business matters as well? Whichpany are you visiting? I know


    this ce quite well if I dare say so myself.¡± James probably could tell that I came here the first time and


    wished to lend me a hand.


    As I didn¡¯t want to trouble him, I replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mr. Dalton, you must be very busy. I can just ask the


    receptionists.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about owing me a favor, there¡¯s no need to. I can get all the favor I need from Dominic


    anyway. Just feel free to tell me where you would like to go.¡±


    What he said made me confirm my decisions even more¡ªI should not seek help from him at all, if ever.


    If James asked for a reward from Dominic just because he helped me, Dominic would most definitely get


    something from me in return!


    In that case, it would be the worst deal ever.


    ¡°Mr. Dalton, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got something to do, so please excuse me.¡±


    I nned to wander outside the building for a while ande back only after he left.


    Much to my surprise, James blocked my way and dragged me to the receptionist counter. Then, he even


    instructed the receptionists to tell him what I asked them.


    Once the receptionists exined that I was looking for aw firm, he said to me smilingly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a


    trivial matter. Why were you hesitant to tell me? Chance and Associatesw firm is on the twenty-


    seventh floor. Let me bring you there.¡±


    Before I could react, he had already dragged me into the elevator.


    As the elevator was rising, I thought I couldn¡¯t escape anymore. Since James rmended thew firm


    to me, I believed theirwyers were top of the line.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°By the way, why were you looking for awyer?¡± James asked curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s personal.¡± I didn¡¯t reveal it to him, for I wasn¡¯t exactly proud of it.


    James nodded in response and didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    After thinking for a while, I asked, ¡°Mr. Dalton, may I know who is the bestwyer in thatw firm?¡±


    ¡°Well, it depends on what kind of troubles you have. Anyway, Benjamin Chance and Mitch Lucas are


    among the topwyers who always win in courts.¡±


    As such, I hoped I could appoint any one of them that James mentioned.


    After the elevator opened, James brought me to the office of Chance and Associates.


    ¡°Why are you here again?¡± A man who wore sses with a metal frame asked James shockingly.


    James pushed me to the front and answered while pointing at me, ¡°I¡¯m bringing a customer to you.


    Besides, she is close to Dominic. So, do as you see fit.¡±


    The next moment, both the man in sses and I were equally startled.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32 Cannot Lose Out


    The bespectacled man scrutinized me in disbelief. Momentster, he asked, ¡°Are you with Dominic?¡±


    I hurriedly denied, ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve got nothing to do with him.¡±


    At that moment, James chimed in, ¡°Just go ahead and resolve her problem. You won¡¯t lose out.¡±


    It¡¯s the same remark again. If everyone is afraid of losing out, will Dominic be taken advantage of? Will


    he hit me in a rage?


    At that, I wanted to back out.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Dalton. I¡­¡±


    He had probably figured out my intention. Pointing at the bespectacled man, he said, ¡°He is Benjamin


    Chance. Whatever the case is, he can definitely tackle it. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to discuss with


    him?¡±


    What a tempting offer! I must win this divorce case with Julius. Otherwise, God knows what excessive


    demands will that jerk make.


    After contemting, I decided to heed James¡¯ advice. I could not be bothered about Dominic at the


    moment. Worsees to worst, I¡¯ll just do a little extra to please him.


    Having made up my mind, I requested, ¡°Mr. Chance, do you have time for a chat?¡±


    Instantly, Benjamin agreed and ushered me into his office. ¡°My room is over here. This way, please.¡±


    I then trailed behind him.


    As soon as the door was shut, we sat opposite each other, and Benjamin asked right away, ¡°How should


    I address you? What¡¯s the case about?¡±


    I briefly introduced myself and shared about Julius.


    After hearing me out, he pondered for a moment. ¡°This isn¡¯t a difficult situation. ording to what you¡¯ve


    told me, your husband is at fault. As long as there¡¯s evidence, I¡¯ll be able to help you divorce him and


    ensure that he doesn¡¯t get a single cent. Also, I can help you im an amount from him to make up for


    your mental distress.¡±


    Instantly, his words and cid demeanor gave me confidence. I do have proof. Does that video count?


    ¡°Mr. Chance, I have a video of him and another woman,¡± I reported honestly.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Did you bring it along?¡±


    Suddenly, it dawned on me that I left Julius¡¯ house without taking anything with me. When I said


    everything, I meant everything¡ªincluding the video.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for an inquiry today, so I didn¡¯t bring it with me. Can I show it to you the next time we meet?¡± I


    must return to the house to obtain that video and pack some of my personal belongings.


    Benjamin nodded in response.


    Since I was determined to let him take charge of my divorce case, I had to pop the question.


    ¡°Mr. Chance, may I know about your attorney fees?¡± I had three hundred thousand with me. It should be


    sufficient¡­ right?


    Unexpectedly, Benjamin waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about money. I¡¯ll ask it from Dominic.¡±


    I was perplexed. Why Dominic? Are Benjamin and James friends of Dominic, or are they enemies?


    No, that¡¯s not the main point. It¡¯s my personal matter, so why should Dominic foot the bill for me?


    ¡°Mr. Chance, my divorce case, as well as my request to have you file awsuit on my behalf, are all my


    private affairs. It¡¯s got nothing to do with Dominic, so I¡¯ll pay for all the legal fees myself. If you refuse to


    take it, I¡¯ll take my leave now and find someone else to do it.


    ¡°I just wanted to emphasize that I¡¯m not rted to Dominic in any way. Please don¡¯t equate me with him.


    Mr. Dalton just had a misunderstanding that¡¯s all.¡±


    I was afraid that there would be no end to this had I not made it crystal clear at this point.


    Benjamin was taken aback by my response. To be honest, I wouldn¡¯t me him as he probably did not


    expect such a big reaction from me. Anyhow, he recollected himself a few secondster.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll exin more about the fees when you bring the video here at your next visit.¡±


    I smiled at his reply.


    After thanking him, I was about to leave the firm but ran into Dominic outside of Benjamin¡¯s office.


    Why is he here?


    Subconsciously, I gazed at James for an answer. He shrugged his shoulders and let out an innocent


    smile.


    Darn it, why did he tattletale? Did Dominic give him any benefits?


    Meanwhile, Dominic was staring daggers at me in his wheelchair.


    All of a sudden, I felt a cold chill down my spine as if I hadmitted something very wrong.


    Bracing myself, I grinned awkwardly. ¡°Hi, Mr. Hartnell, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± he retorted.


    As if I care? Scr*w it, I¡¯m happy to leave anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. Have a good one.¡±


    ¡°Did I say you can go?¡±


    What the hell does he want? I almost could not control my anger. He doesn¡¯t want me to speak, so why


    can¡¯t I just leave?


    Holding back my frustration, I asked through gritted teeth, ¡°May I ask if you have any further instructions


    for me, Mr. Hartnell?¡±


    ¡°Come over here and push the wheelchair. We shall leave together,¡± hemanded nonchntly while


    narrowing his eyes at me.


    Why can¡¯t he just cut to the chase and indicate his intention right from the start?


    Rolling my eyes, I walked toward him and took over the handle.


    The stares from James and Benjamin reminded me of my words to them earlier, that I had nothing to do


    with Dominic. Well, look at me now¡­


    Loss for words, I quickly pushed Dominic out of thew firm.


    Upon entering the elevator, Dominic requested to get to the parking lot in the basement.


    I could easily locate his car under his instructions. Calvin was already there, waiting for us, so I greeted


    him with a nod.


    After driving us home, Calvin left.


    Seeing that it was almost time for dinner, I asked, ¡°Mr. Hartnell, I¡¯m going to cook. What would you like to


    have tonight?¡±


    ¡°Why did you go to James for help when you needed awyer?¡± Coldly, he threw a question at me.


    Stunned, I tried to exin myself, ¡°I didn¡¯t purposely look for him; I just bumped into him in the lobby. Mr.


    Dalton was kind enough to offer to help.¡±


    Crap. Did I say something wrong? Why do I feel that the tension in the air has thickened?


    ¡°Liliana, do you always regard a man as ¡®kind¡¯ as long as he¡¯s slightly nice to you? Just like how you


    were so eager to marry your scumbag husband because you¡¯ve tasted something good?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    What gives? Why did he make such ament when I didn¡¯t offend him? As soon as he said that, I


    could feel my blood boiling and the heat in my ears.


    ¡°Are you done talking? Why are you meddling in my choice in men or from whom I asked for help? What


    rights do you have to judge me?¡±


    I went ballistic as I could not believe that that was how he perceived me.


    Those words were a hundred times more hurtful than those he said to me on a regr basis.


    At that moment, we were ring at each other with a fiery temper zing within us.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 Enduring It


    Livid, Dominic¡¯s face turned into a stony grey.


    He deserves it for being so mean. Argh, he drives me mad!


    After a while, he let out a skin-deep smile and asserted, ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s none of my business. However,


    it¡¯s important for me to remind you not to bring back any diseases.¡±


    F*ck you! You¡¯re the one who¡¯s sick. Your whole family is sick!


    I¡¯m not surprised if Dominic has been taking sses these few years to master spewing hurtful words


    without cursing. Everything thates out from his mouth gets on my nerves!


    Refusing to be verbally abused by him, I turned away and strode toward my room.


    ¡°Where are you going? Hurry up and cook. I¡¯m hungry,¡± he uttered indifferently.


    I rebutted without looking back at him, ¡°Please go ahead and request for someone who¡¯s staying in the


    pink of health to cook for you.¡±


    Does he expect me to prepare dinner for him after insulting me? Hah! Dream on!


    ¡°Fine. Since you no longer want to y your role as the caregiver, you can pack up your bags and leave


    my house right now.¡±


    Provoked, I turned around. ¡°Sure! Do you really think that I love being here?¡±


    Is that a threat? I¡¯ve been wanting to escape since day one. It¡¯s never my will to stay.


    Casually, he continued, ¡°Before you go, let¡¯s settle our scores one by one. First, call up Gxy


    Corporation and inform that the author refuses to sell the copyright.¡±


    I was dumbfounded. Wait, isn¡¯t this tantamount to breach of contract?


    Gah! I should have known better. He¡¯s definitely not the kindhearted type who will let me go so


    easily. Upon hearing his first statement, it already made my knees weak.


    As if that was not enough, he was urging me to do as he had ordered, ¡°Time is ticking¡­ So you¡¯d better


    pick up the phone and call them now. Then, we shall continue with other items.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to hold it together. I must endure this.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, please tell me what you would like to have for dinner, and I¡¯ll cook for you right away.¡± I had


    to pinch myself when saying so.


    Seeing that I caved in, he smirked wickedly. ¡°Why? Have you decided not to leave anymore?¡± That man


    knew how to push my buttons.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why would I do that? It¡¯s my utmost honor to serve you, Mr. Hartnell.¡± I stered a grin on my face.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m not a calctive person. Just make me a five-course meal.¡±


    Staring at him feeling smug after his win, I wanted to give him two tight ps so badly.


    Ironically, I went to prepare dinner.


    While cutting the vegetables, I visualized I was actually cutting Dominic up to pieces in order to make


    myself feel better.


    As soon as dinner was served, Dominic attempted multiple ways to show his disgust and find faults with


    me.


    Annoyed, I was extremely close to screaming at him at the top of my lungs.


    After eating, I cleaned up the dining area. Finally, it was all peace and tranquility when Dominic went


    back to his room.


    It had been quite a challenge to live with him under the same roof.


    After that, I left amp switched on in the living room and made my way back to my room.


    Opening up myptop, I nned toplete the illustration soonest possible.


    The only good thing that Dominic had done for me ever since I moved in was gifting me with aptop.


    Otherwise, I would never be able to work.


    I tried to draw for the past one hour, but things did not go well for me. All thanks to Dominic, his harsh


    words kept ying in my head.


    Dreading the mess that I was in, I was so perturbed about the divorce.


    I persisted for another hour and could onlye up with something that I was not satisfied with.


    Achieving nothing for the entire day, I turned off myptop and retired for the night with the hope that


    tomorrow would be a better day for me.


    The rm clock woke me up in the morning. Routinely, I made breakfast and then returned to my room


    to avoid meeting Dominic because I had nothing to say to him.


    Suddenly, I heard him knocking at my door. I can¡¯tpletely avoid him, can I?


    Reluctantly, I opened the door with a sigh. Calvin was standing behind Dominic, who was on the


    wheelchair.


    As soon as I saw them, I faked a smile. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Hartnell.¡±


    He gave me the once-over while asking suspiciously, ¡°Why? Do you loathe seeing me?¡±


    In my mind, I answered in affirmative.


    However, I lied in reality. ¡°Why would I be? Anyway, I¡¯m having a tummy upset, so I couldn¡¯t eat breakfast


    with you.¡±


    However, he did not buy my excuse. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it even if you don¡¯t want to see me


    around the house. I allowed you to leave yesterday, but you¡¯re determined to stay on. Who is to me


    for this?¡±


    His response almost made me faint in exasperation.


    What did I do to deserve this? If this continues, I¡¯ll meet my maker sooner orter.


    ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip for a few days. You¡¯d better tidy up the house and report to me in advance


    wherever you go. You¡¯re not allowed to stay out at night. In case of a burry, you¡¯re fully responsible for


    all the losses incurred.¡±


    I was over the moon when I heard the news, but the second half of what he said made me feel dejected


    instantly.


    He was implying that I had no freedom despite his absence. Why should I report my daily activities to


    him? Is he scared that I¡¯ll run away?


    Clenching my jaw, I acknowledged and sent them off.


    The smile on my face melted off swiftly once the door was closed behind me. It was such a chore to put


    on a happy face.


    After that, I could finally draw peacefully without his presence.


    Other than drafting the poster, I also nned to retrieve the video from Julius¡¯ house tomorrow afternoon.


    I recalled him having to work on Saturdays, whereas Coraline had to attend activities organized for the


    elderly at themunity center. She usually hung out there till the evening.


    It was the best time to enter the house when no one was around.


    That night, my phone rang when I was having my dinner. It was Dominic.


    He first asked me where I was, to which I replied honestly that I was at home. Feeling dubious, he


    requested me to switch on my video to prove to him my actual location. After confirming, he hung up.


    What an absolute lunatic!


    The next day, I spent the morning working and only left the house after lunch.


    Obliging Dominic¡¯s request, I sent a text message to him and informed him about my ns.


    I anticipated a response from him. Yet, he did not call or text me back. So, I kept my phone and went


    ahead.


    Before this, I had it all nned out. There were not a lot of people in the residential area in the afternoon.


    Standing at the entrance to my former residence, I knocked. Subsequently, I yelled a few times to check


    if anyone was inside.


    Seeing that no one answered the door, I heaved a sigh of relief as I fished for the key from the mailbox.


    One time, I went out without bringing my key. I ended up waiting at the doorstep for half a day because


    Julius and Coraline were not at home.


    Since then, I ced a spare key in the mail box for emergency use.


    The mailbox was there only for decoration purposes. Thus, I was very certain that no one had ever


    noticed the key inside it.


    Thankfully, the Keatons did not change their lock, so I could enter the house almost effortlessly.


    I headed straight to the study where myputer was kept.


    Previously, I worked in the study in order not to disturb Julius¡¯ rest time.


    After turning on theputer, I went to the bedroom and looked for a bag to pack my stuff.


    Right then, I heard the sound of the door unlocking from the outside.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34 Lifesaver


    Immediately, my hand came to a halt as I panicked. Why would someone return at this hour? Wait a


    moment, why does it matter if someone is here? After all, this ce used to be my home. I¡¯m just here to


    take my own belongings. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of!


    Right at that moment, the bedroom door was pushed open, and Coraline¡¯s shrill voice echoed behind


    me. ¡°Why are you here? Liliana, you thief! I can¡¯t believe that you have the guts to return!¡±


    At that, I immediately zipped the bag shut and slung it over my shoulder before turning around to give


    her a cold re. ¡°Shut up. Who are you calling a thief? Shouldn¡¯t it be you or your son?¡±


    In a fit of rage, Coraline mmed the door where it connected against the wall with a loud thud.


    She strode toward me and raised her hand to strike me. ¡°You b*tch, I¡¯ll make you eat your words!¡± she


    yelled furiously.


    However, I anticipated her movements and dodged her hand when she attempted to hit me.


    At that, Coraline nearly lost her footing when I moved away from her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk to scum like you anymore.¡± Now that I¡¯ve taken what I needed, I don¡¯t have to


    waste my time here anymore.


    With that, I tightened my grip on my bag and made a move to leave. Yet, Coraline hindered my exit by


    clinging onto my bag stubbornly.


    ¡°Liliana, you should just spill the beans! Were you here to steal something? You aren¡¯t allowed to leave


    until I check your bag!¡± Coraline insisted.


    Due to Coraline¡¯s meddlesome nature, I wasn¡¯t surprised when she mentioned that she wanted to go


    through my bag.


    I grasped onto my bad without any intentions of letting go. ¡°Who do you think you are to check my bag?


    Your son hasn¡¯t signed our divorce yet. Therefore, this is still my home! Don¡¯t you dare forget that!¡± I


    snapped back.


    Thus, we were both locked in a struggle over the bed.


    ¡°You b*tch, you hooked up with another man despite being engaged to my son! What happened to the


    other man? Did he abandon you too? Did you finally realize that this is your home?¡± Coraline sneered


    and said, ¡°I wonder how your mom managed to raise such a b*tch. The two of you must be cut from the


    same cloth. Did she cheat on your dad too? Your entire family must be¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! I¡¯ll make you regret it if you say another word!¡± Rage swelled in my heart when I heard


    Coraline¡¯s insults.


    I didn¡¯t mind it when she berated me. However, I couldn¡¯t believe she crossed the line by insulting my


    parents. I wish I could seal her mouth shut!


    A sh of shock crossed Coraline¡¯s face when she saw my outburst. However, her astonished


    expression was quickly reced by an arrogantugh. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Were my words true? You


    and your mom must be shameless sl*ts! Your dad must be a b*stard too!¡±


    The filthy words that spewed out of Coraline¡¯s mouth drove me to the brink of insanity. Unable to hold


    back my anger anymore, Ished out and kicked her in the stomach with full force.


    Coraline let out a scream of pain when my leg hit her stomach.


    At the same time, she let go of my bag and covered her stomach.


    The sudden movement caused Coraline to lose momentum as she stumbled backward and copsed to


    the ground. Her head collided against the table when she fell.


    Despite witnessing her fall, I had no intentions to offer my help. Instead, I remained rooted in the spot as


    I red at her. With a cold voice, I said to her, ¡°I don¡¯t mind it if you talk about me. However, you¡¯ve


    crossed the line by mentioning my parents!¡±


    If she uttered another word about my parents, I swore that I would kick her to death.


    However, Coraline was silent. She remained on the floor and did not react to my words.


    I looked at her suspiciously before nudging her body with my foot. Yet, Coraline did not even stir.


    Then, I shifted my gaze to the table. To my horror, there was crimson blood dripping off the corner of it.


    My heart skipped a beat when I noticed that blood had begun to pool across the floor.


    Immediately, all of my anger vanished into thin air. I tossed my bag aside and knelt before Coraline.


    ¡°Coraline, wake up! Don¡¯t y dead!¡±


    I reached forward to cradle her in my arms as I cried out in panic. All of a sudden, I felt something wet


    coat my palms. Crimson red blood filled my gaze when I looked down.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The frightening image of my hands covered in blood drained my body of any energy as I sank to the floor


    in disbelief. I murdered someone¡­


    Abruptly, the loud ringtone of my phone startled me out of my daze.


    Shakily, I rummaged for my phone. The notification on my screen was like a lifesaver.


    Due to my trembling, it took me several tries before I could click on the button to answer the call.


    ¡°Liliana, did you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dominic, I¡ª¡± Dominic¡¯s voice caused me to burst into tears as I lost control of my emotions.


    ¡°What happened? Where are you?¡±


    His questions caused me to realize the severity of the situation. ¡°I-I killed someone. Dominic, what do I


    do? There¡¯s blood everywhere!¡± I stuttered in between my sobs.


    The heady stench and the feeling of blood all over my hands amplified my terror even more.


    Over the phone, I could hear Dominic¡¯s loud yell. Subconsciously, it caused me to stop sobbing


    profusely. However, my tears continued to stream down my cheeks.


    ¡°Calm down. Are you in Julius¡¯ home? Who is the one bleeding?¡± Dominic asked.


    Although Dominic spoke in a very rough tone, the sound of his voice seemed to quell my fear.


    ¡°Yeah. I came to collect something, and Coraline knocked her head. She¡­¡± I stammered hesitantly.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t do anything right now. Don¡¯t touch Coraline too. Wait there.¡± Dominic hung up the call after


    he finished speaking.


    The moment Dominic¡¯s voice vanished, I started to panic again.


    Yet, I recalled his words. Don¡¯t touch Coraline too. His warning caused me to freeze up as I sat


    motionless on the floor.


    Doesn¡¯t her death mean that I¡¯m the murderer? Am I going to jail? What about my parents? They will


    hate me for eternity! I won¡¯t be able to face them at all.


    Fear began to fill my body the more I dwelled on these thoughts. It felt like the terror was going to


    consume me.


    All of a sudden, there was a loud bang apanied by the sound of hurried footsteps that snapped me


    out of my dismal thoughts.


    ¡°Ms. Zti.¡±


    James¡¯ voice sounded like a hallucination.


    Yet, I realized that he was actually standing by the entrance of the bedroom.


    My face was covered in tears and snot. Additionally, the blood sttered all over my shirt must have


    given me a very disheveled appearance.


    Nheless, James made his way toward me and yanked me to a standing position.


    My legs were utterly numb because I had sat down for such a long duration. I stumbled and nearly lost


    my bnce when James hauled me upwards.


    However, he supported my body and guided me aside. A group of people adorned in white coats filed


    into the room with a first-aid kit and a stretcher in tow. Amongst the crowd, I noticed Yvonne.


    Her presence left me stunned. Why are James and Yvonne here?

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35 Right And Wrong


    James then shifted his gaze to me. ¡°Dominic will be hereter. Don¡¯t worry; nothing bad will happen.¡±


    His words left me baffled. Dominic asked them toe here?


    Coincidentally, my phone began to ring with a call from Dominic himself.


    ¡°Is James there?¡± Dominic asked the moment our call connected.


    ¡°Yeah, he is here.¡± The fear in me had subsided immensely. It must be due to the presence of other


    people in the room. Additionally, Yvonne and the group of doctors were busy inspecting Coraline¡¯s


    wound.


    Dominic¡¯s baritone voice sounded especially fierce as he said, ¡°That¡¯s good. They will settle the incident.


    You should head home right away. Don¡¯t take any more detours and don¡¯t cause any more incidents.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe him! I was utterly terrified; yet, he didn¡¯t even try tofort me. He even told me not to get


    into any more incidents. Did he think that I wanted to do this on purpose?


    In the blink of an eye, his harsh words caused a cold feeling to blossom in my heart.


    ¡°Got it,¡± I said curtly and ended the call.


    I shouldn¡¯t be overthinking. Dominic is just cleaning up my mess so that it won¡¯t inconvenience him. After


    all, I¡¯m now his caregiver. It would tarnish his reputation if I¡¯mbeled as a murderer.


    After they finished inspecting Coraline, Yvonne instructed the doctors to carry her out on the stretcher.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; she isn¡¯t in a critical condition,¡± Yvonne exined.


    I nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Okay, thank you so much.¡±


    Even Yvonne treated me better than Dominic did. At least she knows how to offer herfort!


    As we went downstairs, I noticed that Coraline had been carried into the ambnce.


    Initially, I had ns to head to the hospital too. However, James stopped me from following the


    ambnce. ¡°Ms. Zti, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you home,¡± he said lowly.


    His words caused me to recall Dominic¡¯s warning from earlier, and I dismissed the idea of going to the


    hospital.


    It was just after lunchbreak; thus, there were a group of elderly men and women gathered downstairs as


    they chatted amongst themselves. Amidst the group, I saw many familiar faces.


    ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time we saw you!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Zti, what happened to Coraline? Why is the ambnce here?¡±


    One by one, they bombarded me with countless questions.


    They looked at James with a suspicious gaze as he was someone who they didn¡¯t recognize. They even


    sized him up.


    With the current situation, I had no wish toplicate it any further. Thus, I yed along and answered a


    handful of questions before dragging James away from the crowd.


    On the other hand, Dominic did not ask me about my destination. Likewise, I did not give him a location


    too. Nevertheless, he sent me to Dominic¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Go inside and take a shower before you rest. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. He should be


    back tonight,¡± James said as he handed me myptop and bag.


    I epted my belongings and thanked him before I entered the house.


    After leaving my things in my room, I stripped my clothes and walked into the bathroom.


    The stench of blood that clung to my skin was extremely nauseating.


    To get rid of the smell, I showered for over two hours.


    After I got dressed, I walked to the balcony and took a seat on the chaise longue. Next, I pulled out my


    phone and sent a text to Julius. No matter our rtionship, I felt a responsibility to inform him about the


    incident with Coraline.


    Although I had only met Yvonne twice, I held great trust in her words.


    Yet, the imagery of Coraline lying in the pool of blood kept resurfacing in my mind.


    Even though I¡¯d just showered, it felt like I could still smell the stench of blood on me.


    I closed my eyes and leaned against the chaise longue. I¡¯m feeling a little tired; maybe I should take a


    nap.


    Not longter, I fell into an uneasy slumber. However, I was roused from my sleep when my phone rang.


    The caller was none other than Julius.


    I hesitated for a brief moment answering the call.


    Immediately, Julius¡¯ angry voice echoed through the phone. ¡°Liliana, I can¡¯t believe you! How dare you


    attack my mom?¡± he roared.


    I tried to defend myself against his usations. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Your mom¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me any excuses! Come to People¡¯s Hospital right away! You¡¯ll be a murderer if something


    bad happens to my mom.¡±


    Julius¡¯ harsh words caused me to panic again.


    Didn¡¯t Yvonne say that Coraline will be fine? Was she lying?


    Promptly, I forgot about Dominic¡¯s warnings as I grabbed my purse and rushed out.


    Once I arrived at the hospital, I couldn¡¯t find Julius anywhere. Hurriedly, I called him.


    He instructed me to head to Ward 504.


    I heaved out a huge sigh of relief when I realized that Coraline was at the ward. Since she¡¯s at an


    ordinary ward, nothing life-threatening must have happened.


    True to my assumptions, Coraline was on the bed with her head wrapped with several bandages.


    Despite the fact that her face was pale and gaunt, she seemed to be in perfect condition.


    Julius, on the other hand, was seated beside the bed as he looked after her dutifully. After all, he had


    always been a very obedient son.


    Aside from Julius and Coraline, I noticed that there were other patients in the ward too.


    At the same time, I realized that there was something odd about their gazes. It seemed like they were


    ring at me with a mixture of anger and disdain.


    Julius strode toward me when he noticed my presence. There was a look of anguish painted all over his


    face.


    He even reached out to grasp my hand. The words that spilled out of his mouth left me utterly stunned.


    ¡°Darling, you know that I¡¯m in love with you. Despite your actions, I never pressed you for any questions.


    As long as you are willing to return home, I¡¯m more than happy to spend the rest of my days with you. If


    you are looking to ask for a divorce because you fell for someone else, I¡¯ll dly fulfill any of your


    requests. All I want is for you to be happy.¡±


    I stared at him in a dumbfounded manner. Before I could respond, Coraline spoke up. ¡°Julius, it¡¯s all my


    fault. I¡¯ll move out as soon as possible to ensure that the two of you can live in peace,¡± she sniffled and


    said pitifully.


    Finally, I realized the true meaning of their words. They are putting on an act to gain pity. It¡¯s no wonder


    the other people in the ward looked at me with such distaste when I entered.


    All of the guilt that I felt toward Coraline disappeared into thin air.


    ¡°Julius, it¡¯s true that I hurt your mom. I will not hesitate to pay for her medical fees. However, I¡¯m sure that


    you know the truth of the scenario. How can you say such a tant lie?¡± I replied in a cold voice.


    A look of hurt and sadness shed across his face. ¡°Darling, you know how much I love my mom. Please


    don¡¯t me me for doing this. However, I can¡¯t overlook your actions anymore.¡± The tone of his voice


    seemed to waver as he spoke. It seemed like he was about to burst into tears.


    Before I could fullyprehend his words, two figures appeared behind my back.


    Suddenly, I felt something cold mp around my wrist as I looked down. Are those handcuffs?


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36 Despair


    I stared dumbly at the officers who were cuffing me up. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from the vice squad. You¡¯re now under arrest for battery. Do not resist.¡±


    Vice squad? Battery? And then realization struck me. So Julius and Coraline set me up so I¡¯d admit that I


    was the one who injured her? Just so they can call the cops on me and take my property for


    themselves?


    I was still married to Julius, after all, so if I were to serve jail time, Julius should be able to get his hands


    on my money since he was my husband. I didn¡¯t know if that was true, but I was starting to panic.


    It was then I realized why Dominic wanted me to stay at home. Sh*t. I should have listened to him. The


    guy didn¡¯t even know I was going to get arrested, so nobody was probably going toe to my rescue.


    Before I was taken away by the police, I saw Julius grinning cruelly at me.


    If you had told me this was the way I¡¯d get taken into custody a few weeks back, I¡¯d call you crazy, but


    here I was. The officers took me to the interrogation room the first chance they got, and they started


    questioning me.


    I was terrified and panicked, but I knew I mustn¡¯t show any fear, or else I¡¯d incriminate myself. The only


    way for me to get out of this was by telling them the truth and nothing but the truth since I didn¡¯t hurt


    Coraline on purpose.


    But it didn¡¯t seem to work, since the officers seemed to trust Julius and Coraline more than they trusted


    me. The interrogation went on for god knew how long, but eventually it came to an end.


    Just then, I remembered James telling me that Dominic woulde backter, so I asked the officer,


    ¡°Sir, can I call my friend?¡±


    ¡°What? Trying to get someone to back you up, eh? Give it up. We won¡¯t do anything to you if you¡¯re


    really innocent. Just tell us the truth.¡±


    There was only a single officer in the room, and the guy seemed nice. He didn¡¯t say I could call anyone,


    but I thought I had a chance, so I continued, ¡°I told you everything I know, officer¡ªthe truth and nothing


    but the truth. Please just let me call my friend. Just one call.¡±


    I was on my best behavior since I was arrested, so the officer looked at me for a moment and actually


    handed me my phone. I took it over from him and thanked him profusely.


    ¡°You got five minutes, so make it fast,¡± he added.


    I nodded then unlocked my phone, only to realize it was already seven. There weren¡¯t any missed calls


    or texts, so I wondered if Dominic was still out at work. But I couldn¡¯t wait for him any longer, so I had to


    call him now.


    The call went through a momentter, but nobody picked it up. For the first time in my life, ten seconds


    felt like an eternity. Eventually, the officer rushed me again, so I ended the call in a panic and dialed his


    number again. Pick it up, Dominic.


    But it didn¡¯t go through up until the very end. Left with no choice, I had to text him about my arrest. When


    I was about to make another call, the officer took my phone away. ¡°You had your chance. Don¡¯t say I


    didn¡¯t give you one.¡±


    My heart sank. Is this it? Am I all on my own right now?


    Soon after that, a new round of interrogation started, but I had nothing more to say, so I repeated the


    same thing during the first round of interrogation. Finally, seeing as I had nothing of value to contribute


    anymore, the officers stopped asking and left me alone in the room.


    I had been in a stressful situation ever since Coraline was injured, and I was slowly getting to my wits¡¯


    end. Then someone opened the door again, and I thought it was the officer. Sh*t, I¡¯m feeling dizzy.


    ¡°Ms. Zti!¡±


    Wait, that voice¡­ That was Calvin! I looked up at the door, and lo and behold, Calvin was there. ¡°You¡¯re


    finally here, Calvin.¡± The moment I saw him, my tension melted away like butter under a hot sun.


    If he¡¯s here, then Dominic must be too. That was thest thought that ran through my mind before


    everything went ck.


    When I regained consciousness, I saw nothing but white, and a faint scent of disinfectant hung in the


    air. I¡¯m in a hospital, huh? How long was I out?


    I looked around, but there was nobody to be found. Pushing myself up, I tried to get some water. Then,


    someone opened the door, and Calvin came in with Dominic.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ms. Zti. Oh, you want some water? Let me take it for you.¡± Calvin knew what I was


    trying to do, so he filled a ss with water and handed it to me.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I gulped down the water.


    ¡°You can leave now, Calvin,¡± Dominic said.


    Calvin gave me a look of concern, but he left us alone nheless. For some reason, I felt nervous


    when Dominic was staring at me.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± I was about to say thank you, but he didn¡¯t give me the chance.


    ¡°I told you to stay at home, didn¡¯t I? What part of ¡®staying out of trouble¡¯ don¡¯t you understand? I take my


    eyes off you one second, and you got yourself arrested. Happy now?¡±


    I bit my lip, and I felt myself tearing up, but I held the sobs back. Here I was, thinking he¡¯d at least


    comfort me after all I had gone through, but he spared me no such luxury. All he had for me was me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± My voice trembled.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Apology means nothing. If you did as I told you to, none of this would have happened,¡± he said coldly.


    Alright, I had been through too much just to get scolded by him. That was thest straw. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my


    fault for not listening to you. It¡¯s my fault you had to go through all that trouble. You shouldn¡¯t havee


    to my rescue, since you didn¡¯t take my call anyway. You should have just let me rot in jail if you hate me


    so much. Just leave. Leave! And stay out of my business!


    ¡°You¡¯re just my employer, and I owe you a lot, don¡¯t I? Fine, I¡¯ll go to jail then. Is that enough to clear my


    debt? I mean, my misery is the source of your happiness, ain¡¯t it? Then I¡¯ll give you the ultimate


    happiness! Are you happy now? Huh?¡±


    I was getting hysterical near the end, and I started crying uncontrobly. Everyone¡¯s an *ss! Including


    Dominic!


    Despite that, Dominic didn¡¯t say anything. He was in his wheelchair, observing me quietly as I vented at


    him.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 Line


    Oh, how his resting b*tch face irritated me. What, he thought I¡¯d be scared just because he was staring


    at me quietly? Well, he¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m going all out now.


    I hastily wiped my tears away and red at him. ¡°What are you looking at? I told you to piss off!¡± I


    roared in despair. But the moment I did, the temperature seemed to take a dip, and I felt everything


    turning to ice.


    Dominic was ring at me coldly, then he whispered, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Remember when I said I wasn¡¯t afraid of him? Well, I lied. He was looking pretty scary at the moment.


    ¡°W-Well, if you¡¯re not leaving, I will!¡±


    I can¡¯t beat you, but I can hide from you. Besides, I didn¡¯t want to see him any longer, so I tossed the


    nket away and headed toward the door barefooted.


    As soon as I opened the door, Calvin was in the way, and I told him, ¡°Out of my way, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    At the same time, Dominic ordered, ¡°Shut the door, Calvin.¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Calvin ignored me and was about to close the door, but I stopped him with my leg and pulled as hard as I


    could at it. I¡¯m not letting you!


    Calvin didn¡¯t expect me to resist, so he hesitated. ¡°Ms. Zti, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just do me a favor and let me go, Calvin.¡± I tried to shove him away, but Calvin didn¡¯t budge. He blocked


    me perfectly, just like how Dominic wanted him to.


    ¡°P-Please don¡¯t make this hard for me, Ms. Zti.¡±


    Goddammit, I wanted to scream. If I¡¯m not making it hard for you, your boss is gonna make it hard


    for me.


    And then Dominic said icily, ¡°Don¡¯t challenge my patience, Liliana.¡±


    At that, I roared without thinking, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one whose patience is running thin here! Do you


    think you can push me around as you please? Well, I¡¯m no pushover!¡±


    Dominic slowly pushed himself and stopped before me. For some reason, even though he was shorter


    than me, it was still suffocating to be around him.


    He nced at me calmly and borated, ¡°So you wanna argue? Fine, let¡¯s argue then. First, you


    became my caregiver because you owe me money. Second, you know very well how you managed to


    sell the copyright to your work, and third, how many times have I saved you up until now?¡±


    The man had a lot of points, and none I could argue against. But it was not like he cared about my


    arguments anyway, so he continued, ¡°Point is, not only do you owe me money, you owe me your life. I¡¯m


    not forcing you to be my woman or anything since I have taste, but at least show me some gratitude. And


    I don¡¯t ept your screams as payment.¡±


    Wow, I had nothing to say to that. Honestly, Dominic had a way with words. Since I had nothing to say to


    him, we were stuck in a staring contest.


    A short whileter, Yvonne came to us. ¡°Oh, so everyone¡¯s here. Good. I¡¯m just here to say that if you¡¯re


    all good now, we¡¯d appreciate it if you can get yourself discharged. We¡¯re running out of beds now.


    ¡°I need to see youter.¡± She pointed at Dominic and then to me. ¡°See you next time, Liliana. Bye-bye.¡±


    I smiled bitterly at her, then she left like nobody¡¯s business. Once she was gone, Dominic shot me a look.


    ¡°Think long and hard on what I¡¯ve said. Keep an eye on her, Calvin.¡± Then, he left me too.


    I went back to my bed, puffing my cheeks. Since Calvin was here, there was no way I could escape.


    Honestly, Calvin was wasted on a boss like Dominic. The kid was tall, muscr, and had a nice voice, so


    he could have worked for a better boss.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, Mr. Hartnell is just¡ª¡±


    I waved him down the moment he mentioned that b*started. ¡°Don¡¯t bring him up, for Pete¡¯s sake. Every


    time he talks, I get a migraine. Just shush, alright? It¡¯s not every day I get to enjoy my peace and quiet.¡±


    Calvin hesitated for a moment, then he sighed and stopped talking.


    I sat on my bed, spacing out. For some reason, I was reminded of Julius and Coraline. Ew. Those


    b*stards. They keep pushing the boundaries of human morality.


    I was still worried about my future. Sure, Dominic might have busted me out, but god knew if I had a


    record. To make things worse, if I couldn¡¯t clear my name for some reason¡­ I shudder to think of the


    consequences.


    I¡¯m meeting up with Mr. Chance tomorrow. Gotta show him this video and talk to him about my case. At


    this point, I had to admit that Dominic¡¯s lecture was absolutely right, and I was wrong. Since I knew I was


    guilty, I didn¡¯t say no when he came back and told me we would be leaving.


    Dominic didn¡¯t say a word to me on the way back, and he went straight into the mansion the moment we


    came back. The man mmed the door, and I clicked my tongue. Well, someone¡¯s annoyed. Then I went


    back to my room.


    It had been a long day, and my phone was already dead, so I plugged the charger in before I went to


    take a bath.


    Once I was done showering, I turned on myptop and was about to make a copy of the video, but the


    file was nowhere to be found no matter where I looked. And no, it wasn¡¯t even in the Recycle Bin. Julius,


    you son of a b*tch. That b*stard must have deleted the video.


    Great, now I lost the evidence. Would I even win this if we go to court? I mean, there¡¯s nothing but my


    testimony against them.


    Wow, this really wasn¡¯t my year. It was just a series of unfortunate events ramming into me like a truck all


    year long. At this point, I wondered why I wasn¡¯t in another world yet.


    I turned myptop off andy on the bed. When I took a look at my phone, I realized there were a few


    unread messages and some missed calls.


    It was Shannon. Since it was gettingte, I told her I would call her first thing in the morning.


    Two seconds after I texted her, she called me. She¡¯s been waiting for me?


    The moment I took her call, she started roaring. Fearing for my ears, I put some distance between myself


    and the phone.


    ¡°Liliana! You left my texts on read, and you haven¡¯t been taking my calls! What were you thinking, going


    missing like that? I can¡¯t believe you even turned your phone off!¡±


    After she was done ranting, I answered, ¡°Whoa, slow down,dy. You¡¯re gonna wake the neighbors. So


    what¡¯s up?¡±

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38 Stop Fooling Around


    Shannon told me thepany which had asked me to draw the movie posters had prepared me some


    materials and resources in case Icked inspiration and could not draw well.


    They wanted me to collect the materials from them tomorrow, and then I would have to finish the draft


    within two days after that.


    I could not believe that they were so thoughtful and had such a humane side to them.


    As I was feeling impressed, I remembered how I still did not know whichpany that was, and


    Shannon did not tell me either.


    I put my phone beside the pillow and turned on the speaker. ¡°Did they state a specific time to meet? If


    not, we shall go in the afternoon, yeah? I have something on in the morning. Also, whichpany


    exactly is that? You should at least tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sh Media; you know them, right? They will finish filming the movie within the month, so they¡¯re a


    little anxious. They¡¯ve said that we can head over any time tomorrow, so let¡¯s have lunch together


    tomorrow and head over after that.¡±


    Of course, I did not have any objections to Shannon¡¯s words. We continued with a short casual chat


    before hanging up, and only then did I have time to be inplete shock.


    Never could I believe sh Media would give me the chance to help them draw the posters.


    This is indeed a pleasant surprise!


    sh Media was a big organization. Being a part of the public, I had watched many of their television


    series and reality shows every now and then.


    Not to forget, their films were also well-performing and lucrative releases.


    As I shut my eyes andy on my bed, I could not resist fantasizing about my bright future as I grinned


    from ear to ear.


    That went on even after I fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning, I found a puddle of drool stain on


    my pillow.


    But there was something more grave¡ªI had overslept.


    I was unsure if it was the rm that did not ring or if I was the one who did not hear it. Either way or so, it


    was already almost eight o¡¯clock when I woke up.


    At this timing, Dominic would have finished breakfast and prepared to head out in normal circumstances.


    He had just made a dig at me yesterday, yet it seemed like I had proven him right today.


    Thinking of that unforgiving and unreasonable mouth of Dominic¡¯s, I immediately tidied myself up at the


    fastest speed possible and sprang out of the bedroom.


    However, I realized there was no one else after scanning through the house for one whole round.


    What was more surprising was, there was a te of untouched breakfast on the dining table.


    Dominic isn¡¯t that kind-hearted. Hmm¡­ he must have spiked the food.


    I took the te up, only to find a post-it note below it pasted on the table, which read: Ms. Zti, this is


    the breakfast that Mr. Hartnell asked to save for you. Please remember to reheat it before consumption


    when you¡¯re awake.


    The note was signed off by Calvin.


    I pursed my lips. That was virtually as good as asking the sun to rise from the west. It was so rare that he


    grew his conscience.


    Since that was the case, I decided not to hold back anymore.


    I finished breakfast quickly and gave Benjamin a call before heading out. When I found out that he was


    at thew firm today, I rushed down immediately.


    Getting onto the car, I told the driver to head to themercial district. But before we got to the city


    center, Julius called to say he wanted to meet me and asked to bring along my ID card and household


    registry as well.


    He has just put on a disgusting show yesterday and even caused me to end up at the police station.


    What is it with him looking for me today?


    I figured there was no need to ask me to bring along my ID card if he wanted to get his revenge.


    The confusion in me was growing, but I reckoned it was quite a hassle to ask more over the phone.


    Besides, I was in the taxi too.


    But since he had asked to meet me, I had to go. To prevent him from ying any tricks, I requested to


    meet at a caf¨¦ opposite Wisteria Building, and I also told him to meet an hourter than the time I wanted


    to arrive.


    After ending the call with Julius, I immediately called Benjamin. I intended to ask him to apany me


    and also exined things to him before Julius¡¯ arrival.


    I was on the losing side yesterday; thus, I would not give Julius another chance to set me up again.


    Sincewyers were busy people with their schedules fully packed, anyone who wanted to meet them


    would have to make an appointment beforehand. With that in mind, I was unsure if Benjamin would be


    able to meet me since I called him sost minute.


    Yet, who knew he would agree to it readily and even turned up at the caf¨¦ earlier than me.


    I had wanted to sit opposite him, but he asked me to sit next to him and leave the spot opposite for


    Julius.


    When I heard that, I thought he made some sense since I should not be sitting with Julius and facing


    Benjamin directly.


    After settling down, I exined to him how Julius had taken the initiative to call me.


    What made me puzzled was how Benjamin did not seem to be surprised at all. Instead, he was even


    very sure that Julius¡¯ motive to meet me was to ask me to sign the divorce agreement.


    The truth was, I had already thought of that since he had asked me to bring my ID card along.


    But I could not believe that guy would have a sudden change in mind and not mess with me any longer


    when it had only been one night, and not forgetting I had hurt his mother too.


    At this point, I could not resist looking at the calm Benjamin and asked, ¡°Mr. Chance, actually I was in a


    hassle with Julius¡¯ mom yesterday. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know. Julius¡¯ mom knocked her head, right?¡± Benjamin interrupted me before I could finish my


    sentence.


    I was instantly stunned. How did he know about that? Could it be that James told him about it?


    He looked at me, baffled. ¡°What¡¯s with your expression? Did Dominic not tell you that I was the one who


    bailed you out?¡±


    I shook my head and unwittingly said, ¡°Other than telling me off, scolding me, and ostracizing me, he


    said nothing else yesterday.¡±


    Out of my expectation, Benjamin burst intoughter. ¡°That idiot. I guess he has gone back to those old


    school days, huh?¡±


    I did not get what he meant, but that was not the main point nheless. To find out what I wanted to


    know, I continued, ¡°Mr. Chance, since you¡¯re clear about what happened, then I¡¯ll get straight to the point.


    The police said I had caused intentional injury to another yesterday. So will that leave me a criminal


    record? Can they really sue me?¡±


    Benjamin took a sip of coffee and calmly replied, ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. Besides, only you two were


    present at the scene yesterday. We can¡¯t possibly take their words for it. If not, I can also say that you¡¯re


    kind-hearted and full of virtues.¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I could not wrap my mind around it. So that¡¯s how things work?


    ¡°Not to mention¡­¡± Hearing that there was more toe, I widened my eyes in curiosity.


    Yet Benjamin suddenly held back his words. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s good enough for you to know that Julius won¡¯t


    be able to do anything more to you. Just sign the paperster; leave the rest to me.¡±


    That is great. I was pretty satisfied after hearing his reassurance.


    Just after we were done with our chat, Julius arrived.


    His expression became a little unnatural the moment he saw Benjamin beside me.


    ¡°I asked to meet you. Why did you bring someone along?¡± Julius¡¯ tone sounded hostile.


    I had yet to open my mouth when I heard Benjamin say while smiling, ¡°Mr. Keaton, can¡¯t believe we meet


    again so soon.¡±


    I blinked my eyes, curious. Huh? Have they met each other before?

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39 Compromising Over And Again


    ¡°Do you guys know each other?¡± I asked, slightly baffled.


    Looking overjoyed, Benjamin answered, ¡°We¡¯ve met once, and we had a great time chatting. Am I


    right, Mr. Keaton?¡±


    I only became more bewildered than before. Why does that sound more like a threat even though


    Benjamin sounded nice?


    What was weirder was the trace of panic that I saw shing across Julius¡¯ eyes.


    Something was definitely up between the two. However, I chose to believe Benjamin since he was, after


    all, introduced by James, and his rtionship with Dominic must be pretty close too.


    Whatever. As long as I can get a divorce and get all the problems solved, anything¡¯s fine.


    ¡°Tell me, what do you want today? Please speak your mind today so that the next time it¡¯ll be at the court


    when we meet. It¡¯s incredibly annoying to do a meet-up so often like this.¡±


    I had to say it felt different with a professional sitting beside me.


    Julius frowned and seemed somewhat infuriated. Nevertheless, he did not say anything else and only


    pulled out two sheets of paper from his briefcase.


    At that instance, I saw what they were. On the heading were two words: Divorce Agreement.


    I did not expect Benjamin to guess it right.


    As Julius passed me one set, he said, ¡°If there are no issues, then we can proceed to sign the papers


    and head down to the Registry Office after this.¡±


    In ce of me, Benjamin helped to receive the papers from Julius.


    There was as though a surge of being snobbish and acting all high and mighty within me, and to be


    honest, it was a great feeling.


    After reviewing it, Benjamin asked me about matters regarding matrimonial assets¡ªcars, housing, and


    savings¡ªin front of Julius.


    Ever since our marriage, we had stayed in the house Julius bought. As a celebratory act, we had both


    forked out money to do some minor renovations to the house before our wedding.


    As for the car, we bought it with my dad¡¯s money. Back then, Julius¡¯ faked righteousness and pretense to


    rely on himself had my parents coaxed and made them think he was a thoughtful man.


    As such, even with his multiple rejections, my dad ultimately still forked out money to buy a mid-range


    car that looked presentable enough for us.


    As for savings, there were none. Julius was not fond of me ever since after our wedding night. Thus, we


    would only spend our own money normally.


    Apart from those, I would also buy some daily necessities at times, but those were small amounts that I


    did not want to harper.


    ¡°That¡¯s basically all of it. Did I get it right, Julius?¡± I deliberately questioned him to see what kind of


    attitude he would have.


    After all, one had to remember that he had once asked for fifty hundred thousand as one of the divorce


    terms previously.


    Benjamin coldly nced at him to find that Julius¡¯ expression froze a little as he nodded.


    ¡°Ahem. Ahem.¡± Benjamin coughed, and with a solemn expression, he continued, ¡°Based on what both of


    you have said, there aren¡¯t any problems except for one point. Mr. Keaton, as the wrong party in this


    marriage due to your extramarital affair, my client has requestedpensation for her emotional


    damages.¡±


    I could not react in time to Benjamin¡¯s words. Does that mean I don¡¯t have to fork out money, and


    instead, I¡¯ll get somepensation?


    Thinking that Julius would not agree to it, I was proven wrong. Not only did he not reject that, but he had


    also agreed to it readily and even said he could pay a hundred thousand as thepensation.


    What a huge surprise! Is this really Julius in front of me? Or perhaps Benjamin¡¯s authority and


    dominance are too overpowering?


    With how things took a turn, I was very contented. Not only did I not have to fork out money for the


    divorce, I even ended up with an additional hundred thousandpensation!


    Nheless, Benjamin did not think alike. As I was in joy over the results, I heard him speak, ¡°Mr.


    Keaton, do you think the damage you¡¯ve caused to my client is only worth a hundred thousand? How


    about this; I won¡¯t ask for too much either. We¡¯ll settle at five hundred thousand. That¡¯s also the amount


    you¡¯ve originally asked for, so I deemed it¡¯s more than appropriate.¡±


    Oh my gosh, it seems like the tables have turned! At that moment, Benjamin was shining so brilliantly in


    my eyes.


    The Julius in front of me had all along felt like a submissive person today, until this particr moment.


    He abruptly stood up from his seat and pointed at me as he snarled, ¡°Liliana! I¡¯ve agreed to your request


    for a divorce, and I¡¯ve agreed to thepensation too! Don¡¯t you try your luck with this!¡±


    I was stunned. Does he think that I¡¯m the one who ordered Benjamin to do all that?


    On second thought, I figured it was no big deal if he thought that way. After all, Benjamin was fighting for


    my rights. Furthermore, Julius did not seem to feel he was overboard when he had asked me for five


    hundred thousand either.


    As I opened my mouth and got ready to refute his words, Benjamin lightly tapped my shoulders and


    calmly replied, ¡°Mr. Keaton, this seems like a huge sum, but for you, who¡¯s a sales director of Yorkshire


    Corporation, it¡¯s nothing but a bonus from a major deal.¡±


    ¡°Besides, Ms. Zti didn¡¯t ask for the whole sum now. We can always sign the papers first, and you can


    do the payment periodically afterward.¡±


    Again, I froze in shock. I could not believe Benjamin would know every detail of Julius so well, including


    where he worked and his position in the organization.


    After hearing Benjamin¡¯s exnation, Julius¡¯ face paled even more.


    Perhaps he had clenched into the table too tightly that even his fingers turned white.


    ¡°If you agree to the terms I¡¯ve mentioned, I can draft two new sets of the divorce agreements and print


    them out right now.¡±


    Benjamin added on, leaving Julius no time to consider.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Then once again, my opinions and knowledge toward Julius had beenpletely overturned. He agreed


    to it.


    With that, Benjamin swiftly took out theptop that he brought along and drafted the agreements before


    borrowing the caf¨¦¡¯s printer to print them out.


    We each signed on a set and exchanged it to sign again before the procedure was considered


    completed.


    Julius was probably burning in rage that he almost tore the paper while signing on it.


    Following that, we headed toward the Registry Office, with Benjamin still following along with us.


    As Iid my hands on the divorce certificate, I was in disbelief at how fast and smooth-sailing the process


    was. It seemed like I was in a dream.


    With that said, my inner self was ecstatic. It was a feeling that no words could express urately. I had


    finally ended this disgusting rtionship with Julius, and what was more, I had earned a sim of


    compensation from it.


    When I received the full sum from Julius, I would donate half to charity and the other half to my parents.


    At the thought of it, I was feeling delighted.


    ¡°Mr. Keaton, do remember to pay thepensation on time, and that¡¯s all. Take care.¡± As Benjamin put


    forth those words, I sensed how Julius¡¯ whole body had frozen in ce.


    After Julius¡¯ departure, I was on cloud nine. It felt so good to regain my freedom.


    The next thing I had to do was to repay Benjamin. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I would not walk out a free person


    today.


    But I was a little tight for time, and besides, it would seem too hasty of me to repay his kindness now.


    Hence, I deemed it was not possible to do it today, and so I put on a sincere tone and said, ¡°Mr. Chance,


    I appreciate your help today. Tell me when you¡¯re free; I¡¯ll treat you to a meal and pay you your legal fees


    too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony. But I¡¯m more than willing if there¡¯s a free meal. As for the date¡­ Oh, excuse


    me; let me get the call first.¡±


    Upon excusing himself, he went ahead to pick up the call.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve called at the right timing. It¡¯s all taken care of, and I¡¯m more or less done I guess. There are


    no big hups.¡±


    Figuring that he was probably referring to my case, I was instantly curious who the caller was.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40 Unable To Tolerate


    Just as I was in curiosity, Benjamin gave me the answer at once.


    ¡°Dominic, call her yourself if you have so many questions. Why do you keep asking me?¡± That was


    what I heard him say.


    Knowing it was Dominic, I instantly furrowed my brows.


    Is he trying to pry on matters that concern me?


    It felt like he already knew beforehand that Julius woulde to find me for the divorce.


    Seeing that Benjamin hung up the call, I hesitated but ended up still asking, ¡°What does Dominic want to


    find out?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be bothered about him. Let¡¯s pick up from where we left off, Ms. Zti.¡±


    ¡°Huh? O-Oh yeah. So¡­ When will you be free, and what cuisine would you like?¡±


    Since the man did not want to delve into that, I figured not to continue asking either. After all, it did not


    matter to me what Dominic thought or wanted.


    Atst, Benjamin and I set the date on Saturday night at seven o¡¯clock at a barbecue joint.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I loved barbecue; it was both affordable and delicious.


    After saying goodbye to Benjamin, I hailed a taxi and rushed to meet Shannon. I gave her a call along


    the way.


    As the two of us had lunch, I shared with Shannon about what happened earlier that day. Hearing my


    story of how Benjamin had helped me with the divorce andpensation, she immediately ordered a


    bottle of Moscato for a celebratory toast.


    Of course, I was feeling overjoyed inside. The Moscato was low in alcohol content, so it would not affect


    my schedule even if I drank too much. More importantly, I also got rid of that massive pain in the neck ¡ª


    Julius.


    After eating and drinking to our content, we headed toward sh Media. However, upon our arrival


    there, the receptionist told us that it was not the working hours of the afternoon shift yet.


    ncing at the time, we realized it was only half-past one ¡ª the administrative staff would only start


    work at two.


    Since there were thirty more minutes and we did not feel like heading anywhere else, Shannon and I sat


    down at the rest area on the right in the lobby to wait for time to pass.


    Not long after we sat down, I saw an elderly man dressed in a cleaner uniform walking out from a


    corridor. He had a pail in one hand and a mop in the other.


    It wasn¡¯t him who caught my attention; it was the two other people following behind him. One of them


    was a rather good-looking and fashionabledy. I recognized her as Hayley Baker, the second lead of a


    recently popr television series.


    The other person, who was chatting with her as they walked out, was either her assistant or manager.


    I was instantly full of excitement. I could not believe I would see celebrities so easily just by sitting in


    sh¡¯s lobby.


    Hoping that Shannon would notice too, I hurriedly signaled her, who was busy with her phone.


    But just as I called her name, I heard Hayley scolding someone angrily.


    Even without me calling her, Shannon was attracted to the suddenmotion naturally.


    It seemed like the elderly man had spilled some water on ident. He had wet Hayley¡¯s sneakers.


    ¡°Old man, are you blind? Did you not see me walking over? You¡¯ve made my sneakers wet because of


    your inattentiveness! Tell me what I¡¯m going to do now! How can I carry on with my day with wet


    sneakers!¡± Hayley bellowed, looking furious.


    It was unbelievable that such a sweet-looking girl would yell so harshly, what more, toward an elder. I


    was instantly put off by her attitude; the impression I had of her changed in a blink of an eye.


    The elderly man was probably in shock as well. He was bowing his head and apologizing repeatedly. I


    also vaguely heard him mentioning something along the lines of providing herpensation.


    However, the woman was obviously not buying it. The person beside her tried persuading her to let the


    matter go but to no avail.


    In a high-pitched and arrogant tone, Hayley sneered, ¡°These sneakers are limited global edition. Do you


    want to pay for them? How are you going to pay for them? I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to afford the


    shoce even if you work till death!¡±


    After finishing her sentence, she gave the man a hard push. Due to his old age coupled with the wet


    flooring, the elderly man lost his footing and fell to the ground.


    Upon seeing that, I could not hold myself back from interjecting. The elderly man reminded me of my


    grandpa, who had passed away two years ago.


    Since young, Grandpa had adored me the most. He would always leave the best for me and pampered


    me instead of his grandson.


    This elderly man appeared to be around the same age as my grandpa. It was tough enough for him to be


    in the workforce at such an old age ¡ª let alone suffer such treatment. It pained my heart to see such a


    sight.


    Without thinking, I stood up and ran over to help the elderly man up.


    ¡°Are you alright, sir? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    The man seemed a little surprised by my appearance, but he soon calmed down and shook his head,


    indicating that he was fine.


    When I exchanged gazes with him, I was slightly startled as well. His pair of eyes was breathtakingly


    clear, and I could sense a hint of sharpness and curiousness to them. It was not the same as an average


    elderly.


    The thought of giving the rude female celebrity in front of me a good scolding shed across my mind.


    Not bothering to keep my words to myself, I walked over to her.


    ¡°You¡¯re Hayley Baker, right? The second female lead in ¡®Love Me, Please¡¯?¡±


    At once, her expression fell, making her look as though she was in deep thought.


    However, I was unbothered by it and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that you were quite pretty, and I


    thought you act well too. No wonder people say knowing a person by repute isn¡¯t as good as meeting


    them face to face. Now I finally understand why someone would say such a thing.¡±


    I then continued harshly, ¡°He¡¯s probably older than your parents, yet you¡¯re yelling at him? You even


    raised your hand at him? Don¡¯t you know respecting your elder is a virtue? Do you not have any


    morals?¡±


    As I said those words, my anger was building, my voice was growing louder, and my tone was


    hardening.


    Hayley lost her temper upon hearing me berate her. ¡°Who are you? Why are you meddling in my affairs?


    Where¡¯s the security? Hurry and throw this woman out!¡±


    I was ready to retort when someone pulled me from behind. Turning around, I realized it was Shannon,


    who had appeared behind me out of nowhere.


    The look Shannon gave instantly made me understand her meaning. She wanted me to stop being a


    busybody so I wouldn¡¯t get into trouble; I still had to rely on sh for a job.


    I knew I should let it go, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so. Since my grandpa passed, my heart would


    always ache whenever I saw elders around the same age as him.


    If I end up losing the opportunity to draw posters for sh because of this, I¡¯ll admit my defeat then!


    I shook Shannon¡¯s hand away and stared straight into Hayley¡¯s eyes before growling, ¡°Celebrities like


    you whock morality and principles should n for early retirement. It¡¯s best ifizens boycott you


    forever so that you won¡¯t set a bad example for the younger generations!¡±


    I had learned from Dominic to be so malicious.


    Hayley¡¯s eyes bulged so much that they almost popped out of her sockets.


    As I was waiting for her rebuttal, the elderly man beside me suddenly straightened his back and started


    pping his hands together.


    Following that, a few cameramen walked out of the room along the corridor.


    Two other guys came beside the elderly man and took the stuff in his arms from him.


    I was dumbfounded and simply stared at all of them nkly.


    What is going on? Did I perhaps run into a reality show filming?


    I instinctively turned to look at Hayley and realized she was nowhere better than me. Her expression had


    be grimmer than before.


    At this exact moment, the ¡°elderly man¡± tore off the mustache on his face and removed the wig and cap


    on his head too. He smiled at me and said, ¡°I¡¯m Nichs Scott. I fully agree with what you¡¯ve just


    mentioned.¡±


    His words struck me like a bolt out of the blue, and I found myself frozen in my spot, shocked.


    Nichs? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s the same Nichs I¡¯m thinking of?

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 Humans Are Iparable


    I did not even dare to imagine it. After all, it was Nichs Scott!


    Nevertheless, my guess was proven right in the next second.


    A man, who was wearing a cap and holding onto a camera in his hand, walked over and asked, ¡°Nic,


    should we include this part into the show for broadcast? I bet it¡¯ll trigger a nationwide discussion.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. It¡¯s just a whim of mine. But those people¡­¡± Nichs lifted his fingers and


    pointed toward Hayley, who was looking ghastly pale. ¡°Don¡¯t let people like her with questionable morals


    appear before the public anymore.¡±


    The man with a cap nodded and acknowledged the instructions given without hesitation.


    Shannon and I exchanged nces with each other, both of us looking shocked. Nichs has such


    capabilities to decide on the fate of someone¡¯s acting career just like that?


    Nheless, I was overjoyed inside. Someone like Hayley did not deserve such immense poprity and


    love from the public.


    Knowing that her career was on the brink of destruction, Hayley grabbed onto the man¡¯s arm as she


    cried and admitted her wrongdoings. The attitude she had now was a hundred times more sincere than


    the attitude she had used to treat Nichs when he had been disguised earlier.


    Sadly, Nichs pulled her hand off him without sparing her a single nce. He then turned to me and


    said, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Are you an artiste from sh too? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±


    The man¡¯s amiableness put me at a loss. I finally understood why those fans would be so agitated and


    out of control when they saw their idol.


    I had never been a fan of any celebrity. But when Nichs grew incredibly famous, so my attention got


    drawn to him inadvertently.


    However, at that moment, I was unable to say anything further.


    Perhaps my nervousness was extremely evident, but Nichs put on a bright and warm smile, and in a


    sweet voice, he said, ¡°Rx. It¡¯s fine. You can take your time to tell me. I¡¯m Nichs Scott. It¡¯s a


    pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Oh my gosh! I¡¯m losing my mind! Nichs is not only talking to me, but he also says he¡¯s happy to meet


    me!


    ¡°I-I¡­ Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Liliana Zti. C-Can I ask you for an autograph?¡± I stumbled on my words,


    too captivated to see a superstar right in front of me.


    ¡°Me too! Me too! Nichs, I¡¯m such a huge fan!¡±


    Shannon squeezed herself over with a face full of excitement. I could not hold back myughter upon


    seeing her that way as I never knew she was a fangirl of Nichs.


    The man was extremely patient with us. In addition to giving us his autograph, he even agreed to


    Shannon¡¯s request as well and took a photo with us each.


    As we continued with our interaction, I sensed someone staring at us, though I was unsure if I was


    reading too much into things. It was a strangely cold and odd feeling.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Only afterward did I realize it was Hayley. The hatred in her eyes was so intense that I could sense it


    through her gaze.


    But it did not matter to me. There was nothing she could do to me since I was not from the showbiz


    industry.


    Seeing that it was almost time, I hurriedly reminded Shannon, who was deep in the mesmerizing abyss


    of Nichs¡¯ charisma.


    ¡°You¡¯re here for work?¡± Nichs turned to ask me after hearing what I said to Shannon.


    In acknowledgment, I exined that I was aic artist who would subsequently be drawing the movie


    posters for sh. I was at thepany to collect the resources they had prepared.


    While Nichs and I were conversing, Hayley moved close to us, seemingly trying to plea for leniency.


    This round, Nichs did not hold back and immediately called the security over to drag her out.


    Meanwhile, Shannon was still in a lovestruck mode. I was so embarrassed by that look of hers that I


    forcefully pulled her away after exining things to Nichs.


    He was understanding and even told me he was looking forward to meeting me again before we left.


    I was over the moon upon hearing his remark. However, I knew deep down that it would not be easy to


    meet him again. He was, after all, a superstar.


    At least it¡¯s a win for me today.


    On the other hand, Shannon was reluctant to leave. She kept turning behind to look as I dragged her


    away.


    She only stopped her antics when the man was no longer in her line of sight.


    Yet within minutes, she started her nonsense again and exploded into a scream so loud that it sent my


    eardrums shattering.


    I quickly covered her mouth to stop her because we would get thrown out of the building for making a


    racket.


    Luckily, she calmed down very quickly, leaving only a smitten smile on her face, which went on and did


    not disappear from her face when we collected the resources to when we left sh.


    Being so done with that lovestruck fool, I bid goodbye to her after reminding her to join Benjamin and me


    for dinner on Saturday.


    Since we would be going for a barbecue, I reckoned it would be livelier with more people joining.


    Besides, that meal would be on me, so I did not think there would be a problem with inviting her along.


    Before returning to Dominic¡¯s mansion, I specially made my way to the supermarket and bought two


    days¡¯ worth of ingredients.


    I was all prepared to lock myself down at home since I had to finish the drafts within two days.


    Back at the mansion, I got ready the ingredients required for dinner that night before heading back to my


    room to look through those resources I had collected.


    Whenever I got too engrossed in drawing, I would forget the time and be unresponsive to my


    surroundings, so when Dominic returned, I didn¡¯t realize his presence. Neither did I know the moment he


    entered my room.


    If he had not suddenly whispered something into my ears, I would not have sensed anything at all.


    As his words rang in my ears, I got a shock and flinched my hand that was holding onto theputer


    mouse, resulting in a warped line on my otherwise perfect drawing.


    More importantly, his words were particrly unpleasant.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a few years, but I¡¯ve realized that not only did your skills not improve, it kinda went downhill


    instead. There¡¯s no difference between your work and that of an elementary school kid.¡±


    I was instantly irked that this guy was looking for trouble the moment he returned. If not for protecting my


    preciousputer mouse, I definitely would have thrown it in his face.


    Then, I was reminded of Nichs again. Inparison to Dominic, I realized how nice and sweet the


    former was.


    I had wanted to work on my drafts alone in my room but decided to get started on dinner preparation


    since Dominic had returned. I did not want to be med by that man for starving him.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, let me push you out to watch the television as I prepare dinner.¡± Though I was cursing him


    so badly on the inside, I still put on a smile on my face as I talked to him.


    This time, Dominic did not go against me, so I took his silence as an act of consent.


    After dinner and a round of cleaning up, I thought there was a need for me to preempt Dominic about my


    ns for the following two days. I did not want his nags or pranks to stop me from finishing my drafts.


    I came before his room and knocked twice on the door before it got pulled open from inside.


    Seeing that Dominic was half-naked while in the wheelchair, I felt my face blushing and my gaze shifting


    to one side without any reason.


    What the heck. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a virgin or I haven¡¯t seen his naked body before. So why am I shy?


    Iined, ¡°Why did you open the door without wearing clothes?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s funny. I¡¯m inside my room, so why do you have to care whether I¡¯m wearing clothes or not? But


    you¡­¡± Dominic pushed himself toward me and stared at me in amusement.


    ¡°Why are you knocking on my door at thiste timing? Are you lusting after my bed and thinking of


    getting in it?¡±


    Upon hearing his dirty words, I was ready tounch a vicious kick into his face.


    He can¡¯t even take care of himself, yet he¡¯s still harboring such a dirty mind? But then again, does he


    think I¡¯m desperately trying to cling to him?

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 The Twitter ount That Was No Longer Updated


    I inhaled a deep breath and tried to suppress my urge to whack him with all my might.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your mind wander. We¡¯ve already made it clear; I¡¯m only your caregiver and nothing else.¡±


    I had to make things clear as it was an important matter. I did not want to appear as though I had hoped


    for something to happen between us other than being friends.


    But then again, Dominic and I were never really friends either. The only thing I hoped for was for him to


    stop pranking me.


    Hearing my reply, he smiled indifferently and stated, ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s looking for me now, but you


    look so nervous. Are you ying hard to get?¡±


    That was when I realized the both of us were not on the same page. Be it the words said or the meaning


    conveyed, he did not seem to make any sense to me.


    But in hopes that I would have peace while working on my drafts for the next two days, I decided to let it


    slide and not offend him.


    ¡°I came because I have something to tell you. I have a draft submission in two days, so I hope no one


    will disturb me while I¡¯m drawing. But of course, I¡¯ll still fulfill my responsibilities as your caregiver.¡±


    At that, Dominic raised his brows and sized me up, looking full of curiosity. ¡°Is it that piece of work you


    were working on earlier? With that kind of drawing, I advise you to give up now. No one will ept even


    if you submitted it. It¡¯ll be better for you to spend those time serving me instead. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    I-I¡­ Like hell, I¡¯ll agree! Liliana, you must endure it! But it¡¯s so tough to do that!


    ¡°Dominic Hartnell, that¡¯s enough. Can¡¯t you say something nice to umte some good karma?¡±


    Asshole! Why is he so sure it won¡¯t be a good artwork when I¡¯m still nowhere done with it? It¡¯s not for him


    anyway, so is there a need for him to spout such nonsense and purposely emphasize my duty to serve


    him well?


    ¡°I¡¯ll umte bad karma if I tell lies. Look at my state; all I want now is to live longer.¡±


    Even though I was furious, I felt bad when my gaze unconsciously shifted to look at his legs.


    What exactly happened in these five years? How did he hurt his leg? He must be feeling very upset¡­


    After all, he was once so proud of himself¡­


    At that thought, I suddenly lost the urge to continue arguing with him. I decided to let him say what he


    liked if he would feel better that way. I would not be at any loss even if he did so anyway.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, do have a good rest. I¡¯ll head back to my room. Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    Finishing my words, I left his room with my head lowered.


    When I arrived back at my room, I unwittingly logged into my old Twitter ount.


    Although I had not logged in for a long time, I still vividly remembered the password and the ount ID.


    It was the initials of Dominic and my name.


    In the ount were theics I had drawn, as well as my recounts of the trivialities of life. They were all


    about the incidents that had happened between Dominic and I.


    I thought I would continue posting updates, but thest post stopped five years ago. Ever since I broke


    up with Dominic, I had never updated it anymore.


    Whenever I looked at the contents inside that ount, I was always full of affection and happiness. But


    five yearster, I only felt my eyelids getting heavy and sore right now as I looked at it.


    It was all in the past. I was no longer the Liliana that only had Dominic in my eyes. Simrly, Dominic


    would never be the man who would adore me deeply again.


    I forced myself to close the page with my hand trembling and shut my eyes tight to withdraw myself from


    falling into the past.


    I knew I could not continue thinking about it anymore. It was a mistake for Dominic and I to have met


    again. Some day, things would be restored to how they should be.


    I soon opened my eyes, clicked open my draft, and started drawing again.


    Focusing on work was a good attention diverter. Gradually, I stopped thinking about those unnecessary


    things.


    That night, I managed to make some pretty good progress.


    As for Dominic, he, too, had seemed to be extremely busy all of a sudden. Calvin had beening


    to fetch him early in the morning every day, so he had not been eating breakfast at home. And he would


    only return after nine at night, so naturally, I did not have to prepare dinner either.


    Of course, I was happy that his schedule was so packed. That way, I had more time to focus on drawing


    my drafts.


    Two days soon passed in a blink of an eye. I had gone through onest round of final edits, and after


    being satisfied with how they turned out, I sent a copy to Shannon for her to take a look.


    After getting her positive feedback, we both thought I had a high passing chance.


    Shannon assured me that she would send the drafts to sh ¡ª I just had to wait for the good news.


    Once the huge weight was off my chest, I could finally have a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Soon, Saturday arrived. I made a call to Benjamin in the morning to confirm our date that night.


    The man also asked me if he could bring along an additional business partner along, to which I agreed


    readily.


    I still held on to the same opinion ¡ª the more, the merrier. Not only would it be livelier, but we could also


    order more dishes.


    And just like before, Dominic called me in the afternoon to say that he would not be back for dinner.


    Shannon and I met in the afternoon to go shopping. We had been longing to go shopping since there


    had been so many good things that happened recently.


    We agreed to arrive at the barbecue joint earlier than the set time as we did not want to let our guests


    wait for us.


    As for Benjamin and his friend, they arrived just on time. When he had mentioned that he would bring a


    business partner along earlier on the phone, I had figured that it should be anotherwyer from hisw


    firm. After a round of introduction, it turned out that I was right.


    By their looks, Mitch was slightly tanner than Benjamin. He looked like someone who loved sports.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Aswyers, the two were indeed eloquent. Apart from that, they were not like those dull blockheads with


    low emotional intelligence. Thus, we were having a whale of a time chatting.


    Soon enough, we gotfortable with each other and called each other by our names.


    However, the originally good dining atmosphere was spoiled when James and Dominic appeared


    uninvitingly.


    To be honest, I did not have any strong feelings toward James when I saw him. After all, I was thankful


    that he had introduced Benjamin to help me.


    However, I was bbergasted to see Dominic. I did not tell him I would be treating dinner. Furthermore, I


    had thought he was busy doing his own things.


    When Benjamin saw the two of them, he was pretty calm; he did not hold himself back from enjoying the


    food and drinks.


    Mitch, instead, turned out to be the one with a weird reaction. With his eyes wide, he stared at Dominic¡¯s


    thigh for a long time.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Haven¡¯t you seen someone on a wheelchair before?¡± The man¡¯s tone sounded


    a little hostile.


    It was more than understandable for him to act like that; no one would like being stared at, especially on


    their weakness, perpetually.


    ¡°N-No, I mean¡­ Dominic, what do you have up your sleeve?¡± Mitch was still as dumbfounded as before.


    From his tone, it seemed like they knew each other.


    Not wanting others to get too focused on Dominic¡¯s shoring, I tried to change the topic.


    When I opened my mouth to speak, James and Benjamin shouted Mitch¡¯s name out loud. It was as if the


    two of them had gone haywire in the head.


    Not only was Mitch confounded by their outburst, but the rest of us were also all swamped with


    puzzlement too. Shannon even knocked onto the saucer in shock, sending it flying to the ground.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 Care


    ¡°What the f*ck is wrong with you two? I was only asking how he became disabled, that¡¯s all! Why are you


    all freaking out like this?¡± Mitch yelled after a brief pause.


    Benjamin, who was sitting next to him, pulled him back onto his chair and topped up his te with a


    chunk of meat. ¡°Eat your food and shut up!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your brain could use a little more nourishment!¡± James chimed in as well.


    Dominic¡¯s threat was a lot more intimidating. ¡°One more word out of you, and you¡¯ll end up like this meat


    right here!¡±


    Shannon and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in amusement when we saw Mitch¡¯s expression after being shut


    down by three people at once.


    James then called for the waiter to bring him a menu before ordering more dishes.


    When you see guys dressed in ssy business suits like these, you¡¯d automatically associate them with


    fine dining in fancy restaurants¡­ Still, for some reason, I find the sight of them sitting here at a barbecue


    joint rather heartwarming¡­


    I was lost in thought as I looked at the four of them.


    Shannon jabbed at my arm under the table and asked, ¡°Where did you find these four handsome men?


    You¡¯ve been getting really lucky with guys after breaking up with Julius!¡±


    I simply rolled my eyes at her in response. Shannon had been obsessed with men ever since her close


    encounter with Nichs the other day, and that obsession seemed to have worsened to the point of no


    return.


    Regardless, I had to admit that having a meal with such handsome men was quite a pleasant


    experience. It would be perfect if the jerk Dominic wasn¡¯t present.


    The four of them were waiting in a row behind me at the checkout, and the boss was so charmed by their


    looks that she gave me a 20% discount on our total bill.


    Wow, having handsome men around does have its perks!


    Benjamin suggested we go for some karaoke after dinner.


    I instinctively turned toward Dominic as I knew he hated how noisy karaoke bars were.


    To my surprise, he didn¡¯t object to the suggestion, so I assumed he was okay with it.


    Personally, I had no issues with singing. When I was going to book us a session at a nearby karaoke bar,


    James brought us to Royal Entertainment which was located north of the city instead.


    The sight of the bright lights castle-like structure left me dumbfounded, and I subconsciously clutched my


    bag.


    Oh, god¡­ This is definitely going to burn a huge hole in my pocket¡­ A ce like this will easily cost


    thousands per entry! Hmm¡­ Screw it! I¡¯m here to have fun, so I might as well just roll with it! My luck has


    been great during the past two days, so I¡¯m in a good mood tonight. Besides, I can just make more


    money after spending it anyway!


    A middle-aged man dressed in a suit and tie with slicked-back hair greeted us the moment we set foot in


    Royal Entertainment.


    He walked up to James and addressed him especially politely, ¡°Mr. Dalton.¡±


    A pretty woman nearby offered to escort us to our private room, but the man declined her offer and


    escorted us himself instead.


    As expected of Royal Entertainment¡­ Even the private rooms have a fancy and majestic feel to them! I


    guess it lives up to the price¡­


    I chose to walk at the end of the line so I could ask staff about the price. I decided to pretend as if I didn¡¯t


    mind it at all after finding out.


    Shannon and the guys were quick to get themselves in the mood; they had selected about thirty songs in


    just a matter of minutes.


    Whoa¡­ I didn¡¯t know they were this good at singing¡­


    Dominic sat down in a corner, looking somewhat lonely as he sipped on a ss of whiskey in silence.


    I didn¡¯t know why I did it, but I walked up to him and swapped his drink for a ss of fruit juice instead.


    ¡°Lay off the booze, or you¡¯ll upset your stomach.¡±


    He nced at the ss of fruit juice in his hand before shing me a sarcastic grin as he said, ¡°Since


    you¡¯re so eager to lick my boots, I¡¯ll graciously ept your act of kindness.¡±


    A myriad of emotions surged in my heart when I heard him say that.


    Damn it! Can¡¯t he interpret my actions normally? I¡¯m trying to care for him. Why did he have to put it that


    way? What the hell is he ying at?


    I reached out to snatch his fruit juice, but Dominic was faster and quickly moved out of the way.


    ¡°Why are you trying to take it back now?¡± he asked with a mischievous smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to lick your boots, so I don¡¯t want you getting the wrong idea! Now give it back,¡± I snapped


    back at him angrily.


    Stopughing, you jerk!


    Not wanting to let him bother me any further, I returned to my seat next to Shannon.


    ¡°Hey, you seem to be awfully close with that Dominic guy. What were you two talking about just now?¡±


    Shannon whispered nosily in my ear.


    ¡°What do you mean we¡¯re close? I don¡¯t even know him!¡± That¡¯s right¡­ Meeting him was the worst thing


    to happen in my life!


    ¡°Tsk, tsk tsk¡­ So quick to deny it, huh? Looks like someone¡¯s feeling a little flustered!¡±


    Her response instantly left me speechless, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was someone I could


    talk to normally.


    At that moment, James yanked me to the front of the room and handed me the microphone while


    Benjamin pushed Dominic toward me.


    Oh, god¡­ What are they trying to do now?


    ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second that you two can sit out on the singing! We¡¯ve picked a love song for you so it


    won¡¯t feel awkward!¡± James teased with a chuckle, much to my dismay.


    These guys are doing it on purpose, aren¡¯t they? I would rather die than do a duet with Dominic,


    especially when it¡¯s a love song! I have to get out of here!Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With that in mind, I hurled the microphone at Benjamin and ran toward the door of the private room.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a stomachache. I need to use the bathroom! You guys have fun, okay?¡± I quickly left the


    private room after saying that.


    I ended up taking a tour around the ce to appreciate the decor and avoid singing at the same time.


    For a split second, I thought I saw Dominic looking rather upset as I left the private room.


    Is he angry at me?


    However, I was quick to dismiss that thought ¡ª his feelings were no longer my concern.


    I felt like a bumpkin visiting a city for the first time as I walked along the corridor. I quickly found myself


    captivated by the beautiful decor.


    However, I had overestimated my sense of direction and soon found myselfpletely lost.


    To make matters worse, I hadn¡¯t brought my phone with me after leaving in such a hurry. When I was


    about to sink into despair, I heard Nichs¡¯ voice sounding from behind me.


    I quickly turned around and was relieved to see him standing in the distance.


    Without wasting another second, I ran up to him and asked, ¡°Hey, Nichs! What are you doing here?


    Are you here to unwind as well?¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 Let Us Sing Together


    ¡°I suppose you could say that. We¡¯ve justpleted the shooting for the show, so I brought everyone


    over to rx for a bit,¡± the man replied in his usual gentle, soothing voice.


    On top of that, his current outfit looked a lot better than the one he had on at sh the other day.


    He looked so handsome that I found myself captivated in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°Did youe here with your friends?¡± Nichs asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but I wandered a little too far away, and now I can¡¯t find my way back¡­¡± I exined


    awkwardly. This is so embarrassing! I mean, losing my way in a karaoke bar? Come on, I¡¯m an adult for


    goodness¡¯ sake!


    Had I bumped into Dominic instead, he would¡¯ve teased me so much ¡ª I would¡¯ve never heard the end


    of it. While Nichs did none of that, what he said next surprised me greatly.


    ¡°In that case, how about youe to join me for a bit? We¡¯ll go look for your private roomter.¡±


    Me? Join Nichs? He said he came over after filming the show, so¡­ Does that mean I will get to meet


    a few other stars too? Oh my god! This sounds so exciting¡­ But wouldn¡¯t it be awkward for a random


    stranger like me to just show up?


    ¡°Um¡­ Are you sure it¡¯s appropriate to have me over like this?¡± I asked nervously.


    At my timid question, Nichs broke into a hearty chuckle. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be? It¡¯s just a hangout


    session between colleagues, after all. Come on, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    With that being said, I decided to join him.


    There were a lot more people inside his private room than I had expected.


    There were over twenty people, and they were also surprised to see Nichs return with a random


    stranger.


    The awkward tension left me so dumbfounded that I forgot to greet them; I simply stood next to Nichs


    in silence.


    Fortunately for me, the man was quick to react to the situation. He introduced me to the others, giving


    me a cue to greet them all.


    He then sat me down on the couch and handed me a ss of fruit juice.


    I had noticed a few familiar faces in the group earlier. They were the ones with the cameras at sh the


    other day, including the guy wearing a hat.


    ¡°That show you mentioned¡­ Does it have anything to do with you pretending to be an old man?¡± I asked


    out of curiosity without giving it much thought.


    ¡°Yeah, we should be releasing the promotional video in a few days. You can check it out then.¡±


    I nodded profusely. ¡°With you in it? Of course I will!¡±


    Given how nice Nichs is, it was only natural that I support his shows in whatever way I could. Besides,


    all the movies and TV shows he had been involved in throughout the past few years were amazing.


    When I saw a few of his colleagues calling out to Nicholes, I excused myself; I didn¡¯t want to take up any


    more of his time.


    I then borrowed his phone and gave Shannon a call to inquire about the name of our private room.


    ¡°You guys have fun, okay? I¡¯m going to join my friends now,¡± I said goodbye to Nichs while returning


    his phone.


    ¡°Maybe I should walk you to your private room instead. There are a lot of them here, and navigating the


    corridors can be a little tricky. You might not bump into me again if you get lost a second time.¡±


    Hearing those wordsing from him made me feel a lot worse about myself. He must think I¡¯m really


    stupid¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! Now that I know the name of the private room, I can just ask any of the staff here for directions


    if I can¡¯t find it. Besides, you¡¯ve got a lot of people waiting for you here. You shouldn¡¯t leave.¡±


    I knew I had a terrible sense of direction, but I wasn¡¯t dumb enough to not ask for directions. I didn¡¯t want


    to trouble Nichs any further, but he insisted and dragged me out of the room after excusing himself.


    He let go of my hand after walking for a bit, and that was when I realized I had held hands with him.


    Oh my god! I can¡¯t believe I held hands with Nichs! How embarrassing! I bet his fans would try to cut


    my hand off, bid for it, and have it mounted on their wall at home if they found out! Heck, even I feel


    tempted to not wash my hand for a week¡­ Should I worship it like a sacred relic?


    With Nichs leading the way, the two of us were able to arrive at my private room fairly quickly. I


    thanked him profusely as we stood outside the room door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Besides, we¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? There¡¯s no need to be so formal with me!¡± Nichs


    said with a warm smile on his face.


    Hearing him call me a friend got me feeling so excited that I blurted out the following words, ¡°Would you


    like toe in for a bit?¡±


    Damn it! Am I behaving a little out of ce here? What if he¡¯s only saying that out of courtesy? I mean¡­


    It isn¡¯t very appropriate for a nobody like me to hang out with a superstar like him¡­


    Nichs surprised me once again by epting my invitation.


    Since Shannon was in the room, I decided to give her a surprise and asked him to wait outside for a bit,


    a request which he dly obliged to.


    I then entered the room and took the microphone over from James before clearing my throat with the


    volume at its maximum.


    That instantly drew the attention of everyone inside the room, and they all looked at me eagerly with the


    exception of Dominic, who had a hostile frown on his face.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce a mystery guest! Please, put your hands together! Keep your eyes peeled,


    Shannon!¡±


    Before any of them could react, I quickly opened the door and led Nichs into the room.


    While the guys didn¡¯t show much of a response, Shannon screamed in excitement and ran up to the


    man. Her eyes seemed to be glistening.


    ¡°We meet again, Nichs! Do you remember me? I¡¯m Shannon Harper! We met back at sh the other


    day!¡±


    I could only facepalm myself helplessly from the sidelines as I watched the awkward situation unfold


    before me.


    ¡°Yes, I remember you. You¡¯re Liliana¡¯s editor, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡±


    He was greeting her normally, but that sent Shannon into another fit of excited giggles.


    I hurriedly dragged Nichs over toward the guys and got them all introduced. I figured they had gotten


    used to being around big shots like him as they were rather calm inparison and greeted him politely.


    Dominic, however, maintained his cold attitude and rudely ignored Nichs¡¯ greeting and handshake.


    Annoyed by Dominic¡¯s behavior, I dragged Nichs toward the chair across the room and took a seat


    next to him.


    I had left the private room earlier because I didn¡¯t want to do a duet with Dominic, but James brought it


    up again the moment I sat down.


    For goodness¡¯ sake, James! Why won¡¯t you let it rest already? I shot him a fierce re, mentally cursing


    him.


    At that moment, the music began ying in the background, and I realized it was the song


    called Perfect.


    Since it was impossible to avoid singing this time, I figured I would do it with Nichs instead.


    ¡°Shall we sing this one together?¡± I asked, shoving the other microphone into the man¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Contrast


    Nichs stared at the microphone in surprise for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°Sure! I¡¯m pretty


    good at this song!¡±


    Oh, that¡¯s right! Nichs is very good at both acting and singing! Crap, am I overestimating myself by


    inviting him to a duet with me? I don¡¯t want to end up embarrassing myself in front of him!


    James didn¡¯t expect me to invite Nichs to a duet; he was evidently stunned for a brief moment. He


    then tried to snatch the microphone from me, but I stepped out of the way before he could reach it.


    ¡°What? You wanted me to sing, didn¡¯t you? Why are you trying to stop me from singing now?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to save your dumb ass right now, Liliana!¡± James muttered with a solemn look on his face.


    I instinctively turned toward Dominic when I heard that, and he looked like he was about to explode from


    anger.


    What the hell is his problem? Is he that angry at me for not singing with him? I mean¡­ He didn¡¯t say he


    wanted to sing, so¡­


    ¡°Hey, Liliana! I¡¯ll restart the song, okay? We missed the first part,¡± Nichs spoke up all of a sudden.


    ¡°Okay!¡± I replied without any hesitation, only to feel a chill travel down my spine.


    James let out a helpless sigh as he watched from the side, much to my annoyance.


    What? I¡¯m singing a song like he asked me to! Why can¡¯t I sing it with someone other than Dominic?


    The music began ying once again, and Nichs shot me a nce to remind me of it starting.


    I nodded at him in acknowledgment. Despite it being a fun session, I simply couldn¡¯t shake the pressure


    of singing with someone like him.


    Suddenly, I felt a warm sensation on my left hand that was trembling from nervousness. Nichs had


    gripped my hand with his own.


    ¡°Rx, I¡¯m your friend, remember? An ordinary guy, just like everyone else.¡±


    I broke into a smile when I heard his words offort.


    Nichs is right! Silly me! Putting his amazing charm aside, he¡¯s just another fellow human being like


    me!


    That thought seemed to help me a lot. Although I didn¡¯t do very well in the intro part, I was able to pick up


    the pace shortly after and finish the song with rtive ease.


    It was my first time doing a duet with a superstar, and the fact that it was a difficult song made me feel


    even better about myself.


    ¡°I got it all on video! Man, this stuff is golden! Let me know if any of you guys want a copy of it!¡± Shannon


    shouted excitedly after the two of us were done with the song.


    Thatst sentence was meant for James and the others, but none of them responded to her whatsoever.


    I cast another nce at Dominic, and the look in his eyes was so cold that it felt like he could freeze


    everything within a hundred feet.


    James and the others had odd looks on their faces as well, but I chose to ignore them.


    ¡°That was some amazing singing, Nichs! Have you ever considered releasing an album or


    something? I¡¯m sure it¡¯d sell like hotcakes!¡±


    With his existing poprity, I was certain that his talent in singing would elevate him to a whole new level


    within the industry.


    ¡°I prefer acting. That¡¯s why it¡¯s my main career. Singing is just a little something I do as a hobby every


    once in a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I lowered my gaze in disappointment. What a shame¡­


    ¡°Liliana.¡± I looked back up at him when I heard him call my name.


    ¡°If I were to produce an album, would you buy it?¡±


    His question caught mepletely off guard, but I instinctively responded, ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll definitely buy it!¡±


    Shannon chimed in and said she would buy it as well, prompting the three of us to burst intoughter.


    ¡°Are you done, Liliana? Have you forgotten what you¡¯re supposed to do? How dare you get all chummy


    with some random stranger like this?¡± Dominic shouted furiously all of a sudden, scaring everyone at the


    scene with his booming voice.


    Him calling me out like that made me feel extremely humiliated, and I snapped back at him angrily in


    response, ¡°I have the right and freedom to talk to anyone about anything!¡±


    I then grabbed hold of Nichs¡¯ arm as I continued, ¡°Besides, Nichs is not a random stranger! He¡¯s


    the dream guy every woman in this country wishes they could be with! I can¡¯t believe how rude you are!¡±


    Dominic had a terrifyingly vicious gaze in his eyes as he spat the words out, ¡°Come here and say that to


    my face one more time! I dare you!¡±


    Right as I found myself frozen in fear, Nichs took a step forward and stood between us.


    ¡°You should be gentle toward women,¡± he stated firmly.


    I nodded profusely in response from the safety of his back.


    Dominic looked as savage as a bandit as he yelled, ¡°How I treat her is none of your f*cking business!¡±


    Um¡­ Did Dominic just swear? From what I remember, he hates swearing! He¡¯d lecture me all day just


    for saying ¡°sh*t¡± in front of him!


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about how you treat others, but Liliana is off-limits.¡±


    Oh, my god! This is like those scenes in romance movies where the male lead steps up and defends the


    female lead from the bad guys! Nichs being the male lead, me being the female lead, and Dominic


    being the bad guy, of course! Man, this feels so good for some reason!


    Unfortunately, that dreamy moment was quickly shattered by Dominic¡¯s furious voice.


    ¡°Liliana! You have three seconds to get your ass over here!¡±


    Naturally, I refused to do so; I would be practically marching to my own death.


    ¡°Liliana!¡± Dominic shouted at me again, but I refused to budge.


    ¡°Come on, Liliana. I¡¯ll send you home,¡± Nichs stated, his gentle tone contrasting with Dominic¡¯s


    menacing attitude.


    As tempting as it was to let him send me home, I knew my limits. In the end, I chose to refuse his offer.


    Pissing Dominic off was one thing, but letting Nichs actually send me home would be me going


    overboard.


    Besides, I didn¡¯t want to put him through trouble either.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. These guys drove here, so they can send me home. You should head on back


    to your private room, Nichs. I¡¯m sure your friends are waiting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can just call them and let them know about the change of ns. I¡¯ll be worried about your


    safety if I don¡¯t send you home myself.¡±


    Man, Nichs sure is a great guy¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± I figured he was probably worried that Dominic would hurt me and said after giving it


    some thought, ¡°Actually, he and I have known each other for a very long time. He may have a bad


    temper and say some really mean stuff, but he won¡¯t actually hurt me or anything, so don¡¯t you worry!¡±


    Eventually, Nichs reluctantly gave in to my coaxing and nodded in acknowledgment.


    He followed me outside the private room. Upon exiting, he handed me his phone number so I could call


    him if I needed any help.


    I returned to the private room after saying goodbye, only to have James pat me on the shoulder as he


    whispered, ¡°Liliana, I¡¯ve tried my best to save you, but you stubbornly chose to refuse my help. Don¡¯t


    me me for whatever happens next, okay?¡±


    What does he mean by that?

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 Crazy


    I looked at James in confusion, hoping for him to borate further on what he just said, but he simply


    returned to his couch without another word.


    Benjamin shifted his gaze between Dominic and I before breaking into a helpless, wry smile.


    Mitch had a look of utter confusion on his face, so I knew his guess was probably as good as mine.


    Dominic wheeled himself past me and headed for the door.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    After taking a moment to think about it, I ran up to him and grabbed hold of the handle to his wheelchair.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯reing to me?¡±


    I pouted in response to his snarky remark, but I was too soft-hearted to let him roam about in his


    wheelchair thiste at night.


    ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡±


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯re leaving already?¡± But we haven¡¯t even been here for long!


    ¡°What, you haven¡¯t had enough fun yet? I thought you had a great time earlier?¡±


    He shut me uppletely with thatment. I was tempted to say I didn¡¯t have enough fun yet, but I


    didn¡¯t dare anger him any further for fear of my own safety.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way now, Shannon! You guys have fun, all right?¡± I reluctantly waved her goodbye before


    turning toward James as I continued, ¡°You¡¯d better make sure to get Shannon home safe, you hear? I¡¯ll


    come for you if anything happens to her!¡±


    Being a lot more chivalrous than Dominic, James agreed to my request without any hesitation.


    Upon leaving Royal Entertainment, I was about to hail us a cab when Dominic told me to head for the


    parking lot instead.


    We stopped in front of a ck car which I instantly recognized as the one Calvin used to pick him up in.


    ¡°You know, you didn¡¯t have to make Calvine all the way here like this. We could have just headed


    back in a cab or something.¡±


    It must really suck being his assistant! Poor Calvin, he¡¯s probably on standby 24/7!


    I tugged at the door handle, only to realize it was locked.


    That¡¯s odd¡­ Could it be that Calvin went looking for us?


    Beep! Beep! The beeping noise of the car doors being unlocked snapped me out of my thoughts.


    I took a quick nce around, but there was no sign of Calvin anywhere.


    ¡°Help me into the car.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    I wrapped Dominic¡¯s arm around my shoulder as I helped him get up.


    Usually, it was either Calvin doing it by himself or with some help from me.


    That was the first time I had to support the weight of a two-hundred-pound man like this all by myself. I


    nearly sprained my hip in the process.


    There was still no sign of Calvin even after I helped Dominic into the car.


    ¡°Well? What are you standing around for? Get in!¡±


    I was about to climb into the back seat like I usually did, but he stopped me before I could do so and said


    somethingpletely unexpected, ¡°Get in the front. You¡¯re driving.¡±


    Wait, what? Is he seriously asking me to drive? I was dumbfounded when I heard that.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Calvin? Could he have gone to the bathroom or something? We should probably just wait for


    him toe back!¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about himing over? It¡¯s just the two of us here right now. Are you expecting me


    to drive instead?¡± Dominic said coldly.


    Something about what he said felt odd for some reason, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on what it was


    and shot him a strange look in confusion.


    My primary concern was myck of confidence in my own driving skills; I had never driven a car after


    getting my driver¡¯s license.


    As much as I hated the man, I didn¡¯t have it in me to get us both killed in a car ident either.


    ¡°Um, Mr. Hartnell¡­ I¡¯m a very terrible driver, so I think we should hail a cab instead.¡±


    Despite my attempt at exining myself, Dominic seemed hell-bent on having me drive that night.


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve made myself very clear when I asked you to drive earlier. Do you not understand


    Chanaean or something?¡±


    What the hell? I could say the exact same thing to him!


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious here, Dominic! I can¡¯t drive! You may have a death wish, but I don¡¯t!¡±


    I knew he was trying to spite me to get revenge for earlier, but risking both our lives like this wasn¡¯t worth


    it at all.


    ¡°Have you forgotten how much you owe me, Liliana? Having you die along with me is a small price


    compared to it.¡±


    Hearing him say that frustrated me to no end. What the hell is wrong with him today? I know he hasn¡¯t


    been drinking, but his rage has made him as reckless as a drunk! We¡¯re talking about life and death


    here, for crying out loud! You don¡¯t get a second chance if you screw up and end up dead!


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re feeling suicidal, but I¡¯m not about to risk my life like this!¡±


    Ished out at him and ignored his demand. He couldn¡¯t drive the car on his own anyway.


    The cab I hailed arrived about ten minutester, and we were finally able to return to the mansion.


    ¡°You should take a shower and get some rest,¡± I stated after leaving Dominic in his bedroom. I then


    returned to my room and showered before scrolling through Twitter in bed.


    A notification from a friend request popped up all of a sudden, but I declined it. I never epted friend


    requests from strangers online.


    However, this stranger was persistent and kept sending me friend requests repeatedly even after I


    declined each and every one of them.


    Right when I was about to report his ount for spam, I received a call from Nichs. The caller ID


    made me shoot excitedly out in bed.


    I quickly cleared my throat as I answered the call, ¡°Hi, Nichs! I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually call!¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect the man to call me so soon after getting my number earlier.


    He let out a chuckle and said, ¡°I believe the point of getting someone¡¯s number is to contact them,


    wouldn¡¯t you agree? I wasn¡¯t actually nning on calling you thiste at night, but you kept declining my


    friend requests, so I was afraid you¡¯d report my ount for spam.¡±


    Oh¡­ So it was Nichs sending me those friend requests earlier¡­


    ¡°Oh my god! That was you? I thought it was some weird creep! Send me another one, and I¡¯ll ept it


    right away!¡±


    I can¡¯t believe I just declined the friend request of every woman¡¯s dream man!


    After connecting with him online, the two of us began chatting immediately.


    It was then I realized how much Nichs and I had inmon. I also discovered just how much of a


    comedian he was.


    Some of his jokes were so funny that I found my stomach hurting fromughter.


    The bedroom door was opened halfway as we conversed. Midway through the conversation, I saw a


    dark silhouette in the doorway.


    After a brief pause, I quickly switched on the chandelier in the room and saw that it was Dominic.


    Jeez, that scared me! What does he want from me thiste at night?


    I thought to myself as I patted my chest in an attempt to calm my nerves.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 He Is Fine


    I jumped out of bed abruptly. My tone of voice was a little provocative as I had gotten shocked for no


    reason. ¡°Mr. Hartnell, why are you not sleeping yet at thiste hour? Why are you doing here? You


    scared the hell out of me,¡± I uttered.


    However, little did I know that Dominic was way more aggressive than I was. ¡°You do know that it¡¯ste


    at night. Why did youugh so loudly? Are you crazy?¡±


    Well¡­ Nichs told me a joke just now. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Knowing that I was in the wrong, I cleared my throat and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be more mindful next time.¡±


    ¡°Is there even going to be a next time? Who are you talking to at this hour? You look so happy.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s eyes darkened as he looked at me.


    Subconsciously, I hid my phone behind me and answered, ¡°Nobody. I was justughing at some reality


    shows.¡±


    The man evidently didn¡¯t believe me as he proceeded to ask me for my phone.


    I refused his request without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s my phone. Why should I give it to you? I have the rights to


    my own privacy.¡±


    His voice grew colder as he barked out, ¡°Hand it over to me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to you. Come and get it yourself if you want it so badly!¡± I purposely stood up from the


    bed and raised my hand in the air while saying that.


    I stuck out my tongue provocatively. Serves him right for threatening me all the time. I¡¯m just going to


    make fun of him a little. Hmph! He can¡¯t even walk. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s he going to do!


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Give it to me,¡± he said every single word through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Dominic, let¡¯s be reasonable. This is my phone. Why do I have to give it to you? Who I chat with is none


    of your business.¡±


    Is he out of his mind? Usually, he only goes crazy once in a while. I have never seen him act like this


    before.


    Anyway, I would never give my phone to him.


    Despite having my mind made up, Dominic¡¯s gaze was too invasive. I couldn¡¯t stand it. Therefore, I


    turned my head and looked out of the window.


    Suddenly, I saw an extremely terrifying scene through the reflection on the window.


    Dominic stood up! More surprisingly, he even started walking towards me.


    My heart skipped a beat. When I turned around to see if my eyes were tricking me, I lost my bnce.


    Stumbling wildly, I fell on the bed.


    I pointed my finger at him, stuttering as I did so. I couldn¡¯t seem to form any words properly.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ Dominic, your leg¡­¡±


    I rubbed my eyes several times in shock. Dominic was really walking.


    What¡¯s going on? Am I dreaming? Or am I seeing things?


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Why? Are you not happy to see my legs working properly?¡± The man walked towards the bedside and


    sat down.


    That is not the main point!


    He has been sitting in a wheelchair all this while. How is it possible for him to have recovered so


    suddenly?


    ¡°No. But, you¡­ Your legs are fine?¡±


    The smile Dominic shed me sent chills down my spine. ¡°Aren¡¯t you seeing it with your own eyes now?


    Should I drag you to a five thousand meters run?¡±


    I instantly waved my hands when I heard him saying five thousand meters. I was embarrassingly bad at


    sports.


    The recovery was a really strange feat. How is it possible that he¡¯s recovered so suddenly? That kind of


    thing only happens in novels! Does he have superpowers? Did he meet a divine physician? It¡¯s just too


    unrealistic. Unless¡­


    Suddenly, I realized something, and my eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Dominic, were your legs all right all this while? You¡¯ve been lying to me this whole time?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. I was injured. I didn¡¯t say I would be crippled for the rest of my life. That¡¯s just


    your wishful thinking.¡±


    Well¡­ I didn¡¯t remember him saying that. But why did he have to sit in that wheelchair every day if his


    leg has already recovered? He looks alright to me!


    ¡°Were you bored and wanted to y tricks? Why did you pretend to be crippled all this while?¡± I yelled at


    him in frustration.


    The man sized me up a few times with a thoughtful expression and said, ¡°If I was indeed crippled, would


    you feel sad? Would you be heartbroken?¡±


    I would never feel sad for him, not to mention being heartbroken. He can dream on!


    I whipped my head around and ignored him.


    Such a reaction from me caused him to smile indifferently. It seemed that he wasn¡¯t about to insist on


    hearing my answer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who my caregiver is chatting with in the middle of the night¡­ Which guy made you so happy?¡±


    Upon hearing that, I hurriedly turned to face him. However, he had already bent over and picked up my


    phone from the ground.


    I wished to reach out and grab it, but Dominic¡¯s leg was fine now. He towered over me when he stood up.


    When my phone was in his hands, I couldn¡¯t touch it at all.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? Return it to me!¡±


    He ignored me, proceeding to scroll through my phone. His actions and his countenance made me


    hopping mad. Why couldn¡¯t he respect people¡¯s privacy?


    ¡°Brilliant, Liliana!¡± he eximed in a cold tone. His facial expression gradually darkened as he did so.


    ¡°Are you done looking? Give it back to me!¡±


    I tiptoed and tried to get my phone back.


    Dominic! You¡¯re such a crazy a*shole! Before I could stop him, the man had thrown my phone to the


    ground, smashing it into pieces.


    I moved forward to pick it up, but Dominic grabbed my hand and pulled me back forcefully. I fell back on


    the bed, and before I could get up, he pressed me underneath him with his entire body weight.


    I was about to scold him, ¡°Dominic, you¡­ Mmm¡­¡±


    However, his sudden kiss prohibited me from doing anything like that.


    After five years, he had finally kissed me again.


    In an instant, my eyes widened in disbelief, and my mind went nk.


    He¡­ How could he kiss me?


    His kiss was incredibly forceful to the point where I could barely breathe. I might have passed out if he


    hadn¡¯t let me go at the right timing.


    Wait, no! That¡¯s not the point!


    I pushed Dominic away once I came back to my senses. I immediately covered my mouth and retreated


    to the corner of the room.


    ¡°Liliana, why haven¡¯t you learned how to kiss after such a long time? Didn¡¯t your ex-husband teach you


    anything?¡±


    Upon hearing his mockery, I was infuriated as my chest heaved up and down.


    ¡°What does it have to do with you whether I know how to kiss or not? Don¡¯t you know you were acting


    like a jerk just now? I could¡¯ve called the police!¡±


    I wiped my mouth vigorously and shouted at him, angercing my tone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to kiss me? Then who do you want to kiss? Oh, I know! Is it Nichs? Both of you had a


    really nice conversation in the middle of the night, didn¡¯t you? So what are you going to do now? Are you


    that desperate?¡±


    Dominic spat those words out harshly, his eyes zing with anger. I was shocked by his rudeness. Did


    he have to be that mean?


    ¡°Do you think Nichs will be like you? You always have dirty thoughts in your mind. Apart from that,


    you¡¯ve been lying to me and torturing me all the time. Nichs is the perfect man of every woman¡¯s


    dreams. He is so much better than you!¡±


    I was beginning to feel slightly dizzy as anger overwhelmed me. I didn¡¯t even notice how terrible


    Dominic¡¯s facial expression had be.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I have a dirty mind. I have been torturing you all this while. Am I right? Nichs is way better


    than me. Is that true? Are you happy to hear that?¡±


    Dominic approached me slowly as he spoke. Then, he reached out his hand and pulled me over when


    he was right in front of my face.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡± I kept struggling.


    His face was clouded over, and I was terrified by his cold voice of tone. ¡°Lilianna, do you know how dirty


    my mind is? I shall let you see for yourself today!¡±

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 Bitten By A Dog


    I was really scared to see Dominic behaving like that.


    He was like an enraged lion when a menacing re shed across his eyes.


    ¡°Dominic, let go of me! Let¡¯s calm down and talk things over¡­ Stop¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Talk things over?¡± At my words, he burst outughing. ¡°You have already made things clear. We only


    have to put your words into action now!¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You a*shole! Dominic, don¡¯t make me hate you¡­ Dominic¡­ ¡°


    All my curses and cries were buried by his forceful kiss.


    I couldn¡¯t break free from him due to his tight grip.


    Dominic let out a half-suppressedugh before scowling, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a married woman? Are you still


    trying to remain chaste?¡±


    He still didn¡¯t forget to take a dig at me at this timing. This fool was truly out of his mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! Let me go now! You should know that this is illegal!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only illegal when it¡¯s without consent from both parties. But, you¡­ Maybe you will beg me for itter.


    Who knows?¡±


    ¡°Dream on! Why would I do that?¡± I scoffed. I¡¯m not that desperate for a man¡¯s touch!


    At that, Dominic smirked and pressed his lips against mine again.


    Soon after, I heard a weird sounding from my mouth. I immediately bit my lip tight.


    ¡°See? Your body is reacting to my kiss.¡± Feeling smug, he put on a sly smile.


    I remained silent. I did not dare speak, too afraid that I would make that sound again if I opened my


    mouth.


    At that moment, I mustered my strength up and pushed Dominic away. Then, I hurriedly scrambled


    towards the door.


    I had only taken a few steps before he grabbed my hand and pinned me down. He made me face down


    on the bed.


    He then leaned over and whispered, ¡°You have nowhere to run. This is only the beginning.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t do this¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ Ah!¡± I lifted my head up and let out a moan.


    Although I was married, I wasn¡¯t really good in bed.


    All of a sudden, I lost my power to think rationally. My body was reacting to the sensations all on its own.


    Suddenly, I was reminded of my first time with Dominic. Back then, he was extremely cautious. He had


    paid so much attention to my feelings our first time together.


    Things were different now. He didn¡¯t care if he was touching me against my will ¡ª he didn¡¯t care about


    my feelings at all.


    Dominic, why did you be like this? Dominic¡­


    Those memories in my mind were soon being eroded.


    At that moment, he halted all his movements.


    I didn¡¯t want to look at him. My cheeks were burning up. Hence, I turned my face to the other side.


    ¡°Why are you so shy? It¡¯s not your first time. Liliana, you should take a look at both of us. Do you still


    think it¡¯s not consensual?¡±


    His voice was deep and raspy, but strangely, it aroused me. How seductive!


    I wanted to say something, but an embarrassing moan came out of my mouth automatically before words


    coulde out.


    Dominic instantly smiled. ¡°Be a good girl. Just enjoy the moment.¡±


    And finally, the session of intimacy came to an end.


    I pulled the nket around my body to cover myself up. Meanwhile, Dominic was already putting on his


    clothes.


    ¡°We¡­¡± I parted my lips, but I didn¡¯t know how to express my thoughts.


    The man turned and walked towards me upon hearing my voice. He reached forward to wrap me in his


    arms.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t get me wrong. We¡¯re all adults who can be physically intimate with one another. It¡¯s no big


    deal.¡±


    I lowered my head. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was afraid that you might have misunderstood.¡±


    I tried my best to sound indifferent. However, I instinctively gripped the bed sheets tightly.


    Suddenly, Dominic held my chin and lifted my head up.


    Against my will, tears started rolling down from the corner of my eyes.


    He was stunned to see me cry, and he kept silent, staying still for quite a long time.


    I didn¡¯t know why I couldn¡¯t stop my tears from falling down.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    After being in a daze for a long while, Dominic released his grip on me. I fell onto the bed with


    momentum.


    ¡°Liliana, stop crying. Do you think I am still the same person I was before?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the same. Everything had changed. It wouldn¡¯t bother Dominic if he saw me crying.


    I wiped the tears off my face before asking, ¡°Are you done talking? Could you please leave?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you mad at me because I am not gullible anymore? I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. Actually, you


    don¡¯t have to be so upset. We were getting along quite well even though we have no feelings for each


    other. Isn¡¯t that the truth? You kept wailing and refusing me, but your body is way more honest than your


    heart. What¡¯s the point of telling those terrible lies? I could easily see through you.¡±


    After finishing his words, he mmed the door and left.


    Iy on the bed like a marite with broken strings. I buried my face in the pillow. Tears started welling


    up in my eyes, and I let them stream down, watching silently as they slowly disappeared in the cotton


    pillowcase.


    After lying there for a long time, I endured the pain and struggled to get up. I grabbed a fresh set of


    clothes and stepped into the bathroom.


    After finishing my shower, I squeezed all my stuff into the luggage. Then, I carried myptop with me and


    left Dominic¡¯s house.


    I didn¡¯t know what the time was, but it was pitch ck outside. I wished to hail a taxi, but not a soul was


    in sight.


    Despite that, I still had to leave. It made me sick for staying there a second longer.


    I dragged my luggage and kept walking all the way to the main road. Finally, I managed to hail a taxi.


    I had moved into Dominic¡¯s house right after leaving Julius. As I made my way into the taxi, I came to the


    realization that there was nowhere for me to go.


    Since there was no other option, I gave the taxi driver Shannon¡¯s house address.


    When I arrived at my destination, the woman was surprised to see me. ¡°Liliana, you¡­ What happened to


    you?¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 It Was Approved


    ¡°Please let me in. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    With that, I squeezed through the door and copsed onto the couch, drained by all that had


    happened.


    Not only was I sleep-deprived, but I was also worn out and drained of energy after a long walk with my


    suitcase.


    ¡°Shannon, I¡¯m hungry. Is there anything to eat?¡± I asked.


    The woman stared nkly at me and responded, after thinking for a while, ¡°Do you want spaghetti?¡±


    ¡°Sure, please add some veggies, egg, and ham,¡± I replied without hesitation.


    Shannon acted quickly. After ten minutes, she came out of the kitchen with a te of delicious spaghetti


    and ced it opposite me on the other side of the table.


    Shannon gripped the te tightly when I stretched out a weary arm to grab it, causing me to frown.


    ¡°Liliana, look at the time! Do you know howte it is? Don¡¯t you think you should give me an exnation


    first?¡±


    Right away, I nced at her phone and realized it was half-past three in the morning. My upper lip curled


    slightly in a faint scowl. ¡°When I was asleep just now, a mad dog suddenly rushed in and bit me. I was


    scared to death, so I came over to look for you.¡±


    ¡°Mad dog? Hello, you live in a bungalow! Even if you were scared, what¡¯s all this with you? Are you going


    to stay here?¡±


    Shannon pointed at my suitcase and bag, looking puzzled.


    ¡°Please let me have the spaghetti first. I¡¯ll exin things to you slowly once I eat.¡±


    I could not help but groan inwardly. Oh gosh¡­ Stop questioning me! I¡¯m starving! What kind of friend is


    she?


    With that, Shannon shot me a disgruntled nce before pushing the te toward me.


    I cleaned my te within seconds.


    ¡°My goodness, you look famished instead of scared! Now, you still haven¡¯t answered my question. Spill.¡±


    ¡°Shannon, I¡¯ll stay here for a few days and move out once I¡¯ve got a suitable ce. As for the dog, it was


    true ¡ª I didn¡¯t lie to you. I need to get some sleep now. Please don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    I¡¯m telling the truth. Dominic behaves like a rabid dog! He can¡¯t be reasoned with!


    Iy horizontally on the couch and hugged my coat tightly to my body, feeling exhausted. In the blink of


    an eye, I fell asleep.


    When I woke up, I could smell the aromas of sizzling bacon and fresh-brewed coffee.


    That smell was getting me hungry. It was a well-known fact that Shannon cooked better than me.


    ¡°Oh, you got up right on time for breakfast! You really picked the right moment, didn¡¯t you? I was about to


    wake you up,¡± Shannon said as she came out of the kitchen, holding a spat.


    I could not agree more with her sarcastic remark.


    After having breakfast, I grabbed my phone and went out. My phone screen was all cracked, and I was


    unsure if it could still work. I would have to purchase a new one if it couldn¡¯t.


    I soon arrived at the phone repair shop and handed my phone to the technician for inspection. He then


    told me the phone could be repaired, but I decided to give up after getting the quote. I would rather buy a


    new one.


    After I purchased a new phone and reced the SIM card, I headed back to Shannon¡¯s ce.


    If it were not for the fact that I had been using that phone number for so many years, I would¡¯ve definitely


    gotten a new phone number. The inconvenience of changing it also convinced me not to.


    I sat on the couch, idly setting up my new phone. When I was about to log in to my WhatsApp ount,


    my phone rang.


    Without hesitation, I answered the call, only to realize it was Dominic. Right away, I hung up.


    The man called again, but I did not pick up the call.


    After a while, I received two text messages from him.


    Dominic asked me where I was and ordered me to go back to his ce. Huh, he isn¡¯t remorseful for what


    he has done!


    That b*stard even threatened me and said I was going to regret it.


    Oh yeah? Well, I regret not kicking his ballsst night!


    I did not reply to him. After deleting his messages, I blocked his phone number.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    From now on, I¡¯ve got nothing to do with Dominic. As forst night, I should take it me being drunk and


    having a one-night stand. Oh well, no big deal!


    Then, I logged in to my WhatsApp ount and realized that Nichs had sent a few messages to me.


    He was asking me why there was suddenly no reply from my side and whether I was alright.


    I replied to him: I¡¯m sorry. I suddenly fell asleepst night. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine!


    With that, I stared at my phone and waited for a while. Upon seeing that he did not reply to my text, I


    ced my phone down.


    He must be very busy. He¡¯s a celebrity, after all.


    After having dinner, Shannon apanied me on my search for a house online. There were a few


    houses that looked good, and we nned to visit those houses the following day for an inspection.


    However, I received a call from sh around nine o¡¯clock the next morning, informing me that they had


    approved my rough draft and sketch. They requested me to go to their office in the afternoon to discuss it


    in detail. They wanted me to sign the contract as well as the non-disclosure agreement.


    Thus, it left me no choice but to postpone the house inspection.


    In the afternoon, Shannon and I headed to sh.


    Initially, I thought I was going to draw the poster for the uing movie. Much to my surprise, they


    suddenly informed me that there was a change of n.


    I was utterly confused about the whole arrangement. If my rough draft was not intended for that movie,


    why did they adopt it?


    Nevertheless, I almost jumped for joy when they told me what I was going to draw.


    Being my editor, Shannon was also bursting with joy.


    Surprisingly, sh had decided to ask me to draw the poster for the TV drama andic book version of


    ¡°The Wind And Cloud.¡±


    It was a newly released fantasy novel that was gaining poprity. Many considered it a masterpiece.


    Besides, the productionpany had proimed that Nichs and Scarlett would y the male and


    female lead, starring roles respectively in that drama series.


    The two actors had worked together many times before, and they were the fans¡¯ favorite TV couples.


    With all these factors, this piece of work would definitely be a hit.


    Yet, I felt conflicted when sh requested me to follow the film crew in order to find inspiration from their


    early-stage filming.


    That means I¡¯m going to stay out for at least a month.


    This is unreasonable! It doesn¡¯t make sense for me to follow the film crew for the sake of producing a


    betteric.


    ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m fine with the rest of the terms, but following the film crew isn¡¯t something I can agree on.


    Um¡­ alternatively, you could send the video to me after the shooting. Then, I¡¯ll watch it and draw the


    comic. Anyhow, it works in the same way.¡±


    Jason Miller was the person in charge of the Advertising Department in sh. I tried discussing the


    matter with him, hoping that he could help me put forward my proposal.


    Unfortunately, he rejected my proposal right away. ¡°Ms. Zti, this drama is ourpany¡¯s highlight for


    the first quarter of next year. As long as we haven¡¯tpleted the filming or set the exact broadcast date


    and time, we must keep everything confidential.¡±


    He then continued, ¡°I hope you can understand. It¡¯ll take a month at most. You must observe the


    character traits and expressions of the starring role. You won¡¯t need to follow the crew after getting the


    hang of it. Trust me when I say it won¡¯t take too long.¡±


    Indeed, the man listed all the logical and perfectly justified reasons. As such, I was rendered speechless.


    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Miller! Could I have a word with Ms. Zti?¡± Shannon suddenly interrupted us.


    After getting Jason¡¯s permission, she pulled me aside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate! Just follow the film crew and treat it as a tour, since you have never done it before.


    Besides, you can watch the idols acting up close. What a great opportunity! Well, I don¡¯t mind


    apanying you.¡±


    Shannon then added, ¡°Liliana, don¡¯t miss this golden opportunity!¡±

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 Collusion


    I guess Shannon has a point¡­


    I must be very lucky to havee across such an opportunity.


    If myic is well-drawn, I might be a famous cartoonist in this country.


    After thinking about it, I realized it was quite possible for things to turn out far beyond what I could


    imagine.


    Therefore, I entered into a contract with sh and signed the non-disclosure agreement without


    hesitation.


    If I disclosed any relevant news during the filming period, I would have topensate thepany.


    Besides, I had to keep the information about theic confidential. They would only announce the


    simultaneous release of the drama and theic when the drama premiered.


    At the moment, they were making final preparations, and the filming was estimated to officially


    commence at the end of next month.


    Luckily, I still had more than a month to settle things on my end.


    First of all, I had to go home and inform my parents that I had divorced Julius.


    Indeed, it was a wonderful day ¡ª my wishes were alling true.


    Shannon and I nned to have a celebration after signing the agreement, so we went to a caf¨¦ for a


    drink.


    Suddenly, I received a message from Nichs: I just finished my work and saw your message. Good to


    know that you¡¯re fine.


    I replied: Don¡¯t worry! I get it. Look at you! You¡¯ve been so busy. Take care and have a good rest!


    He then responded: Why don¡¯t you have dinner with me? It¡¯s so pathetic to eat alone, and I¡¯ll lose my


    appetite.


    After reading his cheeky message, I could not help but chuckle.


    Is he trying to act cute?


    ¡°Look at the silly smile on your face! Who are you chatting with?¡± Shannon stared at me with curiosity.


    I raised my arm, beckoning her over. After she leaned toward me, I showed her my phone and


    whispered, ¡°It¡¯s your idol, Nichs! He said he¡¯ll lose his appetite if he has dinner alone.¡±


    Immediately, I was rendered speechless when I saw the glint of excitement in her eyes. Shannon


    swooned at the sight of every attractive guy she saw.


    Seeing that she was getting dizzy with excitement, I decided to change the subject matter at hand.


    Then, I replied to Nichs: Shannon and I are at a caf¨¦ along Bourbon Street. Do you want to join us for


    dinner?


    Right away, he responded: Sure, wait for me!


    I did not expect him toe over as it would be troublesome if others recognized him.


    To avoid unnecessary trouble, I asked the boss for a private room. Once he got it prepared, I dragged


    Shannon to the room.


    After two appetizers were served, a man wearing metal-framed sses opened the door and walked into


    the room.


    I blinked my eyes and stared at the man who looked like Nichs. Is that him? Wait a minute¡­ this man


    looks a bit different. That¡¯s weird!


    ¡°I¡¯ve disguised my appearance perfectly, haven¡¯t I?¡± Instantly, I recognized that voice. It was indeed


    Nichs.


    I stared at him with my mouth wide open, surprised. I hadn¡¯t actually expected him to show up.


    How did he get here without being surrounded by his fans?


    When celebrities go out, they normally wear caps, sunsses, and masks, don¡¯t they? He sure is bold!


    ¡°D-did anyone recognize you?¡± I stammered.


    ¡°I¡¯m wearing makeup. Now, I¡¯m just someone who looks like Nichs Scott. Even if I walk in the crowd,


    they will only nce at me without realizing my real identity.¡±


    He is really quite something to havee up with such an idea!


    At that moment, a waitress came in to serve the food. Her attention was drawn to Nichs immediately.


    Upon seeing hernd her gaze on the man, my hands turned cold and mmy, whereas he remained


    calm.


    ¡°Mister, you look like my idol!¡± the waitress eximed with her voice trembling with excitement.


    Nichs smiled. ¡°I know. Do you mean Nichs Scott? Many friends have said that as well, but


    unfortunately, he is more handsome than me.¡±


    Once again, his words set off a ripple of excitement within her. The waitress even began iming that


    Nichs was indeed the most handsome man.


    Both Shannon and I were utterly dumbfounded. In fact, the former had been gaping at Nichs in


    silence from the beginning.


    He really was amazing.


    The three of us enjoyed our dinner. Despite wanting to, I did not tell Nichs I was going to draw the


    comic for ¡°The Wind And Cloud¡± as I was supposed to keep things confidential.


    Let¡¯s see how it goes after I join the film crew.


    The next day, after having inspected five houses, I decided to rent the one-bedroom apartment at North


    Park. It was big enough for me to live alone.


    I paid for the rental and took the keys. Then, I headed back to Shannon¡¯s ce to get my stuff as I


    nned to move in that night.


    When I was on my way, I received a call from Gxy Entertainment.


    Why are they calling me? Didn¡¯t I settle everything?


    ¡°Ms. Zti, there¡¯s something wrong with the contract we signed earlier. Do you minding over to


    our office for a discussion?¡±


    Upon hearing that, my heart hammered in my chest. Could it be Dominic causing trouble for me after I¡¯ve


    left him?


    Huh, I haven¡¯t even sued this b*stard for rape! How dare he y such a dirty trick!


    After that night, I don¡¯t think I owe him anything. If he dares to stir up trouble, I¡¯ll definitely sue!


    Still, I felt a little uneasy and wanted to find out more. ¡°Well, what¡¯s the problem? We dealt with it


    ording to the normal procedures, didn¡¯t we? Besides, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem as the contract


    was drafted by yourpany.¡±


    However, the person on the other end of the phone refused to reveal any further information, insisting


    that Ie over to their office for a face-to-face discussion.


    So, I had no choice but to ask the driver to send me to Gxy Corporation, though I was reluctant.


    After I arrived at the building, I walked into the lobby with my suitcase. Soon, a youngdy in a white


    blouse and ck pencil skirt approached me.


    ¡°Are you Ms. Zti? Pleasee with me.¡±


    I felt unsettled as I could not figure out what had gone wrong with the contract. The fact that they had


    sent someone to wait for me in the lobby made me nervous.


    Thatdy took me to a meeting room and then motioned me to go in.


    Before I entered, I tidied myself up. I raked my fingers through my hair and retied a ponytail.


    I thought there would be many people waiting for me in the meeting room. However, after I walked into


    the room, only one person was sitting at the center of the conference table.


    Much to my surprise, it was Dominic.


    As soon as I realized it was him, I immediately turned to reach for the doorknob.


    Damn it, the door is locked!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you smash down the door and go out?¡± His grating voice came from behind.


    I wished I could smash the door down, but there was only one chair in the huge meeting room, and he


    was sitting in it.


    F*ck! He must have colluded with James.


    These two are really evildoers. How dare they screw me over!


    Since I was unable to escape, I could only stay away from him. Instantly, I let go of my suitcase and ran


    toward the corner farthest away from him.


    Yet, the man did not seem to be in a hurry. Instead, he strolled toward me leisurely.


    It left me no choice but to run to the other side of the room.


    I kept running, and he trailed after me slowly. In the end, I was drenched in sweat in the air-conditioned


    room, whereas he was well dressed, looking happy and contented.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I felt as if I was about to burst from rage when I paused and turned to re at him.


    ¡°What on earth do you want?¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 I Agree


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve given up running? This conference room is huge anyway. You can go ahead and continue.


    James will not open the door without receiving my call anyway, so we can take our time.¡±


    I suddenly had the urge to p Dominic¡¯s smug face.


    ¡°You have time, but I don¡¯t. I have nowhere to run anyway. Why don¡¯t we talk it out?¡±


    He pulled out a chair and sat opposite of me, crossing his legs. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Damn¡­ Why is he so arrogant!


    I was really, really unhappy. However, fighting with Dominic would only end up with me being angrier.


    I took a deep breath before saying, ¡°Dominic,st night, I already repaid everything I owed you. From


    now on, we will not have anything to do with each other anymore.¡±


    I had already given him more than enough ¡ª I don¡¯t owe him anything anymore.


    However, the man clearly thought otherwise.


    He chuckled as his eyes gleamed, looking as if he could see right through me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anymore? Liliana, do you think you are valuable enough topensate for


    everything with just one night?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? What happened yesterday was not consensual. You should be happy I


    didn¡¯t file any charges against you. What more do you want?¡±


    I really hated him for being pushy. It was obviously his fault, but he acted as if everybody owed him.


    How could such an unreasonable bastard even exist?


    Dominic suddenly stood up, like a towering giant looking down upon me.


    Screw you¡­ long legged bastard.


    ¡°Don¡¯te over. We¡¯ll talk like this. We have to be at least five meters¡­ No, ten meters apart.¡±


    When he started walking, I started to back away.


    Being close to him felt oppressive.


    However, he didn¡¯t seem to heed my warnings; he continued to approach me at a fast pace without care.


    I continued backing away as much as I could. Unfortunately for me, I didn¡¯t realize the wall behind me.


    When my back hit it, I knew I had no way to escape.


    Great, he¡¯s pinned me against the wall.


    But why am I not feeling the fleeting heart and excitement that happens in dramas?


    ¡°Dominic, If you dare to do anything crazy to me, I will¡­ Mhmm¡­¡±


    He¡­ We¡¯re here to break off all our rtions¡­ Why are you kissing me!


    I immediately attempted to push him away, but he wouldn¡¯t budge.


    When Dominic finally let go of me, my lips were swollen.


    He lifted his eyebrows and chuckled, ¡°Why are you resisting? Didn¡¯t you enjoy it?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! Not one bit! Dominic, when did you turn into such a person? Why are you being so forceful


    towards me? What happened to your pride and self-control!¡±


    Having heard what I said, the smile on his face suddenly vanished. His face became ice cold.


    He twisted my hand behind my back and squeezed my jaw, prohibiting me from moving even one inch.


    ¡°You have no right to lecture me.¡± Dominic¡¯s eyes were so cold as he spoke,


    I closed my eyes, suppressed my fear, then opened my eyes again to look straight at him.


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t, then. But don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going overboard? Dominic, it¡¯s been five years. No matter


    what happened between us, it is already in the past. Now, let us go back to our own respective lives,


    okay?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why, but my voice suddenly choked up.


    No matter how deep our love was before, it¡¯s all in the past now. He¡¯s got Camille now, and I¡­ Having


    myself is more than enough.


    Dominic brought his face closer to mine, causing the tips of our noses to be almost touching.


    ¡°Back to your own life? Sure, as long as you agree to my terms, I¡¯ll let you go back to your own life.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what they are,¡± I said that solely out of curiosity ¡ª I knew nothing good woulde out of him.


    He tilted his head and stared at me for a long time, letting out a sly grin after a while.


    ¡°Did you not understand what I said? You have only two choices. Agree, or don¡¯t agree. If you agree, I


    will tell you my terms. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll just continue our wild ride together and see where the world will


    take us.¡±


    I¡­ How is this different from not having a choice? I¡¯m still being threatened.


    ¡°The countdown starts now. Three!¡±


    I bit my lip and didn¡¯t say a word as he was clearly forcing me.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Two!¡±


    ¡°Dominic¡­¡±


    ¡°Three!¡± he yelled, interrupting me.


    Forget it. I¡¯ll agree with him. He¡¯s just going to make a fool out of me in the end, and it won¡¯t be the first


    time he¡¯ll do so anyway. I¡¯ll let him have his fun and forget about it after.


    ¡°I¡¯ll agree!¡±


    Dominic was instantly smiling gleefully. He had been very sure that I would agree.


    He let go of my hand, took out his cell phone, and made a phone call. He only said three words on the


    phone. ¡°All¡¯s good now.¡±


    I demanded while rubbing my wrist, ¡°State your terms.¡±


    I wanted to end my suffering as early as possible.


    I had already expressed my agreement, so I was expected him to speak up. However, Dominic went


    silent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. In time, I will tell you.¡±


    Damn it! My heart is already out of control; it¡¯s pounding anxiously, yet you still want to torture me like


    this?


    At that moment, the door opened. It was James.


    ¡°It¡¯s over? That was pretty quick. I expected the both of you to go on until tomorrow.¡±


    As soon as I saw his happy, smiley face, I could no longer suppress my anger. I rushed at him with my


    fist.


    James immediately avoided me and hid behind Dominic while protecting his face.


    ¡°Buddy, I¡¯m just here to help you. Why don¡¯t you do something? Do you have any idea how many


    beautiful young girls will weep if I broke my handsome face?¡±


    I can¡¯t do anything to Dominic right now, but I need to vent my anger on James no matter what.


    ¡°Get out of the way.¡± I waved a hand at Dominic angrily.


    He became surprisingly cooperative, immediately stepping aside for me to rush at the man behind him.


    I strode over to grab James on his sleeves and pinched the flesh on his waist.


    ¡°Tell me, will you ever trick me again?¡±


    I pinched him with all my strength. If it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have to agree to Dominic¡¯s terms


    hopelessly.


    James let out a cry in despair. ¡°F*ck! Let go! Let go of me! Dominic, I help you, and you treat me like


    this? Damn¡­ It hurts!¡±


    As I said, Dominic was inhuman. He didn¡¯t react to the man¡¯s cries at all, even after hearing James


    screaming in pain. He just stood by and watched.


    That wasn¡¯t enough for me, so I twisted my hand even further. Try tricking me again, and I will rip off your


    flesh.


    ¡°Liliana. You¡¯re like a sister to me. Stop pinching. It¡¯s painful. I was wrong, okay?¡± James¡¯ face turned


    bright red.


    I red at him and scowled with a cold voice, ¡°Do you dare to help him again in the future?¡±

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 Do You Believe Me


    James rubbed at the area where I had pinched him and shook his head feebly.


    I shot daggers at him again. When I turned back, I heard him muttering, ¡°Why are you so fierce at me.


    He¡¯s just right there, so I dare not do anything¡­¡±


    Upon hearing that, I stopped moving, turned around, and raised my hand.


    ¡°Ahem¡­ I have a meeting soon. So I better leave. I will leave the both of you to yourselves.¡± As soon as


    James finished, he fled the room in a hurry.


    After watching him leave the room, I looked towards Dominic again. ¡°What do you want me to agree to?


    Say it quick. I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore. I¡¯ll go back and clean up before I rest early. If nothing happens


    tomorrow, then I¡¯ll go home.


    ¡°Come home with me. I¡¯ll tell you once I think of it,¡± he stated, reaching out his hands as if to grab me.


    I hurriedly put my arms behind me and said, ¡°I will not go back with you. Before this, you wanted me to


    take care of you. Now you are standing here, with fine limbs. You don¡¯t need me anymore.¡±


    He squinted his eyes. I was afraid he would disagree, so I added, ¡°Call me after you think about it. I won¡¯t


    back down.¡±


    ¡°You cklisted me.¡±


    He even found out about this¡­ To avoid going back with him, I took out my phone and unblocked his


    number in front of him.


    ¡°Okay? Now you can call me,¡± I told him softly.


    To be honest, I didn¡¯t know why I hadplied with him. If he actually did force me to go home with him,


    I could call the police or even apply for a restraining order as they did on television.


    There were many solutions I could turn to. However, Ipromised.


    Dominic stared at me quietly; I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking.


    Just when I thought he wouldn¡¯t ept my proposal, he spoke, ¡°Address.¡±


    ¡°What address?¡± I was stumped.


    ¡°Your current address,¡± he said nonchntly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I will run¡­¡± I had more to go on, but I didn¡¯t say it with him staring at me. I eventually gave


    him my new address.


    I was sure that I somehow owed him something in my past life.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± I really didn¡¯t want to linger around him any longer. The feeling of


    being threatened by him made me feel helpless.


    However, he extended his arm and stopped me again. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I¡¯m not finished yet.¡±


    Upon hearing that, I grew a little angry. I raised my head and yelled, ¡°Are you done? You¡¯re so annoying.¡±


    ¡°Bad temper will only make you age quicker. Not that you¡¯re pretty to start with, and you still don¡¯t have


    the sense of crisis. Be careful, or you¡¯ll end up dying alone.


    I ground my teeth at that, wanting to bite the bastard to death.


    ¡°That¡¯s my problem. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. Is there anything else? Please make it quick.¡±


    He smiled and shrugged. Though he didn¡¯t dwell on that topic anymore, he asked that I always answer


    the phone whenever he called.


    Although it was a domineeringly unreasonable request, I nodded.


    As long as I could go home right now, I was willing to ept anything.


    I soon left the building and stood outside by the road. The air felt incredibly refreshing.


    The time I spent with Dominic had almost suffocated me.


    I returned to my newly rented house, did some simple cleaning, ordered takeout, watched a few TV


    series episodes, and went to bed early.


    I woke up early the following day, so naturally, I also left home early. It wasn¡¯t yet noon when I arrived in


    Dellmoor.


    I thought of what my parents said, and I felt a little unnerved.


    I was their daughter, but they willingly believed the words of an outsider, not willing to listen to my


    exnation.


    No matter what, blood is thicker than water. I am now divorced; it is a fact that I can no longer hide.


    I looked around the house as I got home and saw that my mom was the only one there. Dad should be at


    school right now.


    I came home today without calling ahead, so my mom was surprised to see me. ¡°Lili, why are you home


    all of a sudden. Why didn¡¯t you call?¡±


    I pursed my lips and said, ¡°Mom, I have something to tell you.¡±


    Her expression changed when she heard the seriousness in my tone, and she sat me down on the


    couch. Before I could say anything, she asked, ¡°Is it about you and Julius?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Him and I are already divorced.¡±


    My mom was a little startled by the news. She let out a long sigh before saying, ¡°Lili, you¡¯re so foolish.


    You¡¯re a married woman; why can¡¯t you just live a good life? Why trouble yourself? Back then, if you


    didn¡¯t want to get married so soon, your dad and I wouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡±


    She continued sadly, ¡°Now you¡¯ve done it. You¡¯ve only been married for half a year, and you cheated¡­


    You¡¯re really trying to upset us.¡±


    Before I came home, I had already known they would lecture me, but I didn¡¯t expect them to actually


    believe the lies Julius told them.


    I grew anxious and angry. ¡°The one who cheated was Julius, not me! Everything he told you was a lie!¡±


    I thought my mother would take my side after I exined myself. However, I was wrong. She still


    defended my ex-husband.


    ¡°How could that be? He treated you well. He was so considerate of you even before the marriage. When


    you both came home after marrying, he had always taken care of everything for you. He would also call


    us every now and then to ask how we were doing. How could he have been cheating?¡±


    I immediately felt myself be overwhelmed in despair. They¡¯re my parents. Am I not the person they


    should believe in the most?


    Perhaps Julius cast a spell on them to make them trust him this much.


    I rubbed my sore nose and steadily looked at my mother. ¡°Mom, I came home to exin everything


    clearly. If you would rather believe an outsider instead of your daughter, then I have nothing to say.¡±


    I proceeded to tell my mother everything that had happened between Julius and I.


    When I was about to finish, my mother was utterly stunned.


    Once I finally finished speaking, she took a long time to react. ¡°Is this¡­ true? Julius, he¡­ That boy. He


    doesn¡¯t look like someone who would¡­¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Oh¡­ You¡¯re still not willing to believe me?


    I didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry.


    I looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost twelve; my dad should be home soon.


    Looking at my mom¡¯s reaction, I couldn¡¯t imagine my dad¡¯s.


    I didn¡¯t want to upset him, so I picked up my bag and stood up. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going now. Take your time and


    think about what I¡¯ve told you. As for dad¡­ do as you see fit.¡±


    Seeing that I was about to leave, my mother took my hand and said, ¡°You¡¯re leaving just like that? Don¡¯t


    you want to see your dad?¡±


    I gave her a bitter smile and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, do you think he will? He¡¯ll be angry once he


    sees me.¡±


    ¡°Lili¡­¡± My mom looked worried.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 The Worst Is Over


    I couldn¡¯t move my legs after seeing my mom in that state. She was afraid, and she must be bewildered


    as well.


    In fact, I really wanted to stay. But upon thinking of my dad¡¯s temper and his illness, I felt helpless.


    I stood there contemting what to do for a few minutes. Before I had made up my mind, I heard the


    sound of keys opening the door.


    My mother and I were startled and exchanged nces.


    I turned around to look at the door, and it was my dad who hade home. I turned nervous instantly.


    My mother squeezed my palms assuringly. It felt somewhat soothing. Then, she approached my dad.


    My dad seemed to be having a good mood when he entered the house. But when he looked up and saw


    me, he froze.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I called out to him softly.


    He ignored me. My mother helped him with his briefcase, trying to ease the situation. ¡°Darling, it¡¯s rare


    for our daughter toe home. Don¡¯t be so stern. Let¡¯s calm down and talk. How could father and


    daughter harbor overnight grudges?¡±


    After that, my mother signaled at me with her eyes.


    Catching onto her meaning, I walked over and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll make you a cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°Yes, quickly. Remember to let the water boil before you pour it in. Darling,e, let¡¯s sit on the couch.¡±


    My mom took my dad to the sofa, as I put some tea leaves into a y teapot and went into the kitchen.


    I was in a daze while waiting for the water to boil. I was afraid of my dad not believing in my words. The


    last time I left, we argued, and it wasn¡¯t pleasant. Now¡­


    The whistle of the kettle brought me back to my senses.


    Forget it. Since I can no longer hide the truth, I should make things clear to him.


    If they remain doubtful, I will bring the divorce papers back and show them everything. I¡¯ll also invite


    Julius and Benjamin to confront them in person.


    Julius seemed to be afraid of Benjamin back then. If the other man were here, Julius wouldn¡¯t dare to


    deceive my parents.


    After I got myself together, I brought the tea to the living room. My mom and dad were sitting together.


    I put the tea in front of my dad, saying, ¡°Dad, have some tea.¡±


    My dad intimidatingly stared at me in silence, causing my heart to thump anxiously. He won¡¯t chase me


    out without giving me the chance to speak, will he?


    ¡°Is what your mother said true? You and Julius are divorced? The things you say about Julius cheating


    on you and taking your money, is it all true?¡±


    I did not expect my mother to tell him everything while I was boiling water.


    I silently nodded, keeping my eyes glued to the floor.


    Every word I said was absolutely true, but I was still afraid that I would hear their doubts again.


    My dad was silent for a moment, and I could feel his eyes burning me.


    ¡°Darling, I know it sounds outrageous, but she is still our daughter. She wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    My mother looked worried as she tried to defend me. However, my dad mmed the tea table


    aggressively.


    The sses on the tea table shed with each other due to the tremendous impact.


    My mom and I were instantly frightened.


    My dad stood up, looking grim. His voice was trembling with rage. ¡°Wow. Julius, that brat. He dared to do


    this to you. I must settle the score with him!¡±


    I was dumbfounded by his reaction. Dad¡­ He believes me?


    My mother grabbed him and yelled anxiously, ¡°Hey, why are you acting so recklessly? What are you


    going to do? Fight him? You¡¯re in no condition to do.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of my age? He bullied my daughter! So what if I beat him up? What can he do to me?¡± My


    dad¡¯s voice was deafening; he sounded furious.


    I ran over and grabbed his other arm as well. I then asked him with doubtcing my tone, ¡°Dad¡­ Do you


    actually believe me? Last time, weren¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Last time, he made me think about the mistakes I made, but now, why¡­


    ¡°Of course I do! Why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier? If you had told us earlier, that mother and son wouldn¡¯t


    have had the guts toe over and trouble us. Not only did you hurt yourself, but you also embarrassed


    us.¡±


    My dad lectured me fiercely, but I was too happy at the fact that he believed my words over Julian¡¯s to


    care.


    Happiness filled me so suddenly, and tears gushed out of my eyes. They were all tears of joy.


    ¡°Why are you crying? Let me ask you, how did he agree to the divorce? Did you actually give him


    money? If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s call the police and sue him. We don¡¯t want a single penny from him, but


    we cannot let him take advantage of us. He needs to know his ce!¡±


    At that moment, my dad seemed very manly in my eyes. He¡¯s so cool and awesome.


    I held back my tears and told them everything about how Benjamin helped me and Julius¡¯s promise to


    give money.


    My parents¡¯ mood improved after knowing that Julius did not bully me, but my dad still had some rage


    lingering in him.


    I didn¡¯t want him to settle the score for me in fear that something terrible would happen to him if he did


    so.


    As long as they were willing to believe my side of the story ¡ª the truth ¡ª it was more than enough.


    Besides, Julius was also in trouble, so I felt no need to attack him.


    I carefully thought about what to do. Previously, we weren¡¯t calm, and Julius had taken the opportunity to


    deceive us. He influenced everyone.


    My dad didn¡¯t have a good attitude back then, and I had left home with a heavy heart and a negative


    impression of him.


    If I had been able to calm down a little back then or maybe take a breather, things might have been


    different.


    I felt guilty, and so I apologized, saying, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have fought with you before.¡±


    He sighed, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said those words either. You¡¯re my daughter. I should¡¯ve believed you no


    matter what.¡±


    The touching moment made my nose runny again, and I rushed forward to hug my dad.


    My mom started wiping her tears beside us, weeping silently upon knowing that my dad and I had made


    up. My dadforted her upon seeing her get emotional.


    Now that Julius and I were divorced and my parents believed me again, the two of my worst problems


    are over. To say I was relieved would be an understatement.


    National Day wasing in more than a week. My mother asked for me to stay until the festival before


    leaving. Louis would also being home.


    There was nothing for me to do if I went back anyway, so I agreed.


    Back at home, I could eat my mother¡¯s cooking every day. I didn¡¯t have to worry about anything. Life was


    good.


    Once ¡°The Wind And Cloud¡± production starts, and I¡¯ve joined the film crew, I probably won¡¯t have time to


    come home anymore.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Ized around my home for four days; it felt so good to take a break.


    My parents probably felt guilty about what had happened earlier, as they let me do as I pleased. I could


    do whatever I wanted.


    To my pleasant surprise, Dominic didn¡¯t call me once throughout my stay there.


    I thought I could rx until National Day was over. However, on Monday before dawn, I was woken up by


    the annoying ringtone of my phone.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 Two Possibilities


    I binge-watched dramas till the wee hours of dawn at home since I had nothing better to do.


    Consequently, I never got up before ten in the morning.


    I was rudely woken up by the ringing of my phone one night.


    Fumbling for the offensive device on my bedside table, it took a while for me to crack my eyes open and


    look at the caller ID.


    Louis Zti, you little asshole! Why are you calling me at such an ungodly hour?


    epting the call, I immediately bellowed into the receiver, ¡°Dude, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you


    calling me in the middle of the night? If you can¡¯t fall asleep, don¡¯t drag others down with you!¡±


    There was silence on the other end of the call. Itsted for so long that I had to check my phone to see if


    the line was still connected.


    I raged at his seemingly senseless prank.


    ¡°Louis Zti, you-¡±


    ¡°Hello ma¡¯am, am I speaking to Liliana Zti?¡±


    My brain screeched to a halt at the voice that greeted me. Pulling my phone away from my ear, I


    confirmed that the number was indeed Louis¡¯, despite the stranger who had just spoken to me.


    The stranger continued asking about my identity. Confused, I inquired, ¡°This is Liliana Zti speaking.


    Who are you, and where is my brother?¡±


    I got an exnation immediately. ¡°Ms. Zti, your brother¡¯s run into some trouble. Could you make


    your way down to the station? I¡¯m referring to the police station, by the way. It¡¯s the one near your


    brother¡¯s school.¡±


    My sleepiness was gone once I heard about the police station. I sat up in a rush.


    Having been detained in one myself not too long ago, I knew firsthand how devastating it felt.


    How did Louis get himself stuck in the police station? He¡¯s been a straight-A student since young, and


    his track record is squeaky-clean.


    Another thought invaded my mind; I wondered if he had fallen for a scam. They¡¯re getting moremon


    these days, after all.


    ¡°May I speak to my brother, please?¡± I had to figure this out.


    I could tell that the person on the other end was hesitating. Eventually, she agreed to my request and put


    me on hold. A momentter, someone spoke into the phone.


    ¡°Lili.¡± Hearing my brother¡¯s voice on the other end of the line fueled my panic.


    ¡°Lou, where are you? Are you really at the police station? What happened?¡± My questions tumbled out in


    a rush.


    ¡°Lili, could youe here? Don¡¯t let Mom and Dad know, please.¡± His request made my heart


    sink. Something¡¯s very wrong.


    Before I could ask more questions, the person who had spoken to me earlier hade back on the line.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, please hurry.¡±


    Left with no other choice, I could only agree to go over to meet them.


    I hung up and hopped off the bed, getting dressed and packing as fast as I could.


    It was barely six in the morning. Louis did not want to worry my parents, and neither did I, so I didn¡¯t


    approach them with the shocking news.


    I did not want to throw them into a tizzy before we had sorted things out.


    Before setting off, I left a note on the coffee table, letting them know that I would be gone on urgent


    business.


    My brother was a university student at the Jadeborough Institute of Science and Technology. To get to


    Jadeborough city, I had to take a flight.


    I bought the earliest flight to Jadeborough once I arrived at the airport. It would depart at half-past seven.


    I touched down two hourster and took a cab to the Jadeborough Institute of Science and Technology.


    It was my first time visiting Jadeborough and my brother¡¯s university, so I had no idea where the police


    station was.


    I had to ask several locals before I managed to locate the station.


    ¡°Hello, is there a Louis Zti here? I¡¯m his sister,¡± I asked a young woman d in police uniform at the


    front counter.


    She moved her mouse rapidly like she was checking the station records.


    About half a minuteter, she said, ¡°Yes, he came in yesterday, right? You can head over there; they¡¯ll


    bring you to him.¡±


    I thanked her politely and walked in the direction she had pointed out.


    I soon reached a set of office doors and pushed them open. Two policemen were sitting in the office.


    Confused about who I was supposed to talk to, I repeated my question to the room.


    A square-faced policeman stood up once I finished my question. He approached me and said, ¡°Ms.


    Zti, we¡¯ve been expecting you for a while. Would you like to meet your brother first?¡±


    I recognized his voice as the caller from yesterday.


    ¡°Yes, please. Sorry for the trouble.¡± I was dying to meet Louis, and I felt relieved that this policeman


    seemed friendlier than the others who had questioned me earlier.


    He brought me to a room and gestured for me to enter.


    When I opened the door, I saw Louis slumped in a chair. The lights in the room were painfully bright.


    I knew the lights were meant to keep him awake.


    ¡°Lou.¡± My heart ached at his suffering.


    He immediately lifted his head at my tone, looking dazed. It seemed to take him a while to recognize me.


    His voice shook as he pleaded, ¡°Lili! Save me, Lili! I didn¡¯t rape that girl. I don¡¯t even know who she is!¡±


    Rape? I was stunned. He was detained for rape?


    The severity of the situation struck me then. Lou¡¯s future will be ruined if this goes on his record. Our


    parents will be devastated.


    He was, however, my brother. I knew his character too well, and he was too honorable to ever carry out a


    crime as beastly as rape.


    sping his hands, I tried my best tofort him. I needed him to calm down and exin the situation


    to me.


    ¡°Lou, tell me what happened. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±


    My tone must have reassured him as he visibly rxed.


    ording to Louis, he had gone to a karaoke bar with his ssmatesst night. Everyone had drunk a


    fair bit and gotten tipsy, and at some point, he decided to go to the restroom.


    Once he exited the restroom, some people dragged him off.


    I asked if they were his ssmates, but he had no recollection since he was tipsy.


    What happened next was a blur. It ended with a girl screaming about being raped and naming him as the


    culprit.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Lili, you¡¯ve got to believe me! I didn¡¯t do anything. I just ended up in the wrong room! I don¡¯t even know


    who that girl is.¡± Louis began to panic as he recounted the incident.


    I had the utmost trust in my brother¡¯s character. There were only two possibilities in this situation; a


    simple misunderstanding or premeditated sabotage against Louis.


    Falsely using someone of rape is too much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I believe you. Let me ask the police some questions.¡±


    My head was a mess as well, but I could not reveal my fear to Louis, who would only feel more hopeless.


    I left the interrogation room and bumped into the policeman who had brought me here.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 Something Is Amiss


    I approached him said, ¡°Thank you for calling me.¡±


    He had been kind enough to let me and Louis talk for as long as we needed in the interrogation room.


    Smiling, he replied, ¡°We¡¯re obligated to contact their family. I guess your brother told you everything.¡±


    I nodded dejectedly. Just then, a thought crossed my mind. ¡°Can I meet that girl? My brother would never


    do something like this. There must have been a misunderstanding.¡±


    The whole situation felt off, and I knew that the girl held an important clue.


    The policeman shook his head and informed me that she had gone home. I could only visit her residence


    if I wished to meet her.


    I wrangled her address out of the policeman despite his initial reluctance. He was probably worried that I


    would pull some funny tricks.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I swore up and down that I would not harm her ¡ª I only wanted to talk to her.


    Only then did he give me her address on a piece of paper.


    I failed to bail Louis out, and I could onlyfort him and assure him that I would be back once I cleared


    things up. I vowed that I would save him.


    At the exit of the police station, the policeman handed me a note and told me that I could contact him if I


    needed help.


    I learned that his name was Xavier Tyrrell.


    The only thing I could do was to track down the alleged victim. Following the address the policeman had


    given me, I hailed a cab to a quaint residential area called Landonville Gardens.


    I found myself outside unit 407 of Tower A in the fifth block of the ce. I knocked on the metal door and


    heard a rustling sound.


    Soon after, a girl¡¯s voice drifted out, ¡°Who is it? Give me a moment.¡±


    I kept quiet, fearful that she would refuse to open the door once she learned of the purpose of my visit.


    The door swung open and revealed a beautiful young woman.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Hi, are you perhaps Queenie Young?¡±


    She hesitated before nodding, her face filled with suspicion.


    My words came tumbling out in a hurry. ¡°Well, here¡¯s the thing. I¡¯m Louis Zti¡¯s sister. You said my


    brother raped you, and I wanted to know-¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, the woman¡¯s expression turned downright ugly, and she interrupted


    me angrily.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to say. Your brother raped me, simple as that. Please leave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. My brother would never do something like that. Ms. Young, perhaps there was a


    misunderstanding?¡± I asked desperately.


    Her mind was, however, made up. She insisted that Louis had raped her and mmed the door in my


    face. No amount of knocking would make her reopen the door.


    I settled down hopelessly at the stairs. Oh well, I guess I¡¯ll wait out here. I¡¯ve got to speak with her.


    I had been sitting there for about half an hour when two policemen entered my sight, one of whom was


    Xavier.


    He looked at me awkwardly, and I realized with a jolt that they might be looking for me.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, you should leave. Ms. Young has reported you to the police for harassment. I¡¯m sure you


    don¡¯t want to end up in the station yourself before freeing your brother.¡±


    I did not expect Queenie to report me to the police over my visit. Though I was reluctant to leave, I knew


    it was in Louis¡¯ best interests for me to obey their orders.


    Begrudgingly, I followed the policemen out of the building.


    Once we were outside the residential area, Xavier advised me not to seek out Queenie again. Well, not


    for that day, at least.


    I agreed since any objections would be futile.


    To stay near Louis, I returned to the vicinity of the Jadeborough Institute of Science and Technology and


    got myself a room at a nearby hotel.


    Once I checked myself in, Iy sprawled on the giant bed with my pile of tangled emotions.


    As Jadeborough was a foreign ce to me, I did not know who I could reach out to for help.


    My confidence in Louis¡¯ innocence grew after I met with Queenie; something was definitely up.


    The woman had not behaved like a rape victim, and her rush to kick me out seemed like an act of guilt.


    After some contemtion, I decided to get some help. I chose to call Benjamin. Even if he could not


    travel to Jadeborough, he knew more aboutw and crimes than I did, and it would be good to seek his


    opinion.


    When I pulled out my phone to call him, I realized that it had remained off since the moment I boarded


    the ne.


    Switching it on, I immediately received a call from my mom. I pretended nothing was wrong, fibbing


    about my rush to leave over some issues with my manuscript.


    I called Benjamin after ending the call. To my dismay, my call went unanswered for a long time.


    Impatient, I waited a couple of minutes before calling him again. Someone eventually picked up after the


    line had been ringing for a while.


    ¡°Liliana? What¡¯s wrong? Is your ex-husband giving you trouble again?¡±


    I rushed into my exnation. ¡°This has nothing to do with him. It¡¯s my brother. He¡¯s in trouble. You¡¯ve got


    to help me.¡±


    Benjamin put me on hold for a minute before he returned to the call.


    ¡°Your brother? What happened?¡±


    I felt myself calming down as I recounted the situation to him. It was possible that I felt reassured by his


    profession as awyer and his excellent handling of my divorce. Instinctively, I knew I could trust him.


    ¡°Are you sure your brother is telling the truth?¡± Benjamin sounded exceptionally calm on the call,


    bordering on the point of indifference.


    His suspicions were unexpected, and my anger reared its ugly head once more.


    ¡°What are you implying? Do you think he¡¯s lying to me? Lou is my brother, and I believe in him! If you


    don¡¯t want to help me, I¡¯ll find someone else.¡±


    I was about to hang up when Benjamin halted me. There was a loud sigh before he said, ¡°Why are you


    so agitated? When did I say I wouldn¡¯t help you? Where are you now? I¡¯lle over. It¡¯s better to have


    this discussion face-to-face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in Jadeborough city. My brother¡¯s enrolled in a university here.¡±


    He paused for a moment before swearing. ¡°Damn, couldn¡¯t you have picked a closer ce? Forget it,


    wait for me there. Oh right, did you tell Dominic?¡±


    My hope reignited at his promise to travel to Jadeborough. I was, however, perplexed by his question


    about Dominic. I could only tell him that Dominic was unaware.


    He hung up soon after, telling me that he would call me once he arrived in Jadeborough.


    My gut instinct told me that Louis would be fine once Benjamin came to the rescue.


    I spent the rest of the day waiting for his call in the hotel. The wait was excruciating.


    At about four in the afternoon, I finally got a call from Benjamin. In response to my offer to fetch him, he


    only asked for my address.


    Half an hourter, there was a knock on the door. I jumped up and flung the door open.


    I immediately froze in surprise. Dominic, Benjamin, and Mitch were all there.


    Mitch¡¯s arrival was not wholly unexpected since he was awyer like Benjamin.


    Dominic, though, made me surprised. I stared at him and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 Freeing Louis


    ¡°These are my legs, and I can go wherever I please. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Dominic¡¯s greeting


    sounded about as friendly as a bullet.


    I was taken aback by his aggressive reply. I was just curious.


    Too tired to bicker with him, I ignored Dominic and turned to Benjamin to ask, ¡°My brother¡¯s in the police


    station nearby. Do you want to go over now? They wouldn¡¯t let me bail him out.¡±


    To my surprise, Mitch spoke up instead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then. I have a few questions myself.¡±


    I did not know why Mitch hade along, but anything was fine as long as they got my brother out.


    We set off for the police station.


    I was just here a couple of hours ago. This visit marked my third time meeting Xavier that day.


    The policemen looked at the line of men behind me in shock.


    ¡°They¡¯re my friends, and they¡¯rewyers. Could you let us in to meet my brother again? Just them is fine


    too.¡±


    Xavier was easily convinced and let us in without further questions.


    Outside the interrogation room, Mitch pushed the door open and went in. I had nned to join the


    discussion, but I was stopped by Benjamin.


    ¡°Let Mitch go in alone. You might hinder his interrogation.¡±


    I clenched my fists in concern, though I reluctantly took Benjamin¡¯s advice.


    Xavier brought Dominic, Benjamin, and me to an adjacent waiting room and served us three cups of


    water.


    I paced the room in worry.


    Though I was well aware of Benjamin¡¯s capabilities, I knew next to nothing about Mitch. I did not doubt


    his ability; I merely trusted Benjamin more.


    My incessant pacing must have annoyed Dominic, who pulled me down onto the seat next to his.


    ¡°Stop walking around. You may not be tired from pacing, but you¡¯re making my head spin.¡±


    His manhandling ways, coupled with his rudeness from earlier, pissed me off.


    I didn¡¯t ask him to fly all the way here. He came without informing me, and now he¡¯sining? He


    needs to get his head checked.


    I tossed his earlier words back at him angrily. ¡°These are my legs, and I can pace around as much as I


    want to. Leave me alone.¡±


    Benjamin, who had been standing beside Dominic, burst intoughter. Both of us turned to re at him.


    I guessed that Dominic was ring at him out of embarrassment.


    Meanwhile, I was ring at him for his audacity tough in such a nerve-wracking situation.


    Why couldn¡¯t he have gone in with Mitch to talk to my brother?


    My anxiety was making my brain go haywire. Itpletely skipped my mind that having twowyers


    question him at once could lead to more confusion down the road.


    Our twin res sent Benjamin into a cating gesture. ¡°Please, carry on. Just pretend I¡¯m not here.¡±


    I red daggers at him again. Continue what? Continue bickering?


    Sitting still was beyond me. I stood up barely a couple of minutester and began pacing around the


    room again.


    ¡°What on earth can you achieve by pacing mindlessly in circles? Can¡¯t you sit down and wait?¡± Dominic


    comined.


    ¡°My brother¡¯s the one in trouble. It¡¯s fine for you to rx, but I can¡¯t!¡± Exasperated, I wondered why he


    tagged along in the first ce.


    ¡°Liliana, don¡¯t worry. Mitch¡¯s family is in Jadeborough. If your brother is innocent, nothing will happen to


    him. Even if he¡¯s guilty, we¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Benjamin cajoled.


    I knew he had nothing but good intentions, but the sheer thought of my brother being guilty had me


    launching into another tirade.


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Lou would never do such a thing!¡±


    Benjamin must have had the patience of a saint, after all. After getting a scolding on the phone and in


    this room, he could still smile in response.


    ¡°How can you throw a tantrum when he flew all the way here to help you?¡± Dominic asked coldly.


    My heart twisted, unable to deny the truth in his words.


    He¡¯s probably referring to Benjamin and Mitch. What is he here for, then? A good show?


    Ignoring Dominic, I left the waiting room and stood outside the interrogation room anxiously.


    About ten minutester, Mitch came out. I rushed to him.


    While I desperately wanted to see Louis, I needed to know more urgently if Mitch could help him.


    ¡°My brother told you everything, right? You have to believe him; he would nevermit such a crime. I


    met that girl this afternoon, and she-¡±


    Mitch cut in, ¡°Hold on, I need to make a call. We¡¯ll get your brother out soon. Let¡¯s talk about the rest at


    the hotel.¡±


    I fell silent for a brief moment before eximing, ¡°You can get Lou out? But they told me he¡¯s not on bail.¡±


    ¡°I can get him out. Could you call the other two and wait for me in the lobby? Give me twenty minutes.¡±


    Mitch sounded confident.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    All the tension from earlier left my body. Benjamin had been telling the truth; Mitch¡¯s presence made


    wonders.


    Knowing I could bail Louis out, I forgot all about my anger at Dominic. I ran back to the waiting room and


    repeated what Mitch had told me.


    After twenty minutes or so in the lobby, Mitch showed up as promised with Louis in tow.


    I ran forward and hugged Louis tightly before checking to see if he was alright.


    He looked pale as if he had spent the entire night awake.


    We returned to the hotel after leaving the police station.


    I had nned to book three rooms for them, only to find out they had already gotten their rooms earlier.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m heading up with Lou so he can rest now. We can discuss everythingter.¡±


    Dominic stopped us from leaving in that annoying fashion of his.


    Irritated, I asked, ¡°What are you doing? Lou¡¯s tired, and he needs to catch up on his sleep.¡±


    ¡°Where is he sleeping?¡± Dominic demanded.


    Dumbfounded by his question, I replied, ¡°In my room, silly. Now get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Get him his own room.¡± Dominic refused to budge.


    Any other time, I would have gotten Louis a room of his own. He was, after all, a grown man, and it was


    indeed inappropriate for us to be sharing a room.


    However, things were different now. I was worried about him being alone. If anything, I could stay up


    instead.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got to stay with him. Dominic, what are you worried about? We¡¯re siblings, for God¡¯s sake.¡±


    The man¡¯s excessive concern seemed ridiculous, and I had no idea how these thoughts came about in


    the first ce.


    Dominic shot back, ¡°Liliana, what¡¯s wrong with your head? You and your brother are both adults. How


    can it be appropriate to share a room?¡±

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 A Wonderful Dream


    I was speechless at his excessively nosey behavior.


    Louis tugged at my hand from behind. ¡°Lili, I can sleep alone. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    I red at Dominic as I led Louis to the reception to get another room. Some arguments were just not


    worth my time.


    When we returned, I asked Dominic pointedly, ¡°Happy?¡±


    He smirked and nodded. ¡°Of course. Your brother would¡¯ve been sleeping now if you took my advice


    earlier.¡±


    Hmph! Jerk!


    While Dominic had his back turned to me, I waved my fists at him before apanying Louis to his


    room.


    I was still nagging my brother by the time we got to his room. ¡°Take a shower and have a good rest.


    Don¡¯t worry about anything else. Are you hungry? I can pop down to get you something.¡±


    He replied, ¡°I can¡¯t stomach anything right now. Lili, you should get some rest too. Mitch promised he


    would get me out of this mess.¡±


    I was surprised that Louis was already referring to Mitch by his first name.


    Still, if anyone could get my brother out of this mess, it was most likely Mitch who had easily managed to


    get him out on bail.


    I returned to my room once Louis settled in his.


    Having woken up early this morning as well, I was exhausted.


    My anxiety of Louis kept me running on overdrive the entire day. Now that things were starting to look up,


    the tiredness had caught up to me, and my eyelids drooped dangerously.


    I could not even be bothered to wash up and immediatelyy starfished on the bed.


    Just as I was about to enter dreand, I heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was Louis, I opened the


    door without asking who was outside.


    Instead of my brother, Dominic was standing outside my door with two carrier bags in his hand.


    He walked in like it was his own home.


    I closed the door and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Benjamin bought some food; I¡¯m just the delivery guy,¡± he stated.


    Once he ced the bags on the table, I sat down and got ready to dig in.


    There were two containers in the bag. One held m chowder and the other, a generous serving of


    sweet potato casserole.


    I blinked several times, pleasantly surprised that Benjamin had bought me some of my favorite foods.


    The delicious aroma of the food tantalized my senses. I did not realize how hungry I had been until I took


    my first bite of food.


    I suddenly thought of Louis. Wondering if he had eaten anything, I stood up, about to head to his room


    with the container of chowder.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Can¡¯t you sit still while you¡¯re eating? What are you, a kid?¡± Dominic grabbed


    the container from my hands and ced it back on the table.


    ¡°I-I-¡±


    ¡°Your brother has his share. Just dig in.¡± He must have realized what I was thinking and mollified me


    before I needed to exin myself.


    I enjoyed my food in peace after knowing that Louis had a share too.


    Meanwhile, Dominic sat opposite me and crossed his legs, staring intently at me.


    It would have been difficult to concentrate on eating if not for our intimate past.


    Once I finished eating, I asked, ¡°Have you eaten? You have gastric problems. Don¡¯t starve yourself.¡±


    My timing may have been a littlete, but that did not invalidate my concern. Still, Dominic found fault


    with my question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for your faux concern. If you were truly worried, why didn¡¯t you share your chowder with


    me?¡±


    His statement silenced me for a moment, and I could only mumble, ¡°My saliva is in it. Wouldn¡¯t you


    mind?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all. I¡¯ve tasted more than that, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± said Dominic provocatively as he


    scooted closer to me.


    I blushed furiously at his words.


    I can¡¯t let him stay here any longer. The memory of his words remained fresh in my mind. I would not be


    able to resist his advances now that he was physically able again.


    Clumsily, I stuffed the empty food containers into the bags and pushed them into his hand. In the next


    instant, I was shoving him toward the door.


    ¡°Go back to your room. I want to get some sleep.¡±


    s, I was no match for his strength. Dominic tossed the items into the trash can and dragged me to the


    bed.


    He pulled me down so that we were sitting side-by-side before pressing me into the bed with his weight.


    ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t y around. My brother¡¯s still in a lot of trouble, and I¡¯m not in the mood for any of this


    with you,¡± I said seriously and tried to block him with my hands.


    ¡°Oh? So what you¡¯re saying is that you¡¯ll be in the mood once your brother¡¯s matters are settled?¡±


    I choked at his inference, wishing I could grab those stupid words and stuff them back into my mouth.


    Excuses tumbled out of my mouth carelessly. ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll never be in the mood regardless of the state of


    his affairs. We¡¯re not in a romantic rtionship anymore, and we shouldn¡¯t engage in silly affairs.¡±


    ¡°Making love is a silly affair? And anyway, whoever came up with a rule that people should only sleep


    together if they¡¯re in a rtionship? I¡¯m sure there are plenty of couples out there banging their way to


    happily-ever-after.¡±


    The man¡¯s confusing logic left me ck-jawed. I could note up with a suitable retort.


    Instead, I chose to keep quiet, deciding that the less I spoke, the fewer chances I had of putting my foot


    in my mouth.


    Hmm, that¡¯s not right, though; he¡¯ll take my silence as tacit agreement.


    I deeply regretted my decision to let him into my room.


    The two of us remained silent for a good long while. To his credit, he kept his hands to himself the entire


    time.


    I whined, ¡°You should head back. I got up at five this morning, and I¡¯m exhausted. I barely got three


    hours of sleepst night.¡±


    ¡°Sleep then. Can¡¯t sleep if I¡¯m here?¡± Dominic raised a brow teasingly.


    Resigned, I turned to the other side and brought the sheets up and over my head. Out of sight, out of


    mind.


    Somehow, this grated on his nerves. He pulled my sheets down to look at my face.


    Stubbornly, I held on to my sheets, scared that he would try to pull something on me.


    ¡°Are you trying to suffocate yourself to death? Don¡¯t sabotage me. There¡¯s only two of us here, and I¡¯ll


    have a lot of defending to do.¡±


    Damn it! You annoying jerk!


    His bright smile irked me. I closed my eyes and attempted to shut him out.


    My exhaustion must have caught up to me then as I fell asleep like a log shortly after that.


    When I woke up, it was already well into the night. Amp shone dimly in the doorway, and Dominic was


    gone.


    I got up in a daze, staring at my phone for what seemed like an eternity.


    I felt like I had been dreaming for the past few hours of a hand sping mine.


    It was a warm andfortable grasp, and it made me feel safe.


    I must be dreaming. There was only Dominic around, and he wouldn¡¯t hold my hand while I slept, right?


    Chucking those thoughts to the back of my mind, I checked my phone and realized that it was past nine.


    I had slept for about four hours. Now that I felt slightly recharged, I wondered how Louis was feeling. The


    urge to check on him weighed on my mind, though I was worried that I would disturb him.


    I freshened up in the restroom before leaving my room.


    I had decided to seek out Mitch first since I had yet to inform him of my encounter with Queenie in the


    afternoon.


    Once I located the room, I rapped twice on the door, which opened quickly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Instead of Mitch, I stood face-to-face with Dominic. Did I confuse the room numbers?

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 Dying Of Embarrassment


    Mischief danced in Dominic¡¯s eyes as he moved to make room. ¡°Noting in?¡±


    I stepped back and said, ¡°No, I must¡¯ve gotten mixed up. I¡¯m looking for Mitch.¡±


    I was about to turn away and knock on the adjacent door when Dominic pulled me into his room.


    His tug threw me off bnce as I tripped on the thick carpeting in the hallway. I would have fallen


    facedown on the floor if I did not reach out and steady myself on the doorframe.


    ¡°What the heck are you doing? I already said I wasn¡¯t looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Are you dying to see Mitch or something?¡±


    Still annoyed, the words were out of my mouth before I could think better of them. ¡°Yes. You got a


    problem with that?¡±


    I only wanted to find Mitch for my brother¡¯s sake, and here Dominic was, sticking his foot into every piece


    of my business. Hmph! I spun on my heels to leave, irritated.


    ¡°Liliana.¡±


    At the sound of my name, I turned instinctively to face him, only to feel his lips firmly on mine.


    Disconcerted, I made a feeble attempt to push him away. His hand was, however, locked tightly around


    the back of my neck, rendering escape futile.


    The most outrageous part of it all was his other hand that had snaked around my waist, holding me


    tightly against the door.


    He¡¯s mad! We¡¯re in the hallway, for God¡¯s sake!


    My brain stuttered, and I made ast-ditch attempt to knee him in the guts.


    Dominic seemed to anticipate my every move. Nimbly, he avoided my attack and wedged a muscr


    thigh between my legs.


    The intensity of his kiss seemed to suck all the oxygen out of my head. I felt like I was suffocating on


    passion, ready to keel over at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Ahem, couldn¡¯t the two of you, erm, do this behind closed doors?¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s voice turned out to be the perfect mood-killer. My brain jolted awake in an instant.


    Humiliation washed over me in waves. Oh God, there are surveince cameras in the hotel too!


    Dominic released me but kept an arm around my waist. My legs were about as firm as jelly, and I held on


    to him for support.


    My brother¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°Er, Lili. Are y-you two-¡± Well, I guess Lou saw the whole thing too.


    I felt like crying at the absurdity of the situation. Being caught by one¡¯s brother in a PDA was a different


    level of humiliation.


    Louis probably had no idea about my impending divorce with Julius either. Oh God, is he going to think


    I¡¯m cheating?


    Since Benjamin and Louis were both here, I did not need to turn around to know that Mitch was here as


    well.


    How will I discuss Louis¡¯ case with him now? This is all stupid Dominic¡¯s fault!


    I bit down on Dominic¡¯s shoulder spitefully.


    Soon, I heard a low growl beside my ear. ¡°Try me.¡±


    That immediately got me to back off.


    I did not wish to see what his ¡°try me¡± entailed.


    ¡°I mean, the two of you can carry on. We can alwayse backter. Mitch and I can take Louis out for


    a stroll.¡±


    Benjamin¡¯s penchant for stirring the pot was infuriating.


    I desperately wanted to shove Dominic away and go back to my room. However, his iron grip on my


    hand meant I could only stumble after him as he dragged me to his room.


    He even invited the rest of them in.


    Once the door closed, Dominic released me immediately.


    I scuttled to the farthest corner away from him.


    s, given the small size of the room, I could only hide near the windows.


    The man stared at me meaningfully with the ghost of a smile on his face.


    His smile stoked my anger. This is all his fault!


    I sensed Louis¡¯ gaze on me as well, though I could not tell his feelings on the matter.


    Benjamin and Mitch, on the other hand, had nothing but amusement in their gazes.


    Why must they all stare at me?


    ¡°Hey! If you keep staring at me like that, I¡¯m going to gouge your eyes out!¡± I shouted.


    ¡°There, there. Let¡¯s talk about serious business now.¡± Mitch tried very hard to hold back hisughter and


    put on a stern expression.


    I forced myself to take a deep breath and divert the topic.


    I recounted my meeting with Queenie to the four of them. No one was stillughing once I was done.


    I calmed down considerably, though I still could not bring myself to look Louis in the eye.


    Instead, I forced myself to stare at Mitch the whole time.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Maybe you can talk to Queenie tomorrow? She kicked me out earlier and even called


    the police on me.¡±


    In truth, I did not know if Mitch and the others would be able to get anything out of Queenie. Her


    aggression was still fresh in my mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re a woman, so she probably couldn¡¯t care less. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be chirping like a bird if any of us


    goes. Hey, Dominic, you could give it a try.¡±


    The carelessness in Benjamin¡¯s tone made me ufortable. Plus, even if they¡¯re going with seduction,


    why do they need to send Dominic?


    Dominic¡¯s reaction, however, pleased me.


    He shot Benjamin a vicious nce that had thetter chuckling in mock surrender.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Geez, can¡¯t even take a bit of humor.¡±


    Mitch seemed a lot more serious as he said thoughtfully, ¡°We¡¯ll try to meet her tomorrow. If she refuses a


    discussion, we¡¯lle up with another n. By the way, you two should remain in Jadeborough before


    this incident is solved. The police might summon Lou for questioning anytime.¡±


    Louis and I nodded, though I fretted about the excuses I would have to feed our parents about my


    prolonged stay in Jadeborough. It would be National Day soon, and they would notice that something


    was amiss if neither of us came home.


    ¡°Lou, which bar were you at that night?¡± Dominic asked out-of-the-blue.


    ¡°The Happy Hour Karaoke Bar,¡± Louis replied quickly.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s head over there right now. We should check out where the incident took ce. Something¡¯s


    definitely wrong with that karaoke bar. Mitch, pull the surveince tapes of the ce.¡±


    I felt like the path on what to do seemed clear after they took charge.


    At Dominic¡¯s suggestion, we took a cab to the Happy Hour Karaoke Bar that Louis had mentioned.


    It seemed like a pretty spiffy bar from the outside.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Lou, when did you visit this ce? Who suggested this bar?¡± I asked.


    Louis wore a baseball cap on his head, pulled down to hide his face. Dominic advised him to keep a low


    profile, lest someone recognized Louis and ruined our covert investigation.


    Their cautionary words reinforced my belief that something was up with this karaoke bar.


    ¡°One of my ssmates. He bunks with me in the university, and we¡¯re pretty close. Lili, are you actually


    suspecting him?¡±


    I did not know what was going through Dominic and the other¡¯s heads, but I was beginning to think that


    someone had sabotaged Louis.


    One thing niggled at my mind, though. Louis was a freshman who had been in university for less than a


    month.


    Who on earth would resent my brother so much that they would sabotage him in such a horrifying way?


    We were standing in the hallway, so it was difficult to express my thoughts to Louis. I shook my head at


    him instead.


    Whatever Dominic and the others had told the staff at the karaoke bar, it was convincing enough to get


    us ess to the alleged crime scene.


    Now that we stood in the room where Louis¡¯ life had been turned upside-down, I was at a loss of what to


    do next.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 The Problem Is Solved


    As soon as we entered the private room, Dominic and the others immediately started ordering food and


    drinks while I walked around by myself and checked out the room.


    The room looked like a regr private room in any other karaoke bar. There was nothing remarkable


    about it.


    After the waiter had left the room, I turned to look at the others sitting on the couch and said, ¡°I¡¯ve


    checked out the room. There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything peculiar about it. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any


    problem here.¡±


    Benjamin chuckled and said in a rather patronizing tone, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with this room, but


    when I casually asked them for a room, they immediately brought us here. Isn¡¯t that a tad bit


    suspicious?¡±


    I was speechless at his remark. For God¡¯s sake, what are we doing here then? Are we really going to


    eat, drink, and sing ourselves silly?


    ¡°Patience is a virtue. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying? Go and chill out with Louis. Rx, okay? We¡¯ll


    talk more when Mitch gets back.¡±


    I only realized that Mitch was not in the room when Benjamin said that. I did not even know when he had


    left.


    I recalled that Dominic had mentioned something about surveince footage. He probably went to get


    those¡­ The police should¡¯ve been able to get the footage though, right? So, what if something had really


    been caught on camera? Wouldn¡¯t somebody have noticed it earlier? Ah, there¡¯s no use for me to think


    about it now! I¡¯ll just wait until Mitch gets back!


    Dominic and Benjamin were lounging casually on one end of the couch while I sat next to Louis on the


    other end. My brother was very anxious.


    Half an hourter, Mitch returned.


    Without needing us to ask, he immediately announced that there was no surveince footage avable.


    The cameras in that particr area had been damaged.


    What a coincidence. This sounds exactly like a scene from a TV show. I thought secretly to myself.


    Although I had already expected it to go this way, I still felt a little disappointed, and Louis, too, looked


    upset by the news.


    At that moment, a knock sounded from the door. Mitch stood up and walked over to open it.


    I leaned over to peek outside. The man at the door was unfamiliar, and from the way he was dressed, he


    did not seem like a waiter.


    I was beginning to wonder if the man had walked into the wrong room when he began to speak to Mitch.


    His tone was exceedingly courteous.


    ¡°Mr. Lucas, please ept my sincerest apologies! I was not aware that you were here. Otherwise, I


    would have weed you personally.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You came just in time. I happen to have something to ask you,¡± Mitch said casually as he


    walked back to the couch to plop down next to Louis.


    The man nodded earnestly. ¡°Of course, of course! Please ask away. As long as it is within my


    knowledge, I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡±


    Mitch motioned the man toe closer, then he pointed at Louis and asked, ¡°Do you know this guy?¡±


    I was sitting across the man, and from the expression on his face, even the blind could see that


    something was wrong.


    When he caught sight of Louis, a look of surprise shed across his face. Then, after a few seconds, he


    shook his head and said in a panicked voice, ¡°I have never met him before.¡± The guilt in his tone was


    obvious.


    I wanted to question him further but stopped myself after ncing at Mitch. Mitch will know how to deal


    with this man.


    Mitch stared unblinkingly at the man for a long time. In a deliberately slow voice, he said, ¡°I came here


    today to resolve a problem. It¡¯ll be all right if you are honest with me and tell me everything you know.


    Otherwise, you may find that your karaoke bar will have to be closed for inspection.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widened in fear. He rubbed his forehead nervously as if wiping away his sweat. His


    anxiety was palpable.


    ¡°M-Mr. Lucas, I¡¯m genuinely trying to carry out a business here. How can you simply close down my


    premises for inspection on a whim? A-Anyway, I don¡¯t know what you want me to say¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Let me jog your memory a little. What happened on the night before thest?¡± Mitch


    asked in a deceptively calm tone. The man was really starting to sweat from fear.


    ¡°Oh, and,¡± Mitch gestured at Louis before continuing, ¡°I forgot to mention to you that this is my brother.¡±


    The man had already been struggling to answer Mitch earlier, but when he heard the second half of


    Mitch¡¯s remark, his facepletely copsed. He looked as if he were about to break down and cry.


    ¡°I was only following a certain Mr. Stone¡¯s orders! He wanted to check out the surveince cameras, so I


    sent a few of my staff with him to help him out. That¡¯s all I know! I swear!¡±


    The man had nothing else to say after that, but he confirmed that Queenie was among the few staff he


    had sent to help him out.


    ¡°Are you talking about that punk, Hayden Stone?¡± Mitch asked, frowning.


    The man nodded vigorously and said bitterly, ¡°You understand my dilemma, don¡¯t you, Mr. Lucas? You


    know Mr. Stone¡¯s family background¡­ I couldn¡¯t say no to him. I had no choice!¡±


    From their conversation, it was clear that Hayden came from an influential family.


    I nudged Louis and asked him, ¡°How did you manage to cross a brat like that?¡±


    Louis looked puzzled before he replied in a rather disgusted tone, ¡°He¡¯s my ssmate at university. A


    real cocky fellow. I¡¯ve never even given him a rat¡¯s ass. I don¡¯t know how I could¡¯ve possibly offended


    him.¡±


    My head was starting to hurt. Perhaps this was all because of Louis¡¯ attitude.


    If Hayden Stone was really the spoiled brat they had described him to be, he must be used to being


    worshipped wherever he went. Meeting someone like Louis, who had not immediately tried to kiss his


    feet, must have seemed like a slight to him.


    Still, there was no need to use Louis of such a crime over it.


    Since we had already learned what we came to find out, Mitch sent the man on his way. All of us then left


    the Happy Hour Karaoke Bar and returned to our hotel.


    Upon arriving at the hotel, Mitch ordered all of us to go to bed early.


    ¡°Everything else can wait until tomorrow when we speak to Queenie. It doesn¡¯t matter that the man at the


    karaoke bar had witnessed Hayden setting Louis up. It¡¯s more important that Queenie confesses the


    truth. As long as she drops the charges, Louis will be fine.¡±


    After listening to Mitch¡¯s rational n of action, I exhaled a sigh of relief.


    All of us woke upte the next day. After lunch, I brought them to Queenie¡¯s house.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Mitch wanted to meet her alone. So, the rest of us went to the caf¨¦ across the road to wait for him.


    I stabbed the smoothie bowl in front of me with a spoon absent-mindedly as I thought about the way


    Queenie had treated me. I wonder how Mitch will be able to get through to her¡­


    ¡°If you keep stabbing the smoothie like that, the bowl will break, and we¡¯ll have topensate the caf¨¦.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s voice sounded in my ear, pulling me away from my thoughts.


    This man will never miss an opportunity to poke fun at me! Benjamin is much more of a gentleman; he


    senses my anxiety and tries tofort me.


    ¡°Queenie is just a girl. Mitch will be able to handle her,¡± Benjamin said in a reassuring tone.


    In truth, I had faith in Mitch, too. I had seen the way he had acted at the Happy Hour Karaoke Bar; he


    was both clever and perceptive.


    Yet, it was my beloved brother who was at stake. I could not help but worry.


    At that moment, I was more concerned about Hayden. Even if we manage to bail Louis out this time,


    won¡¯t Hayden try to attack him again by some other means?

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 House Guests


    I turned to look at Louis, who was seated next to me, and asked, ¡°Have you ever had any head-on


    conflict with that Hayden fellow?¡±


    My brother looked surprised by my question. He thought for a minute, then he answered, ¡°Well, the girl


    he has set his eyes on confessed her feelings to me. Does that count? I told her I don¡¯t feel the same


    way, though. Anyway, I only found out Hayden was into her when my roommate told me about it a few


    dayster. I¡¯m usually out of Hayden¡¯s radar.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples in slow circles. My head hurts! What is all this childish


    nonsense? I don¡¯t know what to say about Hayden Stone! So what if the girl he likes doesn¡¯t like him


    back? It isn¡¯t that big a deal! When I was in school, countless girls were into Dominic. If every single one


    of them hade after me, I would have been murdered a long time ago!


    Dominic and Benjamin listened gleefully to Louis¡¯ ount of the love drama.


    I ignored them and said solemnly to Louis, ¡°People like Hayden are usually impulsive and quick-


    tempered. You must be more careful in school. Don¡¯t let yourself be bullied, but don¡¯t go starting any


    trouble either! Do you hear me?¡±


    Frankly, Louis himself is at fault too. He¡¯s only a freshman. Yet, he goes out and parties so hard¡­ He


    even got himself ck-out drunk! If he had not been so reckless, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten into trouble!


    ¡°Yes, I understand. From now on, I¡¯ll avoid him at all costs, okay? I¡¯ve never wanted to be around him


    much anyway,¡± Louis promised.


    This incident had scarred my brother deeply; it was a lesson that he would not be forgetting so quickly.


    We sat at the caf¨¦ waiting for about twenty minutes before Mitch could be seen crossing the road to join


    us.


    ¡°So, how was it? Did you manage to meet her? Was she willing to speak to you?¡± I asked anxiously as


    soon as Mitch had sat down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s settled. She was only in it for the money. I told her what was at stake, so she


    knows what she should do now,¡± Mitch replied in a reassuring tone.


    I stared at him in disbelief. Was it really so easy to deal with that girl?


    I was about to ask him about Hayden when my phone rang. It was Xavier from the police station calling.


    ¡°Queenie has dropped the charges against Louis. Apparently, there was a misunderstanding. Anyway,


    please bring Louis over to the police station for us to go through the proper procedures and clear him of


    the charges. The matter will be settled after that,¡± Xavier¡¯s voice sounded through the phone.


    I was overjoyed when I heard those words and immediately dragged Louis to the police station.


    Mitch took the lead and dealt with the police officers on all the administrative matters. No trace of this


    usation will be left on Louis¡¯ record.


    I felt a rush of gratitude for all of them. If they had not hurried over to help, I may not have been able to


    get Louis out of trouble so quickly.


    In fact, I may not have been able to save my brother at all.


    Now that the problem was resolved, I felt my entire self, both physically and emotionally, rx. Looks like


    I won¡¯t have to dy going home for National Day!


    After dinner that night, I suddenly began to talk about the past.


    I nned to apany Louis back to school and help him exin his absence. After all, he had missed


    two days of sses without asking for any leave of absence. I was afraid he might be punished because


    of that.


    I would then wait for his holidays to start and go back to Dellmoor with him. His holidays will start in two


    days anyway. It¡¯s not too long a wait.


    Dominic and the rest also decided to stay with us. We would all fly back to Dellmoor together.


    ¡°I can help you exin this matter to your school,¡± Mitch offered to Louis. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t you both worry


    about Hayden Stone. I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡±


    I looked admiringly at Mitch, who looked as if he had a halo over his head. He really went above and


    beyond for Louis! He resolved this entire problem by himself! The other two men really did nothing much


    at all.


    The next day, we sent Louis to school, exined the circumstances of the past few days to his teachers,


    and after that, we enjoyed ourselves around the city.


    I was not sure if Dominic had ever been to Jadeborough, but it was my first time there. I had a great time


    exploring.


    When we finally got off the ne at Dellmoor, I was ready to leave them behind. Those three grown men


    will be fine without me. I need my me-time!


    Unfortunately, before I could stop him, Louis had already innocently invited them over to our house for a


    chat and a meal.


    If I were in their shoes, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to impose on Louis¡¯ hospitality, but these three men just


    said yes without thinking twice! They really have no shame at all!


    I was shocked speechless. I was fine with Benjamin and Mitching over, but Dominic was a different


    story.


    How am I supposed to exin Dominic to my parents?


    I had been prone to headaches recently, and at that moment, looking at the four men walking ahead of


    me without a care in the world, my head felt as if it was going to explode.


    I suddenly ran and stood in front of the four men with my arms outstretched, blocking their way. The


    people walking by us threw me curious looks, but I ignored them.


    I cleared my throat and pulled Dominic aside, saying, ¡°I have to tell you something.¡±


    I nced at Louis and the others to make sure they had not followed us. Then, I turned to look at


    Dominic with a solemn expression on my face.


    ¡°You can¡¯te over to my parents¡¯ house. I don¡¯t want there to be a misunderstanding about us.¡±


    Dominic feigned ignorance. ¡°What misunderstanding could there possibly be about us?¡±


    I can¡¯t believe how thick-skinned he is!


    Once upon a time, my parents had loved him like their own son. It was only natural that they would jump


    to their own hopeful conclusions if I brought him home so soon after my divorce.


    I had spent the past few days trying to save Louis; I definitely did not want any more trouble right then.


    ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t y dumb with me. It really isn¡¯t appropriate for you toe over to my house at such a


    time.¡±


    ¡°How is it inappropriate? Are you afraid of your parents finding out about us?¡± Dominic brought his face


    closer to mine and nudged me yfully.


    I took a step back instinctively and scoffed, ¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s nothing going on


    between us!¡±


    At that, he straightened up and beamed down at me. ¡°Well then, since there¡¯s nothing between us, there


    shouldn¡¯t be any problem with me going over to your house!¡±


    He did not wait for me to say another word before dragging me back to where Louis and the rest were


    standing.


    ¡°Dominic, you-¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! We¡¯re going over to Liliana¡¯s house. We must buy some gifts to bring with us!¡± Dominic stated,


    talking excitedly over my protest.


    Benjamin and Mitch agreed with him, and the three of them immediately started discussing what they


    should buy and which mall they should go to.


    Louis was talking on his phone at that moment, and I heard him say ¡°Mom¡± loudly.


    I can¡¯t believe it! The four of them just made all the decisions themselves without asking my opinion!


    Dominic was still holding onto me. I tried to tug my hand free but only managed to hurt myself.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I hissed at him sharply, but he merely pretended to have not heard me.


    Ugh! Fine! Forget it! You better hold on tightly then if you want to hold my hand so badly.


    The men mentioned their desire to buy a gift, but from the way they were acting, it seemed as though


    they were nning to buy the entire mall.


    If I had not restrained them, they would have even boughtrge household appliances to bring along with


    them.


    Although I had reluctantly allowed Dominic to hold onto my hand the entire time, I still felt anxious when


    we finally arrived at the doorstep of my parents¡¯ house.


    Should I tell my parents that Dominic and I are just friends or that we are more?

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 I Am Not A Guest


    I nced at my hand that was still in Dominic¡¯s clutch. Without a second thought, I reached out my other


    hand and pinched him hard, twice.


    What is it with him? Why is he still holding my hand when we¡¯re already at the door? How many times


    do I have to make it clear to him?


    I actually pinched him quite hard, but he didn¡¯t react whatsoever.


    At that time, the front door swung open, and my heart began to beat frantically.


    Fortunately, Dominic and I were standing behind the others. But it didn¡¯t stop me from trying to pull my


    hand away from him.


    Louis had actually called home earlier to inform my parents of our arrival. My mother was delighted to


    have guests, and she was quick to wee them into the house.


    When I was about to pinch Dominic again, he suddenly let go of my hand and walked up to my mother.


    ¡°Do you still remember me, Mrs. Zti? I¡¯m Dominic.¡±


    My head spun immediately. Why is he so upfront?


    Instantly, my mother remembered who he was and eximed happily, ¡°Dom? It¡¯s you? What brings you


    here? I haven¡¯t seen you for ages.¡±


    Obviously, you haven¡¯t seen him! We broke up ages ago!


    Back then, when my parents knew I had broken up with Dominic, they had questioned me incessantly


    about it for a long time.


    And I always used the popr phrase ¡ªgraduation season is breakup season ¡ª to brush them off.


    ¡°You do remember me, Mrs. Zti. I went abroad after graduation, and I just got back not long ago.


    Since it¡¯s National Day and it¡¯s the holiday, I took the opportunity toe and see you and Mr. Zti.¡±


    I rolled my eyes as I listened to him sweet-talk my mother.


    Despite me feeling exasperated, I had to admit that him doing this saved me the trouble. I wouldn¡¯t have


    to crack my head for an exnation.


    Fortunately, Dominic did not bber. Otherwise, I would have sealed his mouth shut.


    But even so, I would rather prefer my mother and Dominic not to chat for too long. I was afraid he might


    slip his tongue.


    At the moment, he was unpredictable.


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go in. Are you going to keep them waiting outside?¡± I reminded my mother as I lightly


    squeezed her arm.


    With that in mind, she stepped aside and weed Dominic and the others into the house.


    As soon as she entered the house, she called out to my father, ¡°Dear, look who¡¯s here!¡±


    Do you have to be so happy? It¡¯s just Dominic.


    I thought my father would be more steadfast, but in the end, he too was allured by Dominic¡¯s sweet


    words.


    With the addition of the eloquent Benjamin and Mitch, my parents were simply ecstatic.


    At that moment, Louis pulled me into the study room and closed the door.


    ¡°Lili, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you this for a long time. Are you back together with Dom? What about


    Julius? Are you cheating¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, I covered his mouth with my hand.


    I red at him and said, ¡°Nonsense! Julius and I are divorced. He¡¯s the one who cheated, not me.¡±


    I had be overly sensitive to that topic. Just hearing that word itself made me jumpy.


    Louis pried off my hand and asked in astonishment, ¡°Are you serious? Do Mom and Dad know about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already exined things to them. So your sister¡¯s single and ready to mingle.¡±


    To be honest, I¡¯m loving my freedom.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Then did Julius really cheat on you? That b*stard! It¡¯s good that you left him. Besides, you still have


    Dom. Julius is no match to Dom.¡±


    I was quite happy to hear the first part, but the second part had several meanings to it.


    Is Dominic really that good of a man? And by the sound of that, it¡¯s as if Dominic and I have gotten back


    together.


    Other than that regretful night, there was nothing going on between us.


    I lifted my hand and knocked on my brother¡¯s forehead with my middle finger¡¯s knuckle. Then, I told him


    matter-of-factly that I had nothing to do with Dominic.


    Louis cut me off and said, ¡°I¡¯m not blind. If there¡¯s nothing between the both of you, then what about the


    incident in Jadeborough? I saw everything, Lili. Not just me, but Benjamin and Mitch saw it too!¡±


    That rendered me speechless. Instantly, I was filled with an indescribable sense of embarrassment.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking rubbish. Get out, go on.¡± I said, all flustered.


    As I pushed Louis out of the study room, I saw Dominic, my father, and the other two men chatting on the


    couch.


    I had no idea what their conversation was about, but there was a big smile on my father¡¯s face.


    I felt my face burning with embarrassment as I thought back to what Louis had said just now.


    Not wanting to join in their conversation, I turned and headed into the kitchen.


    ¡°What are you preparing, Mom? Let me help you.¡±


    My mother pointed to the vegetables in ader and instructed me to de-stem them.


    I hade into the kitchen because I wanted to avoid Dominic. However, for some reason, he entered


    the kitchen as well.


    And he even promised to help my mother with cooking.


    I tried my best to hold in myughter at his words. In my stint as his caregiver, I had never once seen him


    cook.


    ¡°You can¡¯t cook. You¡¯d better go out before you burn down the kitchen.¡±


    Even though I was telling the truth, my mother smacked me lightly. She seemed to be afraid that Dominic


    would be offended by what I said.


    Not wanting to argue with her, I pursed my lips and said no more.


    It was the same as before. Whenever Dominic came over to my house, my parents would always take


    his side.


    They acted like he was their son and I was their daughter-inw.


    With my mother around, Dominic didn¡¯t dare speak to me in a sarcastic tone.


    ¡°How would you know? You haven¡¯t tried my cooking yet. Leave it to me, Mrs. Zti. I¡¯ll get Lili to help


    me in the kitchen.¡±


    He sounded sincere, but I knew better when I saw a hint of mischief sh in his eyes.


    He was definitely a devilish man. I wasn¡¯t going to wait around and watch him weasel his way.


    Before my mother could answer, I said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But you¡¯re the guest, and we can¡¯t have you cooking in


    the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Based on our rtionship, am I still counted as a guest? I came here to see your parents today, and I¡¯d


    be happy to cook them a meal.¡±


    My eyes bulged so much that it seemed like they were about to pop out of my sockets. Our rtionship?


    He was not in any way rted to my family, so why didn¡¯t he think he was a guest?


    My mother watched us bantered back and forth for quite some time before she finally took off her apron.


    Before she left the kitchen, she reminded me to lend him a helping hand.


    Once my mother retreated from the kitchen, I puffed my cheeks angrily and turned to scowl at the


    smirking Dominic.


    ¡°Stop with the nonsense. What if my mother misunderstood what you said?¡±

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 Devious


    He leaned in and lifted my chin with his finger before saying in a captivatingly low voice, ¡°We¡¯re both


    single. So what if she gets the wrong idea?¡±


    I was stunned, and my heart began pounding away. What does that mean? Does he want to get back


    together with me?


    I looked deeply into Dominic¡¯s eyes, trying to gauge the meaning behind his words.


    But before I could read him clearly, he let go of me and pushed me aside.


    With arms folded across his chest and a smile on his lips, he said, ¡°What¡¯s with that look? It¡¯s just


    tongue-in-cheek. Could it be that you still have feelings for me?¡±


    My cheeks flushed red in embarrassment when I realized he was just ying with me.


    ¡°In your dreams. I don¡¯t have any more feelings for you.¡±


    Back then, he was the one who had betrayed me. I would be crazy to have any more feelings for him.


    I thought Dominic would snap at me, but he only nced at me coldly before turning around to put the


    pan on the burner and turn the stove on.


    I pursed my lips and kept quiet. Once he figured out the breach of contract, we would go our separate


    ways.


    I watched him heat the pan with oil and brown the meat over high heat before stirring in the greens.


    Honestly, I did not think that he could actually cook.


    He was a jerk through and through. Back then, he not only pretended to be handicapped, but he also


    insisted I prepare three meals a day for him when he could have done it himself.


    Obviously, he was capable of doing everything on his own. It was a wonder why he still had me at his


    beck and call.


    ¡°Help me with the apron.¡±


    Although I heard him, I didn¡¯t move a muscle. Instead, I looked at the apron my mother had ced on


    the table earlier and said, ¡°Put it on yourself.¡±


    With the spat in his hand, Dominic turned his head and nced at me. He scowled icily, ¡°Fine then. If


    you¡¯re not helping, I¡¯ll ask Mrs. Zti for her help.¡±


    After he said that, he turned his head and looked at the kitchen¡¯s entrance. He really had the intention of


    calling my mother for help.


    ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll help. You don¡¯t have to yell for her.¡±


    Damn it. I should have realized he¡¯s a rascal with tricks up his sleeves.


    I reluctantly took the apron and walked up to him. I then lifted the halter neck strap of the apron, about to


    hang it over his neck.


    However, he was way too tall ¡ª I couldn¡¯t reach the top of his head. I can¡¯t put on the apron if he doesn¡¯t


    bend over a little or bow his head.


    ¡°Can you bend your knees a little?¡± I asked as I tugged at his shirt.


    Dominic turned his head and looked at me before he bowed his head, allowing me a chance to throw the


    apron¡¯s neck halter over his neck.


    At the same time, I thought of tying the string of the apron around his waist. Naturally, with the strings of


    the apron in both my hands, I wrapped my arms around his waist to tie it on his back.


    As I was tying a knot, I heard him say from above my head, gently teasing, ¡°You can hug me if you want


    to. It¡¯s not going to cost you anything.¡±


    I quickly pulled away from him and said sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re such a narcissist.¡±


    Once I was done, I moved to leave the kitchen; I didn¡¯t want to stay around him for too long.


    Before I could even take two steps away from him, I heard him yell out, ¡°I need salt and chicken stock.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s right there beside you. Can¡¯t you see?¡± Those items were there within reaching distance.


    ¡°Maybe I should get Mrs. Zti¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, I turned around and handed him the salt jar and chicken stock.


    Why does he keep wanting to call my mom? He¡¯s crazy!


    Not wanting him to actually get my mom¡¯s help, I remained in the kitchen. He would asionally ask me


    to pass him condiments or tes, but other than that, we had nothing else to say to each other.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Dominic to finish cooking.


    Looks good, and it smells delicious too.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could cook so well. When and where did you learn how to cook?¡± I asked abruptly.


    He dished the food up straight out of the pan before he replied airily, ¡°Why do you want to know? I didn¡¯t


    learn to cook for you.¡±


    I was rendered speechless by his remark.


    He¡¯s right. It¡¯s none of my business. He probably learned to cook for Camille.


    The thought of that made me bitter. When we were together, Dominic used to say he would take up


    cooking lessons once we got married so that he could cook for me every day.


    Now he¡¯s a good cook, but the food he¡¯s cooking isn¡¯t for me.


    ¡°Go on and take the food out. I¡¯ll tidy up the kitchen.¡± His words pulled me out of my mncholy


    thoughts.


    I hurriedly snapped myself out of it. I can cook for myself, and my cooking is not any worse than his.


    I left the kitchen with two dishes in my hands. Before I entered the kitchen again, I asked Louis to help


    me to bring out the remaining dishes.


    Soon, Dominic came out from the kitchen, and we all sat down at the dining table.


    My father instructed my brother to bring out his best Bordeaux wine that he had treasured for many years


    from the study room.


    In fact, this bottle of wine had been given to him by a former student of his. He had always been reluctant


    to drink it, so it was rather surprising for him to open it today.


    I knew my father was willing to open this bottle of wine simply because Dominic was here. Benjamin and


    others were just incidental.


    I stole a furtive nce at Dominic, who was sitting next to my mother, fuming a little inside.


    He sure is a devious man. I wish I could smite him.


    Dinner didn¡¯t end till almost ten in the evening, and after drinking a few sses of wine my father was a


    little drunk.


    My mother instructed me to see Dominic out while she, together with Louis, helped my father back to his


    room.


    Once I walked the man out of the house, I turned around and prepared to head back inside.


    The three men were not short of money, so I was not bothered where they would be sleeping that night.


    Back in the house, I headed into my bedroom and copsed exhaustedly on the bed.


    As soon as I closed my eyes, I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Lili, it¡¯s Mom.¡±


    I frowned upon hearing her ¡ª I was not in the mood to talk to my mother.


    I had an inkling that she wanted to talk to me about Dominic.


    In a loud voice, I said, ¡°I¡¯m tired, Mom. I¡¯m going to bed now. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡±


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    There was silence for two seconds, and then I heard my mother say, ¡°Alright. Have a good rest then.¡±


    At the sound of her retreating footsteps, I let out a sigh of relief.


    Although I knew what she was going to ask me, I nned to let it drag out as long as I could.


    After taking a bath, I snuggled into my warm bed, scrolling through social media before I eventually fell


    asleep.


    My throat was parched when I woke up the next morning.


    Still dressed in my pajamas, I headed to the living room with tousled hair, a cup of water in my hand.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    At the sound of that familiar voice, I spewed out the water I had just gulped down.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 I Will Give You What You Want


    ¡°Cough¡­ Cough¡­ You¡­ Cough¡­¡± I choked and was struggling to recover.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Take your time. Here, wipe your mouth first.¡± I took the tissue he gave me and quickly


    wiped off the water around my mouth and on my hands.


    After a moment, I finally shouted, ¡°What are you doing here, Dominic!¡±


    What is wrong with him? Seeing such a horrifying thing in the morning isn¡¯t good for my heart!


    ¡°Helen let me in.¡±


    I didn¡¯t care about who let him in. All I wanted to know was the reason he came.


    Besides, where were my parents? And where was Louis? I had looked around earlier but saw no one.


    Just how much trust do they have in Dominic that they were willing to do this?


    As if he knew what I was thinking, Dominic informed me that my parents had gone out to get breakfast


    and that Louis was still sleeping.


    All right, then. These weren¡¯t as important right now. I really wanted to know the reason he came again


    so early in the morning.


    ¡°Why are you here so early in the morning?¡±


    A long moment passed since I asked the question, but he still wasn¡¯t answering. He continued to stare at


    me, causing me to start getting goosebumps from his gaze.


    ¡°Hey! I asked you a question. Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Is he crazy?


    Right then, Dominic smiled and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is it possible that you knew that I was going to


    come, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re trying to seduce me?¡±


    I was left confused as I didn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    How I wished to chase him away. Why would I waste my time seducing him?


    ¡°You¡¯re not admitting to it? Why did youe out wearing that then?¡±


    Before I could process what he said, I suddenly felt a stabbing pain in my chest.


    Right at that moment, I finally understood what he meant.


    I was wearing nothing but a thin, cotton nightdress. Even though it wasn¡¯t see-through, one could still see


    something if they got close enough.


    I was just nning to get a cup of water and go back to sleep after that. Naturally, I wouldn¡¯t get changed


    for it.


    However, I was taken advantage of by Dominic instead.


    My face flushed red as I covered up my chest. ¡°You pervert!¡± I cried out in shocked anger.


    He blinked a few times before saying in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s wearing that and isn¡¯t shying


    away. Aren¡¯t you the one giving out an invitation?¡±


    I- I¡­ Invitation my ass!


    I reached out and pushed him away before dashing into my room.


    I was about to lock the door, but Dominic followed me and forced his way into the room.


    He then closed the door behind him.


    Seeing that, I quickly pulled my cor close and backed away into a corner. I red at him in rm and


    said, ¡°Get out now, Dominic! This is my room.¡±


    With his hands in his pockets, he slowly made his way toward me. A subtle smile hung on his lips the


    whole time.


    My room wasn¡¯t big. Besides the bed, there was also a desk and a wardrobe, so I had nowhere to hide


    anymore.


    Well, there was one ce I could get to. I could get on the bed, but I didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡°Lou is still home, Dominic. Mom and Dad areing home soon too. Don¡¯t you dare do anything crazy!¡±


    He was getting out of hand. I thought about the time when we were in Jadeborough. He dared to do such


    a thing even when we were in the corridor. That was why I couldn¡¯t be sure what he would do the next


    second.


    ¡°Then you shoulde here. I probably won¡¯t do anything if youe here.¡± Dominic crooked his finger


    at me as though he was ying with a puppy.


    I puffed out my cheeks, feeling ufortable. Besides, I wasn¡¯t that stupid. Why would I go to him


    voluntarily?


    ¡°If you don¡¯te here, don¡¯t regret it when I get to you,¡± he added.


    My body shuddered at his threat.


    Seeing that he wasing closer and closer, I blurted in panic, ¡°Don¡¯t move! I¡¯ll go to you.¡±


    Dominic stopped and was looking at me with a smile that did not reach his eyes.


    Why was I getting bullied like that in my own home? I was about to burst into tears at that moment.


    I took small steps toward him, feeling as though my legs weighed a ton.


    How heartless of Mom and Dad to leave such a cunning fox at home.


    Louis, you jerk! I¡¯m about to be bullied to death. Why can¡¯t you sense that I¡¯m in a crisis ande save


    me?


    So many thoughts filled my mind in the short moment it took to get to him.


    Dominic stood before me, and I swallowed. I pretended to sound tough as I shouted, ¡°I-I¡¯m here now. You


    have to keep your word! Ah!¡±


    Before I could get everything I wanted to say out, he suddenly reached out and pulled me toward him.


    My forehead mmed into his chest the next second.


    ¡°Look at me.¡±


    I lifted my head instinctively after hearing his words, and my lips happened to touch his.


    S***. This angle¡­ This height¡­ He definitely did it on purpose!


    And he said that he wouldn¡¯t do anything. What a liar.


    The worst thing was that he spoke first before I could even get a word out.


    ¡°You¡¯re still going to deny that you¡¯re trying to seduce me? Look how eager you were.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± I denied while blushing.


    Dominic put his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. Then, he pressed his lips against


    mine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡±


    I wanted to scold him, but he took the chance to stick his tongue in my mouth. He was even holding my


    head from behind, making me unable to escape from him.


    Just as I was about to kick him in his shins, Dominic finally let go of me.


    He ran his fingertips over my lips and mumbled, ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for next time if you want more. Your


    parents are going to be back soon.¡±


    With that said, he left my bedroom and closed the door.


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    I was so angry that I couldn¡¯t get anything out, so I grabbed something blindly and flung it at the door.


    You bastard, Dominic! Ever since that night, how many times have you kissed me forcefully already?


    He even suggested that I wanted more. Even if it was true, I wouldn¡¯t have gone to him for it.


    S***! This makes me so mad!


    I quickly got changed and went to the living room. I wanted to kick the bastard Dominic to death.


    However, he wasn¡¯t around anymore. I went to look in Louis¡¯s room, but he wasn¡¯t there either.


    I sat down on the couch unhappily. Did he escape already?


    Right at that moment, the phone rang. It was Dad calling. He wanted Louis and me to get changed,


    saying that we needed to head out.


    Since I couldn¡¯t find Dominic, I took out my anger on Louis and threw a pillow at him to wake him up.


    By the time we were done and were finally downstairs, I saw Mom getting down from a ck MPV while


    waving at us.


    I walked over quizzically. What is she up to?


    With a smile, Mom opened the door of the passenger¡¯s side and pushed me into the car before getting


    into the backseat herself.


    ¡°Where are we going ¨C Dominic? Why are you still here?¡±


    I fastened my seatbelt and turned to ask Mom but instantly saw Dominic¡¯s face.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 A Coincidence


    I had thought that he escaped. Who knew that he was actually waiting for me? He was just like a ghost


    who refused to move on.


    Actually, this is great. I¡¯m still angry anyway.


    Before Dominic could say anything, Dad shouted at me, ¡°Dom is kind enough to drive us, Lili. What¡¯s with


    the attitude?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going, Dad? We¡¯ll hail a cab ourselves. We don¡¯t need him.¡±


    This man was evil, and it was impossible to guard against him.


    ¡°Lili!¡± Dad shouted again.


    ¡°I won¡¯t want him to drive me, Dad,¡± I said in a panic.


    Why is this happening? What¡¯s so good about Dominic? They only met him again yesterday, so why are


    they standing on his side now?


    He even pretended to act like a kind and generous man as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t me Lili, David. There¡¯s just


    some misunderstanding between us. Sit tight; I¡¯m going to start driving now.¡±


    Misunderstanding? Nonsense. There was only hate between us.


    I reached out to try and open the door even when I saw that he was starting to drive. Naturally, it was


    already locked.


    I turned toward Dominic angrily, but he remained calm as he looked in front. ¡°Fasten your seatbelt and sit


    tight. Stop messing around.¡±


    ¡°Lili, Dom is driving already. Just forget about whatever misunderstanding there is for now and stop


    throwing a tantrum. Your safetyes first,¡± Mom said.


    Everyone was nagging at me, and I felt so aggrieved at that moment.


    I shifted my body and turned toward the window. At least I wouldn¡¯t be able to see Dominic¡¯s face like


    that.


    Mom told me to eat a little something. They had bought some food to eat on the way since they were


    worried that there wouldn¡¯t be enough time.


    However, I had no appetite, so I pretended to be asleep. She stopped trying to talk to me after that.


    Throughout the journey, my family was chatting away happily and Dominic would contribute to the topic


    from time to time.


    I was only pretending to sleep at first but fell asleep for real eventually.


    Mom woke me up afterward and said that we had arrived.


    After getting down from the car, I instantly kept my distance from Dominic.


    I was studying the ce we were at when I saw the words ¡°Lightspring¡± at the entrance. It was an


    infamous ancient town.


    ¡°Your Dad¡¯s students are having a ss gathering here today, and they invited him,¡± Mom said.


    Dad knew that the ce was an ancient town. Since it was National Day, he wanted us to spend the


    holiday here together as a family.


    Coincidentally, the student who gifted him with the Bordeaux was one of the students. Dad had brought


    this up casually, and Dominic said that there was some work he needed to attend to here so he could


    drive us.


    And that was why whatever happened this morning, happened.


    I was puzzled when I heard what Mom had said. I had dinner with them yesterday, so why didn¡¯t I know


    anything about it?


    Dad came to attend a student gathering while Dominic was here for work. How could it be so


    coincidental?


    I pouted and started to grumble inwardly. I was afraid that if I said anything out loud, Mom would start


    talking for that man again.


    After we entered the town, Dominic really did go off on his own.


    Well, it was better this way. He would only be an eyesore if he stayed.


    After he left, Dad led us to a hotel. There was a bulletin board near the entrance that proimed it to be


    a five-star hotel.


    Seems like the students who invited Dad are quite well-off.


    A five-star hotel in andmark like this wouldn¡¯t be cheap.


    Someone came to wee us just as we stepped through the entrance. ¡°Mr. Zti, you¡¯re finally here.


    I¡¯ve been waiting for ages.¡±


    Our family nced at the person, and after thinking for a moment, Dad finally recognized him. ¡°Jonathan!


    I haven¡¯t seen you since you graduated. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    When he finally recognized Jonathan, thetter walked up to him and hugged Dad emotionally. ¡°I know.


    But I¡¯ve always remembered you, Mr. Zti.¡±


    Both of them chatted for a while before we made our way into the hotel together.


    Louis and I were about to book our own rooms, but Jonathan insisted on booking a room for each of us


    when he found out that we were family.


    He even told us that he didn¡¯t want Dad to spend a single cent during this trip.


    Later on, Mom and Dad followed Jonathan to meet up with the other students and catch up with them.


    Louis found something to do on his own too.


    I didn¡¯t want to stay in the hotel myself, so I took my bag and decided to go walk around the area.


    I really liked ancient towns like this as they gave off a really calm energy.


    However, since it was National Day, there were a lot of people visiting as well. I really hated crowded


    ces.


    I followed the stone path and tried my best to go somewhere with fewer people.


    Suddenly, someone tapped my back, trying to get my attention. I instinctively clutched my bag as thieves


    and scammers were the most abundant at a time like this.


    I turned around and saw a man in a baseball cap, a mask, and a pair of sunsses behind me.


    I blinked my eyes several times but was not able to recognize who it was.


    He didn¡¯t wait for me to ask. Instead, he pulled down his mask and lowered his sunsses slightly before


    saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s me, Liliana.¡±


    I almost screamed upon hearing his voice. Luckily I reacted soon enough and had pped a palm over


    my mouth.


    The man tilted his head and motioned for me to follow him.


    I obediently trailed behind him. After taking lots of twists and turns, we arrived at an old and rustic-


    looking house.


    He only removed his disguise once he entered the house.


    ¡°I thought I had made a mistake when I saw you from afar, but it really is you! Why are you here at


    Lightspring?¡±


    I was just as shocked. I had never expected to see the national heartthrob at such a ce.


    ¡°Dad¡¯s students invited him here for a gathering so I followed along. What about you, Nichs? Are you


    shooting a movie here?¡±


    I had taken a quick nce around earlier and saw that there was a lot of shooting equipment.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to shoot for an advertisement. They wanted an ancient vibe to it, which was why we chose this


    ce. Besides, there¡¯s an event I need to attend tonight,¡± Nichs said with a smile.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite gutsy of you to bring me over here. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I would sell you to your


    Darlings? That huge fanbase of yours is really something,¡± I joked whileughing.


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    I had followed Nichs on his Twitter ever since I got to know him. All his fans called themselves his


    Darling on the tform.


    ¡°I trust that you won¡¯t do that.¡±


    I excused myself after having a brief chat with Nichs as I was worried that I would dy his shoot.


    ¡°The shoot¡¯s almost over. I¡¯m just waiting for the event tonight,¡± he said.


    He also told me that I would be working in the film crew soon and wanted me to get ready for it.


    I took a look at the time and realized that I really needed to head back soon. Our family was supposed to


    be having dinner with Dad¡¯s students.


    Nichs didn¡¯t try to get me to stay when he saw that I was going to leave. All he did was ask if I was


    interested in checking out the event with himter.


    ¡°I¡¯m allowed to go? Will there be a lot of celebrities?¡± I asked excitedly.


    ¡°There should be. It¡¯s a fashion show. I can bring you in if you¡¯re free tonight.¡±


    I had never attended a legit fashion show in my life.


    That was why I was quite intrigued but also hesitant at the same time.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Chapter 65 To Gain An Experience


    I was mostly afraid of causing trouble for Nichs. After all, the fashion show had to be swarming with


    journalists.


    He assured me that it was fine and even told me to give him a call the moment I arrived. That way, he


    could arrange for someone to escort me in.


    I thought about it for a while. In the end, my curiosity prevailed.


    I used to watch male and female models walk the runway on television, so it would definitely be a thrill to


    have a chance to watch it live.


    After we reached an agreement, I left.


    When I returned to the hotel, it suddenly urred to me that I never told Nichs that I wanted to be at


    the set. So how did he know about it?


    I figured he must have heard it from sh and thought nothing more of it.


    After dinner, while my father was chatting jovially with his students, I waved at Mom and stole softly out


    of the room.


    Dad never saw me leave, but someone else sure did. Louis followed behind me and came running after


    me.


    I told him to go back, but he refused. He said that if I didn¡¯t take him along with me, he would go back


    and report to Dad. If that were to happen, neither of us would be able to leave.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I was speechless for a moment. In the end, I decided to give Nichs a call.


    I can¡¯t bring my brother along without asking Nichs.


    I spoke with Nichs on the phone, and without another second of dy, he agreed to have my brother


    tag along. He asked me to wait at the hotel entrance, and he was going toe and pick us up.


    After the phone call, I red at my brother fiercely and said, ¡°Someone will be here to pick us up. Once


    we¡¯re there, stay close to me and don¡¯t wander around. I¡¯ll skin you alive if you cause any trouble.¡±


    Louis replied nonchntly, ¡°How old do you think I am, Lili? Why do you think I want to follow you? I


    don¡¯t want to stick around with Dad, and it¡¯s boring to be alone. Why are you acting so mysterious


    anyway? Are you going on a date with a celebrity? Or are you meeting up with country leaders?¡±


    I ignored him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be star-struck when he sees Nichs and the other celebritiester.


    Louis and I waited at the hotel¡¯s entrance for twenty minutes before a ck SUV stopped in front of us.


    I nced at the car, but I couldn¡¯t see inside it. The car had curtains tightly drawn over each of its


    windows.


    At that moment, the rear door was pulled open from the inside, and I saw Nichs¡¯ face.


    He beckoned to me, and I quickly pulled Louis into the car.


    ¡°Thank you for picking us up, Nichs. And thank you for letting my brother tag along,¡± I said, somewhat


    abashed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Hello there,¡± Nichs greeted Louis.


    Just then, Louis looked like aplete fool. He was staring intently at Nichs with his mouth agape.


    I called it! Star-struck indeed.


    ¡°Ahem! Earth to Louis. Say hi.¡± I feigned a cough and nudged him.


    After more than ten seconds, Louis suddenly jumped up in his seat violently, enough to knock his head


    on the car roof.


    Louis clutched the top of his head, his face scrunched up with pain.


    He shook my arm and kept mumbling, ¡°Lili, it¡¯s Nichs! Am I dreaming? Pinch me so that I know it¡¯s


    real!¡±


    I lifted my hand and rubbed the top of his head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your head hurt? You still can¡¯t tell that you¡¯re not


    dreaming?¡±


    Such a silly boy.


    I wanted to remind him to be a little more courteous, but he pushed my hand away and turned to


    Nichs. ¡°Are you really Nichs Scott? The real deal?¡±


    ¡°Louis, that¡¯s a silly thing to say.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but pinch him.


    What¡¯s gotten into him?


    Nichs chuckled and replied, ¡°In the flesh.¡±


    Nichs¡¯ reply caused Louis to grin from ear to ear.


    I never thought that Louis would still be a huge fan of Nichs. To see him all tongue-tied and starstruck


    was quite a jarring sight.


    I smiled awkwardly and said to Nichs, ¡°Ignore him. He¡¯ll get over it in a while.¡±


    Nichs beamed with delight and even gave Louis an autographed photo of himself.


    After a short drive, the car finally came to a halt.


    As soon as we got out of the car, a man with a pair of ck round sses, a pink shirt, and checkered


    overalls came rushing over to us.


    Only when he was near did I realize his bow-tie was the same pattern as his overalls.


    ¡°Where have you been, Nic? I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. The journalists are asking for you.¡±


    When the man in bow-tie spoke, I couldn¡¯t help but shudder.


    ¡°I¡¯m back now, aren¡¯t I? Let¡¯s go in then,¡± Nichs said to the man. He then turned around to beckon at


    Louis and me.


    Once inside, Nichs said to the man in a bow-tie, ¡°Stay with them for a while, Jake. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, the show will begin in half an hour. You may walk around the set to have a look. If you need


    anything, just tell Jake. He¡¯s my manager.¡±


    With that, he turned and left.


    As soon as he left, Jake scrutinized us from head to toe before asking warily about the rtionship


    between Nichs and me.


    Looking at how overprotective he was, I wouldn¡¯t tell him even if Nichs and I were truly in a


    rtionship. However, we were not.


    I told him that Nichs and I were just friends, and I came here today to gain an experience.


    Jake¡¯s expression finally eased up after hearing what I said.


    At that moment, a few staff came up to Jake.


    I quickly said to him, ¡°Go ahead. Louis and I will be fine by ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself into trouble. I¡¯ll be back soon. Why don¡¯t you guys have a seat over there? Right


    there, behind the row of chairs.¡±


    My eyes darted in the direction he was pointing before I nodded at him.


    I led Louis to the back of the row of chairs and sat down at the farthest seat.


    At first, Louis sat quietly beside me. But after he caught sight of a few celebrities, he became extremely


    excited, especially after he spotted Scarlett.


    He insisted on approaching her for an autograph, and I couldn¡¯t even stop him.


    I got up and decided to follow him. Yet after a few steps, I identally bumped into someone.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 What Is Going On


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It wasn¡¯t intentional,¡± I apologized before taking a look at that someone.


    Other than Louis and I, the rest of the people here were big shots. It was only right to apologize.


    ¡°What are you doing in here? Did you miss me that much?¡±


    I know that voice. That annoying and self-righteous tone belongs to none other than Dominic.


    I looked up at that person. It¡¯s really him.


    J*rk! What terrible luck I have today.


    ¡°Nobody missed you. Nichs invited me over,¡± I said impatiently.


    After I said that, I felt a chill run down my spine.


    ¡°Oh, seems like you¡¯ve been in close contact with Nichs.¡±


    I nced at Dominic and ignored him. His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and it was making me


    ufortable.


    ¡°Do what you have to do. Get out of my way,¡± I snapped as I pushed him away.


    To my surprise, this lunatic grabbed my arm and refused to let me walk away.


    I would have kicked him if this wasn¡¯t a public ce. It would not do for me to act so violently here.


    ¡°What are you trying to do, Dominic? Let go of me.¡± I reached out my other hand to pry his away from


    mine.


    ¡°If I let you go, will you go and look for Nichs?¡± Dominic stared at me as he asked.


    I was actually a little embarrassed by the way he was staring at me. Despite that, I didn¡¯t want to show


    my weakness in front of him either. Partially out of anger, I retorted, ¡°That¡¯s right. I was just about to look


    for Nichs. He went off quite a while ago¡­¡±


    My mouth snapped shut abruptly. The hairs at the back of my neck stood up.


    Dominic didn¡¯t speak or move. He just stood there looking at me.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯d better let go of me,¡± I shouted at him. I felt guilty under his stare.


    There was an awkward silence hanging in the air.


    Although I could hear the voices of other people around us and the soothing music that was ying on


    the set, my brain tuned out those sounds automatically as Dominic and I stared at each other silently.


    At that time, a familiar voice rang out and broke the awkward silence.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, we have a problem,¡± Calvin said as he approached us.


    ¡°Ms. Zti? You¡¯re here too,¡± Calvin greeted me, and he seemed a little surprised to see me.


    I smiled at him and replied, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Calvin. Didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s a problem? Carry on


    then with Mr. Hartnell.¡±


    Please take him and leave. He¡¯s making me nervous.


    Instead of letting me go, Dominic asked, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Calvin nced at me and said, ¡°The model who¡¯s supposed to walk the show¡¯s finale is having acute


    gastroenteritis. She can¡¯t make it to the show, and I can¡¯t find anyone to rece her at thest minute.¡±


    No model for the finale? That sounds like a serious problem.


    I nudged Dominic and said, ¡°That¡¯s not good. You should handle it quickly. Otherwise, the show will be


    ruined.¡±


    Although I couldn¡¯t fathom why not having a model was Dominic¡¯s problem, all I cared for was for him to


    go away.


    To my embarrassment, neither Dominic nor Calvin reacted to my remark.


    Argh! Say something, please. What are you guys thinking?


    ¡°Dominic, you¡¯d better¡­¡±


    ¡°Get everyone ready, Calvin. I¡¯ll be right there with a recement,¡± Dominic interrupted me.


    ¡°Got it, Mr. Hartnell.¡± Calvin left upon receiving the order, leaving Dominic and myself behind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Dominic said to me.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was confused. Go where?


    Dominic didn¡¯t even bother to exin to me. He took my hand and pulled me along the runway before


    going around the back.


    When we stopped at the back, I realized that we were backstage.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the backstage? Why did you bring me here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to look for a recement


    model?¡± I was scratching my head in confusion.


    Without bothering to say a word, Dominic continued ahead with his hand still holding mine.


    I became angry. What¡¯s he trying to do? Why isn¡¯t he saying anything?


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Dominic!¡±


    ¡°You talk too much. Can you be quiet for a while?¡± He nced at me indifferently.


    ¡°Hey, how could you be so unreasonable! I didn¡¯t want toe here. If you think that I talk too much,


    then let me go.¡±


    He¡¯s such a pain in the butt.


    Not bothering to respond to myint, he took me into a small room.


    When he swung open the door, I noticed that there were already two people in there. Calvin was also in


    the room.


    Calvin quickly approached us and said, ¡°Everything¡¯s ready, Mr. Hartnell.¡±


    Dominic nodded. Then he sat me in front of a dressing table and beckoned to a long-haired woman on


    his right.


    I heard him say to her, ¡°Keep the makeup light and natural, and style her hair in loose curls.¡±


    I sat there and listened silently when I was actually rather confused.


    The woman shot me a look when she heard Dominic, then she looked at him and asked, ¡°She¡¯s the


    one?¡±


    Dominic hummed in response.


    At that moment, I was stumped. I didn¡¯t even resist when the woman started to apply makeup on my


    face.


    It wasn¡¯t until the makeup was done and she started to curl my hair that I suddenly asked, ¡°This isn¡¯t


    right, Dominic. Why did you ask her to do my makeup?¡±


    All I got in response was Dominic yelling at me to stop moving to avoid identally burning my face with


    the hot rollers.


    I red at Dominic¡¯s reflection in the mirror.


    When my hair and makeup were done, I studied my reflection in the mirror.


    Truthfully, I was not one to wear makeup daily. Therefore, I was not quite used to seeing myself made up.


    I look pretty good, if I do say so myself.


    At that moment, another person walked up to Dominic with a bag and asked, ¡°Mr. Hartnell, shall we get


    her to try on the clothes now?¡±


    Dominic took the bag from that person and looked inside. ¡°Not this one. Bring the other one.¡±


    Astonishment shed across that person¡¯s face before he turned quickly to leave.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I was listening to their conversation, and I couldn¡¯t help but ask Dominic in bewilderment, ¡°Try on what


    clothes?¡±

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 Pushed Into The Spotlight


    Dominic slung an arm around my waist and pulled me into his embrace. He whispered, ¡°The costume for


    the finale.¡±


    I blinked dumbly, my brain stalling at his words.


    About three secondster, I asked, ¡°You¡¯re letting me wear the final design? What about the model?


    What¡¯s she going to wear?¡±


    He chuckled and replied, ¡°Liliana, you really should be adding more brain foods to your diet. You¡¯re


    taking forever as always to connect the dots. Since you¡¯re wearing the costume, doesn¡¯t that make you


    the model?¡±


    I was about to retort his backhanded jibe when the word ¡°model¡± struck me dumb.


    And indeed, I was silent for a while before I fully understood the implications of his words.


    ¡°Dominic, are you making me take the runway? Now¡¯s not the time for jokes. It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s only my


    reputation at stake, but I don¡¯t want to ruin someone¡¯s hard work and the entire fashion show to boot!¡±


    I stared at Dominic like he was deranged, wondering if he was the one who should be checking out brain


    foods.


    It was not a sense of misguided humility that had me denying his request but a fair assessment of my


    actual talents.


    Walking a runway? That¡¯s absurd.


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m making a joke right now?¡± Dominic arched a brow and asked calmly.


    I heaved a long sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. If this is your way of pranking me, there are way more appropriate


    asions for that. Modeling is beyond me.¡±


    My brain was nk save for one thought ¨C Dominic was definitely trying to embarrass me.


    Soon enough, the staff who had left to retrieve the costume returned with a garment bag in hand.


    Dominic took the garment bag from the staff and inspected the dress. Satisfied, he dropped the dress in


    my arms.


    ¡°Get changed.¡±


    His tone left no room for argument, and I felt like I was about to dissolve into tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting changed! Like I said earlier, it¡¯s not only my reputation at stake. I can¡¯t be responsible for


    ruining other people¡¯s hard work.¡± I draped the dress carefully over a nearby chair and stood my ground.


    Dominic stared at me intently before saying, ¡°I designed this costume, and this is my fashion show.


    You¡¯re not messing things up for anyone else.¡±


    It was a jaw-dropping revtion, and my mind was running wild. ¡°Why on earth would you have me wear


    this, then? Are you drunk?¡±


    I was perplexed. Really? He¡¯s going to drag himself down for a chance to denigrate me?


    Though I had already made up my mind to reject him, Dominic pulled out the big guns, threatening to


    undress me himself if I refused to get changed.


    His stubborn insistence was befuddling.


    I had never been to a fashion show in my life, let alone modeled on the runway.


    ¡°You have three seconds. Get changed, or I¡¯ll do it for you.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret sending me out there?¡± I asked.


    ¡°One.¡±


    I made ast-ditch attempt to dissuade him. ¡°Dominic, you need to think things through. I could really


    damage your brand¡¯s reputation-¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t turn around and me me if-¡±


    Before he could utter ¡°three,¡± I grabbed the dress and dashed into the dressing room.


    Just as I had gotten undressed, I heard a woman¡¯s voice from outside the dressing room.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, may Ie in to assist you with changing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure. Pleasee in.¡±


    Changing in front of others was ufortable, but since this was Dominic¡¯s creation, I wanted to take


    every precaution while putting it on.


    He mighte after my head if I ruin a zipper or something.


    Under the female staff¡¯s help, I managed to put on the masterpiece, which happened to be a wedding


    gown.


    I could not help but sigh when I saw myself in the mirror. Dominic¡¯s a pretty amazing bridal designer.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The dress fit me like a glove, so much so that I almost thought that he might have designed it especially


    for me.


    To the female staff busy arranging my skirt, I asked, ¡°Does he specialize in bridal wear?¡±


    She seemed surprised by my question and smiled. ¡°Do you mean Mr. Hartnell? He mainly designs


    casualwear for women.¡±


    ¡°Casualwear? Then why is the final piece a wedding gown?¡±


    Before my curiosity could be satisfied, Dominic was yelling at us to hurry up from outside the door.


    The staff held my skirt for me as we left the dressing room in a rush, leaving my question unanswered.


    Outside, Dominic had changed into a tailored ck tuxedo. It looked like he had styled his hair as well.


    In our respective outfits, we looked like a couple ready to head to the altar.


    The female staff who had been with me earlier had nothing but praise for how I looked in the gown.


    Under Dominic¡¯s scrutiny, though, insecurity flooded my being.


    What if he thinks it looks horrendous? Would he use me of ruining his design?


    ¡°I-is it nice?¡± I asked timidly.


    Dominic continued to appraise me for a few more minutes before saying, ¡°It¡¯s all right. The gown is the


    true star, anyway.¡±


    I fell silent. Internally, I cursed myself for asking such a stupid question.


    ¡°Come here.¡± He stretched a hand out to me.


    Instead of arguing, I obeyed his orders and ced my hand in his.


    He tucked my hand in the crook of his arm and led us to the end of the long line of models.


    The models were all dressed in casual apparel, and I was the only one wearing a wedding gown.


    ¡°Dominic, why do I need to wear a wedding gown? Won¡¯t I stick out like a sore thumb?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°It¡¯s the finale. It has to be different from the others.¡± His exnation did make sense.


    Ah well, he¡¯s the boss. Whatever he says, goes.


    I got more and more nervous as we approached the runway. Sweat beaded on my face and turned my


    hands mmy as well. Despite that, I dared not wipe the sweat for fear of ruining my makeup.


    ¡°Calm down; it¡¯s almost our turn. Just follow my lead and smile. Keep staring ahead.¡±


    ¡°U-us?¡± My head twisted sharply to Dominic. ¡°You¡¯re going out there with me?¡±


    Wordlessly, he looked at me like I was missing some brain cells.


    He never said he was walking the runway with me! What¡¯s wrong if I¡¯m surprised?


    I was still fuming when Dominic said, ¡°Showtime.¡±


    My body tensed up instantly.


    I guess I was lucky to have Dominic beside me. My legs seemed to have forgotten how to walk.


    Never in my life had I been under the scrutiny of so many people. The shing spotlights were painfully


    blinding.


    I made out Louis in the front row, sitting beside Nichs.


    The runway was barely ten meters long, but I felt like it was endless.


    Finally, we reached the end of the runway. Apuse and bouquets greeted Dominic.


    Just then, a bouquet was thrust into my hands.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 Good News


    My heart pounded at the massive bouquet of fragrant lilies I had mindlessly epted earlier.


    It was a gift from the national heartthrob, Nichs Scott himself; I would be remiss to reject his present.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± My smile could not get any wider then.


    Nichs still had his hand on the bouquet. He tugged me into his arms and whispered into my ear, ¡°It¡¯s


    great that you¡¯re fine. You look beautiful.¡±


    I froze the minute I was in his embrace. Cameras were shing at me from all directions.


    Nichs released me a brief momentter. Still, a blush crept up my face.


    Just then, a thought crossed my mind. I wonder if Nichs¡¯ fangirls wille after me.


    I was stillposing myself after Nichs¡¯ hug when Dominic suddenly shoved all the bouquets in his


    hand to me and kissed me on the cheek.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so happy after getting one bouquet. Here, you can have all of these. Are you over


    the moon now?¡±


    The cameras began shing furiously once more.


    I stood stunned with the mountain of bouquets in my arms. Dominic had already straightened himself as


    if nothing was wrong.


    My gaze traveled between the two men beside me. I felt like I was in a daze.


    Dominic and Nichs, on the other hand, were staring intently at each other.


    It may have been a figment of my imagination, but I thought I sensed a hint of hostility in their gazes.


    The journalists at the event pointed their microphones at us, directing their first question of the night to


    Dominic.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, have you known the model beside you for a long time?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The journalist continued, ¡°Mr. Hartnell, the theme of today¡¯s fashion show has nothing to do with bridal


    wear. Yet, you¡¯ve decided to use a wedding gown as your final piece. Is there a special meaning behind


    your decision? Did you prepare this gown specifically for thedy beside you?¡±


    Even I could not help but be impressed by the journalist¡¯s intuitiveness.


    ¡°Every outfit is designed with a person in mind.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s simple reply sent the journalists into a tizzy.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    One of them hopped on the bandwagon in the hopes of wrangling a headline. ¡°Mr. Hartnell, are you


    implying that we should be expecting good news soon?¡±


    Dominic smiled cryptically and answered, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to make a public statement when ites to that.¡±


    Interest flitted across the faces of every journalist as they turned their attention to me.


    Bewildered, I did not know where to look and why they had taken an interest in me.


    I¡¯m not his partner. Ah, he must be hinting about Camille!


    Bitterness seeped through every fiber of my being as I tightened my grip on the bouquets. So this is how


    it feels like when my ex is getting married to another woman.


    The journalists began peppering Nichs with questions after their interview with Dominic.


    Instead of entertaining their inquiries, Nichs merely stated that he was here to view the fashion show


    and that they should dedicate their attention to the fashion show itself.


    His eloquent mannerisms and kind personality meant that the journalists did not feel slighted by his


    refusal for an interview. The perpetual smile on his face did not hurt matters as well.


    It was all fine and well that they could not interview Nichs, yet now they had turned their arrows on


    me.


    My inexperience caused me to freeze up in the face of a sea of microphones.


    Thankfully, Calvin arrived with some staff to hold off the journalists, announcing loudly that the interview


    segment was over.


    With their help, I managed to leave uneventfully with Dominic.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nichs¡¯ manager Jake usher him away as well.


    I had barely taken a few steps when I heard Louis calling my name.


    Turning my head, I saw Louis trying to squeeze his way through the crowd to us.


    I was about to walk to Louis when Dominic stopped me in my tracks. He called for someone. ¡°Calvin.¡±


    His assistant escorted Louis to us immediately.


    ¡°Damn, I could¡¯ve gotten stampeded back there. Dom, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re a fashion designer now. Good


    job, man!¡± The first thing that came out of Louis¡¯ mouth was an expression of his adoration for Dominic.


    When he turned to face me, there was no trace of admiration left in his tone. ¡°Lili, you¡¯re too much! You


    didn¡¯t even tell me that you were going to be a model. Plus, if I didn¡¯t call out to you earlier, you were


    nning to ditch me, right?¡±


    ¡°Model my *ss! I was an unwilling participant. And how dare you use me of ditching you! Who was the


    one who disappeared in the first ce? You would¡¯ve deserved it even if I ditched you,¡± I shot back.


    If he had been with me, Dominic wouldn¡¯t have dragged me into this mess, and I wouldn¡¯t have had to


    face all those journalists.


    After some thought, I said, ¡°Wait for me outside. I need to remove my makeup and change. Don¡¯t wander


    around again.¡±


    The little j*rk had the nerve to chuckle as he replied, ¡°All right, all right. Anything you say, my dear sister.


    But Lili, you should think about what to tell Dad. Things are going to get interesting once he finds out


    about this.¡±


    I had not thought about how Dad would react to this until Louis¡¯ reminder.


    While Mom would be pretty okay with this, Dad, being as conservative as he is, would probably go on a


    tirade and have a telling-off waiting for me at home.


    ¡°Louis, don¡¯t betray me, or I won¡¯t help you again.¡± My gut instinct was to threaten Louis into submission.


    He pouted and said, ¡°I won¡¯t say a peep about this, but there were a bunch of journalists earlier.¡±


    Oh God, the journalists! How could I forget about them? Sh*t, I¡¯m dead.


    My only strategy was honesty. If all else failed, I could say I was doing Dominic a favor.


    As I continued to ponder my dilemma, I realized I had wandered to the dressing room.


    Calvin and Louis were both gone. Dominic told me that he had arranged for Calvin to send him back.


    Annoyed, I asked, ¡°Why did you let them leave first? How am I supposed to go backter?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡±


    I was tongue-tied at his reply. Before I could make heads or tails of hisment, he had dragged me


    into the dressing room.


    Dominic mmed the door shut and pinned me against it. A voracious kiss ensued.


    What the h*ll is wrong with him? He¡¯s obsessed with forceful kisses!

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69 Temptation


    Dominic¡¯s kiss was the perfect trigger for the resentment and anger that had been piling up in my body at


    him.


    I immediately kneed him in response.


    His groan reached my ears as he released me, cing his hands on a ratherpromising body part.


    ¡°Liliana!¡± Dominic gritted out in pain.


    I was taken aback at the sight of the bulging nerves and angry flush on his face.


    ¡°I-I¡­ Are you okay?¡± I had not meant to knee him in the groin.


    He did not reply to me as his face was twisted into a pained grimace.


    Oh God! I might¡¯ve ruined his thing for good.


    rmed, I ran to his side and supported his elbow. I stuttered through my apology. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry. I


    didn¡¯t mean to do it. I-I¡­ Let me send you to the hospital. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something they can do.¡±


    Dominic remained silent. Instead, his face reddened further, his forehead drenched in sweat.


    I was this close to a meltdown at that sight; I would never be able to make it up to him if he became


    unable to have kids.


    ¡°Dominic. I¡¯ll send you to the hospital right now. Just hang on for a bit longer, okay?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Slinging his arm around my shoulder, I wrapped an arm around his waist and began leading him to the


    door.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Dominic said suddenly.


    Worried that I had caused him pain, I stopped immediately in my tracks.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I hurt you?¡±


    He pointed at a nearby chair instead. ¡°Let¡¯s sit for a while.¡±


    His request for a seat convinced me that I must have hurt him when I tried to help him to the door.


    The thought to call 911 only crossed my mind then. I helped him take a seat and muttered, ¡°Take a rest.


    I¡¯ll call for an ambnce.¡±


    Just as I was about to turn to the dressing table and grab my phone, Dominic¡¯s hand shot out and locked


    around my wrist.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t pull me. What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you still hurting?¡±


    He had pulled me such that I fell straight into hisp. I frantically tried to get back on my feet.


    He might¡¯ve stood a chance if I didn¡¯tnd in hisp. Oh God, have Ipletely ruined his chances at


    recovery?


    Dominic, however, was grinning mischievously at me. Not a hint of his earlier suffering could be seen on


    his features.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be this worried about me.¡±


    ¡°Y-you-¡± I stuttered in disbelief and anger.


    His smile widened into a chuckle. ¡°Can¡¯t you feel it?¡±


    Two secondster, I caught his innuendo and blushed furiously. Rage, however, soon flooded my entire


    being.


    This stupid j*rk¡¯s pranking me! And I almost started crying over him!


    ¡°Dominic, you¡¯ve got a screw loose in your head! Were you that amused by my concern?¡±


    Deep down, I knew I had my ignorance to me as well. A man¡¯s family jewels might be fragile, but a


    knee to the groin would not render them useless either.


    It was infuriating to have been yed for a fool by Dominic.


    The man in question continued grinning as he said, ¡°I may be all right now, but you did hit me earlier.


    Shouldn¡¯t you bear responsibility for my injury?¡±


    Jack*ss, I can¡¯t believe he has the gall to ask me to take responsibility! He¡¯ll be dreaming for a long time,


    then.


    I roared, ¡°Fine, let me take another shot, and then I¡¯ll take responsibility!¡±


    I swore silently to myself that I would never pity him ever again. Not even if he was hemorrhaging


    blood; I would not put it past him to be using colored sugar syrup for such a prank.


    And thus, I mustered all my energy to shove Dominic away, storming toward the door even though I had


    not changed out of the wedding gown.


    I might destroy him for good if I had to remain in this room with him for one second longer.


    My hand had just made contact with the doorknob when Dominic pounced on me and pinned me against


    the door.


    At the same time, he grabbed both of my wrists and lifted my arms above my head. Now that my back


    was facing him, there was no chance of me kneeing him again.


    Before I could yell bloody murder at him, I felt an unusual sensation near the base of my neck.


    My body tensed involuntarily at his action.


    ¡°Dominic, you¡¯re a pervert!¡±


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re enjoying yourself, though.¡±


    He had lowered the zipper on my gown in the meantime.


    ¡°D-Dominic, s-stop moving.¡± Already, I could feel my resolve crumbling.


    He ignored me and lowered my hands to hang by my sides.


    Consequently, the gown slid off my body easily, leaving me nude before him.


    I could not help but shiver as the cold air swept across my body.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane! What if someonees along?¡±


    We¡¯re in a dressing room, for heaven¡¯s sake; this is hardly a private setting!


    Dominic seemed nonplussed as he continued, single-minded, in his seduction operation.


    He lifted my arms above my head once more andvished his attention on my back. A hand snuck


    around to my front andnded on one of my breasts.


    ¡°Your body¡¯s telling me that you¡¯re enjoying this. You were like this thest time, too; telling lies to deny


    your body the pleasure it desires.¡±


    My body temperature shot up at his provocative words.


    ¡°Dominic, you forced me once. Are you going to force me again?¡± I gritted out, trying desperately to resist


    the temptation of his actions.


    He chuckled instead and ced his hands in front of me. Bending down, he whispered into my ear, ¡°You


    call this forcing?¡±


    His question rendered me speechless. I no longer felt like I had any control over my body and its carnal


    desires.


    Dominic carried me toward the dressing table, and I shuddered when the coldness of the table seeped


    into my bare skin.


    ¡°Do you want this?¡±


    His gruff, alluring tone reached my ears, while the hand he kept on my waist felt like it was burning my


    skin.


    I had sworn up and down that I would not dignify him with a reply.


    Yet, my mouth seemed to have a mind of its own. ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    Before lust had taken over my mind, I thought that Dominic was the mad one. I guess I was the mad one


    in the end.


    My body turned to jelly after our impromptu session. Not doing it on a soft surface like a bed made me


    feel exceptionally sore.


    Dominic helped me to get dressed in the wedding gown and carried me out of the dressing room. I did


    not forget to grab my purse before leaving.


    It was only after we exited the room that I realized we were the only ones left.


    ¡°Send me back,¡± I muttered in exhaustion.


    ¡°Back?¡± A captivating smile appeared on Dominic¡¯s face as he murmured, ¡°The night is still young. I¡¯m


    not done with you yet.¡±

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70 The Rtionship


    Upon hearing his words, I struggled to get down immediately, yet it was in vain. I could not even break


    free from him when I was at full strength, let alone when my whole body was aching badly.


    I ended up tugging at the cor of his shirt and gritting out, ¡°Send me back now. If not, I don¡¯t know how


    to exin to my dad!¡±


    At that moment, I was still racking my brain for ways to exin to Dad about the fashion show. If he


    found out that I did not go back to my hotel room and spent the night together with Dominic, he would


    surely blow a blood vessel!


    Turning a deaf ear to my request, Dominic carried me into the elevator right away. A whileter, he


    carried me straight into the room, ced me on the bed, and got on top of me.


    As his chest pressed down slowly, I struggled and muttered feebly, ¡°Dominic, I have to go back now. I¡¯m


    exhausted.¡±


    He lifted my chin and bit lightly on it. Next, he whipped out my phone from my handbag.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I looked at him quizzically.


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± he whispered, cing his index finger in front of his lips.


    In an instant, there was a big question mark on my mind. What is he up to again?


    ¡°Hello, David. Dominic here¡­¡± I gaped at him instantaneously. He has the guts to call Dad!


    I did not dare to utter any words so as not to trigger Dad¡¯s suspicion. At the same time, I hinted at


    Dominic to hold his tongue by ring at him.


    As I heard what he told my dad, I rolled my eyes. He not only helped to clear my dad¡¯s doubt on the


    fashion show earlier but also effortlessly had my dad¡¯s consent. Thus, I did not have to rush back to the


    hotel. My goodness, my dad did not doubt his cock and bull story at all!


    After hanging up, he raised his brows and gave me a smug smile. ¡°I have helped you to get the matters


    resolved. It¡¯s time for you to pay back my kindness now.¡±


    I was at a loss of words and could only fume, ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡±


    Turning a blind eye to my irritation, he started to indulge himself in another round of steamy sessions. He


    seemed to have unlimited energy, and I ended up being tortured by him the entire night.


    The next day, my growling stomach woke me up. In that moment, I felt that I could swallow anything to fill


    my stomach.


    I ced my arms on the bed and sat up. In an instant, the nket slipped off, exposing the hickeys all


    over my body.


    ¡°Damn it! He¡¯s really a pervert!¡± I cussed in exasperation.


    I looked around and noticed that there was no sign of him in the room. When I was wondering if he had


    left, I heard the sound of the door opening. Within seconds, Dominic, who was well dressed, emerged


    and strode into the room.


    He chuckled andmented cheekily, ¡°Looks like you haven¡¯t had enoughst night, have you?¡±


    I pulled the nket up immediately to cover myself and snapped at him, ¡°Do you think that everyone


    thinks about that all the time like you? I¡¯m not surprised if you copse due to debauchery one day!¡±


    He smirked at me and mocked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will make sure to satisfy you before that!¡±


    I puffed up my cheeks and remained silent. Even so, I felt like asking why he could speak so


    shamelessly.


    Dominic tossed the paper bag in his hand onto the bed. ¡°Get changed.¡±


    I took out the things from the paper bag curiously. A set of new clothes and underwear came into view.


    I red at him again and scoffed inwardly. Hmph! He looks like he has no intention of leaving. Does he


    n to let me get changed in front of him?


    My guess was proven right when he crossed his arms over his chest and smiled subtly at me.


    This man is really bing more shameless! Anyway, there is nothing to hide from him anymore. After


    all,pared to those steamy sessions, getting changed in front of him is no big deal.


    Mustering up my courage, I put on the underwear and clothes one by one in front of him.


    Dominic leaned closer to me and nted a light kiss on my lips. ¡°Well done. You¡¯ve improved a lot!¡±


    I felt like throwing him a punch, yet I was so hungry now that I did not have any energy left.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a meal now. You foot the bill.¡± Recalling how he had tortured me the whole night, I told


    myself that I should get him to buy me at least one hundred meals to pacify me.


    Dominic led me to the restaurant in the hotel without any objection. I deliberately ordered almost all the


    food listed on the menu.


    I¡¯m not the one footing the bill anyway!


    ¡°Madam, are you sure you want to order all these?¡± The waiter was stunned and asked me hesitantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sure! Just send my orders to the kitchen now and serve me the food soon.¡± After sending the


    waiter away, I picked up the ss of lemonade and gulped down a mouthful. However, the sourness of


    the lemonade triggered my hunger even more.


    Out of a sudden, something crossed my mind. I must buy contraceptive pillster. Damn it! This selfish


    man did not spare any thoughts on contraceptionst night! Ah! I forgot bout it previously as well. It was


    indeed a close shave for me as nothing happened. I must take precautions this round!


    A while ago, Dominic¡¯s phone rang. He went out to answer the call as though he was preventing me from


    eavesdropping on his phone call.


    When the food was served, I started eating without waiting for him. Probably because I was starving, but


    the dishes tasted exceptionally delicious.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°My goodness! Look at how you are gulping down the food. What an eyesore! Where are your table


    manners?¡±


    ncing obliquely at Dominic, who was back from answering his call, I put another piece of pork rib into


    my mouth and chewed exaggeratively.


    I don¡¯t have good table manners, so what?


    After munching and gulping down the food for quite a while, I finally let out a burp. I put down the cutlery


    and patted my tummy in contentment.


    ¡°Liliana, let¡¯s talk about our rtionship.¡±


    I was stupefied when he blurted out the words. Coincidentally, that was exactly what was floating in my


    mind at the moment.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s talk about it,¡± I agreed without hesitation, hoping that he would not beat around the bush


    as I was tired of bickering with him.


    ¡°How about we just carry on with what we¡¯ve been doing?¡± Dominic asked me solemnly, with his fingers


    interlocked beneath his chin.


    In an instant, my face turned grim. ¡°Have you gone nuts? Get out of my way!¡±


    Hmph! Has he lost his mind even before he copses because of debauchery?


    ¡°We fit each other perfectly in bed, don¡¯t we?¡± Dominic refuted casually as if he was oblivious to my


    frustration.


    In a split second, fury welled up within me. I retorted, ¡°Fit perfectly? What nonsense! Every time we do it,


    you¡¯re the one forcing me!¡±


    ¡°I only started movingst night when you said you wanted it,¡± Dominic replied nonchntly.


    ¡°You forced me into that!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I can force you if you really didn¡¯t want it?¡± he mocked.


    By this point, I was so furious that I gave up bickering with him.


    In contrast to my exasperation, Dominic was stillid-back as ever. He even poured me a cup of tea.


    ¡°You must be thirsty. Drink some.¡±


    At the sight of the cup of hot tea, I had to hold myself back from pouring it onto his head impulsively.


    Tamping down my anger, I hissed, ¡°You really love to be in bed with me, huh?¡±

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71 Five Hundred Thousand


    From what I could see, Dominic¡¯s profession as a fashion designer was simply irresistible for most


    women. As long as he was willing, he could effortlessly get any woman to fall head over heels for him.


    After all, there¡¯s still Camille by his side. In other words, he¡¯s spoiled for choice when ites to


    women. Why is he insisting on having me as his friend with benefits?


    ¡°Yeah, I love it. I just can¡¯t resist your gorgeous and sexy body.¡± I was dumbfounded at his frankness.


    After a moment of silence, I asked bluntly, ¡°What about Camille? Both of you are getting married soon,


    aren¡¯t you? You are not keen on her?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re different from her. There¡¯s nothing topare.¡±


    I was momentarily stunned before realizing what he meant.


    To him, Camille was the ideal candidate as his future wife. On the other hand, I was only a woman who


    could satisfy him in bed. Nevertheless, I was clueless about what was ying on Dominic¡¯s mind.


    If he really loves Camille, why is he still thinking of maintaining a friends-with-benefits rtionship with


    me? If Camille finds out about it, she will surely cry her heart out!


    Even so, when Dominic asked if I hade to a decision, I spontaneously requested him to give me a


    little time to think it through. I could not exin why I did not reject him on the spot.


    Ah! What¡¯s the matter with me? What more is there to consider? I must have lost my mind!


    After we exited the restaurant, Dominic straight away sent me back to the hotel I was staying in with my


    parents. As such, I could only n to buy the contraceptive pills after we checked out from the hotel


    later. Fortunately, the contraceptive pills were effective for up to seventy-two hours, so I was not really


    worried about that.


    To my surprise, my parents were not the slightest bit suspicious of me for not going back the night


    before. They were even grateful to Dominic for keeping an eye on me and thanked him sincerely. Only


    Louis kept giving me meaningful looks.


    While my parents were having small talk with Dominic, I pulled Louis aside and warned him not to say


    anything. He nodded and winked at me, emphasizing that he knew what to do. I was speechless at the


    sight of his subtle countenance.


    When I was standing alongside my parents again, Mom told me that Dominic had offered to send us


    back to Dellmoor. At that very moment, I felt my temples start to throb. Damn it! This man should really


    be an actor!


    On the way back, I leaned my head against the back of the car seat with my eyes closed and gradually


    drifted off to sleep. Even so, I was not sleeping soundly as the car was not moving consistently.


    I finally woke up when I heard the faint sound of my mom calling me, telling me that we had reached


    home. The moment I opened my eyes, I realized that my throbbing headache had not disappeared. If I


    was not mistaken, I was actually starting to catch a cold.


    It¡¯s because of that troublesome man again! If not because of how he tortured mest night, I would not


    have ended up getting sick!


    ¡°Dad, Mom, I will go up first.¡± Since my parents were still chatting with Dominic, I did not feel like waiting


    for them anymore. The moment I turned and walked away, I could even hear my dad grumble that I had


    no manners.


    Whatever. All I feel like doing now is to take a hot shower and fling myself on my bed at once.


    By the time I woke up the next day, I found that my cold had worsened. Thinking about the contraceptive


    pills that I had not managed to buy the day before, I got out of bed.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going down to buy something,¡±


    To prevent my parents from sensing something was awry, I walked further to the next street purposively


    to buy the flu medicine and contraceptive pills.


    Initially, I only intended to buy the emergency type of contraceptive pills. However, for some reason, I


    took another box of the long-term ones at the payment counter.


    Even though the medicine and pills were very light, I felt like a boulder was resting inside my pocket.


    At this point, I could not overlook the indecipherable and mixed emotions in my heart anymore. What¡¯s


    the matter with me? Why did I buy the long-term contraceptive pills? Could it be that deep down, I¡¯m


    willing to be Dominic¡¯s friend with benefits? I must be thinking irrationally because of the flu. Anyway,


    forget about it. After taking the medicine and having a good rest, I will surely be back to my old self and


    have different thoughts!


    Once I reached home, I dashed into my bedroom like a bolt of lightning and put the box of long-term


    contraceptive pills into the innerpartment of my handbag.


    Holding both the flu medicine and emergency contraceptive pill in my hands, I suddenly hesitated. Can I


    take both types of pills simultaneously?


    To be safe, I ended up searching online for the answer. As it was advisable to take the different types of


    medicine with a time interval of at least two hours, I opted to take the contraceptive pills first. After putting


    the pills away, I flung myself on the bed and drifted off to sleep within minutes.


    By the time Mom woke me up again, it was already noon. She nagged at me for a while after discovering


    that I was feeling under the weather. After that, she took the flu medicine hastily and urged me to


    swallow it at once.


    A whileter, Nichs gave me a call and apologized to me. He even told me not to worry about the


    news report as my daily life would not be affected. In an instant, I felt pretty awkward. He didn¡¯t do


    anything wrong. Why is he apologizing to me?


    After our phone conversation ended, I checked the news online. Surprisingly, the photos posted online


    were focused on our side profiles and not that clear. Apart from that, my name and the reporters¡¯


    provocative questions were not mentioned at all. I heaved a sigh of relief after reading the news.


    Two dayster, I had gradually recovered from the flu.


    To my surprise, Dominic did not look for me ever since I came back home after National Day. I was more


    than willing to sit idly at home without needing to entertain him. After sending Louis off at the airport, I left


    my parents¡¯ house as well.


    Returning to my own rented house, I was back to my previous daily routine again and spent most of my


    time drawing. Other than that, I grabbed the opportunity to go through the novel ¡°The Wind And Cloud¡±


    so I could be prepared for the productionter.


    A few dayster, I received a message from the bank notifying me that a sum of five hundred thousand


    was transferred into my ount.


    After rubbing my eyes and reading the message twice carefully, I was finally assured that it was real. It


    was unbelievable that Julius would pay me so soon, and in a lump sum too.


    After checking mytest ount bnce, I was on cloud nine when I noticed that there was almost one


    million in my ount at the moment! Ah! I¡¯m a millionaire out of the blue!


    I nned to keep the money in my ount for a few more days, imagining myself as a millionaire. After


    that, I would donate half of it for charity and the other half to my parents.


    I did not forget to ask Shannon out for a meal, telling her that I would treat her this round. After knowing


    that Julius had transferred me the money, she enjoyed a luxurious meal to her heart¡¯s content.


    I was in high spirits till two police officers appeared at my doorstep on the third day. They requested me


    to follow them back to the police station for interrogation.


    I was baffled and exasperated. In my twenty-seven years of life, I have never once stepped into a police


    station. Yet in the span of less than two months, I have been in there three times!


    I could not help but mock myself inwardly, Am I making up for lost time or something?


    As I had experienced something simr when I was requested to go to the police station twice previously,


    I was quite calm this round.


    Fortunately, Benjamin and the others had shared with me earlier on the tip to call awyer first when I


    was in this sort of situation. Apart from that, I had the right to remain silent before the arrival of my


    lawyer. I took their advice and gave Benjamin a call immediately.


    It did not take long before Benjamin reached the police station. Even so, he looked at me with a hint of


    speechlessness in his eyes.


    I could only squeeze out a smile and blink at him innocently.


    Apanied by Benjamin, I let the police officer take my statement. After asking me some basic


    questions, he proceeded with the main ones. He took out a copy of my bank statement and asked me,


    ¡°Based on this copy of your bank statement, a sum of five hundred thousand was transferred into your


    ount days ago. Are you aware of this?¡±

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72 A Pleasing Choice


    I shot the police officer a perplexed look. My goodness! Who would have thought that they would


    question me about this? Could it be they suspect me of being involved in something illegal just because


    arge sum of money was transferred into my ount out of a sudden?


    I was about to exin that to him, yet Benjamin held me down abruptly to stop me. He then exined


    to the police officer the entire situation on my behalf.


    After that, the police officer asked me some other questions. I was allowed to leave after a while.


    Even so, the police officer mentioned that they might still need my co-operation on the investigation for


    the matter. Thus, I might receive calls from them to attend other rounds of interrogations. Other than that,


    they reminded me to keep them updated once I have any clue on Julius¡¯ whereabouts.


    Furthermore, my bank card was frozen temporarily. It only struck me then that something must have


    happened to Julius. There must be something wrong with the money he transferred to me!


    I checked with Benjamin helplessly, yet he sounded rxed. He eased my anxiety by asking me to stay


    at home and wait for thetest update. As for my bank card, the bank would automatically unfreeze it


    once the truth was revealed.


    I had no idea how long the investigation would take. At that moment, I only had about a few hundred in


    cash. To my relief, I paid my rental quarterly. Thus, I estimated that my current funds should be sufficient


    for my daily meals for quite some time.


    Julius is indeed a self-centered and maniptive man! He has the heart to put me in a tight spot under


    such circumstances! Damn it!


    Since I had a tight budget, I made up my mind to prepare my meals from now on. After all, it was a lot


    more cost-saving than ordering food delivery.


    I only prepared a simple dish which was just enough for myself.


    Unexpectedly, Dominic dropped by. I let out a deep silent sigh. What now? It seems there¡¯s no way to


    shrug him off but to entertain him today!


    Making himself at home, he strode into my house, closed the door, and sat on my couch.


    ¡°Come over here.¡± He waved at me and patted the seat next to him.


    Pursing my lips, I was hesitant for quite a while before heading toward him. No matter what, I knew that


    the domineering man would not be bothered even if I rejected him.


    The moment I sat on the couch, he pinned me on it and pressed his lips onto mine in a swift motion. He


    only ended the kiss when my chest was starting to hurt due to ack of air.


    Even so, I remained silent while he had his way with me. When everything finally came to an end, I tried


    to push the man who was still pressing himself on me away. ¡°You¡¯re heavy,¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°Hmph! Why didn¡¯t you grumble about that just now? So you¡¯re thinking of casting me aside right after


    you¡¯ve gotten your pleasure?¡± he mocked.


    I mped my lips tightly together without refuting. After all, he is really good at twisting my words.


    Regardless, he still stood up and carried me to the bathroom. Once we were in the cramped space, we


    could barely turn around.


    In a split second, our bodies were drenched due to the gushing warmth from the showerhead.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    In the meantime, he ced both his hands on my waist and pressed me hard against his body.


    I gritted my teeth and tried to push him away. ¡°Dominic! Not again!¡±


    He leaned closer and lifted my chin. As his lips curved into a seductive smile, he asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you


    be excited when I¡¯m treating you like this?¡±


    Hmph! Excited? For what? This thick-skinned man doesn¡¯t seem to have any limits!


    Nheless, I could not go against his will at all. After a while, I was out of breath again as he teased


    and ran his fingers all over me.


    Smugness was written all over his face. ¡°Since you have made a choice that pleases me, I have to put in


    more effort to please you more.¡±


    Damn it! If he puts in more effort, I bet my waist will break! What does he mean by a choice that pleases


    him? I didn¡¯t opt for anything, did I? I had no choice but to give in and tolerate him all this while., a


    decision that I¡¯m starting to regret now!


    As expected, I drifted into unconsciousness again halfway through the passionate moments.


    When I came to myself again, it was already the following afternoon. Once more, my entire body was


    feeling sore with the familiar aches.


    Damn it! Dominic Hartnell is such a pervert! I bet his mind is preupied with that all the time!


    Wrapping myself with the nket, I was reluctant to get up from the bed. After a while, I dozed off again.


    Later, my phone rang abruptly and woke me up. To my dismay, it was a call from Dominic. I felt like


    ignoring it, yet I was worried that he would do anything to vent his anger. Thus, I could only answer his


    call reluctantly with a grimace.


    Dominic told me that he would be on a business trip and was not sure when he would be back again. On


    top of that, he had assigned someone to deliver something to me and reminded me to receive it.


    I was over the moon the moment I heard his words and had to stifle a cheer from escaping my lips. How


    nice it would be if he doesn¡¯te back again forever!


    Half an hourter, I heard someone knocking on the door. I opened the door curiously, and Calvin came


    into view. There was a suitcase next to him on the floor.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, Mr. Hartnell asked me to send this to you.¡±


    I moved aside to let him bring in the suitcase. At the same time, I asked casually, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s


    inside?¡±


    ¡°These are all Mr. Hartnell¡¯s clothes. He said that it would be more convenient for him to get changed in


    the future like this,¡± Calvin replied courteously.


    After Calvin had left, I opened the suitcase right away. To my surprise, there were various types of


    Dominic¡¯s clothes.


    What does he mean by sending me this? Does he expect me to tidy up for him? Hmph! I won¡¯t help him


    with that!


    I pursed my lips and closed the suitcase.


    Dominic had been on a business trip for more than one week, yet he had not contacted me at all. There


    were times when I thought of giving him a call, but I tended to hold myself back at thest moment.


    It was rather awkward for me to call him and ask when he would be back since our current rtionship


    was kind of ambiguous.


    Just forget about it! After all, he will be back sooner orter.


    In the meantime, I received a call from sh, informing me to join the film crew on thest day of the


    month. The opening ceremony would be held on that day as well.


    Since there was still one week left before I would have to join the film crew, I asked Shannon out for


    grocery shopping. While still pending for the bank to unfreeze my bank card, I could only rely on her for


    the time being.


    It¡¯s all Julius¡¯ fault! I havended myself in deep water because of him!


    While I was preparing my meal at home after buying some groceries, my phone rang. At the sight of the


    unknown number blinking on the screen, I hung up instinctively.


    After a while, it rang again, with the same number disyed on the screen. I knitted my brows and


    answered it doubtfully.


    The man on the other end of the line imed that he was a doctor from City Hospital and asked if I knew


    anyone by the name of Coraline Zelinsky.


    It had been quite some time since Ist heard this name. I was stunned and only regained my


    composure after a while. That¡¯s the name of Julius¡¯ mom, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Yeah, I know her. What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Even though Coraline and I held a grudge against each


    other, I did not have the heart to pretend that I did not know her.


    ¡°Oh, well, she was involved in an ident and needs to undergo surgery. We need her family member to


    sign a consent form before that, yet we can¡¯t reach her son. Thus, she asked us to contact you instead.


    Is it convenient for you toe over now?¡±

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 Tricks


    ¡°Coraline was admitted to the hospital after a car ident?¡± I asked suspiciously.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s at City Hospital right now; we are waiting for a family member of hers to sign an


    approval for the surgery. However, we can¡¯t contact anyone else right now¡­¡±


    To tell the truth, I wanted to say that I had no connections with Coraline. Yet, I blurted out the exact


    opposite. ¡°I¡¯m heading over right now.¡±


    Well, I didn¡¯t visit her thest time I injured her. I should probably help her out this once.


    I removed the apron around my waist and headed out after grabbing my purse.


    After I arrived at the hospital, I visited Coraline in the emergency room. She looked extremely gaunt and


    haggard. At the same time, she kept mumbling something.


    Coraline¡¯s face brightened when she caught sight of me. ¡°Lili, Lili,¡± she cried out and extended an arm


    toward me excitedly.


    I would have turned around and left if she yelled or berated me. However, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to leave


    her this way.


    I made my way over to the bed and observed her carefully. There seemed to be several gashes across


    her face, and her palms were covered in blood too. Even her pants were tattered. It looks like her injuries


    are quite severe.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Where is Julius? Can¡¯t you reach him?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Lili, he¡­¡± Coraline stuttered repeatedly, but she could not muster an answer to my question. In the end,


    her voice trailed off into silence as tears began to stream down her cheeks.


    Julius had always been a very filial and obedient son. He would have rushed over if he found out that his


    Mom got involved in a car ident.


    Even though Coraline was in such a state, there was no sign of Julius anywhere. Seems like he really


    has fled. After all, the police kept questioning me about his whereabouts. They even asked if he had tried


    to contact me. I can¡¯t help but feel bad for her.


    ¡°Wait here for a moment; I¡¯ll go look for the doctor. What about the person who ran into you?¡±


    Secretly I prayed that it wasn¡¯t a hit-and-run. Otherwise, I would have to pay for the operation. I can¡¯t


    afford it! Thanks to Julius, I¡¯m utterly broke.


    The topic of Julius caused Coraline to sob even more to the point she could barely speak coherently.


    I sighed and decided to go search for a doctor. Coincidentally, a doctor walked into the room.


    The doctor¡¯s gaze darted between the two of us. ¡°You are¡­?¡± he asked with hesitancy.


    `I had no wish to mention my rtionship with Julius. Thus, I took the initiative to speak up. ¡°Are you Dr.


    Morris?¡±


    I began to exin after seeing his nod of affirmation.


    Just as we were in the midst of our discussion, a middle-aged man burst into the room. He was drenched


    in sweat as he hurried toward Coraline and reassured her that he would be responsible for all her


    medical fees.


    After asking him a few questions, I realized that he was the driver who ran into Coraline. Thankfully, he¡¯s


    a responsible driver and willing to own up to his mistakes.


    Additionally, Dr. Morris informed me that Coraline had suffered from quite a few minor injuries. However,


    save for a broken arm, there were no other life-threatening wounds.


    I turned around and was met with the sight of Coraline¡¯s sobbing face. Turning back to the doctor, I


    asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she need surgery? Then you should hurry. What if she loses function of her arm in the


    future?¡±


    Immediately, Dr. Morris ushered me aside to sign the papers. Midway through the signing, he asked me


    several questions about my rtionship with Coraline. After all, these papers could only be signed by the


    patient¡¯s family members. After a brief thought, I told him that I was a close rtive of hers.


    Since Coraline was the one who instructed them to contact me, Dr. Morris did not ask any further


    questions.


    As Coraline¡¯s surgery only involved her broken arm, it wouldn¡¯t take long. Alongside the driver, I decided


    to stay back and wait for her.


    The driver had a very pleasant attitude as he apologized profusely for his actions. Finally, he asked if we


    could settle things privately without involving the police.


    Not only did he pay and take responsibility for his actions, but he also did not try running away. Although


    I wanted to agree to his request, I could not make any decisions as I wasn¡¯t involved in the ident.


    In the end, I told him to discuss it with Coraline after she was done with her surgery.


    The surgerysted around an hour. After it was done, Dr. Morris informed me that they would observe


    her wounds for another few days. She would be discharged if there were no signs of an infection.


    Following the operation, Coraline was wheeled to a ward. Due to the anesthesia, she had yet to regain


    consciousness.


    Seeing that she was in a stable condition, I informed the driver that he could take his leave first. He left


    his phone number before departing and promised to be back tomorrow.


    I took a seat next to Coraline¡¯s bed, feeling caught between a rock and a hard ce. It¡¯s already nine; I


    have no idea how long she is going to sleep. I can¡¯t stay here for the entire night. Yet, it feels wrong to


    abandon her. Ah, it¡¯s not a good thing to be so kind-hearted.


    Finally, I decided to stay until Coraline came out of her unconsciousness.


    To pass the time, I scrolled through Twitter aimlessly before I discovered that the official announcement


    for ¡°The Wind And Cloud¡± happened today. Nichs and Scarlett¡¯s official photos for the drama had


    been published too.


    The two of them captured the hearts of their fans as they were nicknamed the ¡°Nilett¡± couple. Their


    pairing together in the drama caused an immense uproar on Twitter.


    I even visited their Twitter profiles and found them flooded with countlessments that stated: Nilett


    should get together.


    Quickly, I exited Twitter and sent a screenshot of one of thements to Nichs via WhatsApp in an


    attempt to tease him.


    I recalled seeing Scarlett from afar back then at Dominic¡¯s fashion show. She was even more


    breathtaking in real life. Scarlett and Nichs would make a great couple.


    I assumed that Nichs would have been too busy to reply to my message because of his tight


    schedule. To my surprise, he replied to my message with a sweating emoji.


    A giggle escaped my lips when I saw his reply. I texted a reply: Haha, when are you going to reveal the


    secret?


    Nichs replied to my text in the blink of an eye. We are just friends.


    I texted him a mischievous message to tease him further: All romance starts with a friendship.


    All of a sudden, I caught wind of Coraline¡¯s voice. I quickly put my phone down and found that she was


    indeed awake.


    Upon her request, I poured her a ss of water. Once she regained her senses, I stated, ¡°Your wounds


    will heal soon. Also, the driver who hit you has paid for all the medical fees. He said that he would be


    here again tomorrow. Now that you are awake, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    The news of my departure caused a dramatic shift in Coraline¡¯s mood. Immediately, tears began to roll


    down her face. ¡°Now that Julius is gone, I¡¯ll be all alone if you leave¡­¡± she rasped pitifully.


    I frowned when she burst into tears. ¡°Although Julius isn¡¯t here, you have other rtives. You should ask


    one of them to keep youpany. Besides, the doctor said that you can be discharged in a few days if


    your wounds don¡¯t get infected.¡±


    s, my words went in one ear and out the other. Coraline sobbed even harder. ¡°Lili, you can¡¯t abandon


    me! After all, you were once Julius¡¯ wife. How can you be so cruel to leave your mother-inw all alone in


    the hospital to die?¡±

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74 Take Pity


    Her words caused me tosh out in anger.


    ¡°Stop pushing the me to me! Why would I be here if I wanted you dead? Don¡¯t you feel any remorse


    for the way you and Julius treated me in the past? You should be grateful that I¡¯m still here!¡±


    My outburst caused Coraline to stiffen with shock. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean it that way. Lili, deep down, I know that


    you¡¯re a good person. Can¡¯t you take pity on me just once? I¡¯m all alone here,¡± Coraline stuttered.


    I massaged my temples to ease my pounding headache. I finally understand the meaning of shooting


    oneself in the foot.


    ¡°Coraline, let me cut to the chase. So far, I have been benevolent and understanding of your situation.


    Do you expect me to watch over you day and night? You can either ask one of your rtives to visit you


    or hire a caretaker to tend to your needs.¡± I frowned as I said this.


    With that, I didn¡¯t bother wasting my breath. I grabbed my purse and left the ward.


    After exiting the hospital, I hailed a cab and made my way home.


    I took a hot shower and sprawled across the bed before shooting a reply to Nichs¡¯ message. After


    chatting with him for a few moments, I fell into slumber.


    The shrill ringtone of my phone roused me from my sleep early in the morning. I realized that the caller


    was none other than Dr. Morris.


    He informed me that Coraline refused to cooperate when he tried to change her bandages and


    requested my presence at the hospital.


    Just as I was about to decline his request, Coraline¡¯s wails echoed through the phone. ¡°Lili, I know that


    I¡¯ve made mistakes in the past, but I¡¯m all alone now! I have no one to rely upon. Can¡¯t you please visit


    me?¡±


    ¡°Coraline, you are crossing the line!¡± I snapped irritably.


    ¡°Lili¡­ please.¡± Coraline continued to sob before Dr. Morris raised his voice to speak over her cries.


    ¡°I think that it¡¯d be best for you to visit her. She¡¯s not young anymore. Elderly patients tend to get very


    miserable when they are left alone in the hospital. Your presence will help decrease the chances of an


    ident urring.¡±


    I heaved out a heavy sigh and agreed reluctantly. After all, Dr. Morris is speaking the truth.


    ¡°Lili,e here!¡± Coraline eximed with joy when she caught sight of me. ¡°I knew that you wouldn¡¯t


    disappoint me.¡±


    ¡°Please convince her to change her bandages,¡± Dr. Morris advised.


    I heeded his words. ¡°We¡¯ll talk after you change your bandages,¡± I said to Coraline.


    Immediately, Coraline ceased her fussing and agreed to my request.


    Why on earth is she so insistent on asking me to keep herpany? Even when Julius and I were still


    married, she never behaved in such a strange manner.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Dr. Morris to change her bandages. Before he left, he even advised me to talk


    things out with Coraline.


    After his departure, I turned around to address Coraline. ¡°What do you want? Didn¡¯t I make myself clear


    yesterday?¡±


    Tears began to well up in her eyes again. However, it didn¡¯t look like she was going to burst into tears


    this time.


    ¡°Lili, I know that I don¡¯t have the right to ask for your care. But I can¡¯t stop panicking because Julius is in


    danger. I¡¯m not trying to trouble you. However, I can¡¯t be alone right now.¡± She paused for a moment


    before speaking again, ¡°While I¡¯m in the hospital, why don¡¯t you keep mepany in the daytime? I just


    need you to chat with me. Is that okay?¡±


    Her words made me realize the reason behind her odd behavior.


    In the past, Julius and his Mom relied on each other after the passing of his Dad.


    He had relied heavily on his Mom when he was younger. Now that Julius was a grown man, it was


    natural for her to depend on him instead.


    However, Coraline had lost Julius. She must be scared out of her wits. Even so, what am I supposed to


    do? I can¡¯t be the person she relies on!


    ¡°Coraline, don¡¯t you have any other rtives to keep youpany? Julius and I are divorced. Don¡¯t you


    think it is inappropriate to keep contacting me?¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Even if they are willing to visit me, I¡¯d be wasting their time. I know that I¡¯m in no position to make any


    demands, but can¡¯t you keep mepany for these few days? I promise to leave you alone once I¡¯m


    discharged.¡±


    After a few moments of turmoil, I found that I didn¡¯t have the heart to deny her request. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll visit


    you when I¡¯m free. However, you should stop going against the doctor¡¯s orders. Stop bursting into tears


    for no reason too.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Hearing my words, Coraline wiped her tears away and nodded in agreement.


    I remained silent as I dragged a chair over to take a seat beside her bed.


    Yet, we have always had a rocky rtionship. Thus, an awkward silence filled the air between us.


    After a while, the driver who ran into her arrived at the hospital. He carried an array of gifts and


    apologized profusely. Before Coraline could bring up the topic ofpensation, he handed her a paper


    package.


    With a single nce, I could decipher the contents of the package.


    Initially, I thought that Coraline wouldn¡¯t let this matter slide so easily. To my astonishment, she agreed


    readily to the driver¡¯s request.


    A look of relief painted the driver¡¯s face when he heard Coraline¡¯s promise as he thanked her repeatedly.


    After all, this would be the best way to settle the incident smoothly.


    After the driver left, I prepared to return home after staying for another ten more minutes.


    Although Coraline looked reluctant to watch me leave, she did not cause a scene.


    Just as I reached the exit, she called after me. A frown graced my forehead as I turned around. Did she


    change her mind?


    Instead, she hesitantly asked if I could bring her something to eat tomorrow.


    Since I already had ns to visit her tomorrow, it wouldn¡¯t be a big hassle for me to bring her some food.


    Consequently, I agreed to her request.


    In the following days, I took some time out to visit Coraline. I even brought her some chicken broth. Over


    the course of two days, Coraline¡¯s mood and mental health improved immensely.


    On the third day, Dr. Morris informed me that she could be discharged tomorrow.


    The good news felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders as I hurried back to the ward in


    relief.


    When I entered, I noticed Coraline on her phone.


    After a few sentences, she hung up the call with a panicked look.


    I took a seat on the chair and nced at her suspiciously. It¡¯s just a phone call. Why is she so worked


    up?


    Suddenly, a thought shed across my mind. Did Julius call her?

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75 Kidnapped


    As I was in the midst of pondering over the call, Coraline took the initiative and told me about it.


    One of her rtives had called her. However, an ident had urred, so they were upied for the


    time being. Hence, they wouldn¡¯t be able toe over.


    The news caused me to frown. They won¡¯t be able toe over? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be discharged


    tomorrow? Does this mean that she intends to ask me to continue helping her?


    Following that, Coraline added that she had ns to return to her hometown and tend to herself. She


    imed that there was beautiful scenery and people to keep herpany. Finally, she asked if I could


    send her there.


    I let out a sigh of relief. It seems like she won¡¯t bother me anymore.


    Although I¡¯ve never visited Julius¡¯ childhood home, he once mentioned that it was not very far away. I


    can send her there and make it back on the same day. Besides, I¡¯ve done countless things for her. I¡¯ll


    consider this as myst favor!


    After Coraline was made aware that she would be discharged tomorrow, she decided to return home


    tomorrow morning.


    As she wanted to leave earlier, I was more than happy toply with her ns.


    The next day, I arrived at the hospital at the break of dawn. After filling in the paperwork to discharge


    Coraline, I headed to the bus station.


    Since it wasn¡¯t a special holiday, I managed to purchase the tickets with ease.


    Our journey to Coraline¡¯s hometown went by smoothly.


    There weren¡¯t many bus stops in the small county. Thus, we got off the bus at the side of the road.


    After we got down from the bus, I noticed many motorcycles around the area that were there to fetch


    tourists. I prepared to hail one for Coraline and made ns to return home after she was sent off.


    All of a sudden, Coraline announced that she wanted to use the restroom and asked me to follow her


    there. As we weren¡¯t in a rush, I trailed after her without anyint.


    Yet, even after walking for a while, I didn¡¯t see a restroom anywhere. In fact, there didn¡¯t seem to be


    many people around the vicinity as well.


    Just as I opened my mouth to ask Coraline about our whereabouts, my phone began to ring with a call


    from Dominic. Despite vanishing without a trace for so many days, it seems like he¡¯s still alive.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked brusquely.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone. I didn¡¯t contact you when you disappeared, did I?¡± I replied.


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll have a good talk when you are back,¡± Dominic uttered lowly after a brief moment of silence.


    He put extra emphasis on the word good. Immediately, an array of provocative scenarios surfaced in my


    mind as my courage vanished into thin air.


    ¡°I¡¯m at Ho-¡± Before I could finish my sentence, pain throbbed at the back of my head as my vision


    plunged into darkness. I promptly cked out.


    When I regained consciousness, I realized that my vision was still shrouded in darkness. My limbs were


    tied up, rendering me immobile in a curled-up position.


    Pain red at the back of my head. What on earth happened to me? I remember talking to Dominic on


    the phone. Then someone hit me from the back. Also, where is Coraline?


    Although I was clueless about my whereabouts and what urred, I could feel my surroundings rocking


    back and forth. The swaying motion left me extremely nauseous.


    Additionally, my dizziness was amplified by the fact that my vision was covered. The darkness caused


    me to lose track of time.


    After what felt like an eternity, the rocking motion came to a halt.


    A rough griptched around my arm and yanked me upward. Once again, I felt pain re across my


    body. I must have fallen.


    My perpetrator held no regard for the condition of my body. He continued to yank me forward as he


    forced me to stumble after him.


    Along the way, I was thrown around. The rough handling caused pain to re across my entire body.


    After a few moments, the grip on my arm vanished as I was shoved into a pile of foreign material. The


    material felt dry and scratchy when it scraped across my skin.


    Right at that moment, my blindfold was ripped away. Instantly, a bright light flooded my vision and I


    caught sight of a blurry shadow in front of me.


    It took me a few moments before my eyes adjusted to the light, and I realized that the man standing


    before me was none other than Julius himself.


    I felt my brain go nk. ¡°J-Julius, did you kidnap me?¡± I stuttered.


    A wide grin tugged the corners of his mouth upward as he smiled from ear to ear. ¡°Darling, it¡¯s been such


    a long time since west met. Didn¡¯t you miss me?¡± The words that spewed out of his mouth caused my


    skin to prickle with difort.


    ¡°Are you crazy? We are divorced!¡±


    Julius tilted his head to the side like he was in deep thought. All of a sudden, he eximed in a surprised


    tone, ¡°Divorced? Right, we are indeed divorced! Not only did you divorce me, you even demanded a


    huge sum of money!¡±


    The sight of his crazed expression caused my heart to pound uneasily.


    Without any warning, Julius brought his face closer to mine. He even reached out a hand to caress my


    cheek, asking slowly, ¡°Were you happy with the five hundred thousand? Did you have fun spending it?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Before I could reply, Julius pped me viciously across the face.


    An unhinged look filled his sharp gaze as he cupped my face in his hands. ¡°Were you happy with the


    money? Did you have fun spending it?¡±


    I ignored the throbbing pain across my cheek and questioned coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t touch the money. My card


    was frozen. Julius, where did you get the money from?¡±


    Julius brushed my question aside. ¡°You didn¡¯t touch it? Then return the money to me! Quick, give it back


    to me!¡± he demanded agitatedly.


    Has he gone mad?


    ¡°My card has been frozen. How am I supposed to return it to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s frozen?¡± Julius seemed to stiffen with shock before he regained hisposure. ¡°What about your


    lover? Or thatwyer? Aren¡¯t they wealthy men? Ask them to give me the money!¡±


    I know why he kidnapped me now. He must be after the five hundred thousand.


    ¡°Are you going to let me go if I give you the money?¡± I asked to test the waters.


    Julius fixed me with a dark stare. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll let you go as soon as you get the money,¡± he said after


    a long moment.


    Although it felt like something was amiss, I knew that Dominic would be able to find me as long as I


    contacted him. I have to seize this opportunity and get myself rescued!


    ¡°Give me the phone. I¡¯ll call him right now,¡± I said after regaining myposure.


    ¡°Liliana, I know what¡¯s going on in that head of yours. Do you think that someone will rescue you the


    moment you make a call?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    I began to panic when Julius unearthed my ns.


    ¡°N-no, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll let me go after getting the money?¡± I stammered.


    My words brought forth a smile on his face. With that, he rose to his feet and left.


    Seeing his figure vanish in the distance left me stunned. What does he intend to do? Although he¡¯s not


    letting me make a call, Julius didn¡¯t mention anything else. Does he still want the money?


    After he left me alone, Julius did not return. Thus, I was stuck in this pitch-ck and quiet ce. My


    eerie surroundings caused goosebumps to appear all over my skin.


    All of a sudden, I heard the sound of rustling.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76 As long As He Does Not Vite Me


    The sound seemed very close to me, and I wondered whether Julius was back.


    Roughly discerning the direction in which the sound originated, I pinned my gaze there without even


    blinking once.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    A few minutes passed, but still, no one came into sight despite the continual noise.


    ¡°Is that you, Julius?¡± I couldn¡¯t help asking in a holler.


    My voice reverberated around the space, yet there was no sign of anyone.


    Subsequently, I felt something scurrying across myp even as squeaks drifted into my ears.


    Oh my God, it¡¯s a rat! Fear struck me, and I shuddered violently.


    I inexorably tucked my legs closer to my body.


    Ugh! I¡¯m most terrified of rats! I¡¯m not even afraid of whatever Julius might do to me now, be it hitting me


    or tearing into me. At least he¡¯s a living person, and it¡¯s way better than being here alone with those


    creatures!


    At the thought of him, Coraline came to mind.


    Jeez, how stupid am I that I was duped again? As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. Everyone


    knows that except me. Despite having been sabotaged by them both countless times on end, I was still


    dumbly eager to put myself in the line of fire. Gah! Oh well, Coraline¡¯s acting skills were truly top-notch as


    well, even surpassing that of Nichs and Scarlett¡¯s.


    I lifted my head and stared up at the infinite sea of pitch-ck darkness above me. A sense of utter


    helplessness inundated me.


    If only I¡¯d known that things woulde to this, I would¡¯ve immediately told Dominic where I was when


    he phoned me. Why the hell did I act so childishly? I wonder if he would be able to find me when I only


    said Ho for Horington. Argh!


    After an indeterminate amount of time, a sound snagged my attention again. This time, I could tell that it


    was the sound of footsteps.


    Sure enough, Julius entered my line of sight with a bag in his hand after a few minutes.


    Whipping out a tablet from the bag, he ced it before me.


    ¡°Tell your lover to prepare five million if he wants to see you again. Also, warn him that he¡¯s not allowed


    to lodge a police report.¡±


    Hearing that, my eyes instantly went wide. Five million? He must have really lost his mind! If he wants his


    initial five hundred thousand, Dominic will probably be willing to pay, but he has actually jacked it up


    tenfold! Putting aside the fact that Dominic might not have that much money, our rtionship doesn¡¯t


    warrant him paying that exorbitant sum. Who am I to him, after all?


    ¡°Julius, I really didn¡¯t spend even a single penny of your five hundred thousand, so they can probably


    give you that much. But don¡¯t you think five million is too much? How could he¡ª¡±


    p!


    A crisp smack interrupted me before I could finish. In the next moment, my cheek smarted once more.


    Then, Julius grabbed my hair and yanked it backward, jerking my head up.


    ¡°Stop yakking! I¡¯m not asking you for money! Why? Are you that distressed on behalf of your lover?


    Liliana, you should actually thank me. This is a test for him, you know?¡± he drawled.


    Right on the heels of that, his tone abruptly changed. In a cold and ominous voice, he threatened, ¡°Later,


    just repeat whatever I tell you. Don¡¯t you dare utter a single word more, or I¡¯ll break your leg!¡±


    I could still feel my scalp stinging, and his threat echoed in my ears, so I truly didn¡¯t dare say anything


    else.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll repeat whatever you say. S-So, how should I do it?¡±


    When Julius saw that I was being all docile and meek, he finally released his grip on my hair.


    Tapping the voice recorder software on the tablet, he brought it close to my mouth. ¡°Go on.¡±


    By then, the time had already started ticking. After casting him a nce, I began repeating everything he


    said earlier under his intent scrutiny, his gaze dark and chilly.


    As soon as I uttered the final word, he yanked the tablet away.


    He fiddled with it for a long moment before putting it away. Then, he took out a bottle of mineral water


    from the bag and unscrewed the cap. I saw him dropping a pill into the water before he brought it to my


    mouth.


    Whoa! Is he kidding me? I saw him drugging the water, so why would I still drink it?


    I bit my lip hard, refusing to open my mouth.


    At that, he reached out and grasped my chin forcefully without a single word. Hauling me up, he then


    mmed his knee against my abdomen.


    When excruciating pain assaulted me, my mouth instinctively opened from the agony. That was my


    downfall, for he instantly started pouring the water into my mouth.


    Water went into my nostrils and down my throat while streaming down my neck, almost choking me.


    ¡°We¡¯re going somewhere else now, so you¡¯ve got to behave!¡± Julius dered cially.


    I sprawled on the floor, panting. All of a sudden, he untied the rope binding me.


    While I felt much better without the rope restraining me, I didn¡¯t think he would be so kind for no reason.


    I wanted to prop my hand against the wall and stand up, but just after I got an inch off the floor, my knees


    went weak before I copsed on my butt again.


    However, it didn¡¯t feel as though my legs were numb after having sat motionless for a long time. Instead,


    they were truly sapped of all energy, leaving me too weak to even move.


    ¡°W-What did you do to me? The drug in the water earlier¡­¡± To my horror, I realized that it wasn¡¯t just my


    legs, but even my hands could no longer work now.


    Worse still, I felt wholly exhausted despite only having uttered those few words just now. It felt as though


    my tongue and lips weren¡¯t working anymore either.


    Julius, on the other hand, seemed pleased with my current condition. With a malevolent and creepy


    smile, he replied, ¡°It won¡¯t kill you. You just can¡¯t move or talk. You¡¯ll feel like your entire body was


    drained of energy.¡±


    My eyes widened further, but my senses continued to dull. I opened my mouth, but only whimpers came


    out.


    At that moment, Julius extended a hand toward my chest. Unexpectedly, he yanked my shirt open. All at


    once, I felt the cool air brushing against my skin.


    Right then, I was entirely at his mercy, for I couldn¡¯t even turn without his help.


    He took off my clothes one after another, stripping me down to my underwear.


    I could feel his hands sliding across my skin, disgusting me so greatly that I wanted to puke.


    ¡°You must have been getting it frequently these days, huh, Liliana? Look at how sensitive you are. What


    a sl*t, you b*tch!¡± As Julius said that, he pped me several times again.


    Having endured so many ps at the same side in such a short time, my face is probably so swollen that


    it can rival a pufferfish.


    Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t grope me further after having smacked me. Next, he took out some nd clothes


    from the bag and put them on me.


    Boy, am I d that he has a virginityplex! I don¡¯t mind him hitting me as long as he doesn¡¯t vite


    me.


    Subsequently, he put a cap and mask on me. Scooping me up, he then walked out.


    Oh, no wonder he drugged me. Otherwise, he probably wouldn¡¯t dare carry me out like this.


    The sky was still dark, and it seemed as though it was right before dawn.


    I wonder if we¡¯re still in Horington. And where is he nning to take me?

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 Out Of The Woods


    I darted my eyes around, but all that greeted me were sloping hills and farnd. The ce I had been


    kept in appeared to be an abandoned granary.


    Julius forged ahead with me in his arms, only stopping when he reached the side of the road. I sensed


    that he was waiting for someone or a car. Incredulity flooded me.


    Isn¡¯t he afraid that someone will see him?


    Shortly after, a rackety van came to a stop before us. A tanned and stocky man proceeded to climb out


    of the vehicle.


    I didn¡¯t recognize him, and I initially thought that he was Julius¡¯ aplice. But after listening to their


    conversation, I felt that it wasn¡¯t quite the case. Instead, it sounded like a car service.


    Julius didn¡¯t talk much to the man before he carried me into the vehicle. The van promptly started moving


    again.


    After some time, it came to a stop. By then, the sky had already lightened considerably.


    When the man driving the van left, Julius carried me into a small bungalow.


    While we were on our way in earlier, small bungalows such as this littered both sides of the road. It was


    exceedingly messy, and an unpleasant stench lingered in the air.


    Julius ced me on the bed before binding my hands and legs with the rope once again. Then, he left


    with the tablet.


    Hmm¡­ he¡¯s probably going to fiddle with the recording, but I really wonder how he¡¯s going to send it to


    Dominic. Jeez, I didn¡¯t expect him to demand five million! I don¡¯t even know whether Dominic can save


    me.


    I wiggled slightly, but my hands and legs were securely bound. If only I could move, I¡¯d get to the door


    and cry for help even if I had to crawl there on my hands and knees!


    Recalling my paralyzed condition then, a bolt of fear suddenlynced through me. Ugh! What kind of


    drug did he give me? If I¡¯m to remain like this for the rest of my life, I¡¯d rather he just kill me.


    I had no idea what kind of ce it was, but I kept hearing noises from outside soon after Julius left.


    I was thrilled at first, thinking that someone wasing to my rescue. However, not a single soul


    appeared though the racket grew all the louder.


    Oh wow, he actually left me all alone in a popted ce and went off by himself!


    Laying on the bed, I tried my best to keep my eyes open while my gaze remained fixated on the door. I


    truly hoped that someone woulde in and save me.


    Dominic clings to me like a burr that I simply can¡¯t shake off when I don¡¯t want to see him. But now that I


    need him, he hasn¡¯t appeared even after such a long time has passed. How ironic!


    Just then, I heard a click before the room door swung open. Julius was back.


    He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted my face. A jubnt smirk tugged at his lips as he


    sneered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that he regards you so dearly that he would agree to pay five million without even


    an ounce of hesitation.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    At his remark, a thousand questions promptly popped up in my mind.


    Dominic actually agreed? Then, has Julius gotten the money? Is he going to let me go now?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, for I¡¯ll certainly let you go after receiving the money.¡±


    For some inexplicable reason, I didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of joy when I heard him saying that he would


    let me go. Conversely, a chill ran down my spine.


    The expression on his face was too bizarre, and the vicious glint in his eyes made me want to shy away


    from him instinctively.


    Julius grinned, baring his teeth at me. I saw him putting something into the mineral water again, and it


    was two pills this time.


    As before, he yanked on my hair and forced my mouth open, pouring the entire bottle of water down my


    throat.


    The moment he released his hold on me, I slumped back onto the bed as though boneless. I could only


    watch as he left again.


    The first time this happened, I was still aware although I couldn¡¯t move or speak.


    Now, however, I gradually felt my head growing heavier. I started seeing double, and despite my best


    efforts to keep my eyes open, I slowly slipped into the darkness.


    I felt as though I was dreaming. Many people were calling out to me in the dream, and someone even


    shook me.


    The voices were very familiar¡ªmy parents, Dominic, and also Shannon. Their voices washed over me in


    complete pandemonium.


    Such a dream repeated itself time and again, the voices bing clearer each time.


    In the end, I felt my mother¡¯s presence right beside me, her voice sounding right next to my ear.


    ¡°Lili, Lili¡­ Lili, I¡¯m right here¡­ Won¡¯t you please wake up, Lili?¡±


    She seemed to be crying, and that prompted questions to flood my mind. What¡¯s wrong with her? And


    what happened to me? Why is she asking me to wake up?


    On the heels of that, a sigh sounded.


    I could tell that it came from my father.


    What¡¯s going on here? Why does he sound so sad?


    I seemed to see a sliver of light and something hovering on the edges of my vision. Is that¡­ Mom?


    My vision cleared, and I saw that it was indeed my mother who was weeping.


    ¡°Uh¡­ M-Mom.¡± I tried several times before I could finally speak aloud.


    ¡°Lili?¡± Tears stained my mother¡¯s face, and it was apletely different look from her usual aplomb.


    ¡°Dear, Dear, hurry up and call the doctor! Ask Dr. Baker toe! Lili is awake!¡±


    I didn¡¯t hear my father speak, but a flurry of flustered and urgent footsteps gradually faded into the


    distance.


    My mother threw herself onto me and hugged me tightly as she called my name repeatedly.


    ¡°Mom, I-I¡¯m fine.¡± I wanted to hug her back, but I couldn¡¯t lift my hands.


    ¡°Fine, you said? Do you know that you almost died?¡± She sobbed in anguish, but I could hear a hint of


    tion bubbling out.


    My father then came back with Dominic behind him. There were also several doctors, including Yvonne.


    My mother was then pulled away by my father. The few doctors crowded in and started examining me.


    Dominic was standing right beside my bed, so I could see him the moment I turned my head to the side.


    He seemed to be much more haggard, with stubble lining his jaw. Besides, he was also very pale, his


    eyes rmingly bloodshot.


    After Yvonne was done examining me, she asked my father to step out for a moment. ncing at me,


    Dominic followed as well.


    Meanwhile, my mother sat down on the chair beside the bed and clutched my hand tightly.


    By then, I was almost fully clear-headed. I remembered Julius and the fact that he drugged me.


    ¡°How long was I unconscious, Mom?¡±


    I had lost track of time ever since Julius kidnapped me, so I had no idea how long had passed.


    ¡°Three days. You were unconscious for three long days. Your father and I didn¡¯t even dare believe it


    when Dom phoned us.¡± As my mother spoke, her voice turned choked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, Mom. Otherwise, your eyes will be swollen. I¡¯ll definitely be up and about in no


    time,¡± Iforted her.


    Wiping her tears, my mother nodded and asserted, ¡°That¡¯s right! My daughter will definitely live a long


    and healthy life, so I¡¯m not crying anymore.¡±


    I instantly felt much lighter when she ceased weeping.


    As time ticked by, I threw multiple nces at the door. When Dominic returned, I wanted to ask him


    whether Julius had been apprehended. Also, there¡¯s the issue of the five million¡­ He¡¯s probably not that


    dumb, right?

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 Being A Good Samaritan Is No Cakewalk


    Unexpectedly, Shannon arrived before Dominic and my father returned.


    When my mother saw that I had Shannon keeping mepany, she took the jug out to get some hot


    water.


    After seeing that I had awakened when she stepped in, Shannon was so excited that a grin split her face.


    However, the smile onlysted for two seconds before tears streamed down her face like a faucet.


    ¡°What are you doing, Shannon, crying andughing at the same time?¡± I stared at her in


    exasperation. Good heavens! I¡¯ve finally gotten Mom to stop crying, yet it¡¯s now her turn to turn on the


    waterworks!


    Dashing the tears off her face, Shannon sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m just happy. Why didn¡¯t you inform me when you


    woke up, girl? Do you know how worried I was?¡±


    ¡°All right, all right, I¡¯m fine now, no?¡± I consoled her with a smile. ¡°Wipe your face properly. You¡¯re looking


    ghastly with your makeup all smeared.¡±


    ¡°I was concerned about you, but you ridicule me for being ghastly? I¡¯ll punch you!¡± Shannon screeched


    indignantly.


    ¡°Can you bring yourself to do so when I¡¯m a patient now?¡± I countered with a wink.


    Upon hearing that, Shannon grew nervous. Sitting down beside the bed, she solemnly inquired, ¡°So, how


    are you doing? What did the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. My father and Dominic left with the doctor. Anyway, I¡¯m probably fine since I¡¯m


    awake. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    In truth, I was still rather perturbed about the drug Julius gave me. I had no idea whether it would have


    any side effects, especially when I was still feeling weak and listless.


    Thus, that remark was both for Shannon and me. In a way, I was trying to soothe myself.


    ¡°Liliana, tell me honestly¡ªwhat¡¯s your rtionship with Dominic?¡± Out of the blue, Shannon leaned close


    to me with curiosity written all over her face.


    I was startled for a moment before I averted my gaze and fibbed, ¡°I don¡¯t have a rtionship with him.


    He¡¯s just a friend of Benjamin¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Shannon wore an expression of disbelief as though she had just heard that the earth was


    t. ¡°The two of you have no rtionship, you say? Then, why did he keep watch here every day? Did he


    have nothing better to do? Furthermore, he was almost feral when he stormed up to my house the other


    day.¡±


    ¡°He went to your house? Why on earth did he do so?¡± Puzzlement swamped me.


    Huffily rolling her eyes at me, Shannon then rted the incident that day to me.


    ¡°To inquire about your whereabouts. I said I had no idea, but he pressed me for an answer, knocking me


    for a six. I asked him why he was looking for you, but he refused to answer. And when he left, he almost


    broke my door. His aggressiveness seemed off to me, but I couldn¡¯t get through to you either. In the end,


    I only knew that you¡¯d been kidnapped when I sought Benjamin out. Later, when we found you, you were


    unconscious. You know, Dominic¡¯s reaction then was so intense that I shudder even at the mere


    recollection of it now.¡± Shannon pierced me with her prating eyes. ¡°Do you still dare say that there¡¯s


    nothing between you both now? Are you two dating?¡±


    From what she said, it seems that he has been exceedingly worried about me?


    Admittedly, a spark of delight ignited within me, followed by an inappropriate sense of anticipation.


    Nheless, I would never admit it.


    It¡¯s the truth anyway. What kind of rtionship do I have with him? If I¡¯ve got to describe it, we¡¯re


    probably friends with benefits right now. I haven¡¯t forgotten that he still has Camille.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Shannon, however, refused to believe me. I was just racking my brains to convince her when Dad and


    Dominic came back. Mom was also with them, making it evident that she had gone in search of them


    earlier.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, what did the doctor say?¡± Frankly speaking, I was still feeling a tad uneasy.


    Before my parents could say anything, Dominic interjected, ¡°You¡¯re fine and can be discharged in a few


    days.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the doctor said that you can be discharged in no time, so don¡¯t worry,¡± my father echoed.


    I looked at Dominic suspiciously before turning my gaze on my father, finding the entire exchange rather


    strange.


    At that turn of events, Shannon stopped pursuing the subject. She then chimed in, ¡°In that case, why


    don¡¯t you both go home and have a rest, Mr. and Mrs. Zti? You haven¡¯t been resting well these few


    days. I¡¯ll stay and keep Lilianapany.¡±


    When I heard that, I no longer bothered to contemte the perceived oddness earlier. Following her


    lead, I persuaded my parents to go home and rest.


    I had long since noticed the obvious exhaustion on my mother¡¯s face, after all. They must have been


    tormented when I remained unconscious.


    Initially, my parents refused to leave. They only relented in the end when I threatened not to rest either if


    they didn¡¯t do so.


    Later, it was Dominic who drove them home. While leaving, he even coerced Shannon to leave despite


    her wanting to stay, iming that I needed to rest quietly.


    Shannon almost burst a blood vessel at his underhanded snub. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t insist on her


    staying either, lest she continued asking about my rtionship with Dominic.


    It was only after she had left that I remembered I forgot to ask her about sh. Considering my current


    condition, I certainly couldn¡¯t join the film crew. To make matters worse, I couldn¡¯t even start drawing the


    comic as scheduled.


    Anyway, she¡¯ll still handle everything well, even if I don¡¯t mention anything. I just wonder whether sh


    will consider it a breach of contract. I don¡¯t have any money for thepensation!


    I was energetic earlier with someone to talk to me, but the fact remained that I had just regained


    consciousness. Hence, now that I was alone, I dozed off again in no time.


    When I next woke up, the sky outside was dark. The only source of light in the hospital room was the lit


    lamp at the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until I heard the voice did I realize that Dominic was sitting right beside my bed. I never


    expected him to return after having driven my parents home to rest.


    There were dark circles under his eyes, making it clear as day that he hadn¡¯t rested much. ¡°Why didn¡¯t


    you go home to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Your parents were worried about you being alone,¡± he answered nonchntly.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Mild disappointment hit me upon learning that he only came back because of my parents.


    Thereafter, he started admonishing me, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone as stupid as you! Have you never


    heard of the saying, ¡®Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me?¡¯ Don¡¯t you know your


    ex-husband and his mother¡¯s character? They simply feigned pitifulness, and you eagerly rushed over to


    be a kind Samaritan. You¡¯re quite the expert at repaying evil with good.¡±


    Although his words were cutting, I didn¡¯t refute them. I knew that I had indeed been too foolish this time.


    When he was done castigating me, I slowly murmured, ¡°I won¡¯t do it again. Thank you for saving me this


    time.¡±


    ¡°I really hope so,¡± he asserted coldly. ¡°Stop being so sympathetic every single time. Tell you what, being


    a good Samaritan is no cakewalk.¡±


    Knowing that his words made sense, I silently listened to him.


    After some time, I queried, ¡°By the way, how did you find me? Also, Julius said he wanted five million


    from you. You didn¡¯t give him the money, right?¡±


    Casting me a sidelong nce, Dominic drawled, ¡°He was delusional, and you were infected as well?


    You¡¯re not worth five million. As for how I found you, it was naturally the police who did so. How else did


    you think I found you? Mainly, it was because that ex-husband of yours is brainless. Anyway, just stay


    out of this. With your intellect, you won¡¯t understand even if you ask so many questions. In a nutshell,


    he¡¯s not going to see the day of light for the rest of his life.¡±


    I choked at his words. Argh! How many times does he have to insult me in a single breath?

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 Inexplicably Disappeared


    Seething, I glowered at Dominic. Yet, I remained quiet as I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Finally, I closed my eyes morosely and muttered, ¡°Hurry up and leave. I want to sleep.¡±


    He¡¯s still his usual self, all right. His barbs can make someone burst a blood vessel anytime.


    I closed my eyes for a long time, but I didn¡¯t hear the door opening or closing. Having run out of patience,


    I opened my eyes again. As soon as I turned my head, I spotted Dominic sitting on the couch.


    At the sight of him, I was taken aback for a moment, at a loss as to why he was still here.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to go home, Dominic? Why are you still here?¡±


    ¡°This is a public space, so why do you care whether I leave? Hurry up and sleep,¡± he replied cidly.


    ¡°Whatever!¡± I huffed. Then, I kept silent.


    Ugh! Speaking to him is just inviting scorn! Why on earth was I so stupid to open myself to criticism?


    This time, I kept my eyes screwed shut and ignored him entirely. Surprisingly, I fell asleep very quickly


    and even slept through the night.


    The moment I woke up in the morning, I instinctually looked at the couch. Dominic was no longer there


    though I wasn¡¯t sure whether he had left in the wee hours.


    Nheless, I wasn¡¯t all that bothered because I realized that I could move. While I was still feeling


    sluggish, I could undoubtedly move.


    Well, it looks like my inability to move yesterday was due to the lingering effect of that damn drug. Now


    that a day has passed, my condition has probably improved significantly.


    Recalling Dominic and my parents¡¯ assurances that I was going to be discharged soon, I didn¡¯t suspect


    anything further.


    Soon, my parents came and brought me breakfast¡ªnutritious chicken soup.


    Later, Yvonne came to check me over. She said I was doing pretty well, and I could go home to


    recuperate once the remaining drug was out of my system.


    Seizing that opportunity, I asked her about the kind of drug Julius gave me.


    Yvonne was frank with me, telling me that it was a kind of psychotropic drug that paralyzed the nervous


    system. In short, one would be rendered incapacitated after consuming the drug. One wouldn¡¯t be able to


    talk either, and it would affect one¡¯s physical functions. In cases of overdose, it was lethal without timely


    intervention.


    Julius had overdosed me, so I could have died had I not been found in time.


    Terror enveloped me after hearing that, and gratitude toward Dominic again welled up within me.


    While his tongue is rather sharp, he has indeed saved me.


    Inwardly, I decided to treat it like water off my back without taking any offense if he ever provoked me


    with words again, just for that reason alone.


    But well¡­ I wonder where he has disappeared to. I saw no sign of him when I woke up this morning, and


    he¡¯s still not here yet though it¡¯s almost noon now. And Shannon said he kept watch here every day?


    Hah! That¡¯s probably an exaggeration on her part.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I breathed easier knowing that I was perfectly fine. Since I could move now, my parents left after noon.


    They couldn¡¯t do anything at the hospital anyway, so it would be better for them to go home and rest or


    take a nap.


    After my parents left, I was bored lying on the bed, so I closed my eyes and napped for a bit. When the


    sound of the door creaking open sounded, I jolted awake.


    I initially thought that it was Dominic, but I was greeted by the sight of a man in a cap and sunsses.


    He even had a huge bouquet of flowers in his hand.


    I was very familiar with that disguise, and the only person among my acquaintances who would dress in


    such a manner was Nichs.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to know about me being hospitalized and only learned that Shannon told him when I


    asked him about it.


    He urged me to recuperate well without worrying about anything else, promising to help Shannon deal


    with sh.


    Gratitude suffused me when I heard that, and I felt that I was truly indebted to him.


    With peopleing and going since this was a hospital, he couldn¡¯t stay for long. After chatting with me


    for a bit, he left.


    Later in the day, Benjamin and Mitch came over as well.


    They told me they would ensure that Julius received his due, thus urging me not to worry.


    As Dominic had said that, I wasn¡¯t all that surprised to hear it from them.


    They only sat and talked with me for a while before leaving.


    For some reason, many people came to visit, but Dominic never showed up that day.


    During the few days I was hospitalized, my parents came every day. Likewise, Shannon also visited for a


    short time daily.


    In the beginning, she kept pestering me about my rtionship with Dominic like a dog with a bone. Later,


    however, she probably ran out of patience and gave up asking when she saw that I wasn¡¯t going to say


    anything.


    Meanwhile, Benjamin and Mitch visited thrice during my stay in the hospital.


    Dominic, on the other hand, didn¡¯t show up even once ever since then. I had absolutely no inkling what


    was keeping him so busy that he couldn¡¯t even visit me.


    On the sixth day, my parents settled the discharge procedures and took me home.


    I felt that I was actually fine and could start working, but they objected staunchly. In the end, I could only


    concur and promise to rest for another week.


    I already asked Shannon to contact sh about my situation. sh hadn¡¯t med me back then, and


    they were also very understanding this time. On the whole, I felt that they were truly nice.


    After resting for a week, Shannon and I went to the set of ¡°The Wind And Cloud¡± to officially start


    collecting preliminary information for theic.


    I watched television a lot, but it was my first time watching the filming itself. Thus, I was impressed at


    everything I saw the first day I was on set. Shannon¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t much different from mine.


    When she saw Nichs and Scarlett filming, she almost passed out from excitement.


    While I wasn¡¯t as worked up as she was, I still felt that they made the perfect match the more I


    scrutinized them.


    We watched several scenes of theirs from the side, and remarkably, there wasn¡¯t a single retake.


    After being on set for a few days, I found myself getting used to it. The fact that I could see handsome


    men and beautiful women every day had me in high spirits.


    In such an environment, not only did my efficiency at drawingics improve, but even the quality went


    up a notch. This was shown when the manuscripts I submitted were all epted by sh without any


    comints.


    In order to better depict the details, I even sought out the person in charge of the costumes and asked to


    borrow the costumes.


    On that particr day, I was seriously drawing in the room when a surprising voice rang out behind me.


    ¡°Can you make it any uglier, Liliana?¡±


    The person who criticized me the moment he opened his mouth could be none other than Dominic.


    Irritably jerking my head back and throwing him a re, I impatiently snapped, ¡°What has my drawing got


    to do with you? This isn¡¯t for you anyway.¡±


    Hah! He inexplicably disappears for several days, but still, nothing goodes out of his mouth when he


    makes an appearance again. Ugh! I must have owed him in the previous life!


    ¡°It had nothing to do with me in the past, but it¡¯s now my business,¡± the man dered with a smirk.


    At that, I turned around in puzzlement and asked, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 What Abiding Grudge


    A grin stretched across Dominic¡¯s annoying face at that moment, and his thick brows wiggled


    meaningfully. His expression had me rolling my eyes.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m now in charge of the costumes for the production team. Besides, I¡¯ve also invested a little


    in the movie. In other words, you¡¯re now working for me.¡±


    Huh?


    I was so shocked that my stylus fell to the floor.


    ¡°Ah, look how happy you are. I¡¯m ttered.¡± Dominic smugly strutted up to me and bent down to pick my


    stylus up. His long and slender fingers then started twirling the stylus mesmerizingly.


    How the hell did he gather that I was ecstatic? Livid, I snatched my stylus from his hand and mmed it


    down on the tablet with a thud.


    Grr! I¡¯m not in the mood to draw anymore!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you nning to go on a strike?¡±


    He swiveled my chair and leaned down, eyeing me provocatively with his prating gaze.


    Oh God, what sin have I evermitted that I¡¯ve gotten myself tangled up with such a devil? I lowered


    myself to be his caregiver and endured his various torments every day, only ever getting some


    freedom at work and rxing for a bit. Now, however, I¡¯m again enmeshed with him. Do you have no


    mercy, Lord?


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Plunging into depression at once, I pushed Dominic away with a dour expression on my face. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m


    going on a strike! What can you do about that?¡±


    I got up, but before I was even steady on my feet, I was grabbed and pushed back onto the chair. All at


    once, my temper red, and I blew my top.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°I spent an entire week to worm my way into sh, yet you dare to go on a strike? What do you think I¡¯ll


    do?¡±


    What? I was stunned for a moment before a light bulb went off in my head. No wonder I didn¡¯t see him


    for a whole week when I was hospitalized. It turns out that he was doing this? Isn¡¯t he just making trouble


    for himself?


    ¡°What exactly are you thinking, Dominic? You abandoned your career as a designer and came here on


    set just to sabotage things? How did I ever offend you? Are you determined to torture me every single


    moment of every day before you¡¯re satisfied?¡±


    I thought he would be dissuaded after hearing that, but reality proved that I was truly too naive. He


    blinked his bright, obsidian eyes before nodding nonchntly.


    ¡°Yup! As long as I get to torment you every single moment of every day, my mood will soar. Since you¡¯re


    currently drawing my costumes, I am certainly obligated to supervise the quality of your work.¡±


    After saying that, he stuffed the stylus into my hand and turned the chair so that I faced the tablet once


    more.


    ¡°Go on and continue drawing until I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    Not in the mood to entertain him, I lifted my hand to toss the stylus down, only for him to grab my wrist.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re not willing to draw. I don¡¯t want to waste time on someone with no talent


    anyway. In that case, let¡¯s do something far more interesting¡­¡±


    He deliberately made the word ¡°interesting¡± sound suggestive. Shuddering in fear, I hastily straightened


    and started drawing right away.


    He seemed exceedingly pleased with my reaction. Leaning down, he ced his mouth close to my ear.


    ¡°We can do it after you¡¯re done drawing.¡±


    Seeing red, I raised my hand and swung it over to draw on his face, but he was as agile as a cat. With a


    single sidestep, he easily dodged my attack.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll leave you to your drawing. I¡¯ll be back to check itter before taking you out for a meal.¡±


    Having said that, he strode away without giving a whit about whether I was willing to have a meal with


    him.


    Irked, I wailed mournfully in my head. Argh! What abiding grudge does he have against me? He has


    already gotten my body, so why can¡¯t he just let me go? Oh yes, there¡¯s still Camille! Didn¡¯t I hear that


    she¡¯s back? Why haven¡¯t I seen her even after such a long time? Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s truly unbothered


    about her fianc¨¦?

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81 Bail Him Out


    My inspiration was all but gone after Dominic¡¯s appearance. At the sight of the awful work on the tablet, I


    put the stylus down in despair.


    The moment I remembered that he wasing back to check on my work, I immediately shot to my


    feet and slipped out the door. Who said that his words were a royal decree? I¡¯m not going to y along


    with him!


    I had nowhere to go after leaving, so I decided to give myself the day off and went shopping.


    Just when I was trying on a dress, my cell phone started ringing. I knew who was calling at this time


    without even thinking about it, so I simply ignored it. Instead, I scrutinized the reflection of the new dress


    in the mirror.


    However, the other person was exceedingly persistent. My cell phone continued ringing time and again


    without any sign of stopping anytime soon. Despite wanting to ignore it, I could no longer do so. I could


    only unzip my handbag sullenly and fish out my cell phone.


    Without even ncing at the caller ID, I answered the call right away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t belong to you exclusively, you know! Do you know that you¡¯re very annoying to phone me


    relentlessly just because I left for a moment?¡±


    My voice reflected the depth of my resentment, for I was at the end of my patience when it came to


    Dominic.


    I had long since braced myself for a tempest, but the person on the other end of the phone actually went


    silent. That had the courage I mustered dissipating bit by bit with every breath I took.


    ¡°Hello? Say something!¡± I muttered after a brief hesitation.


    This time, however, my confidence was sorelycking.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have bothered you. It¡­ It wasn¡¯t deliberate on my part.¡± The deep and lowered voice had


    my eyes almost popping out of my head.


    I promptly moved my cell phone away to have a gander at the caller ID. When I saw the word ¡°Nichs¡±


    on the screen, stark regret assailed me.


    ¡°No, no! My words earlier weren¡¯t directed at you, so please don¡¯t misunderstand. I thought it was that


    irritating guy. Please don¡¯t take offense at me, Nichs! But why do you sound odd? Did something


    happen?¡±


    Having my wits about me, I seized the opportunity to divert the subject. After all, I wouldn¡¯t dare exin


    who exactly the ¡°irritating guy¡± was.


    ¡°Yeah, I indeed ran into a spot of trouble. Are you free now?¡±


    Fortunately, Nichs didn¡¯t take offense at me. When he asked whether I was free, I instantly patted


    myself on the chest and dered that I had absolutely nothing to do and was shopping aimlessly.


    ¡°In that case, do you minding to my rescue? I¡¯m now in the restroom of a restaurant, and the


    entrance has been blocked by fans who recognized me. It¡¯s all on me for thinking that everything will be


    fine with me in disguise and keeping a low profile. I told Jake that he didn¡¯t need to apany me and


    even asked him to collect some clothes from a sponsor. As such, I¡¯m currently caught in a tight spot¡­¡±


    Oh! No wonder his voice sounds muffled, as though he has his hand cupping the speaker. It turns out


    that he is in such huge trouble. I asked him for the location at once and reassured him that I would head


    over right away.


    Nichs swiftly gave me the location before apologizing and thanking me repeatedly. He was so effusive


    that I was embarrassed instead.


    After hanging up the phone, I hurriedly changed out of the dress. Snagging my handbag, I went out and


    hailed a taxi to the restaurant in short order.


    When I arrived, I had the shock of my life.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    The restaurant waspletely surrounded, befitting his poprity as Nichs Scott, the award-winning


    actor. The fans were all clutching their cell phones in anticipation. As they snapped photos, they made


    calls and gushed that they had spotted Nichs, telling the other person the location before urging them


    toe quickly.


    Damn it! Judging from the packed crowd, I¡¯ll only be able to get in if I were to grow a pair of wings. Well,


    what now? What should I do?


    It was my first time encountering such a situation, so I didn¡¯t quite know how to handle it either. Gritting


    my teeth, I desperately squeezed into the crowd, but I was jostled out by the excited fans before I had


    even made any headway.


    In the process, I almost lost one of my shoes, and my hair became so messy that it resembled a bird¡¯s


    nest.


    Panic engulfed me. Nichs is still waiting for me to bail him out, so I definitely can¡¯t disappoint him! All


    of a sudden, an idea shed across my mind. My mind whirring, I raced toward the restaurant across the


    street.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82 You Can Continue Stripping


    A momentter, I stepped out in a chef¡¯s outfit with a mask that obscured my face. With a spat in


    hand, I boldly strode up to those rabid fans.


    ¡°Make way! Scram! This is a ce of business, so get out of my way!¡±


    After I confidently roared at them, they finally noticed my presence. However, the hostile looks they sent


    me almost killed me on the spot.


    I hastily coughed a few times and wedged myself into the gap while brandishing the spat in my hand.


    Then, I sprinted toward the restroom.


    ¡°Nichs? Nichs? Are you here?¡± I called out softly as I pinched my nose, terrified that I would attract


    other people¡¯s attention.


    I was poking my head into the men¡¯s restroom, so I appeared extremely bizarre, especially when I was


    also holding a spat in hand.


    While I was apprehensively ncing over my shoulder, a hand abruptly yanked me into the bathroom. It


    scared me so much that I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand mped over my mouth before I


    could do so.


    ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s me.¡±


    Raising my eyes, I was greeted by Nichs¡¯ fiery gaze and his slightly tilted lips.


    Huh? He¡¯s actually smiling? What the heck? I¡¯m absolutely terrified, yet he¡¯s amused? As expected of a


    superstar who has seen plenty in his life. But¡­ I¡¯ve got to admit that he¡¯s just too handsome!


    It was the first time I had seen him at such a close distance. His perfect countenance was wless, and


    his alluring eyes were currently half-squinted since he was smiling. On the whole, he was both


    captivating and riveting.


    On top of that, I could even feel his long and slender fingers through the mask.


    ¡°What kind of getup is this? If you hadn¡¯t said anything, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you.¡±


    His voice was music to my ears now that it was no longer suppressed. However, I could only blink while


    making muffled sounds with no way of answering him.


    Upon seeing that, Nichs promptly dropped his hand. Nheless, he didn¡¯t put any distance between


    us. His hand remained propped against the wall as he stared at me with his head lowered and mouth


    pursed.


    Oh my God, I¡¯m dying! I¡¯m really going to die! With him gazing at me, my heartbeat pounded wildly, and


    my face flushed bright red. Luckily, I had the mask to conceal it, or I would truly be so mortified that I


    would rather crawl into a hole and die.


    ¡°How could youugh at me? I¡¯ve gone all out just to rescue you and only got this outfit after leaving


    everything I own as coteral. Hurry up and put it on!¡±


    As I said that, I urgently took off the chef hat before unbuttoning the shirt. While I was frantically


    stripping, I looked up, only to notice that the man¡¯s expression seemed a touch strange. It was as though


    he was amused.


    ¡°Hey, what kind of expression is that?¡± I red at him with the shirt half-undone.


    Pressing his lips into a thin line, he dipped his head and gave a light cough. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to strip


    before a man so openly. Or¡­ do you not regard me as a man?¡±


    Good God!


    The moment I heard that, my face seemed to burst into mes. I wanted to exin myself, but the words


    that escaped my mouth sounded suggestive instead.


    ¡°I¡¯m not naked. I¡¯ve still got my outerwear on top of my underwear!¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I almost bit off my own tongue after saying that. Damn it all to hell! Why did I mention my underwear?


    What on earth was I saying?


    ¡°Oh¡­ I get it. I totally understand. Outerwear and underwear, huh? Okay, go on.¡±


    Nichs¡¯ stifled mirth had me on the verge of crying.


    Where¡¯s the cold and aloof idol? Why is he so flirty in private? Also, he¡¯s such an ingrate! Isn¡¯t it because


    of him that I¡¯m wearingyer uponyer here? Yet, he¡¯s actually teasing me!


    Just when I was inwardly berating him, Nichs suddenly grabbed my hand. His smile earlier had


    disappeared, and he stared at me with a scorching gaze. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m not an ingrate, so I¡¯ll remember


    the favor you did me today.¡±


    Thump, thump, thump! My heart just about pounded out of my chest. Can he read minds? And most


    importantly, his serious expression is too mesmerizing!


    ¡°But well¡­ What kind of thanks do you want? For instance, giving myself to you¡­¡±


    As soon as I heard those four words, I lost allposure. In my shock, I jerked my head back, mming


    it hard against the door. The agony was so excruciating that I grimaced in pain without any care for my


    image.


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s impossible. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too excited?¡±


    Pfft!


    At the sight of my bewildered expression, Nichs burst intoughter. He extended a long arm and


    steadied me.


    ¡°You¡¯re too adorable, Liliana! All right, I¡¯ll stop teasing you. Now¡­ you can continue stripping.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83 Eloping


    I can continue stripping? What the hell?


    Nichs¡¯ words sounded increasingly suggestive. With my face flushed bright red, I panicked so badly


    that my limbs became a tangled mess as I briskly tugged the chef¡¯s outfit off.


    With a smile ying on his lips, Nichs took it from me and put it on deftly. Those who didn¡¯t know any


    better would think that he truly had experience being a chef.


    In no time, his appearance underwent a drastic change.


    He appeared just like a professional chef.


    However, his long and slender legs, as well as his alluring eyes, couldn¡¯t be disguised. I wasn¡¯t sure


    whether it was because I was too familiar with him, but I could still recognize him.


    ¡°What is it? Do I look awful?¡±


    Nichs¡¯ eyes were curved, telling me that he was smiling beneath the mask.


    ¡°No, but I think fans who are familiar with you will still be able to recognize you. After all, your eyes are


    truly too conspicuous.¡±


    I pursed my lips in worry as I racked my brains for a way to conceal his eyes.


    To my surprise, Nichs wasn¡¯t the slightest bit worried. Taking the spat from my hand, he waved it


    around like a yful child.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I think it¡¯s pretty good, so let¡¯s just leave it at this. But¡­ you¡¯ve got to keep mepany, okay?


    If my cover is blown, you¡¯ve got to hold them back for me.¡±


    Huh? My jaw dropped in shock. I¡¯ll probably be trampled to death in seconds by those rabid fans,


    considering my petite stature. How am I supposed to hold them back?


    ¡°Haha, I was just teasing you. Look at your terrified expression!¡± Nichs¡¯ eyes danced with mirth once


    again.


    In response, I shot him an indignant re. Good Lord! He must have gotten hooked on teasing me to


    keep scaring me despite knowing that I¡¯ve never experienced such a situation.


    I huffily reached out to pull open the restroom door, but my arm was grabbed right that moment. Looking


    over my shoulder, I saw Nichs gazing at me with a serious look in his jet-ck eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, for I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    I was stunned upon hearing that. While I was still dazed, Nichs walked out of the restroom ahead of


    me. Nheless, he didn¡¯t release his hold on my hand though he kept me concealed behind his tall


    figure.


    As soon as we exited the restroom, a group of fans who came into the restaurant in wait of him swung


    their gazes to us. I was so panicked that my palms turned damp.


    Nichs seemed to have sensed it, for he gently brushed his finger across my palm. I knew that he was


    comforting me.


    Inhaling deeply, I followed him and headed toward the entrance slowly. Scorching gazes surrounded us


    on all sides as though they wanted to stare a hole into us. Fortunately, Nichs¡¯ disguise held up. Those


    fans merely stared hesitantly without making a move.


    But as we approached the door, the number of people increased significantly. The only way we could


    leave was to squeeze our way out. Before we knew it, our interlinked hands got separated.


    Feigning calmness, I continued walking with my head held high. However, I then noticed the fans in the


    restaurant earlier whispering while staring at Nichs¡¯ back suspiciously. They even started wedging


    themselves through the crowd after us.


    Crap! It looks like Nichs has been made! See? Didn¡¯t I say that his figure is too conspicuous? Chefs


    nowadays are plump, so it¡¯ll take a miracle to remain under the radar with his long and slender legs as


    well as his height of over six feet!


    ¡°Nichs Scott? You¡¯re Nichs Scott, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The very thing I feared came to pass, for a fan called out to Nichs. My mind instantly went nk, and I


    only remembered Nichs telling me to keep himpany and hold his frenzied fans at bay.


    Thus, I spun around and spread my arms out without even thinking about it. ¡°He¡¯s not Nichs Scott!


    You¡¯ve got the wrong person!¡± I shouted loudly.


    When my words rang out, a group of people charged at me. Right then, I could almost imagine my pitiful


    end¡ªbeing trampled to death under their feet. In the blink of an eye, someone grabbed my hand. With a


    stumble, I then started running as a force hauled me forward.


    When I finally snapped back to reality, I realized that it was Nichs who was sprinting wildly while


    dragging me along. Behind us was a group of shrieking fans.


    ¡°Liliana, don¡¯t you think we look like we¡¯re eloping right now?¡±


    Huh? Eloping?


    I looked up in exasperation, only to see that Nichs¡¯ mask had already fallen off earlier, revealing his


    delighted smile in its entirety.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Good heavens! Why on earth is he so happy? Shouldn¡¯t this be a sad moment?

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84 A Dreadful Encounter


    This was the first time I experienced anything like this: sprinting bare-footed across the street. In


    hindsight, I could use this as reference material for myic.


    For a moment, I forgot I was running alongside Nichs and his pair of long legs. With every step he


    took, I had to take a few more to match his pace. Very soon, I was panting madly. There were multiple


    instances when I almost fell and made a fool of myself.


    Fortunately, Nichs was familiar with the ways of the street. After a few turns, we arrived at the


    underground parking and hurriedly escaped on his silver Porsche. If not for his crooked chef hat and my


    messy hair, it would have looked like a cool escape scene from the movies.


    Back in the car, both of us broke intoughter.


    ¡°Liliana, is this really the time to beughing? You heartless creature!¡± Nichs pursed his lips in an


    attempt to stifle hisugh.


    ¡°I could say the same to you! Even a superstar like you is not bothered by your ruined image, so why


    would a nobody like me care?¡± Still panting from the run earlier, I started tidying my disheveled hair.


    ¡°A nobody? I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be the case from tomorrow.¡±


    I paused and looked at him wide-eyed.


    Nichs continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be surprised. We¡¯re in a digital era, after all. Forget tomorrow ¨C


    perhaps photos and ridiculousments of us are already circting on Twitter now.¡±


    Oh, my. How could I have forgotten about this?


    I ran through the events earlier, hoping I had done nothing to anger his fans. It then dawned on me that


    not only did I hold his hands, but I even told his fans they got the wrong person! Even worse, everyone


    saw how Nichs grabbed my hands and escaped.


    With each passing moment, I became more worried. We were talking about Nichs, the superstar who


    had had a clean record so far. If this incident made the headlines, his fans would never forgive me.


    What should I do?


    As I was lost in my whirlwind of thoughts, the car stopped. Nichs looked at me with a faint smile. ¡°Let¡¯s


    get off here and grab some food. I¡¯m starving after the exercise we did just now.¡±


    Who is the heartless one here? We could appear on the headlines at any moment, yet he was still


    thinking of eating.


    I let out a long sigh and got out of the car. Nichs had taken off his chef¡¯s outfit by that time and ced


    it neatly in his backseat.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± I wanted to ask for the outfit back so that I could get my deposit. Yet, he locked the car before I


    could speak any further. Guess I¡¯ll askter¡­


    ¡°C¡¯mon. Don¡¯t worry about being disturbed. I¡¯ve got a private room here.¡± With that said, he strode toward


    the elevator while I tailed after him.


    Once we exited the elevator, Nichs walked toward his private room with great familiarity. The service


    staff was excited by his presence. Just as I was about to enter the room, my phone rang.


    It was Dominic.


    After the mad rush earlier, itpletely slipped my mind that Dominic had said he would take me out for


    dinner. I am guessing he must be asking for my whereabouts. In reality, I would rather not pick up his call


    but I thought it was best I did not do anything to anger him.


    Dominic spoke immediately, ¡°Something cropped up, so I can¡¯t bring you for dinner anymore. Remember


    to grab food for yourself.¡±


    Well, that was a relief. This saved me the trouble of exining myself.


    Before I could hang up, I heard a voice from the other side of the line. ¡°Dom, the dishes are served.


    Aren¡¯t you going in?¡±


    Putting aside how well I recognized that repulsive voice, I thought I misheard the voice from outside my


    phone.


    I looked in the direction of the voice. Not far off, Dominic was standing outside a room with Camille. She


    was smiling seductively while holding his arms.


    Hah! So this was what ¡°cropped up¡±?

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85 Actor


    This scene was a repeat from five years ago. While I thought I was already numbed by it, I could feel


    jealousy creeping its way into me. Out of anger, I raised my voice. ¡°Save your concern. Someone¡¯s


    treating me to dinner.¡±


    From where I was, I could see Dominic¡¯s brows furrow.


    ¡°Who?¡± His voice was curt.


    ¡°None of your business!¡± I hung up the phone and entered the room. Once seated, Nichs handed me


    the menu. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. My treat!¡± While saying this, he smiled deviously at me.


    If not for what I saw earlier, I would have savored his attractive smile. The call just now made me lose my


    appetite.


    I handed the menu back to him while smiling. ¡°It¡¯s all right! I wouldn¡¯t want to get hammered by your fans.


    You decide; I¡¯m not a picky eater.¡±


    Instead of receiving the menu, his deep-set eyes continued to stare intently at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t


    worry about the photos. I said I¡¯ll protect you. I¡¯ll call thepany tomorrow and they¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    It seemed like my attempt to put up a normal front was a flop. Even so, there was no way I could let


    Nichs know all of my messy issues.


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. In fact, this might be good publicity for myic, which


    means I¡¯m the one leeching off you here. I really just don¡¯t know what to order. You choose.¡±


    Nichs was tactful enough not to insist and ordered a few dishes for us. Just as the waiter left, he


    leaned in closer. I flinched slightly as his hands approached my cheeks. Then he stopped midway and


    patted my head instead. A few specks of dust fell off.


    ¡°Just look at yourself. What¡¯s with this mess on your head? Sometimes I really wonder whether you¡¯re a


    woman. I¡¯ve never seen anyone of the female race who cares so little about her appearance.¡±


    All this while, I was holding my breath. Turns out he¡¯s just getting the dust off my head.


    In reality, his words hit the spot. I really was not one to care about my appearance. Nevertheless, I knew


    it was basic respect to look decent while hanging out with a superstar like him.


    I smiled awkwardly in my seat. ¡°It must¡¯ve gotten into my hair while we were rushing just now. Excuse me


    while I head to the restroom.¡±


    It was only when I saw myself in the mirror that I realized Nichs was already being kind. Not only was


    my hair aplete mess, but my face was oily as well.


    I hurriedly turned on the tap and started rinsing my face and hair. As I was drying myself, I saw an


    uninvited face reflecting in the mirror.


    She must havee in to tidy her makeup. While walking to her station, our eyes met. She paused for a


    few moments and then broke into a surprised and gentle smile.


    ¡°Liliana? Is that really you? It¡¯s been five years since west saw each other! How are you doing now?


    Are you still drawing? By the way, who are you eating with?¡±


    Her questions came non-stop as though we were close buddies.


    I paid no heed to her questions. I threw my tissue into the bin and sauntered my way to the exit. I was


    not acting rude without a reason. How else could she expect me to treat my ex-best friend who had


    stolen my boyfriend?


    Then, I felt a pair of hands grab onto my arm. ¡°Liliana, do you not recognize me? I¡¯m Camille Madison!¡±


    I detested women like her to the core. Who is she acting innocent for? Only she and I were here. I


    shrugged her hands off, examined her from top to bottom, and asked sarcastically, ¡°Do I know you?¡±


    Not expecting such a hostile response, Camille was momentarily at a loss. She looked as though I had


    wronged her.


    ¡°Liliana, why are you acting this way? Weren¡¯t we best friends in university?¡±


    Seriously? Do you really expect me to behave all chummy with the person who stole my boyfriend?


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any good reason to remember you. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m leaving.¡± I could not bear the


    thought of staying another second longer with her.


    Camille hurriedly added, ¡°What about Dominic? Have you forgotten him as well?¡±


    Are you for real? I did not expect her to mention him so brazenly in front of me. I shot her a steely look


    before replying nonchntly, ¡°Do I need to remember a guy I dumped?¡±


    I swore for a moment she looked smug, but that was quickly masked with a look of disbelief.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Damn. She really was an actress to the bone. But was there a need to act in front of me?


    Lucky or not for me, the answer came running right after. I heard a bone-chilling voice from behind me.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 Apologize


    I looked at Camille dumbfounded. I could not believe that even after five years, I still had not learned my


    lesson. I fell into her trap again.


    She began acting all goody two shoes. While holding my arm, she started persuading Dominic, ¡°Dom,


    don¡¯t misunderstand Liliana. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean any of that. S-she must¡¯ve been too excited.


    After all, we haven¡¯t met for five years, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    Like hell I¡¯m excited!


    I shrugged off her hands before turning to meet Dominic¡¯s frosty stare. Although I had said those words


    out of spite, was he really in any position to be angry at me? He was the one who left me back then.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Meanwhile, Camille staggered a few steps back before copsing to the floor. Dominic reacted


    quickly and managed to let her fall into him.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± He was visibly concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± She did not forget to y the victim while in his arms.


    Finding her act repulsive, I tried to squeeze my way out. But before I could walk any further, I felt a sharp


    jerk on my arm.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Dominic was grabbing me tightly.


    Where? Does he expect me to continue watching them?


    Not turning back, I answered, ¡°Let go. Where I go is none of your business. Besides, don¡¯t you have


    more important things to do now?¡±


    ¡°Apologize before you go.¡±


    What a ridiculousmand! I turned around and red at him. ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you apologize for your rude behavior? Camille was just greeting you nicely.¡± His grip


    tightened, sending a throbbing pain up my arm. He then let go of Camille and pushed me firmly against


    the wall.


    ¡°Enough is enough! I¡¯m not going to apologize to her. Not even in your dreams!¡±


    ¡°Really? Then let¡¯s settle all our scores once and for all. Both old and new.¡±


    I averted my gaze. Despite our close proximity, I could sense how distant we were.


    ¡°Dom, forget about it. I¡¯m fine. We¡¯re all friends so there¡¯s no need for an apology.¡± Faking a concerned


    look, Camille tugged at his sleeves gently. I could not help butugh in disbelief.


    Dominic was furious. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± I felt my arm going numb from his sheer force.


    ¡°Nothing. Mr. Hartnell, consider me blind. I shouldn¡¯t go around messing with people I can¡¯t afford to. I¡¯ll


    stay far away and never appear in front of both of you again.¡±


    Just as thest word escaped my mouth, I felt his fingers dig deep into my arms. Any harder and my


    bones would dislocate. Yet, my pride got the better of me. I could not let him win. I held back the pain


    and shed him a look of triumph.


    ¡°I dare you!¡± Immediately after, he turned toward Camille. ¡°Let¡¯s cancel dinner. I¡¯ll make it up to you


    another day.¡±


    With that said, he dragged me out. I could not believe how unreasonable he was. How ridiculous it was


    to leave his fianc¨¦e there alone just to settle scores with me!


    I nced back and saw the color having drained off Camille¡¯s face. I could tell she was holding back her


    anger but she still managed to force a smile before proiming, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure you two have lots


    of catching up to do after five long years.¡±


    Ugh. How generous. But wait, what does she mean by five years? Is she unaware that Dominic and I


    have been in contact with each other?


    Just as I was being dragged across the floor, Dominic came to an abrupt halt, causing me to bump into


    his back.


    I looked up to see Nichs blocking the path. He tilted his head and smiled at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. The dishes have been served.¡± He walked around us, held my free hand, and led me


    back to his private room.


    Instantly, I felt an even greater force from my other arm. Dominicmanded, ¡°Let go.¡± I could sense


    bloodthirst from his voice.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87 Humiliation


    I knew Dominic too well. He was a savage, violent, mentally ill, and unjust man. A gentleman such as


    Nichs would not stand a chance against him.


    I grew anxious and tried to tug my hand away from Nichs.


    Nichs stopped walking and looked at me. Seeing that I did not appear disappointed, he smiled softly


    and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I looked at him with guilt and awkwardly smiled. ¡°Um¡­ I think I won¡¯t be eating. Maybe next time. Thanks


    for the treat anyway.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    He looked at me so intensely that I didn¡¯t know what to say. After all, I could not tell him that Dominic was


    about to break my wrist. I¡¯m also worried he might cripple you!


    As I hesitated, Dominic gave me an even more forceful tug, causing my hand to escape from Nichs¡¯


    grasp as I fell into Dominic¡¯s embrace.


    Dominic replied, ¡°There is no reason. She can only eat with me.¡±


    Damn it. He¡¯s so domineering!


    I don¡¯t get it. Who am I to him? Why should he care about who I eat with? If he can eat with Camille, why


    can¡¯t I dine with someone else?


    I became even angrier the more I thought about it. I stood steadily and pushed Dominic aside.


    ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t get too full of yourself. Why do I need your approval to eat with anyone? You always eat


    with whoever you want; have you ever asked for my consent?¡±


    We had only walked a few steps when Camille caught up to us. As soon as I saw her, I could not control


    myself and I shouted at Dominic.


    ¡°Liliana, I never knew that you don¡¯t like me eating together with Dom. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t havee.


    I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Before Dominic could speak, Camille was already apologizing and looking all guilty. By admitting that it


    was her fault, she made it look like I was the one bullying her.


    F*ck, how shameless can she be?


    Dominic frowned and red at me upon hearing what Camille said.


    ¡°Liliana, don¡¯t be rude. Camille did nothing wrong. Who do you think you are to me? Do we have to


    report to you that we¡¯re having a meal together?¡±


    I was shocked that he asked me who I was to him.


    Indeed, he was my boss and I was only a caregiver. How dare I control who he eats with! Besides, there


    was nothing wrong with a couple eating together, yet I shamelessly criticized him for that.


    I¡¯m such an idiot!


    ¡°Dom, don¡¯t say that to her. It is all my fault for returning after five years. She just hasn¡¯t adapted to it.¡±


    Camille pitifully grabbed Dominic¡¯s sleeve and shook her head desperately. Had I not witnessed that


    scene back then, I might also be led to think that I had misunderstood her.


    ¡°You did nothing wrong. She¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t know anything and still bullied you. Is this what you


    call a good friend? Liliana, do you know that Camille¡­¡±


    ¡°Dom, I feel dizzy. I don¡¯t feel so good.¡±


    Before I got to react to Dominic¡¯s inexplicable usations, he was interrupted by Camille. He quickly


    carried Camille in his arms and red at me.


    ¡°Go back immediately. Look at you. He invited you to dinner only because he¡¯s met too many beauties


    and wanted a change of taste to try something simpler. Yet, here you are, assuming he¡¯s actually into


    you.¡±


    Then he hurriedly brushed past me with Camille in his arms and left the restaurant.


    Dominic¡¯s leaving did not burn my eyes but his words hurt my feelings. He humiliated me in front of


    Camille like I was nothing but dirt on the ground.


    If I am really so ugly, why did he treat me like that?


    Was it because he also wanted a change of taste and try something simpler?


    I didn¡¯t utter a word. However, my body was trembling. Suddenly, I found myself in an embrace.


    ¡°He¡¯s wrong. I only like simpler women. Complex and fancy women make me sick.¡±


    Nichs¡­


    I knew he was justforting me but I needed the warmth badly. I held back my tears and buried my


    head in his arms.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88 Top Of The Charts


    Imented on Nichs¡¯ shoulder for a while before I calmed down.


    I lifted my head and looked at his stunning face. It felt a little embarrassing.


    ¡°Um¡­ Thanks for that. I¡¯m really sorry; I must have embarrassed myself.¡±


    Well, anyone would feel like giggling after witnessing such an embarrassing moment.


    Nichs tucked my hair aside and smiled brightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. You helped me as well,


    didn¡¯t you? From what I see, you¡¯re not the embarrassing one.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Come. Let¡¯s continue our meal together.¡±


    I had already lost my appetite. However, seeing that he hadforted me for such a long time, it would


    be ungracious of me to leave just like that.


    Whatever. I shouldn¡¯t mistreat my stomach because of Dominic and Camille. I need to be nice to myself.


    I stopped hesitating and followed Nichs back to the private room. I channeled all of my grief and anger


    into my appetite and ate my fill.


    After a gratifying meal, Nichs did not take me anywhere but brought me back to the hotel.


    After all, it had been a long day in which many unexpected things happened.


    sh Media arranged our hotel amodation and prepared a car for us to conveniently travel back


    forth between the set and the hotel.


    Meanwhile, Nichs and the others stayed even closer to the filming location. After all, it would be


    troublesome to travel to and fro. Shannon and I were only staying for a month at most.


    In front of my room, Nichs said to me, ¡°You must be tired so take some rest soon. We will be filming


    early in the morning; I wille and pick you up.¡±


    How could I trouble him again early in the morning? I already knew the filming schedule after observing


    the crew for a few days. The team had to wake up a few hours earlier to prepare for filming.


    No matter what I said, Nichs insisted on picking me up the following morning. I did not know what to


    say.


    After sending off Nichs, I swiped my key card and saw Shannon snuggling in bed watching drama.


    I leaped onto the bed, snatched the tablet away from her hands, and hugged her.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? I¡¯m at the climax,¡± Shannon mumbled. She reached out to take the tablet back


    from me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Hug me for five minutes. No, just one minute would do.¡± I hugged her as a ko would to a


    tree, reluctant to let go.


    Shannon knew something had happened to me and stopped moving. She even patted my back and


    asked, ¡°What happened? Don¡¯t you want to focus on the film production?¡±


    I shook my head without uttering a word. I didn¡¯t know how to express myself.


    I could not just say that I was hurt by my ex-boyfriend and his fianc¨¦e, who was also my best friend. After


    all, it was too much of a twist of events.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired. It¡¯s okay; you just keep watching. I¡¯ll take a shower.¡± I got out of bed, picked up my


    pajamas, and went into the bathroom.


    That night, Shannon went on to watch her drama series while my thoughts were in shambles.


    I was worried that this cooperation with sh would not go smoothly.


    Didn¡¯t Dominic say he also invested in it? Based on his numerous attempts to trouble me in the past, I¡¯m


    afraid it will the same case this time.


    My goodness! What crimes have Imitted in my past life to deserve this?


    Suddenly, my thoughts were scattered by a sudden ring of my phone.


    I picked it up and saw Dominic¡¯s name on the screen. I gathered my courage and hung up on him


    without hesitation.


    That bastard still dares to call me.


    But I immediately regretted it. I was afraid that my determination might provoke him to get back at me


    later.


    Conveniently, the phone rang again. It was still Dominic.


    I bit my lip, reluctant to answer the phone. Somehow, my finger moved by itself and pressed the ¡°answer¡±


    button.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Where are you? Who are you with?¡± Dominic asked in a bone-chilling tone.


    He still has time to care about me despite being with his fianc¨¦e¡ªwhat a joke.


    Intending to provoke him, I said, ¡°I just had a meal with a handsome guy. We¡¯re about to chat and talk


    about our ideals in life. Mr. Hartnell, you have a beauty by your side as well. Since we¡¯re both busy, let¡¯s


    not bother each other.¡±


    I entered battle mode right after that and prepared for Dominic to strike back at me.


    Surprisingly, I heard a beeping tone on the line. He hung up on me!


    I tossed my phone aside and cursed silently, ¡°What a psycho.¡±


    Shannon, who was quiet in her bed, suddenly shrieked as if she saw a ghost. I was startled and almost


    sprang out of my bed.


    I sat up straight and shouted, ¡°Shannon! What are you doing screaming in the night?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Liliana, you¡¯re trending on Twitter!¡±


    ¡°Why the hell am I trending?¡±


    I¡¯m just a measly little cartoonist; how could I be trending?


    She must be seeing things.


    Shannon wriggled her way over to my bed with her tablet in hand.


    She pointed on the sub-heading and eagerly said, ¡°Look. You, Nichs, and Dominic are trending. It


    says the three of you are entangled in a passionate love triangle!¡±


    The more I listened, the more sinister it sounded. What is this all about?


    I was bewildered as I took the tablet. After reading the news, I finally understood what it meant to be


    dumbfounded.


    These¡­ When were these photos taken?


    There were photos of Nichs holding hands with me as we were running. Other than that, there were


    also photos of me, Nichs, and Dominic confronting each other at the restaurant.


    Thest photo was of Nichs sending me back to the hotel.


    What the hell? Was I being followed with my pictures being taken the whole time?


    It¡¯s only ten o¡¯clock at night, but the news is already trending on Twitter. It¡¯s even at the top of the charts.


    It had an exceptionally eye-catching title as well. Sensational Designer CEO VS Superstar: Vying for the


    Same Girl.


    I nearly fainted. This is crazy¡­


    ¡°Come on, Liliana. Tell me, who will you choose?¡± Meanwhile, Shannon was chattering around asking


    me stupid questions. I instantly had the urge to stab her with a knife.


    ¡°Choose, my ass! Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s all nonsense? Do you think things will work out between Nichs


    and me? And Dominic, he already has a fianc¨¦e!¡±


    I turned my focus back to the tablet again. Hmm, why are there only the three of us on the news?


    Camille was there, too. Why isn¡¯t she on the news?

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Chapter 89 Just Trust Me


    When I was puzzled, the phone that I had tossed aside rang again.


    Shannon quickly grabbed my phone and eximed, ¡°Ah, Nichs! It¡¯s Nichs!¡±


    I angrily snatched my phone from her hand. This girl goes crazy every time she sees Nichs¡¯ name.


    It was obvious as to why he called.


    Jeez. This is really Murphy¡¯sw. And everything happens so rapidly.


    Nichs. Oh, Nichs. I sullied the reputation that you¡¯ve maintained for years. I¡¯m such a sinner.


    ¡°Liliana, are you all right?¡±


    His concerns for me made me feel even more remorseful.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Nichs, I¡¯m sorry for causing such rumors.¡± I felt uneasy.


    ¡°Haha.¡± Nichs wasn¡¯t worried one bit. Instead, heughed. ¡°No pressure. It¡¯s an opportunity to


    promote the new drama. Besides, it¡¯s not bad press.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how to react. With him and Scarlett being part of the drama, there was no need to rely on


    these rumors to attract attention, not to mention, The Wind And Cloud already had enough publicity.


    Therefore, I treated those words as sympathy from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. You¡¯ve been famous for many years and were never involved in any scandal. But because


    of me¡­ Nichs, if you need me to rify, I will not refuse.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think. Rest early. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Nichs sounded calm andposed.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I opened my mouth and wanted to say more, but I agreed in the end.


    ¡°Liliana,¡± When I was about to hang up the phone, Nichs called out my name again.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just trust me. Good night.¡±


    This time, Nichs hung up the phone for real. I remained puzzled with my face flushed and my heart


    beating uncontrobly.


    This scenario and conversation. It¡¯s like being in a TV series.


    ¡°Liliana, what did Nichs say?¡± Shannon nudged me, trying to be nosy.


    ¡°it¡¯s nothing. He just told me not to worry about it.¡±


    I tried to brush her off then reached for the tablet and scrolled to the bottom of thements section.


    All sorts of insults were hurled at me. It was also my first time seeing such a rich vocabry of


    profanity. What an experience!


    To sum it up, I only had one thing in my mind. I¡¯d better know my ce and not leap for the moon, lest I


    get struck down.


    I put the tablet on my nket and nted my head in my pillow. This is injustice. I¡¯ve been wronged!


    There was one thing that I didn¡¯t understand. Nichs had many fans and he was considered a national


    treasure. I could ept it if everyone insulted me because of him. But why were there many people


    defending Dominic as well? He was just a designer with a bit of money. How could he weigh up to


    Nichs?


    And why did the person despicable enough to spread the rumor leave out Camille instead of covering the


    entire story? If she were in it, I would not be in such a tight spot.


    While I was thinking about Camille, I remembered the inexplicable phone calls from Dominic. He couldn¡¯t


    have called me just because of what he saw on Twitter, could he?


    If that was the case, then I¡¯m finished. What have I said to him? Dinner with a handsome guy? Talking


    about our ideals in life?


    This is frustrating¡­ I covered my head with the pillow, feeling very depressed.


    My phone rang again. Not expecting a reporter to be calling me, I was bombarded with a series of


    questions as soon as I answered the call. I almost passed out and hurriedly hung up the phone.


    Unfortunately, that was only the beginning. My phone continued to ring since then without stopping. It


    was about to explode.


    They were all unknown numbers. As soon as I disconnected one call, another one came in. In the end, I


    was forced to shut off my phone.


    I was terrified. The news was trending only a few moments ago and so many people had already found


    out about my phone number.


    I could not help but worry about my parents and Lou. They might be harassed, too!


    I used Shannon¡¯s phone to call my family. Fortunately, nothing was out of the ordinary.


    I did not sleep well that night. I kept having the sensation that my phone was ringing and I was about to


    feel sick.


    I was still restless after waking up in the morning.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I sat on the bed and logged onto Twitter on the tablet while I waited for Shannon.


    Yesterday¡¯s headline was still there. It now had more than ten million retweets and thements section


    was still on fire.


    I could not do anything else other than let out a long sigh.


    I was afraid to turn on my phone. I was traumatized by being bombarded with those annoying phone


    calls but I also wanted to contact Nichs and tell him not to pick me up.


    If hees over now and gets photographed again, it will definitely add more fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Liliana, Nichs said he has already entered the elevator. Go open the door.¡± Shannon stuck her head


    out of the bathroom and yelled.


    ¡°What? You mean Nichs is already here?¡± I shockingly looked up toward the bathroom door.


    ¡°Yes. He sent me a WhatsApp message. He said your phone was off. Go open the door. I¡¯ll be ready


    soon.¡± Shannon¡¯s voice echoed through the bathroom.


    At this point, what else could I say?


    I dragged my feet to open the door, only to see Nichs standing outside.


    ¡°Why are you here so early? I wanted to tell you not toe.¡± I moved aside to let him into the room and


    closed the door.


    Nichs smiled and said, ¡°If I didn¡¯te, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t even be able to get out of the hotel


    today.¡±


    Initially, I did not understand what he meant. Suddenly, I had a thought and asked him faint-heartedly,


    ¡°Are there any reporters out there?¡±


    He answered by calmly nodding with a smile.


    I immediately burst into tears. With so many reporters around, he must have been photographed


    entering the hotel!


    I still remember the words thatizens used to curse me in thements section. Am I about to die a


    miserable death?


    Nichs seemed to have read my mind. He poked my head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I came in through the


    VIP entrance. Nobody saw me.¡±


    However, something felt off. ¡°Nichs, I think you should leave. Shannon and I can drive overter.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, I told you that you just need to trust me.¡± Nichs held my shoulder and we looked at each


    other in the eyes.


    At that moment, Shannon wasing out of the bathroom. Simultaneously, there was a knock on the


    door again.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90 I Hate Being Belittled


    The three of us were startled and I clearly saw Nichs frowning.


    Oh, no. Nichs is frowning. Does it mean¡­ the reporters are outside? My heart skipped a beat once


    the thought shed through my mind.


    ¡°Should I open the door?¡± Shannon turned around and asked Nichs and me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Nichs and I stopped her simultaneously.


    We¡¯re doomed. Even Nichs doesn¡¯t agree with opening the door. The people outside must be


    terrifying!


    ¡°Liliana, open the door! Liliana!¡±


    That familiar voice made me stay rooted to the floor. Is that¡­ Dominic?


    I hesitantly moved toward the door.


    After listening to the voice for a while, I confirmed that it was Dominic¡¯s.


    Before I opened the door, I instinctively turned around to gaze at Nichs. Deep down, I couldn¡¯t help


    but feel that we would be in trouble soon.


    As soon as the door opened, Dominic pushed me aside expressionlessly and entered.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, what a coincidence! We meet again,¡± Nichs greeted Dominic with a grin.


    However, Dominic acted like a statue and made no response.


    Meanwhile, Shannon came up to me and winked, gesturing that it was time to watch a good show.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Then, she poked me and whispered, ¡°what¡¯s going on? I mean, both of your rumored boyfriends


    have gathered here. Liliana, I think you must have done something great in your past life to deserve this


    now.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I couldn¡¯t believe she was in the mood to imagine such things.


    Doesn¡¯t she feel that the situation is about to go out of hand?


    As Dominic came closer toward Nichs, I immediately rushed toward Dominic and blocked his way. I


    warded off Dominic from Nichs, thinking that I had to protect my friend.


    Besides, if the two fought, I believed Nichs was no match for Dominic.


    Ever since I knew Nichs, he had always been helping me and even said he would not let Dominic


    bully me.


    ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t be impulsive.¡±


    ¡°Are you protecting him? Make way!¡± Dominic sounded terrifyingly cold.


    Although I was frightened, I was still reluctant to go away. Besides, I was betting with myself that Dominic


    would not dare hit a woman.


    ¡°No way. You¡­ Don¡¯t you ever hurt Nichs.¡± I mustered up my courage to yell at Dominic.


    As Dominic walked closer to us menacingly, I subconsciously stepped back and bumped into Nichs.


    At that moment, I knew that there was no way for us to escape.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself for the third time. Make way!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    I refused to back down even though Dominic seemed threatening. The next moment, Nichs grabbed


    my wrist and dragged me behind him.


    I was nervous. ¡°Nichs, be careful!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not that weak anyway. Besides, since Mr. Hartnell is a gentleman, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll do


    anything to me.¡± Nichs was asposed as usual.


    However, I could not help but grip my shirt anxiously. Is Dominic considered a gentleman? He¡¯s a wolf in


    sheep¡¯s clothing!


    None of the things that he did to me was gentlemanly.


    A few secondster, Nichs continued to ask Dominic, ¡°Mr. Hartnell, why are you here so early? Is


    there something wrong?¡±


    Dominic answered crossly, ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°In that case, Liliana and I will get going. Please excuse us, Mr. Hartnell.¡± With that, Nichs grabbed my


    hand and pulled me into his arms to protect me as we walked toward the door.


    Dominic dashed to the front to block our way. Fortunately, Nichs intercepted Dominic when thetter


    wanted to grab my hand.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, this is too much.¡± I could sense Nichs¡¯ voice bing more hostile.


    The next moment, Dominic pushed Nichs¡¯ hand away and grabbed my arm with great precision,


    pulling me toward him. However, Nichs also reacted quickly and grabbed Dominic¡¯s arm in return.


    Hence, the two six-foot-tall men red at each other in a standoff. The situation was tense.


    As I thought they would begin fighting, Dominic suddenly burst intoughter.


    Then, as if to show off and humiliate Nichs, Dominic said, ¡°Nichs, ask her how many times she¡¯s


    slept with me. Besides, I¡¯m sure a prominent figure like you can have as many women as you want. So,


    there¡¯s no need for us to get ugly with each other.¡±


    Although Nichs had not responded to Dominic¡¯s remark, I felt Dominic¡¯s words just now were more


    hurtful than what he said to me yesterday.


    Nevertheless, I told myself that I could not cry.


    ¡°Dominic, are you out of your mind? So what if I slept with you? Get with the times. Isn¡¯t it normal to have


    one-night stands nowadays? And are you suggesting that I must stick with you just because I slept with


    you a few times?¡±


    As I became emotional, I hugged Nichs¡¯ waist and sneered, ¡°Nichs and I did it with mutual consent


    yesterday. As far I could tell, you¡¯re a lot worse than he!¡±


    Although I seemed to be speaking freely, the truth was that my hand on Nichs¡¯ waist sweated


    profusely. I was also gripping his shirt tightly as I was very nervous.


    Meanwhile, Dominic suddenly grabbed my wrist and applied greater pressure to his grip on me upon


    hearing what I said. It was painful but I remainedposed and did not exhibit my emotions.


    I would rather endure the pain than listen to Dominic¡¯s belittling remarks.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, didn¡¯t she make it clear? Why don¡¯t you let go of your hand?¡± Nichs said.


    Dominic shot me a disdainful nce and slowly let go of me.


    I would have lost my bnce and fallen to the floor if I wasn¡¯t hugging Nichs¡¯ waist.


    ¡°Liliana, remember what you said to me today,¡± Dominic warned while letting out a wry smile.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I bit my lips and did not reply; nevertheless, I felt bitter and heartbroken deep down.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, since you said so, I have something to tell you,¡± Nichs suddenly added, ¡°Regardless of


    your past rtionship with Liliana, it¡¯s all over now. If you¡¯re a man, please act like one. Don¡¯t hold onto


    things that don¡¯t belong to you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Nichs paused for a while and hugged my waist before he continued with a smile, ¡°who hasn¡¯t


    encountered scumbags before?¡±


    I felt a lot better; I even almost giggled at Nichs¡¯ remark.


    Dominic stared at me for a while without saying a word. A momentter, he mmed the door shut and


    left.


    At that point, I finally could not hold back. I broke out into tears, which were hot and scorched my face.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Chapter 91 Just Friends


    I lowered my head and stood still for quite some time until someone tugged at my hand.


    Slowly, I turned around. It was Shannon.


    Meanwhile, Nichs was also standing beside me. I looked at both of them and said, ¡°Please wait for


    me. I¡¯ll wash my face and join the crew.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, I think you shouldn¡¯t go out today. Stay here; I can keep youpany.¡± Shannon was reluctant


    to let go of me as she was so worried.


    I shook my head and replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    With that, I gently pulled my hand away from hers and turned around to head toward the restroom.


    The water was cold but it could cover up the traces of tears on my face.


    After washing up, I stared at myself in the mirror and grinned in self-deprecation.


    It¡¯s not a big deal. After all, Dominic is just one of those scumbags.


    And it doesn¡¯t matter that I have slept with him because I¡¯ve been married before anyway.


    After wiping away the water off my face, I left the restroom.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Nichs, I remember you have to shoot a scene this morning. Don¡¯t bete because of me.¡± I


    paused for a while and said apologetically, ¡°Also, I¡¯m sorry for using you just now. When everything dies


    down, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner topensate you.¡±


    I felt my face burning with embarrassment once I recalled the things I had said earlier on.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Since I¡¯m a man, I guess I was the one who took advantage of you. Nheless, I¡¯ve jotted


    down your promise to treat me to dinner, so don¡¯t go back on your word.¡±


    Since I owed Nichs a lot, I thought I was the one who took advantage of him by only treating him to


    dinner.


    As such, I guaranteed to him once again that I wouldn¡¯t go back on my word.


    After that, Nichs brought Shannon and me out of the hotel via a special passageway.


    Once we exited the hotel, we saw Nichs¡¯ manager, Jake, waiting outside. Jake sneered with


    resentment as soon as he saw me.


    ¡°Jake, bring Shannon to the minivan. I¡¯ll drive myself and give Liliana a lift,¡± Nichs said.


    I looked at Nichs in bewilderment and asked, ¡°Why must we leave separately? Can¡¯t we sit in the


    same car?¡±


    Nichs pursed his lips and said with a smile, ¡°Since the reporters recognize my minivan, I¡¯m afraid they


    might block our way the moment we show up. In that case, I think we can avoid them by driving another


    car.¡±


    Oh, so that¡¯s how it is. How thoughtful of him!


    ¡°No way.¡± Jake was reluctant to follow Nichs¡¯ order. He raised his voice and objected impatiently, ¡°Nic,


    why must you stick with her? If the reporters take pictures of you two, your reputation will go down the


    drain because of her!¡±


    I touched my nose awkwardly upon hearing this. As much as I hated it, I had to admit that he was right.


    I¡¯ll ruin his reputation.


    ¡°Do as I say. Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re running out of time,¡± Nichs instructed with determination.


    In the end, Jake had no choice but to leave with Shannon as told, whereas Nichs and I got into


    another car.


    The journey was smooth and we arrived at the destination soon.


    Nheless, Nichs and I were surrounded by a crowd of reporters the moment we hopped out.


    Since I was shocked, I stammered, ¡°Th-they¡­ Why are there so many people here?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    I could not help but look up at Nichs, who remained calm and quickly shielded me from the crowd.


    Nichs had been in the entertainment industry for many years. He did not flinch when faced with such


    a situation.


    On the contrary, I was still panicking even though I had encountered a simr situation during the fashion


    show.


    ¡°Nic, may I know if you two are lovers?¡±


    ¡°May I know how long you two have been together? Are you nning to get married?¡±


    ¡°Miss, have you chosen Nichs over Mr. Hartnell?¡±


    The series of questions almost drove me mad. Although a lot of questions were asked, they always


    revolved around Dominic, Nichs, and me.


    As the reporters kept pushing their mics, cameras, and recorders toward me, I had the urge to deny all of


    the gossips and spections. However, I found myself rooted to the ground without the ability to utter a


    word.


    ¡°My friends, please be gentle when you¡¯re asking a prettydy. See, my friend is frightened.¡±


    Nichs¡¯ appropriate and timely remark saved me without annoying the crowd.


    With that, the crowd stopped pushing me. Some of the reporters even gave a hearty chuckle upon


    Nichs¡¯ reply.


    After a while, Nichs exined in a charming voice, ¡°I know that everyone is curious about my


    rtionship with this beauty. Well, I can tell you that it¡¯s not like whatizens said on Twitter. She is my


    friend and I admire her very much.¡±


    Once Nichs finished, I felt that something was wrong but could not tell what was amiss.


    After all, he made it clear that we were only friends.


    Nichs added slowly and with a smile, ¡°And of course, I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯ve found a girlfriend one day.¡±


    He paused for a while and continued, ¡°Lastly, I hope that you can stop disturbing my friend because


    she¡¯s not a public figure. Thank you.¡±


    The experienced actor handled the embarrassing questions tactfully.


    As he shielded me to leave, the reporters didn¡¯t stop us; they only kept taking pictures.


    I hoped that what Nichs told the reporters would help take the heat off the situation. Although I could


    bear with the gossips, I was worried that my parents and Lou would be affected somehow.


    Since I had turned off my phone for the whole night, I was not sure if they knew or called me about it.


    As we arrived at the filming location, all of the staff shifted their gazes toward us.


    I felt ufortable and thanked Nichs hastily before rushing into the room reserved for the film crew.


    Deep down, I hoped the fiasco could end as soon as possible.


    Not long afterward, Shannon came in and handed over her tablet to me. ¡°Were you surrounded by the


    reporters again? Thetest news is already on Twitter. Besides, they¡¯re now using even more suggestive


    words to describe your rtionship with him. Take a look.¡±


    I was astounded. It only happened less than half an hour ago. How could the reporters release the news


    so soon?


    Besides, why are they using suggestive words? Didn¡¯t Nichs exin that we are just friends?

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92 Complicated


    I opened Twitter and realized that the previous headline of Dominic and Nichs vying for the same girl


    had dropped to the second spot in terms of poprity.


    The number one trending tweet was about the best actor who protected his crush and sincerely hoped


    that others would not disturb her.


    I felt a headache upon reading the tweets. Why did the reporters twist the words that were said?


    The tweets overwhelmed me and made me feel like drowning.


    Nichs made it clear that we were only friends and asked them not to disturb me because I was not an


    actress. However, the tweets insinuated that he was determined to court me. That was why he care for


    me and did not want me to be disturbed by the press.


    Moreover, the pictures on Twitter were purposely chosen to show him gazing at me affectionately.


    ¡°How is it? How do you feel after reading the tweets?¡± Shannon teased me about it.


    I threw the tablet onto the couch and said helplessly, ¡°I feel like dying.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, to be honest, I think people are too nosy to pry into your rtionship with Nichs. But as far as


    I can tell, there seems to be something between you and Dominic.¡±


    Shannon paused for a while and continued, ¡°Were the things he said true? Did you sleep with him? Also,


    you were obviously with mest night; why did you lie to him?¡±


    Shannon and I were close friends. Since she asked the questions and I did not want to lie to her, I


    answered calmly, ¡°He¡¯s my ex-boyfriend. We happened to bump into each other again recently.¡±


    Shannon was unexpectedly superb at connecting the dots. After falling silent for ten seconds or so, she


    suddenly realized something important and yelled, ¡°He was the one who popped your cherry!¡±


    I messaged my throbbing temples and nodded, acquiescing to her spection.


    I had shared my past casually and mentioned Julius¡¯ virginityplex to Shannon. I was shocked to


    know that she still remembered it.


    ¡°In that case, is heing back to ask you to get back together?¡± Shannon touched her chin and asked


    curiously.


    I cast a sideways nce at her and said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear our conversation this morning? Did we


    sound like we wish to get back together? Besides, Dominic has a fianc¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shannon dragged out the word for a while before she continued, ¡°When you were in troublest


    time, I could tell that he cared about you. That was why I thought something was going on between you


    two. But then you¡¯re denying it. No matter what, I think you two are the perfect match.¡±


    She then added, ¡°However, after what happened today, I think he only has the looks but is mean-spirited.


    I mean, the things he said this morning proved that he is a jerk. He¡¯s not like Nichs, who is handsome,


    imposing, gentle, and all in all perfect.¡±


    ¡°Stop it. I know Nichs is perfect!¡±


    I could not stand to hear herpliments of Nichs anymore. Although I had to admit that Shannon


    was right about Nichs, I could see that she was lovestruck. Hence, I had to stop her from dwelling on


    it non-stop.


    ¡°Shannon, why don¡¯t you join their photoshoot and take more pictures? I¡¯ll stay here to sketch some


    drawings.¡±


    Feeling delighted upon hearing my suggestion, Shannon left without further ado.


    Deep down, I wished toe up with some quality drawings to forget the rumors.


    Nheless, it was clear that I had overestimated myself, for I subconsciously thought about the past


    not long after I started drawing.


    I remembered that one day when Dominic and I were dating each other, several hooligans blocked our


    way in a quiet alley.


    After asking for money, they began to spew some disgusting words at us and even wanted to get a bit


    handsy with me.


    At that moment, Dominic dashed toward them and fought without hesitation. I was so worried about him


    because he had to fight four men alone.


    Although Dominic was wounded, he unexpectedly defeated all four of them. I remembered that I scolded


    him for being impulsive.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Dominic told me that in this lifetime, I could belong to no one else but him. As such, he would not allow


    anyone to bully or humiliate me. Even he himself could not do that to me.


    Ironically, it was Dominic who bullied and humiliated me today, yesterday, and in the past.


    As I recalled that Dominic used to be kind to me, I put my hand on my heart. Even though we had broken


    up, I could vividly remember our beautiful memories.


    However, such memories were gradually being eroded by Dominic¡¯s recent unpleasant behavior.


    I pressed against my chest and felt heartbroken.


    ¡°Hey, are you lost in thought because you¡¯re thinking about me?¡±


    The voice that came out of nowhere startled me. I lifted my head and saw Dominic looking at me with a


    disdainful smile.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I recollected myself and asked coldly.


    The next moment, Dominic grabbed my arm and pulled me into his arms tightly. I tried very hard to


    struggle away from him but failed.


    ¡°Dominic, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want you. Is that okay?¡±


    As Dominic was speaking, he rested his head against my face. I could feel his warm breath by my ear.


    ¡°Not at all! Let go of me now! If you darey your hands on me, I¡¯ll sue you for rape!¡±


    I was furious and could not understand why he wanted to do this to me every time we met.


    After what happened in the morning, I thought no one with a sense of shame would show up again. But


    Dominic did not seem bothered at all!


    ¡°Hehe, we¡¯re only doing some aerobic exercises with mutual consent. How can you sue me for that?¡±


    Dominic teased me and did not sound afraid.


    It¡¯s impossible to make shameless people feel ashamed!


    Before I could argue, he nudged me two steps forward and stopped in front of the drawing board. Then,


    he pointed at it and said, ¡°What did you write? Well, it says ¡®Dominic,¡¯ which is my name. Do you think


    you can sue me since you miss me so much?¡±


    Staring at the word embarrassingly, I was unsure when I had written it.


    ¡°Does it matter? Does it mean I miss you just because I wrote it?¡± I denied hastily. ¡°Well, let me be frank


    with you. I wrote it down so I could curse you!¡±


    Unperturbed, Dominic chuckled and replied, ¡°Whether you were cursing or missing me, your body will tell


    me honestly.¡±


    With that, he touched my chest and began groping me. I was shocked and almost screamed.


    What a lustful pervert!


    As I desperately wished to wriggle free from him, I repeated what I said in the morning to irritate him.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93 It Cannot Be Heartache


    ¡°Dominic, can you not find yourself other women? I¡¯ve said that you¡¯re iparable to Nichs, so why


    are you still pestering me?¡±


    I was anxious. I thought those words would be enough to make Dominic let go of me.


    And indeed, he stopped moving his hand on my chest and loosened the arm he used to lock me in ce.


    But before I could heave a breath of relief, he turned me around and tightly tucked my hands behind my


    back.


    Looking grim, he locked his ferocious gaze on me so intently that I felt a chill down my spine.


    ¡°Am I right to say that you and Nichs have already slept together? Since you say I can¡¯tpare to


    him, I don¡¯t mind getting into action and proving to you whether he¡¯s good or I¡¯m better. You¡¯ll know how


    grave your mistake is in a minute, Liliana. Calvin,e in.¡±


    Following that, Dominic loosened his grip on my hands. I hurriedly retreated to stay away from him as far


    as possible.


    The room¡¯s door was pushed open and in came Calvin, whom I had not seen for a long time.


    I started to really panic when I heard Dominic instructing Calvin to render me unconscious.


    Make me unconscious? What is he gonna do after that?


    Flustered, my lips were trembling as I stammered, ¡°Y-you¡¯ve gone too far, Dominic! We¡¯re at the filming


    location and there are people everywhere!¡±


    ¡°C-Calvin¡­ Don¡¯t blindly follow what he says. It¡¯s illegal to do that!¡±


    I was unsure if Calvin heeded my words or if he still had a little sympathy for me. He was riveted to the


    spot and did not do anything.


    But that was only for a few seconds or so. When Dominic coldly called Calvin¡¯s name again, thetter


    walked toward me.


    ¡°Calvin, please don¡¯t¡­¡±


    I had yet to finish my sentence when Calvin quietly came close to me. I cked out after I felt a blow at


    the back of my neck.


    By the time I regained consciousness I was already in a car, though it seemed like it was only a short


    while after I fainted.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake? That¡¯s fast,¡± Dominic uttered as he swept a grim nce at me.


    I leaned toward the car door in a panic and tried to pull it open, only to find it locked.


    Dominic¡¯s behavior only left me feeling annoyed and bbergasted.


    There was no difference between him and a kidnapper.


    I could not escape with the door locked and I had no belongings with me, so I could not use my phone to


    call for help even if I wanted to.


    I was in such a situation where I could only try to get as close to the door as possible. In fact, wished I


    could merge into the door just so that I could escape from this grim situation.


    ck! I heard the noise and turned to look at Dominic while shivering, only to find that he had lit a


    cigarette.


    He took a deep puff and spat out white smoke before he indifferently said, ¡°I guess you can try to get


    through the door if you can do it.¡±


    Instantly, I clenched my fists tightly. Dominic must be very sure that I could not escape.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯re doing right now?¡±


    I told myself I had to stay calm and not go head to head with him, but I could not hold back the fury in me


    as I spoke.


    When he came closer to me, I quickly struggled to push myself backward until I was stopped by the cold


    car door behind me.


    Dominic then gripped me on my chin before dragging me closer to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you what I wanted to do. Did you forget about it after losing your consciousness?¡±


    That was equivalent to him trying to say, ¡°I¡¯ll refresh your memory just a little bit.¡±


    The next moment, my lips were corked and a faint scent of tobo soon filled my mouth.


    My hands, which were still free, kept pushing him away with all my might; I even hammered and pinched


    him.


    However, Dominic did not seem to feel any pain and his lips remained locked to mine.


    That persisted till I was almost out of breath. He finally let go of me when I felt a wave of ripping pain on


    my lips.


    Lifting my hand to touch my lips, I felt nothing other than a burning sensation on it. Meanwhile,


    bloodstains left behind on my fingers told the rest of the story.


    Simrly, Dominic¡¯s lips were stained with my blood as well, making him much more callous and brutal.


    ¡°You remember now? About what I wanted to do?¡±


    I did not make any noise and neither did I know what there was for me to say. But my silence did not


    seem to garner any sympathy points from Dominic.


    He lifted his finger and rubbed my lips so roughly that the spots he had bitten earlier hurt even more.


    As much as I tried enduring the pain, it eventually became unbearable. I wanted to pull his hand away,


    yet I identally bumped into the cigarette he was holding in between his fingers.


    The ash from the cigarette fell onto my hand, so I instinctively gave it a flick without further thoughts.


    Even so, there was already a burn mark on the back of my hand. Though it did not look serious, it was


    still visible and made me wonder if it would leave behind a scar.


    Dominic grabbed my scalded hand with a seemingly worried expression.


    I was amused to see that. What kind of expression is that? Is he showing concern?


    Thanks to Dominic, my chapped lips were still in throbbing pain and my hand was scalded as well.


    Because I also had no idea where he would bring me and what kind of torturous n he had in mind, I


    could not understand why he even needed to feign concern.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Liliana, we have lots of interesting things to doter. Are you trying to ruin my day with these ugly


    scars?¡±


    I was spot on. I knew his heart would not ache for me.


    At this point, I knew I could not escape. Instead of crying over spilled milk, I decided to go ahead and


    speak without restraint. ¡°If that could prevent you from touching me, I¡¯d rather you light another cigarette


    and scald me a few more times.¡±


    As I finished speaking, I noticed Dominic¡¯s expression turning darker than before.


    Watching the changing scenery outside the window, I soon recognized that we had reached his mansion.


    When the car came to a stop, Dominic dragged me out.


    Throughout our journey here, Calvin acted like a wooden stake while driving and showed no reaction at


    all.


    What I was curious about was how Dominic had found himself a loyal right-hand man who paid no heed


    to thew.


    Before we entered the house, I turned to look and found that Calvin had already driven the car off.


    Without any dy, Dominic dragged me into the bedroom where I used to stay.


    He then flung me onto the bed and pressed himself onto me without giving me any chance to escape.


    Before I could react to what was happening, Dominic had already pulled off my knee-length pleated


    dress and ck silk stockings.


    He spread my legs open and got inside me without any forey whatsoever.


    It hurt so much that I took in a deep breath. I bit my lips tightly, totally forgetting about the earlier wounds


    on my lips.


    ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s so good about Nichs?¡±

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Chapter 94 Enjoyment Or Pain


    ¡°Does it even matter?¡± I threw the question back at him.


    After pausing for a few seconds, he suddenly hastened his actions again as he replied indifferently,


    ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Right after, we both fell into silence. As he ramped up the speed of his actions, the difort I had


    before gradually disappeared. I could not help but let out a few screams.


    To be honest, I did not want to hold myself back, either. I reckoned I should just y along with him since


    we were already in such a situation.


    Nevertheless, Dominic suddenly stopped. With blurred vision, I tried to look at him while panting. ¡°Why?¡±


    He raised his hands and groped my chest. ¡°Your screams; I guess you¡¯re enjoying it, huh?¡±


    I could not answer that question of his. After all, I could never be as thick-skinned as he.


    With Dominic exerting greater force in his grip all of a sudden, I instinctively reached out to push his hand


    away as I uttered, ¡°It hurts!¡±


    ¡°So do you want to be in enjoyment or in pain?¡±


    My eyes widened at once. Since when did he be a sicko?


    As much as I did not want to make a choice, that increasing pain was bing intolerable and I had no


    choice but to grit my teeth and let out the word ¡°enjoyment.¡±


    Given my answer, Dominic lifted the corners of his lips into a smile which I found terrifying.


    As usual, idents tended to ur at such a time. As Dominic and I were having a rough time, a


    scream that did not being to either of us sounded in the room.


    Reacting quickly, he pulled the nket beside me and covered me up.


    Looking over Dominic¡¯s shoulder, I saw Camille standing near the door with her mouth covered; she was


    trembling.


    I was stunned. The arousal I felt moments ago instantly dissipated.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Dominic sounded extremely cold.


    ¡°Dom¡­¡± Camille choked up as she said in a mellow tone that would easily make anyone sympathize


    with her.


    ¡°Camille, go out first,¡± Dominic said once again but in a much softer and gentler tone this time.


    I suddenly was in the mood to watch what was about to transpire. I thought it was interesting that Camille


    was going through what I had once experienced in the past.


    Besides, it was probably a much more mind-blowing scene with me and Dominic in that state.


    With the situation he was facing ¨C new sweetheart versus old love ¨C how would he exin himself?


    After Camille left the room, Dominic got up from me and walked into the bathroom naked.


    Next, sounds of water gushing out could be heard. But soon enough, the sounds stopped and I saw him


    walking out. He was still naked.


    He then put on his clothes and said, ¡°Come out once you get dressed.¡±


    After he left the room, I let out a sigh of relief. It was bizarre how he was the one who forced me here but


    he was also the one getting angry after his fianc¨¦e walked in on us.


    I took my time in the bathroom and had a quick shower before wearing back my clothes¡ªall except the


    silk stockings because Dominic had torn them.


    Walking out of the room, I saw Camille sitting on the living room¡¯s couch alone. Dominic, surprisingly,


    was not around.


    Her eyes were bloodshot. She must have been so upset and cried so badly.


    Seeing that sight, I lost all my interest in watching the drama unfold and quietly walked toward the door


    instead.


    When I almost got to the door, I felt a force on my wrist. After turning around, I realized it was Camille.


    ¡°I know you were on good terms with Dominic, but you¡¯ve already broken up. Liliana, I beg you. Please


    don¡¯t steal Dominic from me!¡±


    I was slightly startled yet extremely speechless as well. I shook her hand off and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I


    don¡¯t have such an intention.¡±


    Nevertheless, Camille did not buy my words and pulled my hand again. ¡°But you two¡­ Dominic and I are


    getting married soon, Liliana. C-Can you promise me not to meet him again in the future?¡±


    I felt so repulsed by her mention of them getting married that I pried her fingers off me and pushed her


    away.


    The funny thing was while I did not exert much force on her, she fell on the floor as though she had no


    bones.


    Thump! Her head hit the floor.


    Seeing that her forehead started to bleed, I was shocked and hurriedly crouched down to help her up.


    But before I could touch her, Dominic¡¯s hand appeared out of nowhere and pushed mine away.


    Inded sitting on the floor. I stared nkly at him as he carried Camille in his arms, looking anxious.


    ¡°Camille, are you all right?¡±


    Lifting her hand and grabbing onto Dominic¡¯s arm, Camille whimpered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I lost my bnce and


    Liliana was only trying to help me. Don¡¯t me her.¡±


    How I wished I could p her right at that moment! Those words she said were as good as her not


    saying anything.


    Dominic threw a cold re at me. ¡°Camille¡¯s health isn¡¯t that good. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone


    overboard?¡±


    I pushed myself off the floor and sized up Camille before putting forth my honest words. ¡°When did I go


    overboard? I don¡¯t see a problem.¡±


    The ones who had gone overboard were the two of them. I did not do anything wrong.


    Dominic¡¯s face fell instantly and started to look intimidating.


    ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t be angry. I don¡¯t me Liliana.¡±


    Seeing Camille being so hypocritical as she tried to put in good words for me, I felt nothing but disgust.


    ¡°Hurry and bring your precious darling to the hospital. She¡¯s so weak she can¡¯t afford a dy. I¡¯m leaving


    now.¡±


    I waved my hand gracefully and prepared to stride out when I remembered I had no money with me.


    ¡°Oh yeah. Since you two aren¡¯t short of money, care to spare me some cab fares?¡±


    Without waiting for them to react, I reached for Camille¡¯s bag, took out a few notes, and left Dominic¡¯s


    mansion.


    When I was Dominic¡¯s caregiver, I had to book a cab in advance as no car would normallye to such


    a ce.


    And as if God was deliberately against me that day, the bright and sunny sky suddenly turned dark and it


    started to rain.


    Holding out against the rain, I walked to a spot that had greater traffic and waited for quite a long time


    before I managed to get a cab.


    Seeing that I was soaked, the driver handed me a tissue.


    I thanked him for his kind gesture and used the tissue to wipe off the water droplets on my face and


    body.


    Drenched from head to toe just like a drowned rat, I did not have to worry about being recognized so I


    got the driver to let me off right at the hotel entrance.


    As I got off the car, I passed the driver some notes generously and told him to keep the change.


    Heading back to my room, I remembered that my key card was not with me, which meant I could not


    enter my room.


    As such, I had to head back downstairs to the hotel front desk, only to be informed that I would have to


    present my ID card as proof before they could open the door for me.


    With no choice left, I borrowed the front desk phone to call Shannon.


    ¡°Liliana!¡± The call had yet to go through when I heard someone calling out my name. I turned around and


    realized it was Nichs.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Shannon said you¡¯ve disappeared. Where did you go? Why are you drenched?¡±

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Chapter 95 The End Of The Matter


    Since the hotel lobby was so crowded, it would be troublesome if Nichs was recognized.


    I pulled him to a quiet corner and said, ¡°Nichs, can you help me call Shannon and ask her to hurry


    back? I can¡¯t return to my room as I didn¡¯t bring my key card.¡±


    Nichs took off his coat, draped it over my body, and pulled me along toward the direction of the


    elevator.


    He told me Shannon had already headed back to her room and that we had probably missed out on


    each other.


    Indeed, when we got to my floor, I saw that the door, which was tightly closed earlier, was now open ajar.


    Upon seeing me, Shannon ran toward me. ¡°Where did you go? When I came to look for you just now, I


    was scared to death when I saw your belongings but not you.¡±


    Nichs, who had been standing at one side, chimed in, ¡°Let¡¯s talkter. You¡¯re drenched; hurry and go


    take a warm shower first.¡±


    I nodded and headed into the bathroom after grabbing the clothes on the bedside.


    When I got out of the bathroom, Nichs passed me a ss of ginger ale, saying it could prevent one


    from getting the flu.


    Upon finishing it up, I turned to Nichs and Shannon who were both looking at me. ¡°About what


    happened today¡­ Can you guys not ask anything?¡±


    The two stared at me intently for some time before agreeing at the same time.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    And after staying for a while longer, Nichs left my room.


    With his departure, I then told Shannon that I did not want to return to the production set anymore and


    asked her to bring back photos going forward for me to draw in the hotel.


    The reason was that there was a possibility I would bump into Dominic at the set and I did not want that


    to happen.


    Shannon agreed to my requests readily. She asked me to get some rest and that she would wake me up


    later.


    As such, I shut my eyes, snuggled into the nket, and curled myself upfortably.


    I was indeed tired out since I had woken up early that morning and had put myself through Dominic¡¯s


    threat and torment throughout the day.


    Soon after shutting my eyes, I fell into a deep sleep and had some good dreams.


    That dream began with Dominic and me being intimate, but gradually, there was a growing distance


    between us. No matter how hard I called him and chased after him, I did not get his reply, nor was I able


    to catch up to him.


    But that was not a big deal. What I could not ept was that someone was next to Dominic. It turned out


    to be Camille.


    Seeing the two appearing so lovey-dovey and even ganging up to criticize me, I instantly jolted awake


    from my sleep, soaked in a cold sweat.


    I found a stain on my pillow; it was wet to the touch.


    Did I cry while I was sleeping?


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Liliana? Let¡¯s go get some food,¡± Shannon said as she lifted her head to look at me.


    I was not hungry, nor had I any appetite for food. All I wanted was some alcohol.


    However, Shannon was unwilling to go out with me and attract unwanted attention since I was still


    considered an enemy of the public.


    Atst, she went out alone and bought back some alcohol and food.


    That night, I got drunk before I could finish all the drinks. I was so drunk that I had a hard time getting out


    of bed the next day.


    On the other hand, Shannon was in good condition and left a note saying that she had left for the


    production set.


    I browsed through Twitter and found that the news of me and Nichs was still the top trending topic.


    One of the other trending topics was again rted to Nichs, albeit it was about his rtionship with


    Scarlett.


    Those were the works of fans who wanted to see the two together. Thements below the articles,


    however, were still as unpleasant as ever.


    I thought Nichs and Scarlett were a match made in heaven. I, on the other hand, was more suited to


    lead a simple and peaceful life.


    Seeing how rapidly things evolved in the entertainment industry, I figured rumors between Nichs and


    me would be drowned by other happenings very soon.


    Dominic did note to look for me since that day, so I enjoyed a few days of peace.


    The only not-so-sessful thing was that my drafts kept getting returned after submission, with sh


    iming that they were not up to standards.


    I ended up editing my drafts so many times until I became lost as to what I should do. Finally, out of the


    blue, my submission was epted for no apparent reason.


    I was so exhausted from the editing that I leaned against the head of the bed and thought to myself that


    Dominic probably had something to do with all of this.


    As I thought about Dominic, I could not help but be reminded of Camille, too.


    Being best friends with her for four years, I was clueless that she was such a two-faced person.


    I guessed she was so long used to acting that putting on a facade was by now second nature to her.


    Even a clever man like Dominic could easily be cajoled.


    After several days, those online rumors finally died down.


    Luckily, my parents did not follow entertainment news. Therefore, when I called home, they did not seem


    to know about the matter. The exception was Lou, who kept asking me questions.


    In any case, I brushed them off casually, telling him to see it with a pinch of salt.


    That morning, I had just begun drawing in the hotel when my phone rang.


    I answered the call and to my surprise, it was Vicky Lynch, my ss representative at university. We had


    not been in contact for a very long time.


    At first, I thought she wanted to throw me some impactful news. After exchanging a few pleasantries, I


    realized she only wanted to ask me to attend a reunion.


    It had been five years since we graduated. Our ss had never held any gatherings before: this would


    be the first time.


    Nheless, I was slightly reluctant to attend. Back then, Camille was closest to me and I was only


    acquaintances with the rest. Since I was not on good terms with Camille anymore, I figured there was no


    point in attending the event.


    I did not want to reject Vicky upfront since she had specially contacted me about it, so I gave an


    ambiguous answer saying that I would attend if I had the time.


    After our call ended, I resumed drawing without paying any heed to the ss party at all.


    During that period, I barely left the hotel and I did not visit the production set. All I did was stay in the


    hotel room to work on my drawings.


    Perhaps Dominic had been busy entertaining Camille, so the drafts I sent over thest few times were


    epted without fuss.


    Nichs, conversely, still contacted me and had casual chats over WhatsApp from time to time.


    On Saturday night, as I was lying on my bed fiddling with my phone, Nichs texted me again. He asked


    if we could have dinner together tomorrow night since he would be free.


    I smiled at that message, recalling that I had previously agreed to treat him to a meal.


    Since he was free and I had no other ns, it was not a problem for me.


    The next morning, my phone rang. It was Vicky calling to remind me to turn up for the reunion that night.


    In fact, I had forgotten all about it since I had no intention of attending the event from the start. Besides, I


    had agreed to a dinner date with Nichs so I naturally had a good excuse not to go.


    At noon, I headed to the restaurant earlier than the agreed time with Nichs. I had ced a reservation


    for a private room beforehand.


    The waiter led me in as I followed behind her. But before we got to the private room, someone called me


    from behind.


    ¡°Liliana Zti? Is that you, Liliana? Oh my gosh, I thought you weren¡¯ting!¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96 Blinded


    Astounded, I looked at the youngdy holding onto my hand for a few seconds before my senses came


    back.


    What a small world, indeed, to be able to bump into Vicky here!


    She was smiling so brightly and led me along while grabbing my hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s been long after graduation but it seems like you didn¡¯t change much, Liliana. I was so disappointed


    when you said you wouldn¡¯te! Almost everyone who can make it is here today. It¡¯ll be more


    enjoyable with everyone present.¡±


    ¡°The reunion is held here?¡± I asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yeah. It was in the message that I¡¯ve sent in the group chat. Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯vee to the right


    ce.¡±


    I was instantly at a loss for words. I had chosen to have dinner there since Nichs had said that the


    restaurant offered standalone private rooms. I booked the ce in order to avoid getting caught by


    reporters.


    Therefore, even though the restaurant was expensive, I went ahead with it.


    I had muted the WhatsApp chat group with my university ssmates long ago so I did not see the


    message Vicky was referring to. Had I known the ss reunion¡¯s location was at the same ce, I would


    definitely have chosen another restaurant.


    ¡°Vicky,¡± Though I felt bad, I still went ahead to break the news to her. ¡°I¡¯m actually not here to attend the


    ss party. I¡¯ve got a date with my friend.¡±


    Vicky was initially taken aback but then followed with an unbothered look. ¡°The fact that we¡¯ve met


    unintentionally just shows that we are destined to bump into each other! Your friend ising too, right?


    Ask your friend to join uster. Someone will foot the bill tonight.¡±


    Had I not agreed to meet Nichs in the first ce, I might have changed my mind and epted her


    invitation because of her enthusiasm.


    ¡°Vicky, I really can¡¯t take up your invitation. I-I have something important to discuss with my friend today.


    But I¡¯ll join you guys for the next ss party.¡±


    ¡°Liliana, aren¡¯t you being a little too cold?¡± Vicky finally sounded unhappy.


    I sighed softly, unsure of what to say.


    Just then, three people¡ªtwo guys and ady¡ªwalked out of the room at the end of the corridor.


    I found their figures somewhat familiar and when they walked closer to me, I recognized that thedy


    was Xenia Blue.


    The two guys looked familiar, too. I knew they were my ssmates as well, except I was unsure of their


    names.


    ¡°Vicky, why are you outside and not in the room? We¡¯re all waiting for you.¡± The tall and skinny guy on


    the left started teasing Vicky.


    Vicky chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few years but you¡¯ve be cheekier, Herman.¡±


    She then pointed at me and said in slight frustration. ¡°See, I happened to bump into our talenteddy


    here and have been trying to get her to join us. Since you guys are here, help me persuade her, please.¡±


    Her words only made me more embarrassed than before. I could only smile awkwardly at that situation.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s been long. Seems like you¡¯ve gotten prettier.¡±


    My memory of Herman Nottingham gradually came back. He used to be a nerd, but he had changed so


    much over the years!


    ¡°You¡¯re looking great, too.¡± I politely gave a courteous exchange.


    ¡°Liliana, aren¡¯t you joining the fun inside? You¡¯re literally here already,¡± Xenia asked quizzically.


    ¡°Err¡­ it¡¯s pure coincidence. I¡¯m here to meet my friend.¡± I pondered for a few seconds before I


    continued, ¡°How about this; I¡¯ll go greet the rest inside but I¡¯ll join you guys at the next opportunity. I really


    have something on today. Does that work?¡±


    I was in such a circumstance that it would not look good for me to leave just like that, so I figured I¡¯d


    compromise and meet everyone for a short while.


    Vicky, whose expression was cold and displeased, instantly looked more agreeable upon my words. She


    waved her hand dismissively and said, ¡°All right, all right. I¡¯ll let you off this time. But if we have another


    party in the future, you can¡¯t refuse me anymore, yeah?¡±


    I smiled in acknowledgment. We were, after all, still ssmates, so I did not want to strain our


    rtionship.


    Following that, the two guys left, stating that they would be at the entrance to wait for the others¡¯ arrival.


    Before heading in with Vicky and Xenia, I texted Nichs to exin the situation.


    Inside the room were all familiar faces. Those youthful university days started to rey in my mind.


    Upon entry, I was surrounded by my ssmates and bombarded with questions about my rtionship


    with Nichs.


    I shook my head vigorously in an attempt to deny everything.


    Someone then took out his phone, found the relevant news on Twitter, and asked me for the truth.


    But what more could I say? I reckoned the best way out was to bite through it and negate all the rumors.


    Just as I was on the brink of crumbling, Xenia got me out of the tough spot. ¡°Move back, all you nosy-


    parkers. Let¡¯s go over there, Liliana. Jennie nc is there, too; we can have a chat together.¡±


    I hurriedly agreed to it and followed her to sit at a corner.


    ¡°Xen, you¡¯re sote. Oh, so you¡¯re Liliana? It¡¯s been a long time.¡± Thedy who had been sitting on the


    couch smiled at me as she greeted me.


    I chugged a mouthful of beverage down and heaved slightly before greeting her. ¡°Hi, Jennie. Yes, it¡¯s


    been some time since we¡¯ve met.¡±


    Camille, Xenia, Jennie, and I used to be roommates in the same dormitory.


    Nheless, through the four years of university, I had only be close friends with Camille while


    remaining acquaintances with the other two.


    I then turned to Xenia and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± I was grateful for her rescue just now.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Xenia chuckled. ¡°But then again, how about you share with us if you¡¯re really dating


    Nichs?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. I saw that on Twitter, too. Hurry and tell us, Liliana!¡±


    ¡°E-Err¡­ that¡­ that¡¯s all jokes.¡±


    Without any hesitation, I hastily changed the topic. ¡°Have you two been in contact after graduation?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Xenia nodded. ¡°Jen and I are working in the samepany and we¡¯re co-renting a ce right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great.¡±


    I always believed that friendships forged in school days were the most treasured.


    After all, it was rare to have someone like me who had no luck in friendship nor love.


    I wondered why I had not be close with Xenia and Jennie back then. Only after that casual chat did


    I realize they were nice people to be friends with.


    I could only me my own blindness to have befriended the most pretentious one amongst the


    roommates.


    Looking at my phone, I realized that it was past the time Nichs and I had agreed to meet. As such, I


    decided to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ve to go meet my friend. It won¡¯t be nice to make him wait too long. Have fun, girls. We¡¯ll meet again


    another time.¡±


    ¡°No way! How can you leave so soon? Why don¡¯t you ask your friend over, too?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°No need. There¡¯ll be opportunities in the future.¡±


    If Nichs appeared there, I was sure his charisma would make everyone at the party go head over


    heels for him.


    At that moment, someone pulled on my sleeve and eximed, ¡°Oh, I got it! Liliana, are you meeting


    Nichs?¡±

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Chapter 97 Stay Away From Me


    I swallowed nervously as I felt their overly-friendly gazes.


    ¡°No way! I just invited some regr friends of mine, that¡¯s all!¡±


    Damn it, I knew I shouldn¡¯t have attended this ss reunion!


    ¡°Then, bring them over! It¡¯s been forever since we¡¯ve seen each other. You don¡¯t want to be a killjoy and


    leave now, do you?¡±


    It was obvious that they didn¡¯t believe me and were trying to coerce me into doing what they said.


    I began considering the option to give Shannon a call and have her get me out of here.


    ¡°Come on, Liliana! Out with it! What¡¯s your rtionship with Nichs? We¡¯re all ssmates here,


    remember? It¡¯d be a great honor for us to brag about you dating a hot guy like that!¡±


    What the hell kind of logic is this? I rubbed my forehead in frustration.


    ¡°There really is nothing going on between us. I¡¯ve worked with him a couple of times, and that was it. The


    rumors about us on the news are all fake. Anyway, there¡¯s something else I need to take care of, so I¡¯ll


    be on my way now! Bye!¡± I said while slowly moving toward the door.


    When I opened the door, however, I saw a sight I dreaded seeing.


    Camille had her arms wrapped around Dominic¡¯s as she stood beside him, the two of them looking


    perfect together.


    ¡°Liliana? You¡¯re here too?¡± Camille asked with a smile.


    I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t pulled a muscle with that pretentious smile of hers! I thought to myself as I


    ignored her, but she was just as shameless as Dominic and reached out to grab my arm.


    Having learned my lesson from our previous encounters, I didn¡¯t want her anywhere near me and


    stepped out of the way while saying disdainfully, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    ¡°Liliana¡­¡±


    Camille began acting all innocent and hurt like she always did, which disgusted me to no end.


    Dominic who was standing beside her shed me a re so cold that it looked like he wanted to swallow


    me whole.


    Oh, please¡­ If she¡¯s so precious to you, then just keep her locked up at home 24/7! That way, she won¡¯t


    get hurt or get hated by others!


    ¡°Move it, you¡¯re in my way,¡± I said while trying to squeeze my way through the side.


    ¡°Camille has always been polite to you, so why are you so rude to her?¡± Dominic questioned me coldly.


    ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s just how I am. You can just walk away if you don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t like her anyway.¡± I


    replied indifferently.


    ¡°Liliana, we used to be such close friends¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I had horrible judgment back then. All right, enough talk. I¡¯m in a hurry, so get out my


    way.¡±


    Vicky came over and greeted them with a smile, ¡°Camille, you¡¯re finally here! It¡¯s sote, I thought you


    weren¡¯ting!¡±


    Camille was a campus belle thanks to her good looks, sweet voice, and decent family background. At


    least over a dozen boys in my ss used to court her, and she wasn¡¯t just popr with the boys either.


    Because she managed her rtionship with the girls really well, even I found her likable and was willing


    to befriend her.


    Oh, well¡­ I suppose decent acting skills can really get you far in life!


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Camille shed her an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I ran into some dys when I was heading out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Pretty girls like you need to spend more time on dolling yourself up! Wait, isn¡¯t he the campus


    hunk, Dominic? Camille, are you two dating?¡±


    Vicky¡¯s voice was so loud that it attracted the attention of everyone in the private room, and a few nosy


    ones came running over immediately.


    ¡°Oh, my! It really is Dominic! Damn, I can¡¯t believe I worked so hard on my makeup for nothing! I¡¯m so


    sad now¡­,¡± said the girl deliberately as she held a hand against her chest, much to the amusement of


    everyone else.


    ¡°Yo, Dominic! When did you snag our campus belle, huh?¡±


    ¡°Cut it out, you guys!¡± Camille blushed and leaned her head against Dominic¡¯s chest.


    What was supposed to be a sweet and romantic moment for them got ruined when someone in the


    crowd mentioned my rtionship with Dominic.


    ¡°I thought Liliana was the one dating Dominic? They¡¯ve been together for a few years!¡±


    Everyone stoppedughing instantly upon hearing that and shifted their gaze toward me.


    At that moment, I had never felt so tempted to hit someone my entire life.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, someone else brought up Nichs too.


    ¡°So what if they¡¯ve been dating for a few years? Most people break up after graduation anyway! Besides,


    Liliana has Nichs now!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. She keeps denying it, but I think the rumors on Twitter are most probably true. Who knows,


    we might just be in for a huge surpriseter on!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what else to say and figured it was best to just leave as I had wasted enough time talking to


    them.


    ¡°You guys have fun, I need to go now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Liliana! It¡¯s not easy for us to all get together like this after graduation, you know?¡± Camille


    grabbed me by the arm to stop me from leaving.


    Damn it, what the h*ll is her problem? Can¡¯t she see that it¡¯s better for everyone if I leave now?


    ¡°Look, you can go ahead and do whatever it is you came here to. I¡¯ve got some things to take care of, so


    could you please get out my way?¡±


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m here? Is that why you¡¯re leaving?¡±


    Unable to contain my anger any further, I smacked her hand aside and shouted at her, ¡°F*ck off, will


    you? Do you really think you¡¯re that important? Me leaving has nothing to do with you!¡±


    Camille¡¯s teared up instantly after being yelled at, and the private room fell intoplete silence.


    Dominic pulled her into his arms and shot me a fierce re. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Instead of backing off, I red back at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve had enough of you two. Dominic,


    I¡¯d really appreciate it if you¡¯d be so kind as to take her with you and stay the h*ll away from me!¡±


    I then shoved her out of my way and left the private room after that.


    Not wanting to dine here any longer as my mood was ruined, I sent Nichs a text while heading for the


    entrance.


    He quickly replied saying he had just arrived and was outside the restaurant.


    I texted him asking him to wait for me in the car and continued heading outside.


    After exiting the building, I nced at the road and saw Nichs¡¯ car parked around the corner.


    I was about to walk over to it when someone grabbed my arm from behind.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98 So Painful


    ¡°What more do you want?¡± I asked in annoyance when I turned around and saw that it was Dominic.


    He spun me around to face him and said coldly, ¡°You have no right.¡±


    I froze and stared at him in confusion as I didn¡¯t understand what he meant.


    ¡°You ended our rtionship as you pleased five years ago. Do you really think I¡¯d let you do that again


    now? You have no right to tell me to stay away from you! You owe me big time, and I¡¯m not letting you


    get away from me this time!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry when I heard that. ¡°Since when have you gotten so shameless,


    Dominic? You¡¯re the one who wronged me in the first ce, but I¡¯m the one who owes you big time?¡±


    Dominic frowned and shot me a cold re before breaking into a vicious grin. ¡°Trying to shift the me,


    are you? Too bad it¡¯s not going to do you any good because I¡¯ll make sure to take back twice as much as


    you owe me!¡±


    His ability to shamelessly lie through his teeth left me speechless once again.


    Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and yanked me free of Dominic¡¯s grip before pulling me into a


    warm embrace.


    I looked up in confusion and saw Nichs looking at me worriedly. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    I shook my head and replied, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    At that point, I didn¡¯t know what else I could say to Dominic, nor did I want to say anything further.


    ¡°Stay out of this, Nichs! I¡¯ve been kind enough to let you off the hook up until now, but don¡¯t mistake


    my kindness for weakness!¡± Dominic said threateningly before Nichs could even respond.


    His menacing tone sent a shiver down my spine, and I quickly shoved Nichs off me. ¡°This is between


    him and me, so you should stay out of it.¡±


    Knowing Dominic and the fact that he has invested in The Wind And Cloud, there¡¯s no telling what he


    would do next!


    To my surprise, Nichs grabbed my hand once again and said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you here.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I knew he was trying to help me, but I had brought him more than enough trouble and didn¡¯t want him


    getting into a direct confrontation with Dominic.


    ¡°You should just go, Nichs.¡±


    I tried to get him to leave, but he simply gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder before turning toward


    Dominic. ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as the type who¡¯d dwell on the past, Mr. Hartnell. There¡¯s no point in


    clinging on to her like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± said Dominic as his voice grew colder.


    Before I knew it, Nichs pulled me into his arms and said calmly, ¡°You¡¯re harassing my girlfriend


    unreasonably, so it¡¯s very much my business.¡±


    Huh? I¡¯m his girlfriend?


    I looked up at Nichs in confusion, only to see a warm smile on his face and a calm look in his eyes as


    he continued to stare Dominic down.


    ¡°Girlfriend?¡± Dominic¡¯s tone was as cold as ice.


    I turned toward him and instinctively mumbled in response, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    Nichs cut me off by pulling my head into his chest as he said, ¡°It¡¯s true that we haven¡¯t announced our


    rtionship to the media, but I believe you already knew about us dating when you saw us at the hotel


    the other day. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Hartnell? Still, we¡¯d appreciate it you would keep this a secret for us.


    We¡¯ll announce it ourselves when the time is right.¡±


    Hearing that made me realize what Nichs was ying at.


    After all, I did go as far as telling Dominic I slept with him, so it wouldn¡¯t sound out of ce for Nichs


    to say we¡¯re dating.


    ¡°Heh¡­ Your stupidity really is something out of this world, Nichs! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d fall for a woman


    who only cares about money and fame! Oh, I get it! You must¡¯ve liked her for her skills in bed, huh? Well,


    guess what? I was the one who taught her all that! Are you sure you want used goods?¡± Dominic said


    with a sneer.


    How could he say something like that? I¡¯m not the one in the wrong! ¡±Dominic! You¡­¡±


    ¡°What, am I wrong?¡± Dominic let out a sarcastic chuckle as he continued, ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve taught you well,


    Liliana! Very impressive work, charming our beloved superstar and having him all wrapped up around


    your finger!¡±


    I bit down hard on my trembling lips, unable to say a single word in response.


    Nichs let go of me and walked up to Dominic before punching him in the face.


    ¡°You call yourself a man?¡± he shouted angrily as his body emanated an icy-cold aura.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting for Nichs to actually hit him, and the shock left mepletely frozen in ce.


    Dominic took a moment to steady himself before rushing toward Nichs.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± I shouted in protest, but it was to no avail as his fistnded square on Nichs¡¯ face.


    ¡°Oh, she knows just how much of a man I am!¡±


    With tears in my eyes, I quickly ran over and helped Nichs to his feet.


    ¡°Are you okay, Nichs? Does it hurt? You¡¯re bleeding!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so you can stop crying now,¡± Nichs¡¯ said gently while wiping the tears off my face.


    The fact that he was still trying tofort me hurt my heart even more, and my tears continued flowing


    down my face.


    Nichs pulled my head against his chest and patted me on the back. ¡°Listen up, Mr. Hartnell. Liliana is


    my girlfriend, so I don¡¯t want to hear you say anything insulting about her ever again. As for her


    character, I¡¯ll be the judge of it.¡±


    He then let go of my shoulder and took my hand in his as he said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    I pursed my lips and shot Dominic a nce before nodding at Nichs.


    It began raining heavily all of a sudden after I got into his car, but I saw Dominic still standing there


    through the rear-view mirror.


    A woman ran up to him and hugged him from behind shortly after.


    The rain was too heavy for me to see her clearly, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that it was most


    likely Camille.


    My tears began falling again when I saw her dragging Dominic back inside.


    Nichs let out a sigh and pulled my head gently onto his shoulder.


    ¡°You can let it all out if you want, but make this thest time you¡¯ll ever cry over a man who doesn¡¯t care


    about you.¡±


    I grabbed hold of his shirt and wailed loudly upon hearing that.


    The pain felt like countless needles pricking every inch of my body, and it took me a really long time to


    finally stop crying.


    ¡°Thank you, Nichs¡­¡± I mumbled with a sniffle after slowly regaining myposure.


    He shed me a warm smile in response. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll treat you to a nice meal.¡±

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Chapter 99 A Perfect Man


    Nichs then continued before I could say anything, ¡°You have to eat something even if you don¡¯t have


    the appetite. It tastes so good, I promise you¡¯re going to love it anyway!¡±


    Seeing as he was so enthusiastic about it, I decided to not refuse his offer. After all, we had originally


    agreed that I would treat him to a meal.


    However, he drove straight up South Hill instead of heading to another restaurant.


    There was a famous observation deck located at the top of South Hill which provided a stunningly


    beautiful view of the city, especially after the lights came on at night.


    The winding mountain road was illuminated by street lights lined up on both sides. I had expected to see


    the entrance to the observation deck shortly after, but I was greeted by a bunch of luxurious vis


    instead.


    ¡°Did we take a wrong turn?¡± I asked in confusion while ncing about.


    ¡°Nope, this is where I live,¡± Nichs said as he drove toward one of the vis and parked his car in the


    front yard. ¡°All right, we¡¯re here.¡±


    What¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t he say he was taking me to dinner? I thought to myself as I got out of the


    car.


    ¡°Well? What are you waiting for? Go on in!¡± Nichs began tugging at my hand when he saw me


    standing there, seemingly in a daze.


    Still rooted to the spot, I stammered awkwardly, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not so sure about this¡­¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Nichs raised an eyebrow at me after a brief pause and asked, ¡°What? Are you scared that I¡¯ll do


    something nasty to you?¡±


    I shook my head profusely. ¡°No, I just¡­ I just think it¡¯s a little inappropriate for me toe to your house


    like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one living here, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± he said with a


    chuckle.


    Having no other excuse to refuse him, I simply kept quiet and followed him inside.


    Nichs handed me a brand new pair of men¡¯s slippers after going through the front door, but I spotted a


    pair of pink women¡¯s slippers inside the shoe cab.


    That sparked a me of curiosity in my heart, but I chose not to ask him about it out of respect for his


    privacy.


    Nichs¡¯ vi was huge, and the light from the chandelier revealed its unique decor.


    ¡°Make yourself at home,¡± he said as he sat me down on the couch and turned on the television before


    walking off.


    After sitting there for a good few minutes, I couldn¡¯t stand the boredom and walked toward the kitchen.


    Nichs was cutting up some vegetables when I entered the kitchen.


    ¡°Why¡¯d youe over? Did you get bored sitting there by yourself? I was going to whip up a couple


    more dishes, but there isn¡¯t anything else left in the refrigerator, so I made you some pasta instead. Will


    you be okay with that?¡±


    He was so skilled at it that he said all that while looking at me instead of the chopping board.


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    Of course, I¡¯d be okay with it! I¡¯d eat anything Nichs cooks!


    As I took a few steps closer, I realized he was actually multitasking by boiling the noodles with one hand


    while cooking the sauce with the other.


    I felt my appetite building up again when I smelled the fragrant aroma.


    ¡°Wow¡­ You really are talented, Nichs! I bet whoever is lucky enough to marry you in the future would


    be the happiest wife on earth!¡±


    ¡°How sweet of you! I¡¯ll give you an extra spoonful of Bolognese sauce for your kind words!¡±


    I let out a chuckle when I heard that, and whatever negative emotions I had from earlier slowly vanished.


    After eating a huge te of spaghetti, my tummy was so full that it got a little bloated.


    ¡°You know what, Nichs? You could start up a restaurant with pasta dishes being your specialty after


    retiring from the entertainment industry! I bet you¡¯d have a long queue of customers lining up every day!¡±


    Nichs gave it some thought and yed along by saying, ¡°Sure, that could work! If I start up a


    restaurant, I¡¯ll make you my special VIP customer and give you a 10% discount on every visit!¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have all three meals of the day at your restaurant!¡±


    We both burst intoughter after I said that.


    To be honest, Nichs had truly surprised me that night. Without having to worry about his image as a


    superstar, he seemed a lot friendlier and yful than usual.


    As we continued chatting, I noticed the bruise on the corner of his mouth and felt my guilt creeping up on


    me once again.


    ¡°Thank you for helping me out so much today, Nichs. I¡¯m sorry you got hit because of me¡­ I¡­I don¡¯t


    know what to say¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop thanking me all the time. You¡¯ve always thanked me at least once on every single one of our


    encounters. If you really see me as a friend, then you should stop thanking me so much. I mean, you


    wouldn¡¯t do the same with Shannon, would you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I see you as a friend! But you did help me out a lot, so I didn¡¯t know what else to say


    except¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say those words!¡± Nichs cut me off with a stern look on his face.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t. Can I at least treat your wound, then? Do you have a first-aid kit?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the cab under the TV.¡±


    I quickly scurried off and retrieved the first-aid kit from the cab.


    I then sprayed some rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab and said, ¡°This is going to hurt a little, so try your


    best to hold still. I¡¯ll try to be as gentle as I can.¡±


    Nichs let out a helpless chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, okay?¡±


    Obviously, I knew he was an adult and could definitely put up with the pain, but seeing that wound on his


    face still made me incredibly nervous.


    This better not leave a scar or his family members, his manager, and his fans would hunt me down for


    sure!


    Although he didn¡¯t make a sound, I saw him frown the moment the cotton swab touched his wound and


    quickly moved it out of the way.


    ¡°See? I told you it would hurt! Why didn¡¯t you move out of the way when you saw himing?¡± I asked


    while gently blowing on his wound.


    As I was about to continue treating his wound, he moved his face away and took the cotton swab out of


    my hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked when I saw the strange look in his eyes. Is the pain too much for him?


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just a tiny wound anyway.¡±


    Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was mostly treated and decided to not insist on it any further.


    Regardless, I still handed him two anti-inmmatory pills and said, ¡°Here, take these. It¡¯ll help speed up


    the recovery.¡±


    Instead of taking the pills immediately, Nichs simply held them in his hand and stared at me for a while


    before asking, ¡°Liliana, do you mind telling me what¡¯s going on between you and Dominic?¡±


    I was packing the stuff back into the first-aid kit and froze when I heard that.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t feel like talking about it.¡±


    I closed the lid on the box and said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s a very old story, but I don¡¯t mind telling you if you want to


    hear it.¡±


    I then took a moment to reorganize my thoughts and was about to start when the doorbell rang all of a


    sudden.


    We both looked toward the door at the same time.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100 Unexpected


    ¡°Oh, no¡­ You don¡¯t think it¡¯s some journalist, do you?¡± I asked anxiously.


    ¡°No. Security here is pretty tight, so they won¡¯t let anyone in without permission. Wait here while I go


    get the door,¡± Nichs replied calmly, and I nodded in response.


    Even if he didn¡¯t say that, I wouldn¡¯t have dared go near the door anyway.


    Despite what he said about the security guards not letting outsiders in without permission, the


    traumatizing experience of having my phone number exposed still left me feeling incredibly nervous.


    I should be safe inside the house¡­ At the very least, these journalists wouldn¡¯t dare force their way in as


    that would count as trespassing, which is illegal!


    Before I could finish my train of thought, Nichs had returned with someone else behind him.


    I couldn¡¯t really tell who it was from afar as I didn¡¯t have my sses on, but I could at least see that it


    was a woman.


    It wasn¡¯t until the two of them got closer that I got a clearer view of her face, and my jaw dropped in


    shock when I realized who she was.


    Holy sh*t! T-That¡¯s Scarlett Williams!


    I quickly scrambled to my feet in a state of panic and tried to say something, but the words were stuck in


    my throat.


    Nichs burst intoughter when he saw my reaction. ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face, Liliana? I


    didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get this excited over a woman! If I recall correctly, you weren¡¯t this excited when we first


    met!¡±


    He¡¯s right! I think I was able to call him by name when I first saw him, but this is different! I mean, Scarlett


    visiting Nichs at his vi in the evening? This could only mean one thing! The two of them are having


    an affair¡­I mean, a rtionship!


    ¡°Hello, my name is Scarlett!¡± she said with a smile while holding her hand out.


    I wiped my trembling hands frantically on my jeans before shaking hers.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m L-Liliana¡­ Zti.¡±


    Scarlett gave me a friendly nod before motioning at me to let go of her hand, which I did very quickly.


    Being the smart person that I was, I knew Scarlett must havee over because she had something to


    discuss with Nichs. Not wanting to be a third wheel and make things awkward, I decided to quickly


    excuse myself.


    ¡°Right, uh¡­ It¡¯s gettingte, so I should get going now. You two carry on, all right?¡±


    ¡°I saw that it was still raining heavily outside when I opened the door earlier. It¡¯d be dangerous for you to


    head down the mountain by yourself, and the road¡¯s too slippery for me to drive downhill. I¡¯ve got some


    spare bedrooms here, so you can just pick one and stay over for the night.¡±


    Being able to have dinner at his house was surprising enough for me, but spending the night here was


    completely beyond my expectations.


    Even Scarlett seemed rather shocked and had a strange look on her face when she heard that.


    ¡°Nichs¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t possibly do that! Don¡¯t worry about me, I can manage myself just fine. I¡¯ll just hail myself a


    cab or something. These drivers won¡¯t say no to a good tip!¡± I refused his offer immediately as I found it


    inappropriate to stay over at his ce.


    ¡°That¡¯s even more dangerous! What if the driver is a perv*rt and tries to rape you or something? You


    would have no one around to save you!¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    My goodness, I didn¡¯t know he had such a vivid imagination!


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Shannone pick me up, then. We¡¯ll be perfectly safe since we have each other!¡±


    I thought I hade up with a great idea, but Nichs shot it down once again by saying it was twice as


    dangerous.


    ¡°I live pretty close by, so you can stay over at my ce instead, Ms. Zti. If you don¡¯t mind, that is,¡±


    Scarlett spoke up all of a sudden.


    I didn¡¯t know what else to say at that point as both options felt inappropriate all the same.


    Still, if I had to choose between the two, I would probably go with Nichs as I knew him longer than I


    knew Scarlett.


    ¡°Just stay over at my ce tonight and forget about everything else. Go up to the second floor and pick a


    room that you like. I¡¯ll head over to Scarlett¡¯s and fetch you a change of clothes. Come on, Scarlett, let¡¯s


    go.¡±


    Just like that, Nichs had made the decision for me. Scarlett too, nodded after a few minutes of silence.


    The two of them then left the vi, leaving me there all by myself.


    A few minutester, I decided to check the weather outside and opened the door, only to be hit in the


    face by a mix of water droplets and a chilly breeze.


    Holy sh*t, he wasn¡¯t kidding about how heavy the rain is!


    Not wanting to give up just yet, I stubbornly gave Shannon a call, but her phone was switched off.


    Damn it! Her phone is usually on 24/7, so why is it off now? Huh, it looks like I really will be spending the


    night here¡­ Oh, well¡­ I¡¯ll just have to ept my fate, then¡­


    I thought to myself as I put my phone back into my handbag.


    Nichs had asked me to go take a look at the rooms on the second floor, but I was too scared to


    wander around such a big house all by myself.


    In the end, I decided to sit on the couch and wait for Nichs toe back.


    About ten minutester, he came in through the door with a bag in each hand.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t checked the rooms out?¡± Nichs asked while handing the bags over to me.


    I shook my head and replied honestly, ¡°No, I was a little scared to go upstairs by myself.¡±


    Nichs burst into a chuckle upon hearing that. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll go upstairs with you.¡±


    Instead of having me choose my room, he led me straight to one of the bedrooms and said, ¡°You said


    you were scared, right? Well, you can have this room, then. Mine is right next to it, so if anything


    happens, all you have to do is scream and I¡¯lle over right away.¡±


    Nichs sure is thoughtful!


    I dly epted his arrangement, and we both entered our respective rooms.


    After taking a shower, I retrieved the clothes from the bags and saw that they were all brand new with the


    price tag still on, including the underwear.


    On top of that, he got the measurements for everything down perfectly. Okay, maybe he¡¯s a little too


    thoughtful¡­


    I did a quick calction in my head to see how much the clothes cost, and I nearly choked when I saw


    how expensive they were. Regardless, I would still pay Scarlett back the full amount.


    I then tidied up the stuff and snuggled into the covers before going through my daily routine of scrolling


    through Twitter before bed.


    The thought of Shannon not answering her phone earlier got me annoyed once again, and I sent her a


    ton of text messages on WhatsApp to express my annoyance.


    Nichs¡¯ message came in right after I was done scolding Shannon: Hey, you asleep? Is it cold?


    I replied ordingly and transferred fifty thousand into his bank ount, insisting that he ept it as


    payment for Scarlett¡¯s clothes.


    Feeling relieved that he did, I chatted with him for a little bit more before saying good night.


    However, I couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep no matter how much I tossed and turned. Eventually, I decided to


    grab my phone and log into my old Twitter ount.


    After going through my old posts, I posted a new Tweet: Don¡¯t be silly, he doesn¡¯t care about you!


    With that, I closed my eyes once again and tried to put away all feelings of sadness.


    The next morning, I was woken up by the loud ring of the ringtone on my phone.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101 Another Disaster


    I was so sleepy that it took every ounce of willpower I had just to open my eyes.


    I managed to find my phone after a bit of fumbling about, and the sight of Shannon¡¯s name on the


    caller ID got me wide awake with rage instantly.


    She went missing when I needed her yesterday, and now she wakes me up so early in the morning? I¡¯m


    going to give her a piece of my mind!


    ¡°Hey, Liliana! Are you with Nichs right now?¡±


    Wow¡­ I haven¡¯t been home for a whole night, and the first thing she does is ask about Nichs instead


    of my safety? Unbelievable!


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m going to hang up if you don¡¯t have anything important to tell me. I¡¯m really tired and need a bit


    more sleep.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be sleeping once you see what¡¯s on Twitter, especially on Nichs¡¯ ount! Hurry up and


    check it out! Oh, and make sure to stay where you are! Don¡¯t go anywhere, or I won¡¯t be able to save you


    in time!¡±


    Although I was still confused as to what was going on, Shannon¡¯s anxious tone had gotten rid of my


    sleepinesspletely.


    I have a very bad feeling about this¡­


    I thought to myself as I stared at the Twitter icon on my phone for quite a while after hanging up.


    Eventually, I mustered the courage and tapped on it, only to be greeted by a Tweet that read: Famous


    Superstar Gets Into A Brawl For The Woman He Loves!


    It became clear to me that someone must¡¯ve gotten pictures of Nichs¡¯ fight with Dominic yesterday.


    With that in mind, I could more or less figure out what the content would be and didn¡¯t bother reading the


    rest of the posts.


    I then pulled up Nichs¡¯ Twitter ount, and to say I was surprised would be an understatement.


    Nichs had lost a huge amount of fans because of me, and to make matters worse, a lot of them


    turned into haters and swore to boycott him from then on.


    I tossed my phone aside in shock and ran out of the bedroom without even fixing my messy hair.


    His bedroom was empty, so I ran downstairs and saw him talking on the phone.


    Upon taking a few steps closer, I could hear him saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is all temporary. Give it some


    time, people will forget all about it. Tell the director that I¡¯ll take two days off. Yes, that¡¯ll be all. Bye.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing up so early? Don¡¯t you want to get a little more sleep?¡± Nichs asked when he


    saw me standing behind him.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I was woken up by Shannon¡¯s call. Nichs, the Twitter posts¡­¡±


    Nichs cut me off by cing a finger over my lips as he said, ¡°Have you forgotten what we agreed


    upon yesterday? No more thanking me, remember? Since we¡¯re friends, I don¡¯t want you apologizing to


    me either.¡±


    I knew it was really bad timing and all, but I found myself being distracted by the scent on Nichs¡¯


    finger.


    Dominic only reeks of tobo and nothing else, but this¡­ There¡¯s a hint of sweetness in its fragrance¡­


    He doesn¡¯t smell like any guy I¡¯ve ever met! Wait¡­ No, this isn¡¯t what I should be thinking about right


    now! Snap out of it, Liliana!


    With that in mind, I recollected my thoughts and pulled his finger away from my lips.


    ¡°What good would apologizing do anyway? I was going to ask you what we should do next. Have you


    checked your Twitter ount? Do you see the number of fans you¡¯ve lost? Also, you said you would be


    taking two days off work, right? Is it because this incident has affected the filming process? What are we


    going to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious, Liliana. Just give it some time and let it die down for a bit. Now isn¡¯t the time to


    make public exnations, especially with this wound on my face. This is the reason why I chose to take


    a few days off work.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nichs then paused for a moment and gave it some thought before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ll just have Scarlett


    help me out once this dies down after two days. Don¡¯t worry, Liliana. I¡¯ll make sure to take care of this as


    best as I can to minimize its impact on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a nobody, so stop worrying about me! If anything, you should be more worried about yourself!


    Are you sure you can handle this? I don¡¯t want it affecting your career in the future!¡± I eximed while


    frantically waving my arms.


    Nichs shed me a confident smile and said, ¡°Rx, I¡¯ve been in the entertainment industry for over


    ten years now. Handling this sort of thing is a piece of cake! Though, you should probably stay here for


    the next two days. I will need your cooperation with something when the timees.¡±


    Although I had no idea what Nichs was nning on doing, I knew for sure that I couldn¡¯t possibly


    handle this on my own. As such, doing as he says was the only way to avoid causing him any further


    trouble.


    I gave Shannon another call afterward to brief her on the arrangements for the next two days.


    Nichs also had me remind her to stay home as much as possible to avoid bumping into journalists


    outside.


    Lastly, I told her to stay in touch at all times before hanging up.


    This time, however, I wasn¡¯t afraid of the journalists calling me as I had downloaded an application on my


    phone to block all calls from unknown numbers.


    Jake came over during lunchtime with a bunch of grocery bags in hand.


    He let out a cold snort when he saw me, only to look all distressed and pained when he saw Nichs¡¯


    face.


    ¡°Oh, my! You poor thing! Look at you! Your handsome face has been wounded! Nic, did you really get


    into a fight with someone? Are you hurt anywhere else? Show me!¡±


    Nichs brushed his hands off and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, so stop overreacting, will you?¡±


    ¡°You call this fine? There¡¯s a cut on your lip! Oh, it hurts me so much to see you like this!¡±


    Unable to stand it anymore, I raised my hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that Nichs got hurt because of me,


    but I¡¯ve already treated his wound, so it¡¯ll heal very soon!¡±


    I thought Jake would go easier on me after hearing my honest confession, but that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Instead, the look in Jake¡¯s eyes grew increasingly furious as he red at me.


    If looks could kill, I would probably have died ten times over in that instant.


    ¡°From this moment on, you are not allowed toe anywhere near Nic! You¡¯ve brought him nothing but


    trouble ever since you two met! You should stay as far away as possible from him!¡±


    What he said was right, and I could only rub my nose awkwardly in response.


    ¡°What are you saying, Jake? Liliana is my friend!¡± Nichs sounded a little angry.


    ¡°Friend? She is more like a jinx!¡± Jake said while ring at me in disdain.


    Nichs looked really mad when he heard that. ¡°Jake!¡±


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll shut up, okay? Calm down, Nic! You must be hungry, right? I bought you a lot of ingredients! Let


    me make you something to eat!¡± Jake gave in immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Nichs refused Jake¡¯s offer.


    ¡°What? Did you just say you¡¯re going to make lunch yourself? You mean, you can cook?¡± Jake eximed


    in surprise.


    His reaction surprised me as well. Has Nichs never cooked in front of him?

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102 Worried


    Nichs then took the grocery bags over from Jake and made his way into the kitchen.


    Jake followed behind him and asked, ¡°Wait¡­ Nic, are you sure you can cook?¡±


    ¡°Duh! How else am I supposed to make lunch?¡± Nichs replied casually.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen you cook!¡±


    I was able to hear everything they said as I followed behind them. So I was right! Nichs has never


    cooked anything for Jake! In that case, I must be insanely lucky to have him make me pastast night!


    Damn, I should¡¯ve taken a picture of it as a memento!


    Nichs then ced the ingredients on the kitchen counter and said, ¡°You go wait outside, Jake. Scarlett


    should being over soon.¡±


    Jake frowned when he saw Nichs reach for the knife. ¡°I think I should do the cooking instead. Don¡¯t


    want your silky smooth hands getting all dirty now! Besides, it¡¯d be bad if you identally cut yourself or


    something!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at how nervous Jake was. I bet he must be Nichs¡¯ biggest fan!


    Nichs ced the knife down and let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not a porcin doll, Jake.¡±


    Jake pouted. ¡°But I¡¯m worried about you!¡±


    I decided it was time for me to step up and said, ¡°Um, how about I do the cutting while Nichs does the


    cooking? That way, it would still be his cooking, but without the risk of injuries! There, a win-win solution!¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Jake eyed me doubtfully from head to toe.


    I nodded profusely in response and winked at Nichs as I said, ¡°Yup! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sure to keep


    Nichs away from the knives!¡±


    It¡¯s a lot better to have me help out than Jake nag endlessly, right?


    Nichs spoke up as well. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll go with that. Jake, you call Scarlett and ask her when she¡¯ll be


    here. Oh, and help me pack up the clothes in the bedroom while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    Jake was clearly unhappy about his decision but agreed to it reluctantly anyway.


    I waited until he had disappeared from sight before teasing Nichs, ¡°He sure worries a lot about you!¡±


    ¡°He worries too much!¡± he replied with a chuckle.


    ¡°I bet you two must be really close, huh? You know, like how Shannon and I are.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I knew Jake since I got into the entertainment industry. He¡¯s the one who stayed by my side this


    whole time.¡±


    I could rte to what he said as it was the same between Shannon and me.


    Having tasted the pasta he madest night, I had great confidence in his cooking skills and carried on


    chatting with him while preparing lunch.


    Despite it being our first time preparing a meal together, weplemented each other surprisingly well


    and were rather fast at getting the job done.


    It didn¡¯t take long before lunch was served and looked absolutely amazing.


    The doorbell rang right as we were done setting the table, and I saw Scarlett standing outside when I


    opened the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re right on time! Nichs has just finished making lunch, so you get to eat it while it¡¯s hot!¡±


    ¡°Nichs made lunch?¡± Judging by the look on her face, I figured she was really surprised by it as well.


    Wait, this doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ There¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know about Nichs being able to cook!


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Surely you¡¯ve tried his cooking before, right?¡± I asked curiously.


    Scarlett didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him cook in a really long time.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Letty! Lunch is ready! Nic made it himself!¡± Jake shoved me aside and led Scarlett inside by


    the arm.


    Wow¡­ Talk about differential treatment¡­ I bet Jake has added my name to his cklist or


    something. Well, not that it matters, though! Scarlett changed into that pair of women¡¯s slippers very


    naturally like it was a habitual thing, so I can at least confirm my suspicion about her having some sort of


    intimate rtionship with Nichs.


    After lunch, I volunteered to do the dishes as I couldn¡¯t have Nichs do everything by himself, and I


    certainly couldn¡¯t let Scarlett do it as it would taint her air of elegance.


    As for Jake, I knew for a fact that he would surely offer his help if Nichs were the one doing the


    dishes. Since it was me doing it instead, he simply strutted off like it was none of his business.


    I heard my phone ringing behind me while washing the dishes and saw Nichs bringing it to me when I


    turned around.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling? Is it Shannon?¡± I asked.


    Nichs hit the answer button and said, ¡°No. Here, I¡¯ll hold it for you so you can carry on washing.¡±


    As I didn¡¯t get a chance to see the caller ID earlier, I only found out that it was Benjamin after hearing his


    voice on the phone.


    I hadn¡¯t been in contact with him ever since I took care of things with Julius.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you call me up all of a sudden, Benjamin? Just so you know, I can¡¯t tell you anything if you¡¯re


    going to ask me about the recent rumors.¡± I decided to make my point clear right from the start.


    Benjamin¡¯s tone was rather unpleasant. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in any of that. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d do


    such a thing, Liliana. Looks like I was wrong about you.¡±


    I turned the tap off and asked with a frown, ¡°What do you mean by that? What did I do?¡±


    What the hell is he on about? What did I do to piss him off?


    Benjamin said with a cold chuckle, ¡°Heh, I¡¯d rather not waste my time and energy on pointless


    exnations. If you have any conscience left in you,e visit Dominic at City Hospital yourself.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what happened to Dominic? Tell¡­ Hello?¡±


    He hung up on me¡­ This is unbelievable! What the h*ll did he mean by that? Did Dominic get


    hospitalized due to some kind of disease? Or is this just some new trick he came up with to gain my


    sympathy? Yeah, it¡¯s probably thetter. I mean, he got into a fight with me yesterday, and he even


    punched Nichs in the face! There¡¯s no way he¡¯d suddenly end up in the hospital on that very same


    day! Besides, even if he really did get hospitalized, he has Camille to look after him, so why would I want


    to go there and see them act all lovey-dovey?


    ¡°What happened, Liliana? Did something happen?¡±


    Nichs¡¯ voice snapped me out of my train of thought, and I shook my head in response. ¡°No, it¡¯s just


    another one of my nosy friends trying to ask me about this incident. I¡¯m almost done here, so you can go


    spend some time with Scarlett.¡±


    Despite my countless efforts at telling myself to not think about Dominic, I just couldn¡¯t seem to get it out


    of my mind.


    Knowing Benjamin, he wasn¡¯t the type who would joke about such things. Did something really happen


    to Dominic?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    Chapter 103 Nearly Drank Himself To Death


    You can¡¯t get the cork back into the wine bottle once it came out, and the same concept applies to certain


    things in life.


    In my case, the news of Dominic being hospitalized was the cork, and my mind was the bottle. I


    couldn¡¯t stop myself from worrying about him, and my condition only worsened with each passing


    second.


    After staring long and hard at my phone on the kitchen counter, I clenched my teeth and decided to give


    Dominic a call anyway.


    My logic at the time was simple. If Dominic answers my call, it means he¡¯s perfectly fine, and that nothing


    has happened to him!


    I made the call, and it got through, but the person on the other line was not Dominic.


    ¡°Why are you calling him on his phone? I told you toe over to the hospital and see for yourself, didn¡¯t


    I?¡±


    I froze when I heard Benjamin¡¯s voice again and even though I had called the wrong number.


    ¡°Why would I want to go visit him? For all I know, you two could be in cahoots and are simply trying to


    trick me into going there!¡±


    Given what James had done in the past, it wasn¡¯t exactly my fault for being a little paranoid.


    ¡°Us trying to trick you? I don¡¯t have that much time and energy for such nonsense, Liliana! Anyway, I¡¯ve


    said everything I should, so it¡¯s up to you whether you choose toe over. I just hope you won¡¯t make


    a decision you¡¯lle to regretter on!¡±


    Benjamin hung up on me once again, and I ced my phone back down on the kitchen counter.


    Damn it, Benjamin! Why do you keep hanging up on me without telling me what happened?


    I then turned the tap back on and wet the dishcloth before scrubbing hard on the bowl.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it all to h*ll!¡± I cursed in frustration and threw the dishcloth into the sink. I then grabbed


    my phone and ran out of the kitchen.


    Nichs and the others were having a conversation in the living room, but I couldn¡¯t care less about that


    and interrupted them, ¡°I need to head out for a bit, can you give me a lift?¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡± Nichs asked.


    ¡°City Hospital.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow! You¡¯re going to the hospital just because you¡¯ve scrubbed dishes? Nic made us all lunch! You


    don¡¯t see him going to the hospital because of that!¡± Jake said sarcastically.


    I didn¡¯t have time to argue with Jake, so I simply kept my gaze fixated on Nichs as I asked, ¡°Can you


    take me to City Hospital?¡±


    Nichs got up from the couch and said, ¡°Sure,e on. I¡¯ll get you a hat and a pair of sunsses.¡±


    Naturally, I had no reason to refuse his offer as it was for my own good.


    ¡°What if the journalists see you guys, Nic? Things could get really problematic!¡± Scarlett objected.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to be careful. Wait here, Liliana,¡± Nichs said as he ran up to the second floor.


    I knew it was a bad time for me to go outside, but I was so worried about Dominic that I couldn¡¯t help it.


    Since Benjamin refused to exin the situation, I couldn¡¯t rest until I confirmed it for myself.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, you should be more considerate about Nichs¡¯ situation.¡±


    This was the second time I had met Scarlett in person since yesterday, and she had been very polite to


    me the whole time.


    However, I could tell that she was angry from the tone of her voice just now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be extra careful¡­¡± That was all I could say.


    Nichs came back downstairs shortly after and handed me the hat and sunsses. ¡°Jake, Scarlett, you


    guys can either wait here or head on home. Bye now!¡±


    Nichs then drove as quickly as he could toward the hospital.


    While driving, he asked me, ¡°Why are you going to the hospital in such a hurry now? Is it because of


    Dominic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just going to check on him and see if he¡¯s okay,¡± I replied with a nod.


    Not knowing for sure if he was okay was exactly what made me so worried.


    Nichs parked his car in the hospital¡¯s underground parking lot. ¡°Make sure you call and find out which


    floor he¡¯s on. Don¡¯t go running around searching every floor like a headless chicken.¡±


    I then gave Benjamin a call and asked, ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital now. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Level 16, V1606.¡±


    Benjamin was surprisingly cooperative this time, and that made me a lot more suspicious.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I had wanted Nichs to wait in the car while I went upstairs by myself as it would reduce my chances of


    drawing attention to myself.


    However, Nichs insisted on going with me, so I had no choice but to do as told.


    The elevator leading to the VIP wards was isted from the others and required a password for


    activation. I entered the password that Benjamin had provided me with earlier, and the two of us took the


    elevator up to the sixteenth floor.


    It didn¡¯t take long before we found Dominic¡¯s ward, and Nichs offered to wait outside by himself before


    I even said anything.


    I pushed the door open and saw Benjamin standing in a corner, followed by Dominic who was lying on


    the hospital bed.


    ¡°Hmph¡­ I guess you do have some conscience in you, after all,¡± Benjamin said coldly.


    I walked up to the hospital bed and saw that Dominic¡¯s face and lips were as pale as a sheet.


    He was hooked up to an IV drip, and a clear liquid was slowly flowing into his body through the tube.


    It took me every ounce of willpower I had in me to keep myself from crying when I saw how lifeless he


    looked.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. He just nearly drank himself to death, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Why did he go drinking?¡±


    He called me ¡°used goods¡±, so why did he try to drink his sorrows away? Shouldn¡¯t he be happier without


    me?


    Benjamin eyed me from head to toe and said, ¡°You wait here. I need to go make a phone call.¡±


    He then walked out of the ward, leaving me all alone with Dominic.


    How much did he drink to nearly dying from it like this?


    ¡°Why did you go drinking, Dominic? Was it because we got into a fight yesterday? Or was it because you


    got upset after hearing Nichs call me his girlfriend?¡± I mumbled to myself as I sat by the hospital bed.


    Nah, who am I kidding? He doesn¡¯t love me anymore, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯d be upset about that!


    I let out a wry chuckle at the thought of that and reached out to hold his cold hand in mine, hoping it


    would warm him up a little.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I looked up in surprise and saw that he had woken up.


    ¡°Nothing!¡± I quickly let go of his hand.


    ¡°Why are you here? Who told you toe here?¡±


    Dominic was rude, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to get mad at a patient.


    ¡°Benjamin told me you were hospitalized and asked me toe to see you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to see, so hurry up and get lost!¡±


    My goodness, talk about attitude!


    I clenched my fists and forcefully suppressed my anger as I asked, ¡°Tell me, why did you go drinking?¡±

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Chapter 104 He Did That Intentionally


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    I had never felt more stupid for caring about him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it is none of my business. Benjamin told me you nearly drank yourself to death, but I¡¯m kind


    of disappointed that you didn¡¯t actually die. Please tell your men to not inform me unless it¡¯s your


    funeral.¡±


    I then turned around and walked toward the door after saying that.


    Damn it, I shouldn¡¯t havee! Why was I even worried about this piece of sh*t?


    I thought to myself as I opened the door, only to see Camille standing outside with her eyes red and


    swollen.


    Oh, for f*ck¡¯s sake! Why am I so unlucky? Now I have to deal with another piece of sh*t!


    ¡°Liliana¡­¡± Camille took a step back in fear when she saw me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure why she reacted that way toward me, but I didn¡¯t care and simply walked past her.


    I didn¡¯t see Nichs outside the ward, so I was about to give him a call when I saw Yvonneing over.


    ¡°Dr. Baker!¡± I waved at her.


    ¡°Ah, are you here to visit Dominic?¡± Yvonne asked straightforwardly.


    My cheeks puffed up with anger as I replied, ¡°Hmph! Why would I visit someone that lively and well?


    Besides, he¡¯s got his fianc¨¦e with him, so I¡¯d just be a third wheel there!¡±


    Yvonne adjusted her sses and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as to why he ended up being hospitalized?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in his affairs.¡±


    He just said it was none of my business, and I wasn¡¯t about to repeat that same mistake.


    Yvonne ignored my reply and continued, ¡°He drank too much and suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding.


    If this happens again, he could very well meet his maker on the spot.¡±


    I felt my chest tighten upon hearing that, but I responded by saying, ¡°Only the good die young, so he¡¯s


    going to live a pretty long life.¡±


    ¡°He actually did that with the intention to kill himself.¡±


    So what? That¡¯s none of my business!


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some business to attend to, so I¡¯ll be on my way now. See you, Dr. Baker.¡± I grew impatient and


    didn¡¯t want to stay there any longer.


    I gave Nichs a call after saying goodbye to Yvonne, and he asked me to wait for him at the elevator.


    He said he woulde over right away, but Camille came before he did.


    The mere sight of that pretentious look of hers made me extremely ufortable, and she was the


    shameless type who would cling to you even when you keep trying to brush them off.


    ¡°Thank goodness, you¡¯re still here. There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about, Liliana.¡±


    I said coldly, ¡°We have nothing to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Liliana. I just wanted to apologize to you for what happened at the reunion. I didn¡¯t


    know Dom would treat you like that.¡±


    I let out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°Oh, please¡­ Dominic isn¡¯t here right now, so you can drop the act now, you


    pretentious b*tch! Apologize? Don¡¯t make meugh! I bet you were overjoyed at the time, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Camille froze for a second and had an innocent look on her face.


    However, that look quickly disappeared and was reced by an annoying, gleeful grin.


    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s nice to see how much Dom hates you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you look a lot easier on the eyes when you¡¯re being your b*tchy self!¡± I said with a snicker.


    Wanting to anger her even further, I stroked my chin and continued in a serious tone, ¡°Camille, do you


    know what the difference is between your biggest strength and your biggest weakness? Well, I¡¯ll tell you.


    Your weakness is you being a b*tch, and your strength is you being too much of a b*tch.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Camille¡¯s face went stiff from anger, and I could see her going through a myriad of expressions in


    an instant.


    Not wanting to waste any more of my time on her, I waved at her like she was an annoying fly and said,


    ¡°Dominic is waiting for you, so you should get going now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liliana! I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Camille grabbed my arm and began crying all of a sudden.


    I brushed her hand off in disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Get your crazy a*s away from me!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Man, she really is something! ring daggers at me a second ago, and breaking into tears the next? I¡¯m


    surprised she hasn¡¯t won an Oscar yet!


    Camille grabbed onto my arm once again. ¡°I know I¡¯ve wronged you, and that I shouldn¡¯t be with Dom! I¡¯ll


    leave him so you can have him back, Lili!¡±


    Her pretentious act was really starting to anger me, and I shoved her off in response.


    ¡°What the h*ll is wrong with you? You hit yourself on the head when you were little or something?¡±


    She then pretended to fall down from being shoved, much to my disgust.


    Wow, really? Can¡¯t you at least be a little more creative? That was such a light push! If you like falling so


    much, how about you try falling down a flight of stairs next time? Besides, Dominic isn¡¯t here, so what¡¯s


    the point of doing this?


    ¡°Who are you putting this act up for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not acting, Lili! Please, you have to believe me!¡±


    Camille stood up and tried to grab me a third time, but I pushed her away really hard this time.


    ¡°Cut it out, damn it! Get the h*ll away from me!¡±


    ¡°Camille!¡±


    I turned around when I heard someone call out to Camille, and saw a woman approaching from the


    corridor.


    I had no idea who she was, but I knew for a fact that she wasn¡¯t Camille¡¯s mom.


    I had been to Camille¡¯s house for dinner countless times when we were still close friends in university, so


    I knew how her mom looked like, and this woman looked nothing like her.


    ¡°When did you get here, Milena?¡±


    The woman helped tidy up Camille¡¯s hair and said with a gentle smile, ¡°I got here a while ago and was


    asking the doctor about his condition.¡±


    Camille had a concerned look on her face as she asked, ¡°So, what happened earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw everything. Are you all right? You¡¯re not hurt, are you? Dom worries a lot about you, so it


    would pain him to see you getting injured like this.¡±


    ¡°Aw, shucks!¡± Camille blushed like a shy little girl.


    Um¡­ What on earth is going on here? Judging by the way this woman speaks, she seems to be very


    close with Dominic and Camille¡­ Could she be a rtive of some sort?


    The woman gave Camille a pat on the back of her hand, and the look in her eyes changed when she


    turned toward me.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the woman who slept with my son?¡± she asked with an icy-cold and prating gaze.


    Huh? Her son? Who? Dominic?


    I was so shocked that my legs nearly gave out underneath me.


    Where the h*ll is Nichs when I need him?

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105 The Last Time


    I kept quiet, so Camille kept her act up. ¡°Please, it¡¯s not her fault. If it¡¯s anyone¡¯s fault, it¡¯s mine. She was


    Dom¡¯s girlfriend, after all.¡±


    ¡°See, Camille, you¡¯re too kind for your own good. You think she¡¯s your friend, but she doesn¡¯t see you


    the same way. I know. I saw how she treated you.¡±


    I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Another gullible soul. And here I thought she¡¯s as smart as she


    looks. Camille didn¡¯t have an ounce of kindness in her. Her soul was nothing but a wicked cesspool.


    ¡°She¡¯s not that kind of person. We used to be great friends.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough. Stand back.¡±


    The woman pulled Camille back and shot me a nasty look. ¡°I know you¡¯re Dom¡¯s ex, but that¡¯s all you are


    now. His ex. Don¡¯t even get any ideas about him, and stay away from Camille. We don¡¯t wee women


    like you here.¡±


    Women like me? Wow, you jumped the gun before you even got to know me. Camille¡¯s a fake b*tch, but


    anyone could see through her if they tried hard enough. This woman¡¯s just stupid. Yeah, not my problem


    even if she was a moron. It¡¯s not like I¡¯d run into her anyway.


    Ah, but I had to exin myself. No, not because I was trying to get in her good books. Not gonna make


    her head bigger than it already was. ¡°Um, ma¡¯am, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. Your son isn¡¯t as popr


    as you think he is. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the king of the world, you know.


    ¡°Youdies should get him off my back ASAP instead of hounding me around. Now that he has a


    fianc¨¦e, I suggest they get married as soon as possible. And tell him to stop harassing me. I don¡¯t want


    to get in trouble for his mistakes.¡±


    I still liked him, but since we had gotten to this point, it was impossible for us to date anymore. If he were


    to marry Camille, I could finally give up on him too, so win-win. Yeah, heartbreak and bitterness would be


    the price to pay, but it was a reasonable price.


    I mean, the guy was just one fish in the ocean. Now that someone had angled him, I could move on to


    the next fish.


    ¡°Looks like someone really wants to attend my wedding, huh?¡±


    I froze up and turned around ever so slowly, while Camille darted to Dominic¡¯s side. ¡°Hey, you shouldn¡¯t


    be getting around.¡± She held his arm. ¡°You¡¯re still not off the IV infusion yet.¡±


    The old hag went up to him, ignoring me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she chided. ¡°You¡¯re still sick! You


    shouldn¡¯t havee out, not when you¡¯re only wearing a shirt.¡±


    ¡°It is getting chilly. Camille, take mom to my ward and grab my jacket for me.¡±


    Whoa, so that olddy really was Dominic¡¯s mom. Hmm, guess I really crossed her when I insulted her


    son.


    She was still fussing over her son though, worried that he might catch something if he kept walking


    around sick. ¡°No. Go to your ward and rest up. You¡¯re not going anywhere until you¡¯re all healed.¡±


    ¡°Camille,¡± Dominic called her again.


    Camille followed his every beck and call, so she was about to take his mother away, but the olddy


    red at me. ¡°I know where his ward is.¡± She went to Dominic¡¯s ward. ¡°Stay with Dom, Camille. Keep an


    eye on him.¡±


    She gave me another look. Honestly, what was she thinking? I wouldn¡¯t do anything to her son. I clicked


    my tongue, feeling vexed about the matter.


    The guy might be sick, but he was still strong. I couldn¡¯t do anything to him even if I wanted to.


    After his mother had left, Dominic and Camille came up to me. He was looking thinner than thest time I


    saw him since his shirt was already getting oversized.


    And he was looking sickly pale, so I instinctively walked up to him. In case he were to fall, I could grab


    him in time, but when I met his gaze, a chill ran down my spine, and the temperature around me dropped


    by a few centigrade.


    ¡°So, you want to attend my wedding?¡± he asked.


    The question caught me by surprise, so I froze up, while Camille looked at me nervously, waiting for my


    answer.


    ¡°Even if I say no, would that stop you from marrying your fianc¨¦e?¡±


    Dominic gazed at me. ¡°Are you going to attend or not?¡± He was still insistent.


    Crap, I told myself to give up on him, but for some reason, my heart was starting to pound. What¡¯s he


    getting at? Would he cancel the wedding if I say no? ¡±I¡­ Hey, if you guys want to get hitched, get


    hitched. I don¡¯t get to call the shots here.¡±


    I put a calm fa?ade on, but I was pinching my thigh behind him, forcing myself to stay cool. I was terribly


    hurt five years ago, but he still wouldn¡¯t let me go after our reunion. Even after five years, he was still


    ying me like a fool.


    Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I wasn¡¯t gonna let him bully me again, so I


    wouldn¡¯t y along anymore.


    Dominic looked disappointed after hearing my answer, much to my surprise. I wanted to take a closer


    look, but that look of disappointment was already gone.


    He smirked at me. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t get to call the shots here. d you know where you stand,¡± he


    said hoarsely. ¡°But since you want to attend my wedding, I¡¯ll send you an RSVP. We hope to see you


    there.¡±


    I clenched my fists tightly, trying my best to stay calm. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m happy for you two.¡±


    Dominic stared at me intently, then he raised his voice, ¡°You heard her, Camille. Don¡¯t forget to send her


    an RSVP.¡±


    Camille was obviously overjoyed. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re attending our wedding, Liliana,¡± she gushed. ¡°I¡¯ll be


    giving you the RSVP the first chance I get.¡±


    I could feel my heart shattering into a million pieces, then Dominic¡¯s mother came back with his jacket.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± She draped the jacket on him. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    I stood rooted to my spot and saw them off, feeling hurt because of how happy they looked


    together. Why am I feeling sad? This is exactly what I want. Now that they¡¯re happily hitched, nobody¡¯s


    stopping me from getting another fish.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    I sniffled and turned back to the elevator. My reflection was staring back at me, then I realized I was


    tearing up. Liliana, you¡¯re an idiot. I wiped the tears off my face, but I couldn¡¯t stop the sobs.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Chapter 106 Quashing The Rumors


    The moment I got to the parking lot, Nichs called me. ¡°Hey, my fans won¡¯t let me go, so I can¡¯te


    over. Can you wait for me at my car?¡±


    I went to his car and waited for ten minutes before Nichs came over in a hurry, then he unlocked the


    car. ¡°Get in, on the double.¡±


    I noticed a bunch of people looking around when we were getting out of the ce. ¡°Fans of yours?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Almost couldn¡¯t get away from them.¡±


    Nichs drove toward South Hill from the hospital. ¡°How¡¯s he looking?¡±


    I kept quiet for a moment. ¡°Great. Someone¡¯s attending to him 24/7. He¡¯s like a king now.¡±


    ¡°What about you then?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m doing great. Just wondering how much gift money I should prepare for the wedding. Can¡¯t


    give them too little, or it¡¯d be too embarrassing, but can¡¯t give them too much either or I¡¯d be broke.¡±


    ¡°Wedding? Wait, Dominic¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d probably be getting an RSVP soon.¡±


    Nichs didn¡¯t bring Dominic up for the rest of the trip. When we came back to the vi, only Jake was


    still up. He came up to us the moment we came in, shoving me away at the same time.


    Jake checked up on Nichs, mumbling incessantly at the same time. Since I had overstayed my


    wee, I bade Nichs good night before going back to my room.


    I had nothing to do, and I didn¡¯t want to scroll through Twitter either, in case I got annoyed. In the end, I


    started binging crime shows on Netflix, since I needed a ton of gore to cure my depression.


    Just when it was getting to the good part, my dad called me. He didn¡¯t beat about the bush and started


    asking me about the thing on Twitter. My dad was a traditional, egotistical man, so I was worried he


    might fly into a rage over the matter.


    Look, I didn¡¯t mind the scolding, but it would be bad if he fell sick from this. Not to mention my mother


    would be worried for him as well. After some consideration, I told him it was just rumors and


    exaggerations. ¡°They¡¯re just jokes, so don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    My dad kept quiet for a long while after that. ¡°Lili, your mother and I have been thinking, and well, it


    seems that we¡¯ve been neglecting you all this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to berate you or anything, but just remember, if life is getting too hard for you, you can


    come home anytime. We¡¯ll back you up this time. Not gonna let another Julius happen again.¡±


    I never expected my father to actually say that, so I started bawling. My father startedughing. ¡°You¡¯re


    like a child.¡± Yeah, so what? I mean, these guys were my parents. I could be a kid in front of them.


    I talked to my mom for a while before hanging up, then I felt a lot more cheerful. Now that I was happier,


    the shows looked better in my eyes. All the corpses and gore were pure art to me, and I enjoyed every


    second of it.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    I stayed at Nichs¡¯ ce for three days. The topic was still raising a storm on Twitter, but it was getting


    smaller. Then, someone made a tweet about my friendship with Scarlett that night, as well as the trip we


    went on together.


    It was nned. Scarlett took me around for a stroll that afternoon, and she ran into the reporters on


    purpose. After that, the news of Nichs and his manager¡¯s visit to the hospital made it trending, and


    this time, there were pictures to back it up.


    One of the pictures was taken during the time he beat someone up for me, so after the tweet was made


    public, the news of his aggression was less believable now.


    On top of that, Scarlett said I was with her all the time, which meant the news was nothing but a rumor.


    Nichs wasn¡¯t Naruto, after all, so he couldn¡¯t show up at two ces at the same time.


    Melodramatic, yes, but effective. The public bought the story, and thements on Nichs¡¯ tweets got


    a lot less abusive.


    I asked Shannon to pick me up at the vi in case someone were to stir up another storm. She came


    shortly after and drove me back to the hotel sh reserved for us.


    ¡°The management called me. Liliana, they want you to be more careful with your private life. They can¡¯t


    control what you do, but whatever you do, don¡¯t jeopardize the movie shoot, and don¡¯t let anything get in


    the way of youric.¡±


    So the shoot was affected because of Nichs¡¯ three-day absence, huh? sh wouldn¡¯t me a bigshot


    like Nichs, so naturally, I became the scapegoat.


    It had been two weeks or so since I joined the film crew to up my drawing game, but it had been nothing


    but scandals ever since. I couldn¡¯t me sh for giving me a warning since I was behind schedule.


    Honestly, all I wanted now was a peaceful life. If Dominic could get off my back for the next two weeks,


    it¡¯d be swell.


    Apparently, my prayer worked, since he never did show up again. Or maybe he was just sick. Either way,


    I managed to finish up my work before the deadline and handed it in to thepany.


    Just when I thought things were getting better, another unexpected event came smashing into my life. It


    wasn¡¯t a big one, but it wasn¡¯t minor either.


    I was going to get some fresh air now that my manuscript was done, then I realized Nichs and Scarlett


    were on set. Shannon was watching from the sidelines as well, so I went up to her.


    ¡°Shannon.¡± She was looking enthralled, so I pinched her.


    She swatted my hand away, then she turned around. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she said impatiently. ¡°Done


    with your work today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Hey, don¡¯t you get bored of this? It¡¯s been almost a month, but you still look excited every time


    you see them.¡±


    She shot me a disdainful look. ¡°Ah, what do you know? I never get tired of hotties. And the assistant


    director said this is the first kissing scene of the shoot. It¡¯s gonna be big, so don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    Well, charmed, I guess? It¡¯s the first kissing scene, but so what? Nichs is gonna kiss Scarlett, not


    you, I said quietly. If I said that aloud, Shannon would kill me. She was already mad at me because I got


    to stay at Nichs¡¯ ce for three days, so if I were to disturb her, she¡¯d probably tear me apart.


    Shannon and I weren¡¯t the only audiences. The deuteragonists and a lot of the supporting cast were


    there to see the kiss. Then, a staff member chased us away. ¡°Hey, stand back. We don¡¯t want to see you


    in the shoot.¡±


    Remember the unexpected event I said earlier? Yeah, it woulde crashing in three, two, one¡­

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Chapter 107 An Imaginative Woman


    Upon hearing the script supervisor advising everyone to step backward, I conformed without realizing


    how close I was to theke.


    s, in a split second, I missed a step and fell on my back.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Astonished, I let out a shrill scream while waving my hands frantically in the air.


    Panicked, I grabbed whatever was nearby. I had no idea what I held onto, but I clung to it as if it was my


    only life-saving straw.


    Unfortunately, it slid off my hands and I fell into theke with a loud thud.


    I did not know how to swim, so all I could do was throw my hands around with the hope that I could stay


    afloat. Ironically, the more I did that, the more I sank into the depths of theke. I even swallowed a fair


    amount of the water.


    Right when I was about to pass out, I felt that my body was being dragged upward.


    I could hear Nichs¡¯ voice clearly. ¡°I got you, Liliana. Rx and don¡¯t struggle.¡±


    How could I rx when I was extremely scared? It was very difficult to heed his instruction, yet I tried my


    best to follow.


    Subsequently, he pulled me up.


    As soon as I got onnd, I started to gasp for air relentlessly and coughed severely.


    Shannon came over and covered me with some dry clothes. She patted on my back to console me.


    Momentster, another person was also saved from drowning. To my surprise, I realized that I


    mistakenly pulled the supporting actress into the water just now.


    Looking disheveled, she was still wearing the traditional costumes and make-up from the shoot.


    I was still in shock and could not apologize to her right away.


    Drenched, Nichs asked, ¡°Are you all right? How did you fall into theke?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t notice what was behind me. Achoo!¡± I was shivering and sneezing at the same time.


    Then, I saw Nichs stretching his arms wide as if he was about to give me a hug.


    Meanwhile, Scarlett came over and assisted me along with Shannon.


    She informed Nichs, ¡°I have some spare clothes with me. I¡¯ll bring her over to get changed


    immediately. Otherwise, she may fall sick in this weather.¡±


    I appreciated Scarlett¡¯s good intentions. However, all I could think of at that moment was my losses. I


    spent fifty thousand on that dress thest time. This time¡­ Oh no, another fifty thousand¡­ gone? I only


    have that much in my bank ount. It seems like another one-third is going to be deducted after this


    episode.


    When I arrived at Scarlett¡¯s private dressing room, she took out some clothes from her bag, passed them


    to me, and left.


    I changed into her dry clothes in a sh.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Achoo!¡±


    Seeing that I was sneezing non-stop, Shannon urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll drive you back to the hotel. Go get a


    hot shower and take some cold medicine as prevention.¡±


    Naturally, I could not refuse as I did not want to catch a cold either.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Before leaving, I felt that I should notify Nichs and Scarlett. More importantly, I must apologize to Jean


    Lannon, the supporting actress.


    Standing outside Nichs¡¯ private dressing room, I heard a voice. ¡°There have been so many untoward


    incidents recently and Liliana is always the cause. Nichs, don¡¯t you find that strange?


    ¡°What are your thoughts on this? Do you have feelings for her?¡±


    Shannon nudged me and tilted her head toward the room. There was something behind her expression.


    I red at her as a warning.


    Nichs has helped me a lot because we¡¯re friends. I doubt he likes me.


    The nosy Shannon tried to eavesdrop through the door. Hurriedly, I pulled her away before we were


    found.


    In the end, I did not get to make it up to Jean and left the filming set instead.


    I could not be bothered about how Shannon felt when I shoved her into the car. I just knew we had to


    leave as soon as possible.


    During the journey back, she grumbled, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me listen to their conversations? I haven¡¯t


    heard the heartthrob¡¯s reply. Aren¡¯t you curious what he would say?¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so inappropriately inquisitive? It¡¯s not right to pry into people¡¯s privacy. How


    embarrassing if we get caught!¡±


    Shannon rebutted, ¡°What are you talking about? I did it for your sake. I mean, I like Nichs and Scarlett


    as an on-screen couple, but what if he has fallen for you? Have you ever thought about that?¡±


    How delusional is she! Oh, this is unbearable.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re in a drama series or something? How could there be so many surprises in life?


    Given a choice between Scarlett and myself, anyone with a sane mind would know who he would


    choose. Nichs and I are merely friends. Don¡¯t you go around and spread rumors about us.¡±


    Shannon made a face at me and dropped the topic.


    Back in the hotel room, I took a hot bath.


    When I came out, Shannon was holding my phone with a smug on her face. ¡°Do you know who just


    called you? Nichs. Do you want to know what did he say? He reminded me umpteen times to take


    good care of you, get you some medicines, and even cautioned me not to starve you nor let you fall sick.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely not quite a match to picture you and my gorgeous heartthrob together. Then again,


    you¡¯re my best friend. So, Liliana, I¡¯ll support you all the way!¡±


    Chuckling, I tossed the towel at her.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not an absolute beauty, I don¡¯t look too bad, do I? What¡¯s wrong with my girl-next-door


    look? Nichs is just being nice as a friend. It¡¯s no big deal. Weren¡¯t you also very worried about me just


    now? You¡¯re so caring to me too. So, does it mean that you like me?¡±


    The next moment, Shannon tumbled out of bed and darted toward me.


    She jabbed on my head a few times and stated firmly, ¡°Believe it or not, I can guarantee that my


    heartthrob has developed feelings for you.¡±


    I ignored her and went to blow my hair dry instead.


    Whatever it is, I¡¯ve said my peace.


    The next day, sh notified me that I was no longer needed to join the crew at the filming set but to


    continue submitting my scripts on time.


    I recalled leaving some belongings behind with the crew, so Shannon and I nned to make a detour to


    collect it after leaving the hotel.


    I thoughtfully brought along some snacks and beverages as I felt that I needed to bid farewell to the team


    on a good note and leave with a good impression. After all, I had stayed with them for a month and even


    caused some trouble. Moreover, the director, who was quite fierce toward the other actors, had never


    been angry with me.


    I asked a staff where Jean was and got ready to approach her and apologize sincerely.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108 A Beautiful Couple


    The staff told me that Jean had fallen sick and was resting at the hotel.


    Considering the fact that her hotel was just nearby, I nned to head over myself. I did not inform


    Shannon as she was happily engaged in a conversation with others.


    Upon arriving at the hotel, I first found out which room Jean was in and then went to her.


    Within seconds after ringing the door bell, Jean¡¯s assistant answered the door.


    Smiling, I inquired, ¡°Is Ms. Lannon here? I came by to apologize to her.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Come on in, Jean¡¯s inside.¡± Her polite assistant moved aside for me to enter.


    I went in with the things I brought and saw Jean lying on the bed.


    She did not seem too pleased to see me and I perfectly understood why. After all, she would not have


    fallen into theke if it were not for what I did.


    Last night, I made an effort to look it up on the Inte and got her something she liked as a gift.


    cing the gift on the table, I said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about yesterday, Ms. Lannon. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t know if you did it intentionally, but I¡¯m aware that you have the backing of Nichs, the


    superstar. Thus, no one dares to do anything to you.¡±


    Completely baffled, I did not know how to respond to her remarks.


    Anyhow, I doubted she would want to listen to my exnation. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for a bit.¡± Her tone was


    seemingly impatient to send me off.


    Feeling awkward, I smiled. ¡°Oh, okay. Please take care. I¡¯m going to take my leave now.¡±


    As soon as I got out of the hotel, Shannon called and I told her my location.


    She came to get me. ¡°Why did youe alone? Did Jean say or do anything to you?¡± Shannon was


    concerned.


    I could not help butugh. ¡°I was there to apologize to her. What could she have done to me? It¡¯s okay.¡±


    I felt uneasy spitting out those words. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter anymore since nothing is affected on my


    end.


    I sent Nichs a text message as I felt like I needed to give him an update. When I was at the filming


    set, he was acting with Scarlett, so I did not disturb them.


    Right after that incident, my life returned to normal. Dominic and Camille did not look for me. On the


    other hand, Nichs was busy filming and barely contacted me.


    Besides eating and sleeping, I spent the rest of my time drawing.


    I was cooped up in the house for almost half a month until Shannon dragged me out into the sun one


    day.


    To put it nicely, she wanted me to bask in the winter sun. In actual fact, her real intention was for me to


    apany her shopping.


    Actually, I was quite reluctant to go out. I would ratherze in bed and catch up with some beauty sleep.


    As a singledy, I had no significant other to show off my beautiful clothes and delicate make-up to.


    Women would always doll themselves up for men whom they love. However, Icked an opportunity to


    do so at the moment.


    On the contrary, Shannon was thrilled to go on a shopping spree. She entered into every single shop we


    passed by and desired to purchase everything sheid her eyes on.


    Sitting on the couch in one of the shops, I watched her check herself out in the mirror, simpering. ¡°Ms.


    Shannon Harper, you¡¯ve been staring at yourself since forever. Have you made up your mind?¡± I asked


    languidly.


    ¡°I¡¯m done. Wait a minute, which one is nicer? This or the one I tried previously?¡±


    I sighed helplessly. ¡°Just get both and end this dilemma of yours. ¡°


    She contemted for another ten minutes. Suddenly, she pulled me up on my feet and stuffed the


    clothes she was holding into my hands.


    ¡°I think this one suits you best. Go ahead and try them on, Liliana.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. You just carry on.¡± I don¡¯t want to go through such a troublesome experience.


    Shannon insisted that I do as she said. Pushing me into the changing room, she shut the door and


    warned me not toe out unless I put the clothes on.


    She¡¯s quite a character, isn¡¯t she?


    I acquiesced in her decision.


    Then, she scrutinized me from all angles and eximed, ¡°You look great! I¡¯ll buy you this dress.¡±


    A gift for me? What¡¯s the catch?


    Narrowing my eyes at her, I felt that she had an ulterior motive.


    ¡°Shannon Harper, you¡¯d bettere clean with me. What are you nning?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just gifting my best buddy a dress.¡±


    As if I¡¯d believe that excuse¡­


    In the end, she sumbed to my pressure and revealed her true purpose. Shannon wanted me to


    apany her to an eight-minute round table dateter that day.


    I rejected it right away.


    In multiple ways, she continued to persuade me persistently, but I stood my ground.


    She was still going at it after browsing through an entire row of shops whereas I had started to grow


    impatient.


    ¡°For the veryst time, Shannon Harper, I¡¯m not going. No means no.¡± I hated blind dates.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Liliana,e with me. Just this once. It¡¯s my first time. I¡¯d freak out if I go on my own.¡±


    How can I dismiss this annoyingdy?


    ¡°Shannon Harper! You¡­¡± Going ballistic, I wanted to give her a piece of my mind.


    Yet, my words fell dead on my lips.


    Standing in front of a bridal shop, I saw Dominic and Camille.


    Thetter was wearing a white tube dress. A blissful smile emerged on her face while she held Dominic¡¯s


    arm.


    I could not see his expression, but I bet he was as gleeful as Camille.


    I recalled asking them to get married soon, but my heart wrenched in agony when I finally witnessed that


    moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liliana? Why did you keep quiet all of a sudden?¡±


    I trailed off, having nothing to say.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Dominic? Is he getting married?¡±


    Instantly, I withdrew my gaze from the couple, held Shannon¡¯s hand, and scurried away.


    ¡°Liliana.¡±


    My body stiffened upon hearing my name. I did not look back but kept storming ahead.


    The voice called out to me a few more times. I ignored it until someone pulled my arm in an opposite


    direction to stop me from going forward.


    ¡°Are you deaf? Camille has been calling you several times. Didn¡¯t you hear her?¡± displeased, Dominic


    reprimanded me coldly.


    Camille was panting. ¡°Dominic, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t be so fierce to Liliana. We¡¯re in a public area and my voice


    wasn¡¯t loud enough. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t hear me, that¡¯s why she walked away.¡±


    The two of them looked like a match made in heaven; one was suited up while the other put on a silky


    white dress.


    I smiled wryly. ¡°You think too much. I simply didn¡¯t want to respond to you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get overboard, Liliana,¡± Dominic chimed in.


    I looked him in the eyes and replied, ¡°Am I being too much? What are you going to do about it?¡±

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Chapter 109 An Eight Minutes Date


    Dominic looked exceptionally serious. Each word that came out of his mouth was spoken with hostility


    toward me.


    ¡°Camille was too feeble to run after you, but she did so in order to catch up with you. Have you any


    consideration for her? Are you going to take full responsibility if anything happens to her?¡±


    Camille can¡¯t run fast? What a joke! Then¡¯s who¡¯s that who challenged me for a race when we were


    schooling?


    I mean, I can understand that you guys are tying the knot soon and you care for your wife. Why do you


    have to bring me into the picture and misjudge me?


    ¡°So, how does that have anything to do with me? Did I ask her to run after me? Moreover, does thew


    say that I must respond whenever someone calls my name? Is that your rule?¡±


    Dominic¡¯s face was a mess as he red at me as if he was ready to pounce on me and devour his prey.


    Pushing him away, I growled, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Not only did he not relinquish his grip, but he also went on to hold on ever more firmly. ¡°Say sorry to


    Camille.¡±


    Enraged, I lifted my head. ¡°Are you going to let me go?¡±


    ¡°Apologize,¡± he demanded, gritting his teeth.


    In return, I sneered, ¡°You want me to apologize to Camille, right? Sure. Camille,e over here.¡±


    She hesitated before approaching me.


    ¡°Liliana, don¡¯t fight with Dominic. I¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, I raised my arm andnded a p across her face.


    Smack!


    Camille froze. I could tell that she was not able toprehend what had just happened.


    The onlookers started gossiping and pointing their fingers at us three.


    ¡°Camille!¡± Out of a sudden, Dominic released his grip on me and hugged Camille.


    I thought he wouldn¡¯t let go? If he didn¡¯t, I would continue pping her.


    Camille seemed to have found her much-needed moral support. Leaning on Dominic, she wept


    uncontrobly.


    He patted her back gently, trying to console her. Then, he picked her up and carried her bridal style.


    He stared daggers at me. ¡°Liliana, I¡¯ll settle the scores next time.¡±


    Swinging my numb hand, I replied coldly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    With that, I held Shannon¡¯s hand and pushed ourselves out of the crowd.


    Do they think that I¡¯m an easy target? In the future, I¡¯ll not hesitate to throw heavier punches at them if


    Dominic dares to bully me with Camille.


    He even wanted to get even? Come one, what is he trying to prove? I can go and get a man too.


    ¡°Shannon, regarding the eight-minute blind date you spoke about, what time does it start? Do we have


    enough time to doll ourselves up?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Shannon was bbergasted.


    Impatiently, I repeated, ¡°Hello? I¡¯m asking you what time is our date? We¡¯ve got to dress up since we¡¯re


    going.¡±


    Shannon was stunned for about two minutes and pped her hands after regaining her senses. ¡°That¡¯s


    the spirit! Let¡¯s get nicer clothes, m up, and wow the dudes tonight! Here we go!¡±


    Hence, we spent the rest of our afternoon having a makeover.


    At eight in the evening, both of us wore our best and stood waiting in the lobby of Century Hyatt Hotel.


    It was such a magnificent five-star hotel. Looks like the standards for the eight-minute blind date tonight


    are pretty high.


    Being an amateur in this, Shannon briefly shared her experience with me.


    It would be done at a round table, where eight males and females sat across each other.


    Each person would have one minute to get to know the other person facing them. When the time was up,


    the men would switch seats. This would repeat until all participants had a quick conversation with every


    one of the opposite gender.


    In the end, the singles were free to decide how they would want to take their newfound friendship further.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in, it¡¯s time,¡± Shannon urged.


    I hummed in response and trailed behind her.


    As we entered the private lounge, I realized that everyone was already there, leaving only two vacant


    seats.


    There were actually five males and fourdies, including us. Four men were sitting around the table


    whereas the fifth one was sitting on the couch next to it.


    ¡°Two beauties, you¡¯rete. Don¡¯t forget to bottoms upter as a punishment,¡± announced the man on the


    couch.


    Shannon and I exchanged nces and took our seats as we nodded at everyone present.


    Right then, that man spoke again, ¡°Good eveningdies and gentlemen, it¡¯s fated for us all to gather here


    in this wonderful evening. I wish you all the best and hope that you can find true love within eight


    minutes.¡±


    I see¡­ So, he¡¯s the host of the night.


    After his opening speech, the timed conversations at the round tablemenced.


    Truth be told, I loathe this type of event, which I had joined by ident.


    I¡¯ve spoken to only two men and it feels like a lifetime. I can¡¯t stand it anymore.


    Nheless, the guys seem pretty decent. One is in real estate while the other owns a magazine


    company.


    I did not develop any infatuation with any of them. In fact, I wished that the clock would tick faster when I


    was interacting with them superficially.


    Yes, I regretted my decision toe with Shannon.


    I was rather quiet and gave them very short replies. Conversely, Shannon was like a social butterfly,


    chatting away with each new person met.


    I¡¯ve never thought that eight minutes are this long. Hang in there, we¡¯re down to thest guy now.


    Thest man on the table looked quite familiar, but I was certain that I did not know him.


    He introduced himself, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Royce Horton, thirty-two years old. I own apany.¡±


    ¡°Liliana Zti, twenty-seven, a frencer.¡±


    Those were the standard conversation starters.


    I finally understood the essence of the eight-minute blind date. First, find out about the man¡¯s upation


    to ascertain if he has a strong financial background. Second, check if he¡¯s pleasing to the eye.


    Royce does have the looks.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When all the participants had met one another, we all had ten minutes of free time to exchange contact


    numbers or carry on the conversation.


    Shannon seemed to be at the top of it. In a sh, two men approached her, seemingly interested.


    I was quite distracted the entire night. Nobody looked for me during the free-and-easy.


    Although I think Royce was a looker, I had no intention to pursue anything with him.


    Among all of the people present, I was the only one who stood by the side with a nk expression on my


    face.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, do you mind giving me your number? Perhaps we can continue where we left off.¡±


    Oh my heart! The request came as a surprise. Nheless, I was a little delighted.


    I haven¡¯t lost my charm, have I? See, the only guy who passed my benchmark took the initiative to ask


    me for my number.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Chapter 110 Awakened In The Middle Of The Night


    I would definitely refuse without saying a word if it was any Tom, Dick, and Harry asking me for my


    number.


    However, that man was Royce, who really stood out from the group. After pondering for a while, I had


    decided to exchange numbers with him.


    When the event ended, Shannon and I left Century Hyatt right away. We were chit-chatting about the


    night while waiting for our ride by the roadside.


    Right then, a ck Hummer pulled over. Startled, Shannon and I stopped talking.


    Wondering who the bad driver was, I was cursing in my heart at his driving skills. Unexpectedly, Royce


    got out of the vehicle.


    Luckily I kept my mouth shut. Otherwise, it¡¯d be so awkward.


    ¡°Mr. Horton,¡± I greeted him with a smile.


    He nodded. ¡°Hi. I saw you two from afar. Are you trying to get a ride? It¡¯s going to be a challenge at this


    hour. If you don¡¯t mind, I can drive you home.¡±


    I did not want to trouble him. Moreover, it was our first meeting and we hardly knew each other.


    A little precaution won¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Thanks for the thought, Mr. Horton, but we¡¯ve engaged a driver. Our ride should be here in no time.¡±


    Shrugging, he answered indifferently, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get going then. See you around.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Watching him leave, Shannon pinched me on the waist and questioned, ¡°We didn¡¯t call a car, did we?


    Why did you say no to a free ride?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he one of the dates? His name is¡­ Royce Horton, right? Hmm¡­ So, are you two nning on


    seeing each other?¡±


    I quickly rified, ¡°He asked for my number and mentioned that we could keep in touch. He¡¯s pretty all


    right. Anyhow, I just got to know him, so I should think it¡¯s best to be wary of people. Who knows? He


    might turn out to be a jerk.¡±


    Shannon started getting all excited that her face was beaming. Caressing my head, she teased, ¡°Oh my


    dear sweetheart, you¡¯ve gotten smarter. I¡¯m so proud of you that you¡¯re guarding against strangers now.¡±


    I pped her wrist and pulled her hand away. ¡°Get lost. I¡¯m not as gullible as you think I am!¡±


    ¡°Haha, just admit it. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave your side even if you¡¯re dumb.¡±


    Amused, I gestured to vomit and corrected her jokingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so cheesy, I¡¯m getting goosebumps. I


    like men, okay? Don¡¯t you get the wrong idea!¡±


    Shannon yfully wrapped her arms around me and refused to let me go, attracting unnecessary


    attention from the passersby.


    We tried to hail a cab, but to no avail.


    When I was ready to give up, a shy red sports car stopped right in front of us.


    To my surprise, the driver was none other than the president of Gxy Corporation, James.


    ¡°Yo,dies, what a coincidence!¡±


    Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ Judging from his stylish outfit, alluring smell of cologne, and party vibe, he seems to be


    out on a hunt for pretty girls.


    Well, I don¡¯t think that he needs to exert any effort in picking up girls. They will be attracted to him


    automatically as soon as they see his getup.


    Just as I had predicted, a few sexydies approached him within minutes.


    I had not seen him since thest incident when he partnered with Dominic and tricked me to show up at


    Gxy Corporation.


    Now that he had appeared in front of me again, I could not help but recall the ridiculous things that


    Dominic had done to me. It made me feel upset.


    Shannon winked at him. ¡°Mr. Dalton, what a pleasure to see you here. If you¡¯re not too busy, why don¡¯t


    you send us home?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I elbowed Shannon. ¡°Hey, I was about to engage a driver. His car is a two-seater, it won¡¯t fit us three


    anyway.¡±


    James got out of his car right away and said while snapping his fingers, ¡°I¡¯m d to be at your service,


    gorgeous girls. Just give me a moment to get someone to send another car here.¡±


    As soon as he finished saying that, he made a call. Within five minutes, an MPV arrived magically.


    ¡°Mr. Dalton, as per your request.¡±


    James took over the keys and told us, ¡°Get into the car, I¡¯ll take you both home.¡±


    We dly epted his kind gesture since he offered to be our chauffeur.


    During the journey home, I was chatting softly with Shannon in the back seat. Suddenly, my phone


    vibrated.


    It was a text message from Royce. Ms. Zti, have you arrived home safely?


    I was quite astonished to receive such a sweet word of care from him.


    Shannon leaned over, trying to take a peek at my phone screen. ¡°Is that from Royce?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡± I simply acknowledged.


    I¡¯m almost home, thanks for checking. I replied.


    Then, he returned my message with a concise three words. d to know.


    ¡°He seems to be quite keen, huh? What do you guys talk about, Liliana?¡±


    Keeping my phone in the bag, I took my time to answer her. ¡°Just the standard stuff like our names,


    upation, and age. What else can we talk about?¡±


    Arching her brows, Shannon was dumbfounded. ¡°And you¡¯ve given him your number? That¡¯s new.¡±


    I tilted my head in thought. ¡°He¡¯s seemingly nice and pleasing to the eye. He looks like someone I know.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Shannon pursued further.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell, but he looks really familiar at the very first nce.¡±


    She gasped. ¡°Liliana, is that love at first sight?¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I was almost rendered speechless. ¡°What nonsense! Forget it, you won¡¯t be able to


    understand.¡±


    Sometimes I question how her brain functions. We¡¯re clearly not on the same page on this topic.


    Out of the blue, James spoke up, ¡°Which Royce are you referring to?¡±


    Impatiently, I retorted, ¡°Mind your own business and focus on the road.¡±


    Why is he asking so much? Does he even know him?


    Thereafter, James remained silent and responsibly sent the both of us home respectively.


    When I got back, I took a nice shower and snuggled up in bed.


    I was annoyingly awakened by my ringing phone in the middle of the night.


    I blew a fuse when I saw that it was from Dominic.


    What the hell is he trying to do? Does he want to settle scores at this ungodly hour when people are


    sleeping soundly? Is he insane or what? I need my rest even if he doesn¡¯t!


    Furious, I hung up on him and switched my phone offpletely.


    While I was trying to calm myself down and get back to sleep, I heard a loud and urgent pounding on the


    front door.


    Having a bad feeling about it, I turned on the lights in my room and nced at the phone that I had


    chucked aside.


    What time is it? Is it two in the morning? Dominic can¡¯t possibly be this crazy to show up at this hour,


    right?

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Chapter 111 A Torture


    The knocking continued as I scrambled to get out of bed and put on a coat.


    The noise grew louder as I got to my living room. I had no choice but to answer the door before the


    neighbors filed aint against me.


    I could have sworn I was this close to biting Dominic¡¯s head off when I saw him at my entrance as soon


    as I opened the door.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? I need my rest even if you don¡¯t. You¡¯re so inconsiderate.¡±


    Standing under the dim light, Dominic did not say a word but merely stared into my eyes.


    He actually looks quite scary.


    No, I shouldn¡¯t cave. I need to look imposing since I¡¯ve started a fight with him.


    Straightening my back, I continued scolding him, ¡°What are you looking at? Your actions have


    sessfully unleashed my wrath. If you¡¯re thinking of finding faults with me in the wee hours, please do


    so in the morning. Bye!¡±


    As I was about to shut the door, he mmed his fist on it.


    ¡°Hey¡­ What are you trying to do? What¡¯s this all about? Hey, Dominic, don¡¯t pretend!¡±


    I thought he wanted to throw a punch at me, but he just fell on me unexpectedly.


    Panic-stricken, I hugged him and realized that he reeked of alcohol.


    Did he hit the bar again? What¡¯s up with him? Is he drunk again?


    For a while, I shook him, patted him, and yelled his name, but he did not move a muscle nor give me any


    response.


    Subsequently, I painstakingly pushed him toward the wall so I could see him face to face. Darn it, he has


    dozed off!


    This is ridiculous! What am I supposed to do now with a drunkard?


    Recognizing the fact that I had no other option, with all my might, and dragged him to my couch. Then, I


    sat panting on the floor.


    Geez, he¡¯s so heavy. Oh my poor, frail body.


    After catching a breather, I kicked him twice and pped him on the face multiple times. Like a corpse,


    he was so still.


    I mumbled, ¡°He never fails to create trouble for me even when he¡¯s drunk.¡±


    No, I can¡¯t allow him to put up a night here. I must get help.


    I searched his body for a long time and yet I could not find his phone.


    When I was about to return to my room to get mine, he grabbed my hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­ Please don¡¯t go¡­¡±


    I faltered at his soft request. Who is he asking to stay? Camille, I bet. Wow, what a pair! He misses her


    so much albeit being as drunk as a skunk.


    I tried to wriggle my hand out of his grip. However, no matter how hard I struggled, he would only tighten


    his vice-like grip while repeating, ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, are you putting up an act here? Let me go, you¡¯re hurting me. I¡¯m not Camille, okay?¡±


    Out of strength, I sat down on the couch.


    Perhaps it was because I stop resisting him, he loosened his grip, and it was less painful for me.


    Seeing that he was trying to take off his tie, I helped him untie it. I think he must be feeling


    ufortable.


    Seriously, why don¡¯t you go home when you¡¯re drunk? Why did youe to me?


    I was really angry to see him so wasted; I pinched him twice.


    Doesn¡¯t he know how bad his health is? Yvonne and Benjamin say that he almost died due to


    intoxication. Look at you now, don¡¯t you care about your life?


    I had no clue what made him drink excessively. He¡¯s got everything. So, why?


    ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, fine. Stop talking and go to sleep.¡± I found his repeated utterances very irritating.


    My words seemed to work like a charm. Momentster, he fell asleep.


    After so much torment, I was exhausted. Whatever, let me get some shut-eye too.


    Yawning, I sat on the floor and leaned toward the couch.


    The position was rather ufortable; my neck was sore and the floor was chilly. I tried to adjust myself


    subconsciously.


    Peeking through my bleary eyes, I saw Dominic sleeping like a baby.


    Little by little, I carefully moved my hand out of his palm. Thankfully, he was not awakened by my


    movements.


    Heaving a sigh, I went to my bedroom and picked up the duvet.


    Forget it, I¡¯ll put up with this just once.


    When I returned to the living room, I saw him attempting to remove his clothes. After pondering, I


    decided to fetch a pail of warm water from the bathroom.


    I helped him to remove his jacket, necktie, andstly, I unbuttoned his shirt.


    Using a wet towel, I wiped his face and upper body.


    Then, I covered him with the duvet.


    Taking a deep breath, I said under my breath, ¡°You should feel morefortable now since you look so


    at ease.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leaning on the couch, I plopped down on a soft cushion.


    After monitoring him for a while, I was relieved to see him sleeping peacefully. I should go back to my


    room too.


    Before I could stride forward, he gripped my hand once again.


    Frustrated, I turned around only to find him snoozing away. However, his hand was sping on mine


    tightly, as if he was very determined to keep me by his side, knowingly.


    ¡°Hey, what game are you ying? I want to go back to bed too.¡± I was exasperated.


    I gave up after fighting with him silently for about five minutes. Fine, I¡¯ll stay, okay?


    I went back to my lonely spot, shared the duvet with him, and slept by the couch.


    When I got up the next day, the sun was already shining brightly.


    Stretching my aching body, I struggled to stand on my feet. Privately, I promised not to let myself suffer in


    this manner ever again.


    Oh gosh, I have pins and needles all over. The soreness on my neck is killing me! I should be grateful


    that I didn¡¯t get a stiff neck.


    Rubbing my eyes, I noticed that Dominic was still sleeping like a log on the couch. I channeled my


    frustration at him and kicked him in the leg.


    Seriously? How could you enjoy a deep sleep while I was tortured all night long? What a jerk!


    I went back to my room and turned on my phone. It was already one in the afternoon.


    Suddenly, a scary thought came upon me and I started worrying about Dominic.


    Is he all right? He isn¡¯t dead, is he? He¡¯s been sleeping for so long and yet showing no signs of waking


    up.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Love the Second Time Around Chapter 112


    Chapter 112 I Remember


    Holding my phone, I rushed back to the living room to check on Dominic, but I was puzzled when I saw


    that there was no one on the couch. Wasn¡¯t he lying there two minutes ago? Where is he?


    At that moment, I heard the sound of water sshinging from the bathroom. I hurried over and


    knocked on the door. ¡°Dominic, are you in there?¡±


    There was no answer. I asked a few more times but did not get any reply.


    ¡°Hey, cat got your tongue? I¡¯ve been standing here for a long time asking if you¡¯re in there, but you don¡¯t


    even bother answering.¡± I was on the brink ofunching into a heated tirade when the door opened.


    ¡°Domin¡­ Y-You¡­¡± My voice faltered. That was because he was standing at the bathroom door, naked


    as a jaybird.


    He did not have a single piece of clothing on him, not even his underwear!


    Despite that, he did not seem the least bit ashamed. He crossed his arms over his chest calmly and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s not anything you haven¡¯t seen before.¡±


    What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Even though we¡¯ve done it, I have never looked at his naked body so


    directly.


    When I returned to my senses, I covered my face with my hands and turned my back to him. ¡°Y-You¡¯re a


    pervert. Why did you take all your clothes off?¡±


    ¡°Do you shower with your clothes on?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Well, then you shouldn¡¯t have opened the door,¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°You kept knocking on the door.¡±


    ¡°Dominic Hartnell! That was because you weren¡¯t giving any response. You should¡¯ve just answered me!¡±


    I rushed out of the room, feeling uneasy.


    I was livid.


    To think that I took such good care of him for so long. I wiped him down, tucked him in, and I even slept


    on the couch for the whole night! I was worried that he was feeling unwell. However, now it looks like I


    shouldn¡¯t have done all that. All he does is annoy me as soon as he wakes up. I should¡¯ve thrown him


    out yesterday. Who cares what happens to him!


    I had made my decision. After he was done with his shower, I would kick him out.


    When the sound of running water stopped, I got off the couch immediately and ran to open the front door,


    waiting to usher him out the door.


    I heard the bathroom door open, and I turned around yelling, ¡°Dominic, you¡­¡±


    Once again, my voice trailed off. I mmed the front door shut.


    ¡°Where are your clothes? Why didn¡¯t you put on your clothes after you¡¯ve showered? And that¡¯s my


    towel! Mine!¡± I yelled furiously, my hands and lips trembling.


    How dare he use my Doraemon towel? That¡¯s my beloved Doraemon! And its eyes are covering that


    spot! That bulging spot!


    ¡°Why are you so upset? Here, I¡¯ll return it to you then,¡± Dominic replied.


    When I saw him calmly removing the towel, I quickly shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    Looking puzzled, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want it back? You¡¯re still not happy even if I return it?¡±


    What the hell! He must be doing it on purpose! He has ruined a perfectly good towel, so why would I


    want it back?


    I took a deep breath and said through clenched teeth, ¡°Consider it a gift from me. I want you to put on


    your clothes right this instant and get out of my sight!¡±


    With the towel wrapped around him, Dominic sauntered over to the couch and sat down. ¡°Those clothes


    are so dirty. Do you seriously think I¡¯m going to put them on?¡±


    I was on the verge of tears. My voice wavered as I said, ¡°Can¡¯t you just put up with it for a while? When


    you get back to your house, you can wear whatever you want.¡±


    Dominic looked up and nced at me. ¡°No, I won¡¯t put up with something like that when ites to


    clothes¡­ And people.¡±


    What the heck? He¡¯s always nitpicking about something! So what does he mean? He can¡¯t be thinking of


    staying here! If I have to spend any more time with him in the same room, I¡¯m going to explode!


    I waved my hand, admitting defeat, and grumbled, ¡°All right, fine. I¡¯ll go and get some new ones for you


    now, happy? After I return with your clothes, you have to change into them and leave. Do you hear me?¡±


    Dominic shrugged with a nomittal smile.


    I red at him, then turned and went to my bedroom, locking the door behind me.


    I was afraid he would barge in while I was changing if I did not lock it.


    After changing, I went to him and held out my hand. ¡°Give me money.¡±


    Although I had agreed to go out and buy him some clothes, I was not going to use my own money.


    Thankfully, Dominic was well off and did not mind it at all.


    He rummaged through his coat on the floor for his wallet, then took out a credit card and gave it to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me a cheap outfit,¡± he said.


    I grabbed the card and clicked my tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Those ¡®cheap¡¯ stores only open in the mornings.¡±


    Just as I was about to reach the front door, he suddenly called out, ¡°Wait!¡±


    Furious, I spun around and yelled, ¡°What else do you want?¡±


    ¡°My size. Do you know my size?¡±


    Is that all? I waved my hand as I replied, ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t bought clothes for you before. I remember


    your size.¡±


    As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I froze.


    The first time I bought him clothes was because I wanted us to wear matching outfits. However, I was


    afraid that he would be unwilling to wear it. After much probing, I finally managed to get him to tell me his


    size, and I had remembered it since then.


    After that time, he had told me with a smile that he would only wear the clothes I bought for him.


    Haha! What a childish promise, but those words sounded so sweet and melted my heart at that time. I


    wonder how many clothes Camille has bought for him.


    As I gazed at Dominic, who was silent, I suddenly felt like bursting into tears.


    I wonder if he remembers what I said to him before.


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll be going out then,¡± I said and hurried out without a backward nce.


    After the door closed, I looked back. A feeling of dismay crept into my heart.


    Forget it. Why am I thinking of all this? It¡¯s all in the past. I should just quickly get him some clothes so


    that he¡¯ll leave.


    There was a supermarket nearby where I could have bought his clothes. However, when I thought of


    how nitpicky he was, I decided to take a taxi to themercial district in the city center.


    I wanted to avoid any chances of him being overly critical about the clothes I bought and refusing to


    leave.


    After arriving at themercial district, I headed straight to the most expensive menswear boutique


    there.


    I had never gone into that store before, but thanks to Dominic¡¯s expensive tastes, I got to broaden my


    horizons.


    Dominic had a good figure, so he was sure to look good in anything.


    I raised my hand and signaled for the sales assistant, then told her grandly that I wanted the most


    expensive clothes in the shop, from innerwear to outerwear.


    When she heard that, she beamed.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With the shopping trip done and dusted, I headed straight home.


    As I stood at the door fishing in my handbag for my key, I could not help gritting my teeth as I thought


    about how he would react. If he dares to utter a singleint about these clothes, I¡¯m going to chase


    him out of the house and let him run around naked!


    I unlocked the door and walked in. As soon as I saw the people on the couch, my knees buckled.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113 Back Together Again


    ¡°Dad, Mom, you¡­ What are you doing here?¡± I was so surprised that I could barely get the words out.


    ¡°If we didn¡¯te over, were you still thinking of keeping it from us?¡± Dad looked especially serious,


    and his tone was a little stern.


    I had barely recovered from the shock of seeing them when his words threw me for a loop.


    What am I keeping from them?


    At that moment, Dominic got up from the couch and walked over to me, then took my hand.


    I moved away instinctively. What on earth is he doing? Can¡¯t he see that Mom and Dad are right there?


    It¡¯s already very odd that he showed up here suddenly and answered my phone, but now he wants to


    hold my hand? Doesn¡¯t he think this is big enough of a mess as it is?


    I widened my eyes and red at Dominic, shooting him a look to warn him not to do something reckless.


    However, he acted as if he did not get my hint at all. He gripped my hand tightly and said something that


    made me even more dumbfounded.


    ¡°Lian, I¡¯ve already told them the truth. With things the way they are, we shouldn¡¯t keep it from them any


    longer,¡± Dominic said.


    I looked at him suspiciously, worried that he was about to get up to no good.


    He¡¯s been calling me by my full name since we met again, and if he¡¯s not calling my name to scold me,


    then it¡¯s to threaten me. Lian¡ªthat¡¯s the affectionate nickname the old Dominic would use. Also, what


    does he mean when he said he told them the truth? What shouldn¡¯t we keep from them? That¡¯s so


    strange. What do we have to hide from them anyway?


    ¡°Lili, why don¡¯t you just admit it? Your dad and I won¡¯t object to it. We¡¯re happy and relieved to hear that


    the two of you got back together.¡±


    Huh? Is there something wrong with my ears? Or did Mom make a mistake? Who got back with whom?


    Dominic and me? That¡¯s ridiculous!


    I shook my head vehemently and exined, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re mistaken. I didn¡¯t get back together with


    Dominic.¡±


    Mom looked a little unhappy at that. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I said we won¡¯t object to the two of you getting


    back together, so why don¡¯t you admit it?¡±


    I was confused. Why do I have to admit to something that didn¡¯t happen? I have to exin what


    happenedst night. They must¡¯ve seen Dominicing to my house, that¡¯s why they got the wrong


    idea.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m serious. We¡¯re¡ª Hey! Dominic, what are you doing? Stop it! I haven¡¯t finished talking!


    Dominic¡ª¡±


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± Dominic interjected.


    I grabbed his hand and said, ¡°Fine, all right. Just don¡¯t push me.¡±


    I have something to ask him too. I want to know what¡¯s going on.


    He stopped pushing me but did not let go of my hand. He continued holding it as he turned to my parents


    and said, ¡°Please excuse us.¡±


    Then, he dragged me into the bedroom.


    Once the door closed, Dominic released my hand without saying a word.


    I moved a few steps away to keep a safe distance from him. ¡°Dominic, what on earth did you tell my


    parents? Why do they think that we¡¯re back together?¡±


    Dominic sat down shamelessly on my bed. ¡°They came looking for you and saw that I was here, so


    naturally, they were curious about our rtionship.¡±


    My eyebrows twitched, and I said coldly, ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t have spouted nonsense. It¡¯s going to be


    a pain to exin our way out of this.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you think I should¡¯ve done?¡± Dominic retorted. He did not feel the least bit guilty. Instead,


    he deliberately yed dumb and threw the problem back at me.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Exasperated, I could feel a headache brewing. Holding in my anger, I replied, ¡°You could¡¯ve said that you


    got drunk and had to stay over at my ce for one night. That¡¯s not too difficult to say, is it?¡±


    Suddenly, Dominic smirked and said in a mocking tone, ¡°If you went to Shannon¡¯s house and saw a half-


    naked man there, and she gave you that exnation, would you believe her?¡±


    I was momentarily taken aback and at a loss for words.


    ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t change the topic. We¡¯re talking about my parents now. Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t have lied to


    them and told them that we¡¯re together.¡±


    After a brief pause, I added, ¡°You ought to know that my dad is an old-fashioned and strict person. If you


    don¡¯t exin things clearly now, it¡¯ll be even harder to do soter.¡±


    Dominic looked at me closely for a while, then said, ¡°When your parents came, I thought it was you, and I


    opened the door with only a towel wrapped around me. Even if I didn¡¯t say anything, what do you think


    woulde to their minds when they saw me like that?¡±


    Those words made my blood boil. If my parents had not been in the living room, I would have cursed


    aloud.


    However, I could only restrain my anger and growl in a low voice, ¡°So whose fault is it? I told you to get


    out of my house, but you refused. Now, look what you¡¯ve done. I don¡¯t even know what I should say.¡±


    While I was seething with rage, Dominic appeared unruffled and calm.


    He told me that the best solution was to y along and admit that we were an item again. My parents


    would probably only stay for a few days. So, while they were around, we would pretend to be a couple.


    After they left, we would each go our separate ways.


    I did not want to agree to it. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like a bad idea, and it still meant that


    we would be lying to my parents.


    However, since my parents had seen him in my house and in that state, I had no other choice.


    After all, friends of the opposite sex would not usually end up naked in each other¡¯s houses.


    Moreover, no normal woman would allow a naked man to stay in her house while she went out shopping.


    If I insist that nothing is going on between Dominic and me, Dad might think I¡¯m provoking him. After all,


    he doesn¡¯t believe in premarital sex, and he thinks one-night stands and booty calls will tarnish the


    Zti family¡¯s reputation. That¡¯s a minefield I don¡¯t want to navigate.


    I sat at the dressing table and looked at myself in the mirror. I was frowning deeply.


    ¡°T-Then let¡¯s agree that we¡¯ll only act like a couple in front of my parents. However, you¡¯re not allowed to


    get handsy. When they leave, we¡¯ll forget that this ever happened. After some time, I¡¯ll find a chance to


    tell them that we broke up.¡±


    I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll believe that.


    However, as soon as I said that, Dominic¡¯s expression inexplicably turned sour.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Chapter 114 It Is Only Acting


    Seeing that Dominic remained silent and looked somewhat gloomy, I could not help grumbling inwardly.


    What¡¯s up with him now? Wasn¡¯t everything all right earlier? Why do I feel a sense of coldness


    radiating from him?


    I waited for a little while, but he still did not say anything. ¡°Dominic, did you hear what I said?¡±


    When Dominic looked at me, it seemed as if there was a smoldering glint in his dark eyes.


    Huh? I was stunned for a moment, wondering what I had done to anger him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back out,¡± he finally said.


    I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he did not object to my request. As such, I would take it that we


    had a verbal agreement.


    Yes, we should go back out. We¡¯ve been in the room for almost twenty minutes.


    The moment I ced one hand on the doorknob, he took my other hand.


    I froze, then decided to let him hold my hand. Holding hands was still within the eptable range of


    actions.


    I opened the door and said with a bright smile, ¡°Dad, Mom.¡±


    Dad looked at me sternly and said, ¡°I almost thought that you weren¡¯t nning oning back out.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. Dominic and I are indeed back together, but I didn¡¯t mean to keep it


    from you. We just got back together not too long ago, so I wanted to wait until things are a little more


    stable before telling you.¡±


    As expected, Dad¡¯s expression rxed when he heard that. Mom smiled.


    She walked to me and took Dominic¡¯s and my hand in hers. ¡°With Dom looking after you, your dad and I


    won¡¯t have to worry about you as much.¡±


    I felt the urge to sigh. Even after five years, my parents¡¯ liking for Dominic had not lessened. In fact, it


    seemed like it had only grown.


    If it had been some other guy who was half-naked in my house, they probably would not have let it slide


    that easily.


    Dominic¡¯s face broke into a tender smile that I had not seen in a long time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good


    care of Lian. We have let go of each other once before, and I won¡¯t let the same thing happen twice.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    When I heard those words, my heart began racing.


    Taking a few deep breaths discreetly, I reminded myself that we were only acting. No matter what sweet


    nothings Dominic uttered, I should not take them seriously. s, my parents were utterly charmed by


    Dominic.


    Since we had managed to cover things up, I did not want the conversation to continue revolving around


    Dominic and me.


    I pulled Mom over to the couch and asked, ¡°Why did youe here so suddenly? You didn¡¯t even give


    me a call beforehand.¡±


    If you had called, all this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    Mom smiled as she replied, ¡°Your dad came to give a speech at a nearby university, so I decided to


    apany him. Besides, it would give us a chance to see you.¡±


    I said rather gloomily, ¡°You still should¡¯ve given me a call. I could¡¯ve gone to pick you up. What if you


    came all the way here and I wasn¡¯t home? Wouldn¡¯t that have been a waste?¡±


    My dad piped up, ¡°We came with a few other teachers, and we did try to call you when we arrived. You


    were the one who didn¡¯t even bring your phone out with you, yet you have the nerve to say that we didn¡¯t


    call you. Check your phone and see how many times we have called. You¡¯ve always been careless since


    you were little. Fortunately, Dom was home. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to get in.¡±


    Surprised, I ran my hands over my pocket, then searched my handbag that I had tossed onto the coffee


    table. So, I really didn¡¯t bring my phone with me.


    At that moment, Dominic walked over and gave me my phone. ¡°You dropped it in the bedroom while you


    were changing.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I mumbled as I took the phone, shooting him a displeased look.


    If he knew I didn¡¯t have my phone and found it on the floor, why didn¡¯t he answer Dad¡¯s call? If he had,


    we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess!


    Dominic seemed to guess my thoughts because he exined that he had not known my phone was in


    the bedroom.


    He had been in the living room all the time and did not realize anything. It was only after my parents


    arrived and told him that they had been trying to contact me that he found my phone.


    It sounded reasonable and logical, but I was still unhappy.


    As for my parents, they kept telling Dominic that it was no big deal. They even told him not to worry


    about it.


    Tsk! If it¡¯s not a big deal, then why me me for not answering the phone?


    Seeing them so biased toward Dominic was making me feel ufortable. Who¡¯s your biological child


    here?


    I nced at the time. Since it was almost five o¡¯clock, I changed the topic and said, ¡°Dad, Mom, are you


    hungry? Why don¡¯t I take you out for dinner and book a hotel room for you?¡±


    ¡°No need to bother about a hotel. The school has arranged our amodation. Let¡¯s go for dinner.¡±


    I nodded. Then I gave Dominic the clothes I had bought and told him to go and change.


    Although I still felt uneasy around Dominic, I could not help being captivated by his handsomeness when


    he stepped out of the bedroom in his new outfit.


    And it was not just me. Even Mom stared at him admiringly.


    With his good looks, well-built physique, and that exorbitantly priced outfit¡­ Hmm, not too shabby.


    When we were outside, I was about to hail a taxi. However, Dominic said that he had brought his car.


    Dominic and I led the way while Mom and Dad trailed a few meters behind us. I was not sure if they were


    doing it on purpose, but at least it gave me a chance to talk to Dominic without being overheard.


    ¡°When did you get someone to send a car? Isn¡¯t your phone missing? I searched everywhere for itst


    night, but I couldn¡¯t find it.¡±


    He nced at me, then said lightly, ¡°I drove here.¡±


    I gazed up at him in surprise for a few seconds. ¡°You drove here? When? Last night?¡±


    He gave a grunt of acknowledgement.


    His response made my blood boil. Without thinking twice, I grabbed his arm and scolded furiously, ¡°Are


    you crazy? You drank so muchst night, yet you drove here yourself? Do you have a death wish?¡±


    Dominic looked down, his gaze falling on my hand that was grabbing his arm. Then, he asked in an


    indifferent tone, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who wanted me to die sooner? Why are you saying all this now?


    Have youe to care for me?¡±

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    Chapter 115 The Apple Of Their Eyes


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dominic¡¯s re was so powerful I felt like he was burning a hole right through me. I loosened my grip on


    his arm immediately.


    I began to feel a little guilt-stricken. Perhaps I had reacted a little too strongly just now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. I¡¯m a caring person by nature. I would¡¯ve said the same to anyone else.¡± Even


    after exining myself, I still felt somewhat uneasy. I turned around and saw that my parents had caught


    up with us.


    I seized the opportunity to hook my arm through Mom¡¯s while instructing Dominic, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and


    bring the car over? We¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Before Dominic could answer, Mom was already expressing her displeasure.


    Patting my hand lightly, she voiced her disapproval, ¡°Lili, stop ordering Dom around. Your dad and I have


    legs. We can walk.¡±


    I retorted with a pout, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? He¡¯s my boyfriend now. Can¡¯t I ask him to drive the car over?


    Dominic, are you going to do it or not?¡±


    An idea had popped into my head when I heard Mom speaking up for Dominic. He was the one who


    suggested putting on an act for Mom and Dad. Why shouldn¡¯t I grab the chance to order him around? He


    won¡¯t dare to show any hints of unhappiness in the presence of my parents no matter what I ask him to


    do. This is the perfect opportunity for me to give him an eye for an eye. If I miss this opportunity, I may


    never have another chance to repay him for what he did to me.


    I deliberately lifted my chin in a defiant manner to show him that I had the upper hand now.


    In fact, I not only had the upper hand ¡ª I was practically his boss.


    Right after that, I saw Dominic¡¯s thin lips curve into an indulgent smile as he said to Mom, ¡°Helen, Lian is


    right. I¡¯m her boyfriend. My only duty is to make her happy. Now that you¡¯re here, I want to make sure


    you¡¯re happy too. Please give me a minute. I¡¯ll be right back with the car.¡±


    The man walked off after that. I was still trying to process what he had just said.


    That indulgent smile on his lips and that doting look in his eyes felt so familiar. I was somewhat reminded


    of the good old days where Dominic had showered me with nothing but love and devotion.


    I was only shaken out of my reverie when I heard Mom praising Dominic again. I pinched myself


    discreetly to stop my train of thoughts. No more thinking about such things!


    It was not enough for Mom to go on and on about how wonderful Dominic was. She even turned to Dad,


    expecting him to join her in singing my boyfriend¡¯s praises.


    Dad was a little more reserved, but it was still clear from the look on his face that he was very pleased


    with Dominic.


    Looking at Mom and Dad¡¯s reaction, I felt an urge to bang my head against the wall. Why are they so


    happy with Dominic?


    Dominic came back with the car very quickly. He got out of the car and opened the car door for Mom and


    Dad. He was even more proactive and attentive this time than when he drove Dad to his ss reunion.


    Both my parents were extremely impressed with Dominic, and it showed on their beaming faces. I even


    seemed to detect more fondness and affection on their faces when they were looking at Dominic than


    when they were looking at Louis, their own son.


    I opened the door to the front passenger seat and climbed into the car, silentlyining about the


    situation in my heart.


    As we drove off, I could hear Dominic saying, ¡°David, I heard that you¡¯re in town to give a speech at a


    university. I suppose it¡¯s Lightspring University?¡±


    Dad answered enthusiastically, ¡°Yes. I was not keen on the idea at first, though. There are many other


    teachers in the university. Moreover, I am almost in retirement. But Helen said we could drop by at Lili¡¯s


    for a visit, and the university kept inviting me toe over. So eventually, I agreed.¡±


    Dominic responded very quickly, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a knowledgeable and polished speaker. Any


    reputable tertiary institution would love to have you grace their events.¡±


    That was music to Dad¡¯s ears. Having been an educator all his life, there was nothing he loved more


    than beingplimented on his aplishments and expertise in the education field. Dominic was


    spot-on in currying Dad¡¯s favor.


    As I listened on, I was trying my best not to show my disdain.


    There was more. Knowing that Dad and Mom must have booked their amodation near Lightspring


    University, Dominic suggested we have our dinner at a restaurant in the vicinity of their hotel to not tire


    them out.


    Having impressed Dad with his thoughtfulness, Dominic then turned to Mom and engaged her in a


    cheerful conversation for the rest of our journey.


    I rolled my eyes. What a bootlicker!


    Over dinner, Dad and Mom took turns to enthusiastically pile food on Dominic¡¯s te,pletely


    oblivious to the fact that there was already a mountain of food on his te.


    As for me, I was left to fend for myself. My parents had practically forgotten that they still had a daughter.


    Noticing that I was munching on a stalk of celery, Dominic ced a piece of short rib on my te. He


    tenderly stroked my hair and said, ¡°Don¡¯t just munch on vegetables. You should eat some meat too.¡±


    Mom joined in, saying, ¡°Lili, look how nice Dom is to you. Don¡¯t just keep eating alone. Share some of


    your food with him.¡±


    When I heard that, I almost burst into tears. Am I missing something here? The two of you have been


    piling food on his te and ignoring me all this while. If I don¡¯t feed myself, I¡¯m going to die of starvation.


    There is a mountain of food sitting on his te now while my te is empty!


    I wolfed down the piece of short rib before retorting, ¡°He has hands. He can help himself. Dominic, more


    short ribs, please!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re being childish. Dom, ignore her. You don¡¯t have to share your food with her.¡± Mom was


    losing her patience with me.


    Another piece of tender, juicy short rib appeared promptly on my te. Dominic said smilingly, ¡°It¡¯s all


    right, Helen. I enjoy watching Lian eat. The more she eats, the happier I am.¡±


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s all just have a peaceful meal.¡± Dad finally broke his silence.


    I made Dominic share his food with me for the rest of the meal, and he made sure every request I made


    was eded to.


    I ended up having a very satisfying meal. On the other hand, the pile of food in front of Dominic was


    almost untouched by him.


    We did not leave right after the meal as Dominic had also ordered a fruit tter and some desserts.


    He seemed to be doing quite a good job at entertaining my parents while tending to me. I happily faded


    into the background and kept myself busy with the food and drinks.


    While I was enjoying my pudding, Mom started talking again. ¡°Dom, I suppose Lili and you are living


    together now that we¡¯ve seen you at her ce?¡±


    Dominic did not reply, shooting me a nce instead.


    I caught his eye and almost choked on my pudding.


    What¡¯s he looking at? Doesn¡¯t he know he¡¯s supposed to answer in the negative?


    I hurriedly interjected, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re thinking too much. We¡¯ve not progressed that far¡­¡±


    Dad interrupted me with an authoritative wave of his hand, ¡°We know very well what you young people


    are up to, even if we don¡¯t spell it out. You don¡¯t have to lie out of consideration for our feelings. If you¡¯re


    living together, you can tell it like it is.¡±


    Plop. I dropped my pudding onto the floor. Oh gosh. Where are the boundaries you used to draw, Dad?


    What happened to the Zti family rules? Have you thrown all that out the window because of


    Dominic?

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    Chapter 116 A Promise From Him


    I was in a state of utter confusion.


    I had agreed to put on an act with Dominic because I knew Dad and Mom would make some


    assumptions about us. Now, however, it seemed like they were practically jumping to all sorts of


    conclusions about us.


    They not only thought that we had a physical rtionship, they even assumed that we were already


    living together.


    Most importantly, Dad was not angry about it at all.


    Good heavens, when did my parents be so liberal? Are they just especially benevolent toward


    Dominic? ¡±Dad¡­¡±


    Dad waved his hand dismissively and cut me off. ¡°Lili, Dad used to be strict with you because you were


    still young. You¡¯re older now and have even been married once. You know what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong.


    You know what¡¯s best for yourself.¡±


    I was moved by Dad¡¯s words. He was not the kind of father who said ¡°I love you¡± to his children, but I


    knew he was strict toward me because he loved me.


    Dad stood up from his seat and walked toward us. He stood between Dominic and me and held our


    hands. Putting my hand in Dominic¡¯s, he said, ¡°Dom and you have missed a chance with each other in


    the past. Your mom and I are rooting for you to have a happier oue this time around. Dom, I¡¯m


    entrusting my daughter to you. Please treat her well.¡±


    Dominic looked at my father and nodded. Then he turned to me, looking rather serious.


    I felt him squeezing my hand as he said, ¡°Rest assured, David. I promise you I will take good care of Lian


    for the rest of our lives.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Dom. I trust you.¡± Dad was lookingpletely satisfied.


    I looked at Dominic with a mix of confusion and annoyance. What audacity he had to make such a


    promise in front of my parents.


    We were only supposed to be putting on an act. After what he just said, how were we going to exin


    things to my parents when the time came to cut our act?


    All of a sudden, I began to feel afraid. Things seemed to be progressing much faster than I had


    expected.


    I was distracted for the rest of the evening.


    However, Dominic did not seem to notice anything amiss. He was still keeping my parents entertained


    and happy.


    When we left the restaurant, it was almost half-past nine in the evening.


    Before we dropped my parents off at their hotel, Dad told us that we could drop in on his talk at the


    university the next day if we were free.


    Dominic immediately epted the invitation and promised that we would be there.


    I shot him a look, but it was toote for me to say anything in refusal of my father¡¯s offer.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Dominic and I only left the hotel after we watched Dad and Mum enter the elevator.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should go home now.¡± Dominic held my hand to lead me to his car.


    I shook his hand off and took two steps back, saying, ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll take a taxi.¡±


    The situation was getting too messy. I did not want to see him, neither did I wish to talk to him.


    Dominic did not seem to hear me. Instead, he waved his hand and called out, ¡°David, why are you here


    again?¡±


    I froze for a moment before turning around to look behind me, only to see that Dad was not there. Good


    heavens. You¡¯re ying such a trick on me at a time like this?


    Before I could react, I found Dominic holding my hand again. This time, I did not shake his hand off.


    Half-annoyed and half-amused, I chided him, ¡°You¡¯re so childish!¡±


    He rolled his eyes at me and said, ¡°If I¡¯m childish, then you¡¯re stupid.¡±


    ¡°Humph!¡± I was so annoyed that I could not think of anything else to say.


    Dominic continued to lead me by my hand, walking a little ahead of me. Looking at our adjoining hands,


    my mind started to wander. As long as we continue acting like a couple, does that mean we can continue


    to spend time with each other?


    ¡°Hey, what are you thinking about? Get in the car!¡± Dominic¡¯s booming voice shook me out of my reverie.


    That was when I realized I was standing right beside the car.


    I opened the door and got inside. Showing my irritation, I red at Dominic and said, ¡°Why did you have


    to be so loud? You gave me a shock.¡±


    Dominic replied nonchntly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t loud. You got a shock because you were lost in your thoughts.


    Tell me. What were you thinking about? Were you thinking about me?¡±


    Caught off-guard by his correct guess, I turned away from him to face the window. ¡°Stop ttering


    yourself. I wasn¡¯t thinking about you.¡±


    Unsure if I had just lied to him or myself, I let out a secret sigh.


    It began to rain halfway through our journey. Mom especially called to tell me to remind Dominic to slow


    down and drive carefully.


    The weather had started turning colder. We seemed to be getting more sudden downpours thatsted for


    days in a row.


    The rain seemed to be pouring more heavily the closer we got to my house.


    Listening to the rain pelting down on the car, I began to worry. I had not brought an umbre with me


    because I did not expect it to rain.


    When we were almost there, I told Dominic, ¡°You can stop at my block here. I¡¯ll run right in. You don¡¯t


    have to get out of the car. The rain is too heavy.¡±


    Dominic did not answer me, so I took his silence as assent.


    When we reached my block, I got ready to get out of the car. Suddenly, his hand shot out and pulled me


    back. ¡°Hold on.¡±


    I was taken by surprise. I had no idea what he was about to do. I watched in shock as he opened the


    door on his side and got out of the car. What¡¯s the meaning of this? We¡¯ve reached my block, and


    instead of letting me get out of the car, he got out of the car himself?


    Ignoring his instruction, I decided to open the door to take a look at what he was getting up to.


    The moment I opened my door, I saw Dominic standing soaking wet in the rain, holding an umbre out


    for me.


    He offered me his hand to help me out of the car. Then he put one arm around me and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As I made my way from the car to my block in his embrace, I felt like I was floating in a dream.


    Although his clothes were dripping wet and felt cold to the touch, I did not feel cold at all. On the contrary,


    I felt warm and protected.


    A little voice in my head was calling out to me to push him away, but I could not bear to do it.


    The man walked me all the way up to my apartment, opened the door, and led me inside the house.


    Looking at the state he was in, my heart ached a little.


    I pulled out a chair for him and handed him a face towel for him to dry himself.


    Using another towel to dry his hair, I said, ¡°I¡¯ll make some ginger tea for you. Drink it before you go.¡±


    Dominic caught my hand, looked straight into my eyes, and said, ¡°Look at the state I¡¯m in. Do you really


    want me to go?¡±

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Chapter 117 Bunking With The Big Bad Wolf


    I was ck-jawed at his implied request to stay, and it took me a good while to regain myposure.


    Once I did, though, I shoved the face towel at him and eked out, ¡°I can¡¯t host two people here. Dry


    yourself off; I¡¯m going to make some ginger tea.¡±


    Once I reached the haven known as my kitchen, I went through the motions of making ginger tea like a


    robot, chopping the ginger stiffly.


    When Dominic called out to me about his intention to shower, I lost my attention for a split second and


    cut myself. The pain was enough to jolt me out of my trance.


    The water began running in the bathroom, and I stared out the window and sighed.


    I guess he can continue couch-surfing in my ce for one more night.


    After I stered the cut, I dug through my pantry for a fresh piece of ginger and got back to work.


    Dominic was still in the shower when I had finished brewing the ginger tea. Just then, a thought struck


    my mind. He got caught in the rain, as well as all the new clothes he bought. What¡¯s he going to wear,


    then? I don¡¯t want him parading around naked in my house.


    I ran back to the bedroom in search of the clothes he was wearing earlier. It turned out he had thrown the


    entire set into the dust bin.


    Ah, it must be nice to be rich; his clothes aren¡¯t that cheap.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Frowning, I pondered what to do next. What on earth can he wear? My clothes?


    Flinging my wardrobe open, I turned its contents upside down in search of suitablyrge clothing for him


    to wear. s, my efforts were futile.


    Just as I was knee-deep in concern, I suddenly remembered a parcel Calvin had dropped off


    earlier. Didn¡¯t he say that there were Dominic¡¯s clothes in it? Yes, yes, I think he did. Now, where did I


    ce that parcel?


    I searched high and low before locating the parcel on the balcony. A thinyer of dust had settled on it.


    After I dusted the parcel down, I opened it and began digging through the items. I pulled out a long-


    sleeved T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants triumphantly. Oh right, his underwear too. Can¡¯t forget that.


    I walked back to the bathroom and ced his clothes on a rack outside before shouting through the door.


    ¡°Dominic, I put your clothes outside. You can wear them after your shower. Don¡¯t take too long, or the


    ginger tea¡¯s going to cool down.¡±


    Once I finished my sentence, I scuttled out immediately. The morning¡¯s events remained fresh in my


    mind, and I was legitimately worried about the door opening without warning.


    His body¡¯s pretty hot, but I might have to wash my eyes if I keep ogling him.


    Only after settling everything at home did I pull out my phone to text my mom. Initially, I had nned to


    call her, but I thought my parents might already be asleep at this time.


    It was not an important message anyway; I just wanted to tell them that we had arrived safely.


    A momentter, Dominic emerged from the bathroom.


    I hurried to the kitchen and got a ss of ginger tea for him. Relief flooded my body as I watched him


    gulp the tea.


    ¡°Why do you have my clothes?¡±


    Did he forget that he arranged for his clothes to be sent here in the first ce? I enlightened him about


    the situation.


    After that was over, I cleared my throat and said, ¡°You can bunk here for one more night on the couch. I¡¯ll


    get you some nkets in a bit.¡±


    Dominic pulled me into him in response. I blocked him and said hastily, ¡°Hey, we agreed on this. You


    can¡¯ty a finger on me.¡±


    His lips curved into a smirk. ¡°You said we can¡¯t be touchy in front of Mom and Dad. We¡¯re alone now.¡±


    Bewildered, I retorted, ¡°Get your head right. They¡¯re my mom and dad, not yours. Don¡¯t go around calling


    them your parents; others will get the wrong idea. And I said we can¡¯t get handsy with each other


    anywhere, not just in front of my parents!¡±


    Dominic seemed contemtive as he asked, ¡°Is it?¡±


    I nodded immediately to make my point.


    A sneer appeared unexpectedly on his face. ¡°So what? You think you can get away from me?¡±


    I was struck by an epiphany. I¡¯ve invited the big bad wolf into my house.


    Meanwhile, Dominic¡¯s hand had begun roaming across my body. Panicking, I yelled, ¡°Stop! Y-you, can¡¯t


    you wait for me to shower first? Ok, I¡¯m going to the bathroom now.¡±


    He stared at me briefly before releasing me. Azy smile stretched across his face. ¡°Go on, then. Give


    yourself a nice, clean scrub. You¡¯re not escaping anywhere.¡±


    I shuddered at his ominous deration. A momentter, I sprinted into the bathroom and locked the door


    behind me.


    Leaning against the door, I took a couple of deep breaths topose myself.


    Stupid! Why did I mention a shower of all things? I sound like I¡¯m trying to clean myself for him to feast


    on! How could I be so easily seduced? He just braved the rain to send me home, for God¡¯s sake! A


    moment¡¯s weakness, and now I¡¯m the sacrificialmb.


    More annoyingly, I realized after I showered that I had not brought any clean clothes in with me.


    And Dominic brought the towel out in the morning. What am I supposed to do now? Do a nude run?


    I seriously contemted the possibility of spending the night in the bathroom.


    That would have been a viable option if the steam from my shower had not all but dissipated a few


    momentster, leaving me shivering and sneezing from the cold night air.


    A knock sounded on the door, and I heard Dominic¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to kick the door down if you don¡¯t


    come out.¡±


    I muttered my request timidly, ¡°C-could you get my pajamas for me? They¡¯re right near the bedhead.¡±


    He came back quickly. ¡°Open the door. I¡¯ll pass it to you.¡±


    Once again, my brain demonstrated its unfailing ability to let me down at the most critical of moments. I


    opened the bathroom door instead of having him ce my pajamas outside.


    One little gap was all it took for Dominic toe bursting into the bathroom. My naked form was now


    under his scrutiny.


    Stunned, I stood frozen to the spot.


    Dominic took advantage of my shock and carried me straight to the bedroom. I only managed to regain


    my ability of speech when the two of us tumbled onto the bed. ¡°Y-you! Dominic! You *sshole!¡±


    He smirked and lifted my wrists above my head, swooping down to devour my lips.


    At that moment, only one thought seemed to cross my mind. You brought this upon yourself.


    His hands roved as he deepened his kiss. I had long given up on fighting back. Instead, Iforted


    myself at the thought that this was not our first roll in the hay anyway.


    In the heat of our passion, a phone began ringing loudly. It was a call for Dominic.


    I thought he would ignore the call since we were about to get hot and heavy.


    To my surprise, he got up and answered the call. He even sought the privacy of the living room.


    Iy on the bed, puzzled. After some thought, I covered myself with the nket and walked to the door.


    I wanted to know who was calling him at this hour.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Chapter 118 My First And Only Love


    Lurking at the doorway, I heard Dominic utter Camille¡¯s name.


    I froze in surprise. My whole body felt like it was in pain, most of all my heart.


    Ah, how could I forget that Dominic has a fianc¨¦e? I must be the silliest woman on earth. The only


    people who could contact him at such ate hour are either his family or his partner, the enviable


    Camille.


    The ache in my heart was unbearable, and I felt suffocated by the immense sorrow in my being.


    I mmed the bedroom door firmly and locked it beforeying back in bed.


    That phone call served as a timely reminder of the impropriety of my actions and eliminated all thoughts


    of Dominic¡¯s ambiguous and heart-fluttering actions earlier that day.


    Soon, I heard a few knocks on the door. Dominic was asking me to let him in.


    That was fast.


    Instead of getting up, I yelled, ¡°My period suddenly came!¡±


    There was only silence on the other side of the door. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to pull


    the wool over his eyes.


    s, my reliefsted but a couple of minutes. Dominic began knocking on the door as he dered


    coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t open the door, I¡¯ll kick it down myself.¡±


    I buried my head into the nkets to block him out.


    m! My ears rang painfully from the loud noise. When I lifted my head, it was to the sight of my


    bedroom door hanging weakly on its hinges. One more kick, and it¡¯llpletely detach from its frame.


    Since I did not own the house I was living in, I obediently opened the door for Dominic. My wallet would


    weep if I needed to get a new door installed for myndlord.


    Once the door was open, Dominic pinned me down on the bed and ced a hand between my thighs,


    catching me unawares.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I immediately shuddered under his touch and screamed angrily, ¡°Dominic, that¡¯s enough!¡±


    He arched a brow in response and asked, ¡°Is your period a passing visitor or something?¡±


    Pettily, I turned my head to the side and muttered, ¡°It was just an excuse.¡±


    He forcefully turned my head to face his and teased, ¡°Excuse? Lying about one¡¯s desires isn¡¯t a great


    habit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying about my desires! I can¡¯t continue sleeping with an engaged man! Dominic, aren¡¯t you


    ashamed of your actions? Didn¡¯t Camille call you just now? How could you bring yourself to pounce on


    me immediately after ending the call with your fianc¨¦e? I may not like her, but as a fellow woman, I can¡¯t


    make her suffer a cheating partner, even if she¡¯s the most immoral person on earth.¡±


    Dominic fell silent at my virtuous outburst. An ugly sneer, however, soon appeared on his face.


    ¡°Liliana, aren¡¯t you being a hypocrite? If she hadn¡¯t called, what do you think we¡¯ll be doing right now?¡±


    I pursed my lips, flushing in anger. Stiffly, I replied, ¡°Well, now¡¯s a good time to start fixing our mistakes.


    We can¡¯t sink further into the rabbit hole.¡±


    Tears pricked at my eyes, and I had to look away from him as I continued, ¡°Plus, you¡¯re about to marry


    Camille.¡±


    Thisst bit struck him dumb, and he stared at me wordlessly for a long time.


    I struggled against his hold to no avail. Finally, I pleaded, ¡°Let me go.¡±


    Instead of freeing me, he tightened his hold on me. Anger seeped into his features.


    It was my turn to be surprised; I had no idea what had invoked his ire.


    He lowered his body further, stering our fronts together. With his face barely inches from mine, he


    growled, ¡°Are you bothered about me dating Camille?¡±


    I bit my lips and arranged my features into a calm expression. ¡°Of course I am! I told you before in the


    hospital that I didn¡¯t want to be attacked by anyone. Camille¡¯s anxious about you, and your mother


    forbade me from approaching you. If they knew about our rendezvous, they¡¯re going to give me h*ll. I


    can¡¯t and won¡¯t want to deal with that.¡±


    Just as I ended an exnation, there was a sharp pain in my shoulder. That *sshole bit me!


    ¡°Hey, Dominic! What¡¯s wrong with you? That hurts!¡±


    He dialed back on his force, though he kept his teeth on my shoulder. He mumbled, ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Infuriated, I shouted, ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s all? Why don¡¯t you let me bite you instead? It hurts like


    sh*t!¡±


    Dominic merely mped his teeth down on my shoulder once more before demanding, ¡°Is your fear of


    being chewed out by them the only reason for rejecting our arrangement?¡±


    Only then did I understand the context of his earlier question.


    ¡°Well, of course. What else could I be bothered about? Jealousy over you? Stop daydreaming.¡±


    I even smiled to put my point across.


    Dear Dominic Hartnell, the only thing I can do to save myself is a constant reminder that you¡¯re no longer


    mine.


    I hade to realize that no amount of time or pretense could diminish the fact that Dominic was my first


    and only love.


    That was partly the reason I had married Julius in such a rush; it was but an attempt at numbing myself


    in the wake of our breakup.


    Dominic lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at me.


    ¡°Whatever bothers you is of no concern to me. Listen carefully.¡± He paused as a chilling smile appeared


    on his face. ¡°No matter who I marry in the end, as long as I intend to keep you by my side, you have no


    choice but to obey. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten what I told you before; you owe me this.¡±


    I was dumbfounded by his demands. Does he mean to make me his mistress?


    Once I regained my faculties, I gritted out, ¡°Dominic, you¡¯re despicable.¡±


    His hand had begun trailing across my body as he grinned wickedly at me. ¡°What does it matter to you


    whether I¡¯m despicable or not? You have no choice but to ept my demands, anyway.¡±


    I kept my mouth zipped since there was no arguing with him.


    Dominic was particrly rough in our lovemaking session that night. I pinched him on the back and


    muttered, ¡°Hey, go easy.¡±


    He merely grinned devilishly and said, ¡°I guess I¡¯m not working hard enough if you still have the energy


    to talk back.¡±


    His response made me fume.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Chapter 119 All Bite And No Bark


    Every time we made love, Dominic seemed nothing short of an insatiable beast. I ended each session


    feeling like a limp rag doll.


    Last night was no exception. It seemed like it was dawn by the time I copsed into an exhausted


    sleep.


    If not for the phone ringing incessantly on my bedside table, I might have slumbered until the following


    night.


    When I picked up the call and heard Dominic¡¯s voice, I thought I was still dreaming.


    Didn¡¯t he sleep with mest night? Why is he calling me from inside the house?


    I hung up the call in a blur. My brain slowly awakened after I vegged out on the bed for a few more


    minutes.


    What was he telling me on the phone? Oh, he wants me to get ready because he¡¯s arriving in half an


    hour to take me to my father¡¯s talk.


    It was a struggle to sit upright in bed. ncing at the clock, I realized it was one in the afternoon.


    Hmm, less than two hours to my dad¡¯s talk. Dominic can¡¯t be human. Where does he find the energy to


    get up so early in the morning afterst night¡¯s activities?


    I did not know when he had left, but it must have been pretty early.


    I had only half an hour to get ready, but I did not have the energy to wash up any quicker.


    Dominic arrived as I finished my shower.


    ¡°Did you take my house keys?¡± I asked after getting over my surprise.


    He did not refute my guess, and I could not be bothered to interrogate him further.


    We left at close to two in the afternoon. If there aren¡¯t any traffic jams, we should be able to make it to


    Lightspring University just in time for his talk.


    My stomach began grumbling in protest afterst night¡¯s strenuous activities.


    I red at Dominic. He doesn¡¯t care about me at all if my parents aren¡¯t around. He didn¡¯t even think to


    get me something to eat.


    Spying a convenience store up ahead, I got Dominic to stop the car.


    I sped into the shop and picked up a couple of snacks. To that, I added two chicken sandwiches, a


    hotdog, and two cans of my favorite lemonade. I wrapped up my purchase gleefully before returning to


    the car.


    Dominic stared at me quizzically as I boarded the car with bags of food in hand. He sounded incredulous


    as he asked if I was nning to finish everything.


    I tossed him a disdainful stare andined about my hunger.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. I¡¯m starving, and even if I can¡¯t finish the food, seeing this whole pile


    makes me happy. Someone happy and full like you won¡¯t understand my joy.¡±


    Dominic¡¯s attention was on the road as he replied lightly, ¡°Who told you I¡¯m full?¡±


    Thanks to the chicken sandwich in my mouth, my voice was muffled as I said, ¡°You left so early in the


    morning. Why wouldn¡¯t you have eaten since then?¡±


    ¡°I had back-to-back meetings the whole morning. There wasn¡¯t time to eat.¡±


    I swallowed my sandwich and scoffed. Who¡¯s going to believe your sob story? Grabbing a bite can¡¯t take


    you more than a couple of minutes.


    Still, my heart softened as my gazended on the bag of food. ¡°I still have a sandwich. Do you want


    some?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m driving.¡±


    I removed the sandwich from the bag despite having warned myself that I should ignore him. ¡°I¡¯ll feed


    you, then. Do you want it?¡±


    Dominic seemed chuffed by my offer. There was a ghost of a smile on his face as he nodded.


    I tore the sandwich into bite-size pieces and fed him, even offering a can of my beloved lemonade to


    him.


    All the while, I wished I could p some sense into my love-addled brain. What¡¯s wrong with you? He¡¯s


    going to think you¡¯re all bark and no bite!


    When we were about to reach Lightspring University, Dominic suddenly stopped the car on the side of


    the road. He got off and bought a bouquet from a small florist shop.


    ¡°Why are you getting flowers?¡±


    ¡°So you can give these to your dad after the talk is over, silly.¡±


    His thoughtfulness surprised me; a gift for my dad had not crossed my mind.


    Given our ratherte departure and detours along the way, we made it to Lightspring University with


    barely a few seconds to spare.


    I ended up texting my mom about our arrival instead of calling my dad. Dominic and I entered the lecture


    hall via the back door.


    The hall was teeming with people, and there were only seats left in thest two rows.


    I pulled Dominic with me toward some seats near the wall.


    In truth, I had never been to a single one of my dad¡¯s talks. While he had taught me when I was young,


    my childish self had found it annoying, which resulted inplete avoidance of his public talks.


    As the talk progressed, I was pleasantly surprised at how humorous my dad was. Every once in a while,


    he would crack a joke to break up the serious mood. The students in the hall seemed to hang on his


    every word.


    My dad was peppered with questions from the audience once the talk ended. My mom apanied him


    while Dominic and I headed outside the hall to wait for them.


    About ten minutester, my parents finally left the lecture hall with some of my dad¡¯s colleagues in tow. I


    had met some of them in the past.


    I pulled Dominic along as I approached my dad. Passing the flowers to him, I said, ¡°Dad, Dominic bought


    these for you. We wanted to pass these to you right after your talk, but we were seated at the very end; it


    was hard to make our way to the stage. So we waited here.¡±


    My dad seemed to be floating on cloud nine at this point. He received the flowers with the brightest smile


    on his face, muttering that timing was secondary to our intentions.


    ¡°David, I envy you for having a daughter. Look at how sweet she is. She showed up for your talk and


    bought you flowers.¡±


    The person who had spoken was my dad¡¯s colleague, Harry Lindt. Like my dad, he was a university


    lecturer.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I smiled bashfully at his praise. ¡°Hello, Professor Lindt.¡±


    Harry was close to my dad and had dined with us at home on several asions.


    He smiled fondly at me before turning his attention to Dominic. The smile faltered.


    His puzzled expression set off warning bells in my head. Harry had been a guest at Julius¡¯ and my


    wedding. He probably did not know about my divorce, and it hardly seemed like an appropriate


    conversation topic between him and my parents.


    I heard him asking hesitantly, ¡°Lili, who¡¯s this? He¡¯s not your husband, I presume. They don¡¯t quite look


    alike.¡±


    My brain froze up as I struggled toe up with a reply. Above all, I was worried that Harry¡¯s question


    might have upset my dad.


    To my parents, my divorce could not be anything but an embarrassment.


    My dad¡¯s response, however, startled me. He answered casually, ¡°Lili and Julius are divorced.¡±


    Harry was rightfully shocked. After all, I had been married to Julius for all of six months.


    He smiled awkwardly before staring at Dominic once more. There was a hint of curiosity in his gaze as


    he asked, ¡°So who is this?¡±

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    Chapter 120 This Arrangement Ends With Your Marriage


    Everyone¡¯s attentionnded on Dominic at that instant, including my dad. They seemed to be holding


    their breath in anticipation of his reply.


    I felt ovee with an inexplicable sense of nervousness, almost reminiscent of my feelingsst night.


    Things would be a lot lessplicated if only my parents were around, instead of a number of my dad¡¯s


    colleagues in tow.


    Dominic told mest night that I had no choice but to stay with him. Even if I had conceded to his


    request, our rtionship was nothing more than a scarlet letter on my head.


    I could not let my parents suffer humiliation twice, let alone from the adultery of their daughter, which was


    undeniably worse than divorce.


    As these thoughts crossed my head, I tugged on Dominic¡¯s hand, hinting at him to watch his words.


    The annoying man grabbed my hand instead and announced, ¡°Good day, everyone. I¡¯m Liliana¡¯s


    boyfriend, Dominic Hartnell.¡±


    I closed my eyes, willing the heavens to strike me dead with lightning.


    There¡¯s going to be h*ll to pay when this facade we call our rtionship eventually crumbles.


    An array of expressions appeared on the faces of my dad¡¯s colleagues. However, they greeted Dominic


    affably after his introduction.


    A female lecturer even congratted my dad, though I found her expression rather crude. ¡°Mr. Zti,


    Lili has great taste. This fellow looks like a much better bet than her ex-husband.¡±


    I wanted nothing more than to leave this ce. After greeting them, I excused myself on the pretense of


    buying things and pulled Dominic away with me.


    Once we left the lecture hall, I stalked off moodily until I located a bench and sat down.


    After stewing in silence for some time, I lifted my forlorn gaze to Dominic.


    ¡°Why did you say you were my boyfriend? We agreed that we would only put on this act in front of my


    parents. Now that my dad¡¯s colleagues know about you, my dad¡¯s going to be humiliated again when we


    break up.¡±


    Dominic suddenly moved closer to me, warning shing across his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to break up with


    me? Have you forgotten what I told youst night?¡±


    My anger boiled over, though I was careful to keep my volume down. ¡°I¡¯m concerned because I haven¡¯t


    forgotten what you saidst night. Our rtionship is just a show, yet you insist on me staying by your


    side. What am I? An indentured mistress? If my dad knows that his daughter is an adulteress, the shame


    is going to shorten his lifespan by decades!¡±


    He tilted my jaw in response. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your parents won¡¯t know a thing as long as you obey my


    orders.¡±


    I shrugged his hand away. What can I do to fix this?


    Staring at the dust that had collected on the floor, I made a decision.


    Lifting my head to meet Dominic¡¯s gaze, I said, ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. Promise me you¡¯ll honor this


    agreement, ok?¡±


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    He gestured for me to continue speaking.


    ¡°This thing between us ends once you get married; we¡¯ll go our separate ways when that happens. While


    you remain unmarried, we can treat this as dating around, but I refuse to be your mistress once you¡¯re


    legally bound to someone else.¡±


    His inky-ck pupils focused on me, and he seemed like he was in deep thought.


    I fiddled with my fingers anxiously, unsure if he would agree to my proposal.


    If he rejected it, I could note up with a better idea to persuade him.


    It seemed like a centuryter when he finally said, ¡°Ok.¡±


    I let go of the breath I had been holding subconsciously. Great. That gives us a few more months. After


    that, I can always im personality differences for causing our breakup. That¡¯s pretty believable.


    Suddenly, I recalled how Dominic had always twisted my words to his benefit. I warned, ¡°I¡¯m serious.


    Since you have agreed, you have to stick to your end of the agreement. Don¡¯t fob me off with excuses


    when the timees.¡±


    Again, he replied simply, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ok, as long as he agrees. If he tries to renege on our deal, I¡¯ll turn his life into a living h*ll!


    My mom called just as I ended my conversation with Dominic. She wanted to know where we were.


    I had her wait at the university¡¯s entrance with my dad for Dominic and me.


    However, I did not see either of them when we arrived at the entrance. After another call, I realized that


    my parents had gotten lost on campus grounds.


    I asked Dominic to wait as I prepared to head into the university to look for them. Surprisingly, he offered


    to track them down instead.


    His devotion to our couple¡¯s act was admirable. He seemed like an eager boy scout whenever it came to


    anything that involved my parents.


    Since he was volunteering his services, it would be remiss of me to reject his kind offer.


    While I waited for them at the entrance, I noticed arge pharmacy across the street.


    Ah, I should get some birth control. Probably something with longersting effects. I can¡¯t even


    remember where I kept my old stash. I better be more diligent about taking the meds; downing morning-


    after pills can¡¯t be good for my body. If I end up pregnant, it can¡¯t end well for anybody. That stupid


    Dominic¡¯s not considerate enough to wear a condom, so it¡¯s entirely up to me.


    Rushing into the pharmacy, Ipleted my purchase quickly.


    As I put the pills in my purse, I could not help but sigh at his selfishness. All men care about is to meet


    their needs but it is us women who bear the consequences.


    Somehow, I was in a great mood as I waited for the traffic lights. I decided to reward myself for my


    foresight with an ice-cold popsicle.


    When I got back to the university entrance, Dominic was already waiting with my parents.


    He approached me and asked where I had gone. I took the popsicle out of my mouth and waved it


    proudly in front of him.


    He told me off instead for eating cold things on a chilly day, iming it was unhealthy.


    I pouted and ignored him. Eating popsicles in winter was my favorite pastime; it did not matter how low


    the temperature dropped.


    My mom defended Dominic, saying he only had my best interests in mind. She rounded off her defense


    by calling me out on my ungrateful behavior.


    It was a good thing I had long be immune to the fact that my parentsrgely sided with Dominic¡¯s


    opinions over mine.


    Dinner time was fast approaching, and we headed for a restaurant Dominic had picked. I did not mind,


    as long as everyone enjoyed the meal.


    My phone pinged a couple of times with iing WhatsApp messages during dinner, and I pulled it out


    to check who was texting me.


    It was Nichs telling me about how busy he had been with filming. He followed this up with questions


    about how I had been.


    As I tapped out a reply to Nichs, I sensed Dominic¡¯s gaze on me, and I shivered involuntarily.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Chapter 121 An Innocent Friendship


    ¡°Lili, don¡¯t use your phone when we¡¯re eating,¡± my dad said sharply.


    I acknowledged his words and stopped typing, stuffing my phone back into my purse.


    My dad must have been exhausted after his talk. After dinner, instead of chatting with Dominic like


    yesterday, he announced that he would go back to rest.


    Before they left, we made ns to bring them around town the next day.


    Dominic and I left for my ce after that. On the drive home, Dominic got a call from Camille. I stewed


    silently in the passenger seat, acting like I was not there.


    No matter how ufortable I felt about the situation, I made sure none of it showed in my expression.


    Dominic was nothing if not a smooth-talker, appeasing Camille with barely a few words.


    Once we got home, I took a shower and burrowed into my bed with my tablet.


    I needed to get some work done on myics. I had not drawn for two days, and my manuscript was


    due in a couple more days.


    Before I got down to work, I suddenly remembered something. I set my tablet aside and sped for the


    living room, locating and swallowing a birth control pill.


    I¡¯ve got to remember to eat these from now on.


    I returned to my bedroom and began drawing in earnest.


    Dominic came in as I was absorbed in my work.


    I stared at him for a few seconds before moving aside, leaving him some space to sit on the bed.


    Instead of getting on the bed, Dominic snatched the tablet out of my hands. He pinned me down on the


    bed in the next instant.


    Even as my body began responding to his touch, I stuttered in protest, ¡°H-hey, let¡¯s talk this through.


    Everything in moderation and all that, right? Don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡±


    His gaze darkened. ¡°Is this your way of telling me that something¡¯s wrong with my virility?¡±


    I almost bit my tongue at his crass remark. Oh God, I did not think things through.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. You¡¯re great, you know, and everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m always satisfied.¡± I was


    this close to barfing at my cloying attempt to butter him up.


    Dominic was chuffed to bits at my praise. His features rxed immediately.


    Catching on to what little headway I had made, I added, ¡°I¡¯m just concerned because we had ate night.


    You didn¡¯t get a good rest this morning, either. I don¡¯t want you to exhaust yourself. Let¡¯s sleep earlier


    tonight since we¡¯ve got a full day ahead of us tomorrow.¡±


    He scrutinized me with interest in his eyes.


    I went in for the kill. ¡°We¡¯ve got a long time ahead of us. There¡¯ll be plenty of chances in the future.¡±


    His lips curved into a smirk as he said, ¡°Fine. You¡¯re off the hook tonight for being exceptionally sweet.¡±


    I heaved a sigh of relief. We¡¯ll see about it next time.


    ¡°Get off, then. You¡¯re heavy.¡±


    Dominic remained atop me.


    My heart began pounding as fast as a runaway horse. Is he seriously breaking his promise right now?


    ¡°Dominic.¡±


    ¡°I suddenly remembered that I had something to tell you. If you ever get involved with Nichs again, I¡¯ll


    make you pay.¡±


    Stunned, I exined, ¡°Nichs and I are just friends.¡±


    He pinched me viciously in response. Sucking in my breath at the pain, I yelped. ¡°It hurts.¡±


    A cruel smile greeted me, followed by a sharp bite on my shoulder.


    I heard him continue, ¡°You¡¯re iming to be just friends when you¡¯ve slept together? I don¡¯t care about


    your rtionship with him in the past, but now that I¡¯m in the picture, don¡¯t you dare seek him out again.¡±


    I frowned and muttered, ¡°We were always friends from the beginning. I¡¯ve never slept with him-¡±


    Dominic tilted my chin toward him and stared intently at him. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Initially, I nned to ignore his question. After some thought, however, I decided that it was in my best


    interests to be honest with him. He might be gentler toward me if he knows the truth.


    Dominic was not a prude, and I had lost my virginity to him. Though he would not be surprised if I had


    slept with other men, I knew that he was a possessive man.


    Somehow, I was confident that if he knew about the true nature of my rtionship with Nichs, he


    would be over the moon.


    Won¡¯t I have an easier time of it if he¡¯s happy?


    Hence, I confessed, ¡°Nothing romantic has ever happened between Nichs and me. I¡¯ve never dated


    him, nor have I slept with him.¡±


    As expected, Dominic was overjoyed. A wide smile appeared on his face.


    Bingo.


    His joy also revealed his selfish hypocrisy.


    When Dominic told me to go to bed, I told him I wanted to draw one more panel for myic. He must


    have been in a great mood since he agreed immediately.


    It was a wonderful and uneventful night.


    We got up early the next day, and I felt thoroughly recharged after a good night¡¯s rest.


    Since we had time to spare, I whipped up two bowls of instant ramen for breakfast. Dominic had always


    suffered from gastric problems, and I did not want him to go starving.


    After breakfast, we headed to the hotel to pick up my parents. We toured several ces of attractions in


    Lightspring and treated them to some local delicacies.


    I could tell that my parents enjoyed themselves that day.


    Rather pettily, I called Louis and gloated about how much fun we had had.


    Louis flung usations of abandonment at us through the phone.


    Just then, Dominic stepped forward and grabbed my phone. He told Louis to visit Lightspring on his next


    holiday, promising to cover all his expenses.


    That little brat was so happy he began calling Dominic his brother-inw.


    How I wished I could knock some sense into Louis¡¯ head. How can he sell me out after a little bit of


    bribery from Dominic?


    My parents stayed in Lightspring for five days. Dominic and I ferried them around town whenever my dad


    was not giving a talk.


    Truthfully, I was bewildered. I wondered what sort of tale Dominic had spun to Camille, which allowed


    him to spend five days away without her calling him every five minutes to check in on him.


    If it were me, I would have expired from separation anxiety. Though I was hardly a clingy partner, if my


    boyfriend spent five days away from me without a peep, I would go mad.


    Dominic continued bunking with me for days after my parents had already left. I thought he would be


    gone by now, but he acted like a nt that had taken root and refused to leave.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    One day, I was drawing while he was in the shower when reality came knocking in the form of a


    WhatsApp message.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Chapter 122 Acting Guilty


    I checked my phone, almost dropping it when I saw who the sender was.


    It was a text from Royce from my blind date.


    I could not help but feel like I was cheating on him.


    In his text, Royce mentioned that he had not contacted me because he had been away on a business


    trip. He followed that up with an invitation to chat the next day.


    Chat? About what? Dominic¡¯s warning remained at the forefront of my mind. If he knew about Royce¡¯s


    existence, I would be dead meat.


    I stared at the doorway guiltily as if expecting Dominic to materialize at any moment. I tapped out a reply


    to Royce hastily.


    I¡¯m sorry, but we shouldn¡¯t keep in touch anymore. I¡¯ve got a boyfriend now.


    After I sent out the text, I sighed in relief.


    Royce merely replied, Alright.


    Just then, footsteps sounded outside the bedroom. I quickly erased Royce¡¯s conversation history and


    buried my phone under my pillow. Toplete my act of innocence, I pretended to be absorbed in


    drawing.


    Dominic¡¯s senses were, however, razor-sharp.


    The minute he got on the bed, he pulled me into his arms and gazed at me inquisitively. ¡°You seem


    nervous. Feeling guilty about something?¡±


    My heart was about to leap out of my throat at that point. Still, I thought I put on a rather convincing act of


    nonchnce as I replied, ¡°You¡¯re the one who is guilty.¡±


    He began toying with a strand of my hair as hemented, ¡°That¡¯d better be the case. Liliana, you know


    the consequences.¡±


    My eyelids twitched before I could muster a brownnosing smile. ¡°Of course not. There¡¯s nothing for you


    to discover.¡±


    Dominic pressed me into the bed and got down to business.


    I did not know if the frequency of our lovemaking had made a difference, but I had grown more and more


    sensitive to his touch. A few teases were all it took to turn me into a quivering ball of lust.


    At the same time, Dominic had be more wicked in bed. He would tease me until I was burning with


    desire and immediately stop his movements, waiting for me to beg for relief.


    I had tried a few times to resist begging him, but that only resulted in more punishing teases.


    Since I could not oust him, I learned my lesson and yed along. It would eventually work out in my


    favor anyway.


    Dominic¡¯s energy was a thing of mystery to him. Even after making love through the wee hours of the


    night, I was the one who felt utterly spent while he managed to get himself to work early every morning.


    That afternoon, I had been shopping at a supermarket when Dominic called me. I almost screamed out


    of glee at the news he told me. Atst, he was no longer staying at my ce.


    Thank God! The heavens must¡¯ve heard my prayers!


    Every night Dominic spent in my house meant another day of walking around on sore legs. I had been


    dreaming of the day he would finally leave.


    I could finally sleep peacefully and alone tonight.


    My shopping speed increased exponentially with my glee.


    I even tossed some extra bags of snacks into my shopping cart for good measure. As I reveled in my


    mini-celebration, I heard someone call my name.


    Turning around, I realized that it was Royce. Wow, what a coincidence.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, I see you¡¯re doing grocery shopping as well.¡±


    Royce did not seem stilted or awkward as he greeted me. I returned his greeting and replied, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m


    running out of groceries.¡±


    We fell into awkward silence soon after.


    Royce broke the tension first by saying, ¡°I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll make a move. Enjoy your shopping.¡±


    I nodded hastily and waved goodbye at him.


    His departure filled me with relief. Dominic¡¯s constant threats were nothing if not effective at instilling fear


    in me.


    Why am I worrying so much? I bumped into Royce out of coincidence, and Dominic¡¯s not here either. I


    should hurry home after shopping.


    Without Dominic around, I slept like a log.


    His absencested about a week.


    He must be busy with Camille; after all, she¡¯s his fianc¨¦e. He should be spending more time with her


    after rendezvousing with me. Though how he manages to keep the fianc¨¦e satisfied with a lover in tow, I


    will never know.


    Shannon came knocking bright and early on Sunday morning, dragging me out of my bed.


    I yawned in exhaustion, struggling to open my eyes after rushing a manuscriptst night.


    ¡°Shannon, don¡¯t disturb me. All I want is to veg out in bed. Go have fun yourself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so boring to go alone. You shoulde with me! You can catch up on your sleep once we arrive,¡±


    Shannon whined and shook my elbow.


    I stopped her and wailed, ¡°Stop shaking me. I¡¯m so dizzy. Wait, why are you going there again?¡±


    She giggled. ¡°Do you remember the man I met on my blind date? He invited me along, and I want you to


    go with me.¡±


    My brain pounded as I stared at her. ¡°Oh, do you like him? Are you trying to take things further?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, maybe not. Hey, you should invite Royce too. We¡¯re going to a resort anyway. The more, the


    merrier, right? You can get to know him a little better as well.¡±


    At the mention of Royce, I waved my arms in protest. ¡°No thanks. Royce and I are old news.¡±


    Confusion shed through Shannon¡¯s features. ¡°Why not? Didn¡¯t you get along well at the blind date?¡±


    ¡°We only talked once at the blind date; why would you call that getting along well?¡±


    She seemed to have more questions, and I cut in hastily, ¡°Stop digging into my business if you still want


    a traveling partner to that resort or whatever it is.¡±


    Shannon immediately lifted her arms in surrender and said, ¡°Ok, I zip my lips.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    And that was how Shannon single-handedly destroyed my dream of sleeping in on the weekend.


    I slept the entire journey to the resort, only waking up after Shannon poked me once we arrived.


    Stretchingzily, I asked, ¡°How many people are there?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask, but there should be a small crowd.¡±


    I could not help but roll my eyes at her. ¡°How trusting of you. What if this was all a front for a trafficking


    scheme?¡±


    At my sarcasm, Shannon clung to my elbow and said, ¡°Stop being so melodramatic;e on, let¡¯s


    explore this ce.¡±


    I allowed Shannon to drag me into the resort. We had barely taken a few steps when I heard a familiar


    voice behind me.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Chapter 123 Another Coincidence


    I felt it was a familiar voice. As I turned my head, I saw Royce, who had just gotten out of his car. He was


    just a few steps behind us.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, what a coincidence again. Are you here for the banquet too?¡±


    I had no idea what he was talking about, and I could barely care. Nevertheless, it was such a


    coincidence to run into him again.


    When we were departing in the morning, Shannon asked me to invite Royce, but I rejected. Who would


    have thought he would be here?


    As I was still hesitating how to reply to him, Shannon had opened her mouth.


    ¡°We¡¯re invited by our friends, the one who asked us outst time. Mr. Horton, if you are not busy tonight,


    you cane over and have fun with us.¡±


    I immediately cut Shannon a re. How could you invite others if you have not figured out the situation?


    With that, Royce shed back a courteous smile. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll stop by if I have time.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Shannon¡¯s grin grew wider. She pointed at me and told Royce to find me if he arrived


    later.


    I was rendered speechless by her gesture, as I knew what she was nning. It looked like she had


    forgotten what I told her in the morning.


    At that moment, my mind was trying hard to find an excuse to leave with her. But before I could open my


    mouth, Royce answered a call and left abruptly after that.


    As soon as Royce left the scene, I started observing Shannon¡¯s expression closely. I suspected if she


    was the one who invited Royce over secretly.


    Noticing my suspicious expression, she immediately shook her head innocently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I didn¡¯t invite him.¡±


    I leaned close to her face sternly. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t you?¡±


    With that, Shannon lifted her right hand firmly. ¡°I swear it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    Standing up, I scoffed indifferently and gave her a warning. It¡¯s impossible between Royce and me.


    Grabbing my arms tightly, Shannon did not seem to take my words seriously. ¡°How will you know if you


    don¡¯t try? We did not invite him, yet you guys bump into each other. Who knows, maybe the two of you


    are meant to be together? Sometimes we have to believe in destiny¡­¡±


    Listening to her talking such nonsense, I could not help but stop her abruptly.


    ¡°Shannon, I thought you wanted me to be with Nichs, as you kept mentioning him to me. And now


    there¡¯s Royce. Have you changed your mind?¡±


    Shannon¡¯s following words pissed me off. ¡°It¡¯s like this, Liliana. Even though we are good friends, after I


    gave it a good thought, I figure it¡¯s such a waste to give Nichs to you. After all, one should never stick


    a flower into cow dung.¡±


    I patted her back vigorously and yelled, ¡°What¡¯re you saying now? Who¡¯s the flower, and who¡¯s the cow


    dung?¡±


    ¡°Ouch! Please have mercy on me. It¡¯s painful!¡± Shannon let out a cry.


    I feigned her an angry look. ¡°You¡¯re the one who insults me first. Shannon, how could you neglect your


    friend when smitten with a new love?¡±


    She was not at all embarrassed by my statement, yet she spoke confidently, ¡°It¡¯s not that I neglect our


    friendship, but I know how to appreciate real beauty.¡±


    I almost vomit, disgusted by how narcissistic she was.


    After taking a short walk around the resort, I started to feel sleepy. Right at that moment, the man who


    invited Shannon called.


    Judging by her speaking tone on the phone, it seemed like she was genuinely interested in the other


    party.


    After hanging up the phone, Shannon signaled me to go back to the resort¡¯s entrance; seemingly, he was


    waiting for us there.


    While we were still ten feet away from the entrance, I spotted a man standing there.


    I pushed Shannon slightly and asked her if he was the one. She nodded with a shy smile.


    By that time, that man saw us too and he started walking towards us.


    His gesture added merit to my heart, as he did not look like a prideful domineering man.


    After he came near us, I finally recognized his face from thest date. His name was Quinn, but I could


    not remember what his upation was.


    The first word that came out of his mouth was an apology, as he did not fetch us here.


    Nheless, Shannon was not the type of woman that would mind such details. With that, she smiled


    casually and started introducing him to me.


    I remembered the name correctly, and it turned out he owned apany doingndscape design.


    In fact, part of the naturalndscape inside this resort was done by hispany.


    Later, Quinn sent us to a room. He told us that he had a briefpany meeting to catch, and he would


    come to find us again after that.


    After closing the door, Shannon eagerly turned to me and inquired about my impression of him.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Honestly, I felt he was alright. He had this gentleman¡¯s kind of look, and the way he talked was polite and


    humorous at the same time. In conclusion, my impression was much betterpared to thest date.


    Right then, both of usy down on the bed as I yawned. ¡°Shannon, it looks like both of you are getting


    along well. Later, when hees, you go out with him alone. I¡¯m sleepy now. So you can leave me out.¡±


    Shannon did not seem to agree. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me youe all the way here to sleep. You rest now, and I¡¯ll


    wake you upter.¡±


    With that, I dozed off in a matter of seconds, as I was really exhausted.


    Nheless, I felt I got woken up in the blink of an eye.


    I opened my eyes reluctantly and saw a blurred figure wandering slowly in front of me.


    ¡°Liliana, are you up? Quinn has just called.¡±


    I tossed my body, still feeling dizzy. ¡°Please go without me. I¡¯ll join youter.¡±


    Upon saying that, I went on to sleep again. I was not sure what Shannon¡¯s response was, and I could


    barely remember.


    However, a momentter, my sleep was interrupted by a call. Taking a nce at my phone, I was


    frustrated to see it was Dominic.


    Utterly displeased, I sounded agitated. ¡°What is it? I¡¯m sleeping.¡±


    On the other end, Dominic spoke in aposed manner. ¡°Why are you sleeping at such an hour?


    Where are you?¡±

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Chapter 124 How Does He Know


    I did not think much and told him the whole story about how Shannon and I ended up in the resort.


    A momentter, Dominic let out a chuckle. ¡°Thanks for being honest.¡±


    Upon hearing that, I was stunned momentarily, as he sounded like he already knew where I was.


    As I was trying to clear my thought, I heard him speaking again. ¡°Open the door now.¡±


    ¡°The door? Which door?¡± I could not wrap my head around it.


    He asked me back with a hint of teasing in his tone. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Sitting up on my bed, my eyes locked on the door of my room. Does he mean this door?


    Hesitating for a moment, I heard Dominic impatiently tone again. ¡°Hurry up. Are you asleep again?¡±


    Only then did Ie back to my sense. Jumping down from my bed, I ran towards the door.


    I opened the door swiftly and saw Dominic standing outside with a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    He waved at me and entered the room as though it was his house.


    Stunned momentarily, I abruptly closed the door and began interrogating him. ¡°How did you know I¡¯m


    here?¡±


    Before he could answer, I let out a suspicious scream. ¡°You¡¯re stalking me!¡±


    ¡°Do I need to do that?¡±


    Dominic shot me a disdainful nce.


    With that, I furrowed my brows. ¡°Then, how did you find this ce?¡±


    Right then, he leanedzily on the bed. ¡°Stop ttering yourself. I didn¡¯te here purposely to find you.


    I¡¯m here for work, and I ran into Shannon coincidentally.¡±


    So Shannon was the one who told you the room number.


    Upon hearing that, I got even more confused as I thought Shannon detested Dominic. She had told me


    numerous times to forget about him.


    I could not figure out why she would give him our room number.


    At that instant, my phone on the bed suddenly rang. It was Shannon.


    Right after I picked up the phone, she uttered excitedly, ¡°Liliana, guess who I met just now?¡±


    She did not give me the chance to reply while she kept on talking. ¡°I met Dominic at the party. But I did


    not talk to him. Liliana, you should stay in your room. Or else you might run into that jack*ss.¡±


    I froze on my spot. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t talk to him?¡±


    Shannon replied firmly, ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t want to ruin the party. If I weren¡¯t with Quinn, I fear I would have


    approached Dominic and pped him in his face.¡±


    So if Shannon did not tell Dominic the room number, how the h*ll did he know which room I was in?


    Before I could figure it out, Shannon spoke again, ¡°By the way, he was with a beauty. I wonder who¡¯s that


    next victim of his.¡±


    A beauty. The first guess that came to my mind was Camille.


    With that, I instinctively cast Dominic a nce. So the two of them came to work together.


    ¡°Liliana, listen to me and stay in your room. Quinn¡¯s here. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±


    Hanging up the phone, I stared at Dominic rigidly. ¡°Shannon did not tell you our room number.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Dominic shrugged his shoulder indifferently. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was her.¡±


    I regarded him with suspicion. Why is he constantly beating around the bush and never getting to the


    point?


    ¡°I know the man that¡¯s with Shannon. I got the number from him.¡±


    Dominic replied casually, but I was left in befuddlement. How the h*ll did he know Quinn too?


    Just then, a thought came to my mind. Since Shannon is serious about getting into a rtionship with


    Quinn, maybe I should ask Dominic about Quinn, trying to know him better.


    With that, I decided to y nice with Dominic. I walked over and sat beside him. ¡°So, are you close with


    Quinn? What is he like?¡±


    Dominic looked at me with a half-smile on his face. ¡°Are you curious about him?¡±


    I nodded right away, eager to get some information from Dominic. ¡°A little. Just tell me what you know


    about him.¡±


    Even though I knew I should not blindly believe everything that others said, I guessed Dominic would


    probably not be lying in this matter.


    Yet, he was staring at me without saying anything. What does he want?


    I impatiently pushed him a few times. ¡°Speak now¡­Ouch! Dominic!¡±


    Before I could react, he leaned towards me and bit my lips.


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    Beyond exasperated, I shouted, ¡°Are you a dog? Why did you bite me?¡±


    A secondter, he charged towards me again. I responsively leaned backward and covered my mouth


    with both hands.


    The next second, my whole body fell onto the bed.


    Grabbing the timing ideally, Dominic pressed me down with his hands. I panicked and started blocking


    him with my hands.


    This room belonged to Shannon and me. Thus, I would not want anything shameful to happen here.


    At that moment, I was confounded. Weren¡¯t we talking about Quinn? How did it be like this?


    ¡°Please behave yourself. I merely want to know about Quinn. Let¡¯s talk properly, okay?¡±


    At that instant, Dominic¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of envy. ¡°Why do you keep mentioning Quinn? Are you


    interested in him? I thought Shannon¡¯s with him. Are you trying to betray your good friend?¡±


    I was at a loss. What nonsense is he talking about?


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? How could I possibly be interested in him? I¡¯m asking for Shannon¡¯s sake as I


    want to know if he¡¯s a good man.¡±


    I really could notprehend how Dominic¡¯s brain worked.


    To my puzzlement, Dominic suddenly let go of me and stood up.


    ¡°Quinn¡¯s not a good person. You¡¯d better warn Shannon to keep her distance from him.¡±


    Upon hearing that, I jumped out from the bed and grabbed his arm. ¡°Are you serious? Is he a bad


    person?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m leaving now. I still have another errand. Liliana, you¡¯d better stay here


    and don¡¯t wander around.¡±


    Dominic left the room abruptly upon finishing his sentence.


    Enraged, I threw a pillow towards the closed door.


    D*mn it! How could youe and leave as you like? What errand is so urgent? It¡¯s just Camille.


    After collecting myself for a while, I figured I should give Shannon a warning call about Quinn.


    The moment I picked up my phone, I received a message.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Chapter 125 Memory From Old Days


    It was a message from Royce asking for our whereabouts. He said that he had finished his work and


    coulde to fetch us now.


    I was about to reject him, but the scene of Dominic and Camille holding hands appeared in my mind


    the next moment.


    Since Shannon had gone out with Quinn, I figured it was reasonable that I invited another friend.


    Hence, I changed my mind and replied to Royce¡¯s message immediately.


    ¡°Wait for me at the lobby.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Royce¡¯s reply came in a secondter.


    I swiftly tidied myself up and left the room with my phone and the key card.


    On the way down, I called Shannon asking her to meet me in the lobby.


    I intended to find her in person, but I feared running into Dominic and Camille.


    It was not because I feared it would be awkward, but I felt whenever I met Camille, something terrible


    would happen.


    As soon as I got out of the elevator, Shannon and Quinn walked out of another elevator too.


    I immediately waved at them.


    Shannon saw me and pulled me to a corner while whispering. ¡°Why do youe out? Didn¡¯t I tell you


    that Dominic and that woman are here?¡±


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    I knew Shannon was concerned that I might be sad to see Dominic with Camille. Nheless, it was not


    good timing for me to tell her that Dominic hade to our room.


    On the other hand, I did not n to tell her about my dirty secrets with Dominic.


    Hence, I disyed an unconcerned expression and tried to ditch the topic.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s none of my business. After all, this resort is so huge.¡±


    Quinn waited for us to finish our conversation before he walked over to join us.


    Initially, I felt he was a nice guy. But after what Dominic told me, everything about Quinn seemed wrong


    to me.


    I was unsure if it was my misconception towards him, but his smile looked fake to me.


    By the time I was trying to brush Quinn off, Royce had arrived at the resort.


    At that moment, Shannon secretly pulled my shirt. I knew what she was implying, but I did not respond.


    As I did not tell her that I was the one who invited Royce, I understood why she was acting so agitated.


    Honestly, I did not have any intention other than pure antagonism towards Dominic.


    As Dominic had asked me to stay obediently in the room, I deliberately wanted to do the exact opposite.


    After all, I only dared to stand up to him in such a discrete manner. If I were to confront him face to face, I


    would most probably flee in fright.


    At first, I wanted to introduce Royce and Quinn to each other out of courtesy. But before I realized it, the


    two of them had already engaged in a conversation.


    Looking at their rxed gesture while chatting, I nearly believed that they had known each other for a


    long time.


    While I was still trying toprehend the situation, Shannon opened her mouth. ¡°If you two want to chat,


    at least find a ce to sit down. Do you expect twodies to stand here waiting for you?¡±


    Upon hearing that, the two men stopped their conversation and apologized with embarrassment.


    Royce suggested that we go to the music bar inside the resort. He said that there would be some event


    at night. Thus, it would be happening.


    Shannon and I were interested, as we did not have anywhere else to go.


    As such, four of us headed towards the music bar.


    Before we reached the bar, we could already see some zing lights from afar, and the noises of the


    crowd caught our ears.


    Arriving at the bar entrance, we realized it was more like a bonfire party.


    A huge bonfire was lit up in the middle of the open space outside while pairs of men and women were


    dancing wildly around the fire.


    At that very moment, such a bonfire reminded me of the past.


    It was the summer break during high school when the school organized a summer trip that I joined.


    During thest night of the trip, it was a bonfire party exactly like this one.


    At that time, I was sad because I was going to part with Dominic for more than two months.


    We would be in the final year after that summer break, supposedly the year where most couples broke


    up.


    With that concern in mind, I ended up offering myself to Dominic that very night after guarding my


    virginity for years.


    It was the most unforgettable night in my life.


    It was so many years ago, yet the memory was still able to make me solemn. Even though everyone on


    the scene was excited about the bonfire, my mood was ruinedpletely.


    Seeing Shannon having a great time, I did not want to spoil her night. Thus, I tried hard to disguise my


    sorrow.


    I thought of going back to the room by myself, but remembering what Dominic said about Quinn, I was


    not willing to leave Shannon alone with him.


    In the end, I stayed with them.


    I tried to join in the bonfire dance. But after going around the fire a few times, my body could not take it


    anymore.


    I did not realize when my body had aged to this extent.


    At that moment, I noticed Shannon panting heavily, too, even though she was enjoying it. Hence, I


    decided to pull her out and grab a drink.


    Spotting the two of us leaving the dance, Royce and Quinn came to join us too.


    They apanied us to our seats, but they did not sit down, as they decided to buy some food and


    drinks for us.


    Shannon waited for the men to leave before she opened her mouth. ¡°Liliana, listen to me. Royce seems


    like a nice guy. Why don¡¯t you give it a shot? After all, there¡¯s nothing to lose.¡±


    I was lost for words at that instant. I wanted to talk to her about Quinn, yet she initiated the topic towards


    me.


    ¡°Forget about me. Maybe you should think twice about Quinn since you¡¯ve only known him for not long.


    Who knows he¡¯s a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing?¡±


    Hearing that, Shannon burst intoughter. ¡°A wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. You¡¯re so funny.¡±


    I petntly responded, ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll remember that. I¡¯ll keep an eye.¡±


    Feeling helpless, I figure I should probably find Dominic to talk about this matter another time. It was best


    if I could get some proof.


    Right at that moment, Shannon suddenly grabbed my arm and shook forcefully. ¡°Liliana, look over there!¡±

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Chapter 126 Is He Your New Boyfriend


    Puzzled as to the sight that was making Shannon so worked up, I curiously looked in the direction she


    was pointing.


    Hmm? Isn¡¯t that Dominic and Camille?


    They were chatting while watching the group of people dancing around the bonfire. It seemed that they


    hadn¡¯t spotted Shannon and me yet.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with Camille¡¯s pretentiousness or fight with her, much less watch her being


    all lovey-dovey with Dominic.


    Thus, I reached out to pull Shannon away, but she had already rolled up her sleeves in preparation of


    charging forward to brawl with them.


    I swiftly grabbed her and demanded, ¡°What are you trying to do? Are you nning to beat them up?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nning to beat them up, alright! I¡¯m even going to find a rod and wallop them until they beg


    me for mercy!¡±


    Torn between amusement and exasperation, I chided, ¡°Stop messing around. Look at your petite stature.


    Considering your puny strength, Dominic can crush you with just one finger.¡±


    Shannon thumped me on the back in chagrin and huffily retorted, ¡°Why are you disparaging yourself and


    lauding others? I¡¯m trying to stand up for you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll be hurt,¡± I hastily mollified her with a smile. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just ignore them and


    leave. They¡¯re no one important anyway.¡±


    As I said that, I tugged at Shannon, eager to leave so that we could look for Royce and Quinn.


    Another reason for my urgency in leaving was my worry that Dominic would see Royce when thetter


    returned.


    s, Murphy¡¯sw always applied when it came to the very thing one dreaded.


    Tugging Shannon up with me, we got to our feet. But before we could even take a step away, Camille


    was already heading our way with her hand on Dominic¡¯s arm.


    As usual, she wore a mask of harmlessness with a tender smile on her face. Meanwhile, Dominic


    appeared calm and unruffled.


    I¡¯ve truly got to give it to him for being so unppable while his fianc¨¦e and¡­ well, lover¡­ bumped into


    each other. He¡¯s probably the only man who can maintain hisposure in such a situation.


    ¡°Liliana, I just told Dom that I seemed to have caught sight of you. Unexpectedly, it¡¯s really you! What a


    coincidence that we actually met here!¡±


    Irked, I closed my eyes for a moment. A coincidence, my foot! She¡¯s the one who simply has to pester


    me endlessly!


    She put on an act every single time I met her, so I had long since grown tired of it. This time, I ignored


    her altogether and spun around to leave with Shannon.


    However, as soon as I turned around, I saw that Royce and Quinn were back.


    All at once, I stiffened as a sense of impending doom assailed me.


    Shannon shook off my hand and trotted over to them. Then, she took them by the hand and strode back.


    Oh God, I¡¯m dead! She pushed Royce over to me and glowered provocatively at Dominic. ¡°Don¡¯t think


    that you can still bully Liliana like before! She now has someone to back her up and protect her!¡± she


    dered.


    Putting aside the fact that she was spouting nonsense, Royce abruptly reached out and pulled me closer


    to him. In the next moment, I realized that he was using his body to block me from Dominic¡¯s line of sight.


    It was just an insignificant move, but I suddenly shuddered under Dominic¡¯s cid scrutiny.


    Worse still, I even broke into a cold sweat at his cold stare though he didn¡¯t say a single word.


    Just then, Camille dropped her hand from his arm out of the blue and came up to me with a sweet smile.


    She took my hand and eximed exuberantly, ¡°Is he your new boyfriend, Liliana? He seems a perfect


    match for you! Aren¡¯t you going to introduce him?¡±


    At that point, Dominic spoke up all of a sudden as though he was very much interested.


    With an unfathomable smile hovering over his lips, henguidly questioned, ¡°Boyfriend? Then, you really


    ought to introduce him.¡±


    A chill struck me, and I almost bit my tongue. The look in Dominic¡¯s eyes as he regarded me then was


    truly too grim that terror ricocheted within me.


    Before I could say anything, Shannon stretched out a hand and pushed Camille away. She shielded me


    behind her back as though she was a mother hen protecting her chick. Then, she thrust a finger into


    Camille¡¯s face and started berating her.


    ¡°What has it got to do with you whether Liliana has a boyfriend? Why? Are you nning to steal her


    boyfriend a second time after having done so once? I¡¯ve seen too many women like you, but none as


    shameless as you are! You¡¯re not even afraid that your face will rot off when you¡¯re wearing a mask and


    putting on an act every moment of every day!¡±


    Camille¡¯s face flushed bright red, and I knew from the way she kept twisting her fingers that she was on


    the verge of blowing her gasket.


    s, she couldn¡¯t do so if she wanted to maintain her kind and innocent facade.


    As I looked on, utter glee suffused me.


    ¡°And you!¡± Shannon turned on Dominic as she continued chewing them out. ¡°Are you blind? Never mind


    if you don¡¯t like Liliana, but you should find someone better than her at least. Yet, you ended up with such


    a witch despite having your pick of women. What horrible taste!¡±


    To tell the truth, Ipletely agreed with Shannon¡¯s reproach. But at the sight of Dominic¡¯s dark and


    chilly expression, I didn¡¯t dare express my concurrence.


    Afraid that he would teach Shannon a lesson out of anger, I hurriedly tugged at her even as I was


    gripped by the urge to mp a hand over her mouth.


    However, Shannon was inly hooked on tearing into them. She danced around and dodged my hand,


    simply refusing to stop hauling them over the coals.


    I wasn¡¯t certain whether Camille was putting on an act or otherwise, but she was now sobbing at


    Shannon¡¯s condemnation. Turning, she burrowed into Dominic¡¯s embrace.


    Seeing that, I curled my lips without saying anything.


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    With a hand against Camille¡¯s back, Dominic eyed me coldly, his gaze brimming with menace.


    A few words that seemed to be coated in frost proceeded to fall from his mouth. ¡°Boyfriend? You have


    someone backing you up, huh? Well, well¡­ That¡¯s good. Excellent, in fact.¡±


    Hearing that, I shuddered.


    Good and excellent, he said? He¡¯s clearly threatening me now! And the emphasis on backing me up¡­


    Darn it! I¡¯ve really got to pray hard and thank my lucky stars if he doesn¡¯t back me into a corner and


    torment me relentlessly!


    After saying that, he then left with his arm around Camille, who was now weeping aloud.


    Shannon snorted loudly in the direction they went before turning to me and consoling me.


    Likewise, Royce looked at me with concern in his eyes though he seemed hesitant to speak.


    Nevertheless, I merely pretended as though I didn¡¯t see his look lest I gave him the wrong idea. That


    wouldn¡¯t be fair to him, after all.


    As for Quinn¡­ His reaction was truly odd, for he said nary a word from beginning to end.


    After that incident, we didn¡¯t continue taking in the sights but returned to our respective rooms.


    When Shannon had gone to shower, the front desk suddenly phoned and imed that they found


    something of mine, asking me to go down and retrieve it.


    Upon hearing that, I was taken aback for a moment. Hmm? I don¡¯t think I lost anything.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Chapter 127 Are You Jealous


    I was skeptical, but since the front desk had made a call, I decided to go and check it out. After informing


    Shannon, I then left the room.


    While waiting for the elevator, I recalled Dominic¡¯s incensed expression when he left. All at once, my


    heart clenched.


    Perhaps I should go back to my parents¡¯ house and stay for a day or two until he calms down¡­


    Just while I was contemting that, a ding heralded the arrival of the elevator.


    But when the elevator doors slowly opened, my calf started cramping as Dominic¡¯s smiling face came


    into view. I stood there dumbfounded, unable to move for a long time.


    Crap! Why the h*ll am I so unlucky? I was just ruminating about avoiding him, yet I¡¯ve bumped into him in


    the next second! Ugh! Why on earth is he not keeping Camillepany at this hour but wandering


    around instead?


    ¡°Haha, what a coincidence! Where are you going?¡± As Dominic said that, he even helped to hold the


    elevator for me.


    Snapping back to my sense, I blurted, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not going anywhere. I just walked past, so please excuse


    me.¡±


    ¡°Liliana.¡±


    Right after I turned around, I heard Dominic enunciating my name in an ominous voice.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing that, I froze at once. My legs started disobeying me, and I couldn¡¯t even take a single step


    forward despite my brain urging me to flee quickly.


    Frustrated, I inwardly cursed myself out for being so such a coward.


    ¡°Are you waiting for me to go over and escort you?¡±


    When I heard that, I forced myself to turn back around. My footsteps were so heavy that it was a miracle


    I didn¡¯t dent the ground with every single step.


    Seeing that I had entered the elevator, Dominic dropped his hand from the button and leaned back


    against the elevator wallnguidly.


    After the elevator doors closed, I leaned against the elevator wall where the keypad was situated.


    Upon noticing that none of the buttons were lit, my heart immediately skipped a beat.


    Don¡¯t tell me he deliberately came to look for me? My expression turned sullen. But isn¡¯t this too soon?


    He should just put it on my tab and settle the score with meter.


    I swiftly pressed the button for the first floor before remaining motionless against the elevator wall.


    Although the elevator was rather spacious, I still wanted to keep a distance from him.


    Nheless, my avoidance was of no use since Dominic had already leaned over himself.


    Extending a hand, he propped it beside me to trap me between him and the elevator wall.


    I lifted my hands and shoved at him as his warm exhale was now brushing against my face.


    However, it was obviously ineffective, for he continued pinning me without moving an inch.


    Then, he murmured with a fake smile, ¡°You¡¯re going to the first floor? I thought you were going to seek


    out that boyfriend of yours who can back you up. Or is he currently waiting for you on the first floor? Do


    you two have ns for a romantic night out?¡±


    Clocking the faint murderous undertone in his words, I didn¡¯t dare hesitate for even a moment. I instantly


    exined, ¡°I lost something, so the front desk phoned me to go down and retrieve it. Also, Royce isn¡¯t


    my boyfriend. Don¡¯t listen to Shannon¡¯s nonsense, for she was merely joking.¡±


    ¡°Royce?¡± the man drawled. ¡°What an intimate address. Are you very close with him?¡±


    At his remark, I almost choked on my saliva. Argh! He¡¯s doing this deliberately, no? That¡¯s his name, so


    how is it intimate?


    Nheless, I promptly replied, ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    Still, Dominic continued asking persistently, ¡°So, why are you calling him by his name if you¡¯re not close


    with him?¡±


    I threw him a strange look, for such a conversation felt truly familiar.


    Before I started dating him, he always appeared cool and arrogant every time I saw him. In fact, he


    seemed particrly aloof.


    After I started dating him, however, I realized that he was actually a stubborn man who was prone to


    being jealous over the smallest thing.


    Once, a male coursemate asked someone to ask me out shortly after we had made our rtionship


    official. He gave me flowers and confessed to me below my dormitory, but Dominic happened toe by


    just then.


    I directly rejected the coursemate right before him and left with him.


    Not wanting him to misunderstand, I voluntarily exined things to him. I told him it was a coursemate I


    wasn¡¯t all that close with, and it was someone else who asked me out today. I also asserted that I


    wouldn¡¯t have turned up had I known the purpose of the meeting.


    He asked me the exact same question back then, demanding to know why I was referring to my


    coursemate by name if I wasn¡¯t close with him.


    At first, I felt that he was a tad unreasonable. But when Iter realized that he was jealous, I was actually


    quite thrilled.


    After all, jealousy meant that he cared about me. Thus, I uttered a whole load of sharine words to


    tter him.


    Later, he even proimed domineeringly that I wasn¡¯t to simply address another man by name, saying


    that a simple ¡°hey¡± was more than enough.


    At that time, I felt that he was truly handsome. I was so mesmerized that I lost my heart to him.


    He¡¯s actually asking me the same question now? What does that mean? Is he jealous?


    I stared intently into his eyes and inquired hopefully, ¡°Are you jealous, Dominic?¡±


    Dominic seemed a touch surprised that I was asking such a question, his expression freezing for a


    moment. But in the next second, he murmured in amusement, ¡°Jealous? You think too highly of yourself.


    I just want to remind you that you¡¯re now my woman, so stop flirting around.¡±


    I ducked my head as a bitter smile bloomed on my face.


    Ah well, why did I just have to make things difficult for myself when I know full well that he no longer has


    any feelings for me? I really shouldn¡¯t let my imagination run wild. I¡¯m now his lover, and our rtionship


    will onlyst until he gets married.


    Despite that¡­ I still couldn¡¯t help the waves of disappointment that washed over me.


    ¡°Liliana, you¡¯d better mark my words earlier. You know that I¡¯ve got a short temper.¡±


    I red at him morosely. The elevator arrived on the first floor right that moment, so I just pushed him


    away and stalked out without responding to him.


    Da*n you, Dominic Hartnell! Are you the only one with a short temper? I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯m not all


    that patient either!


    I stormed up to the front desk furiously and rted the phone call I received. The receptionist then came


    out from behind the desk, saying that the person who picked up something of mine was waiting at the


    lounge, so she would lead me over right away.


    As the receptionist led the way, Dominic and I followed behind her.


    ¡°Why are you following me? I told you that I¡¯ming down to retrieve something of mine, so you don¡¯t


    have to worry that I¡¯ll go and look for R¡­ another man. I¡¯m going back to my room right after,¡± I huffed.


    ¡°What do you care? This is a public space, so what can you do about that?¡±


    Annoyed, I ignored him and started mulling over other things.


    Now that I think about it, it¡¯s really bizarre. How can the person who found something of mine be so


    certain that it¡¯s mine? I checked my things beforeing down, so I know for sure that both my purse


    and cell phone are still there.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, that¡¯s thedy who found something of yours.¡±


    As my eyes followed the direction in which the receptionist was pointing, my head instantly started


    pounding.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Chapter 128 Let Me Remind You


    Well? I just knew it! I only brought a small handbag here this time, so I¡¯ve got nothing else besides my


    cell phone, purse, and keys. Found something of mine? Hah! From the looks of it now, it¡¯s merely a petty


    trick of Camille¡¯s by making some deliberate excuse to get me to meet with her! I always thought that she


    had no self-awareness, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. At least, she knows that I would never


    entertain her if she were to seek me out directly. Anyway, this is quite an interesting turn of events. Are


    she and Dominic trying to hem me in?


    I snapped my head to Dominic and demanded, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? One of you lies in wait for


    me while the other coerces me to meet?¡±


    Dominic, however, frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Camille would seek you out.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t know, he said? Hmph! What a joke!


    Curling my lips, I spat, ¡°Whatever! Go and deal with her. I¡¯m going back to my room.¡±


    Nheless, Dominic grabbed me. At that, my brows furrowed, and I impatiently snapped, ¡°What now?


    Camille is here, so I¡¯m doing this for your good to spare you a conflict with her.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate Camille so much now? The two of you were very close in the past and were once


    good friends.¡±


    I was stunned for a moment, staggered at his shamelessness in asking me that question.


    How ridiculous! My boyfriend and best friend were having an affair and stabbed me in the back together.


    How close would two people have to be that they wouldn¡¯t be enemies in such a situation? Or do I


    really seem that much of a saint?


    Livid, I sneered and retorted, ¡°You were also once my boyfriend, and we were very close. But what are


    we now?¡±


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    Dominic¡¯s face instantly darkened, and he shot daggers at me with fury etched on his face.


    Jeez, why are you glowering at me? I didn¡¯t say anything wrong!


    Just then, Camille came over. The moment she opened her mouth, her voice sounded wholly anguished.


    ¡°Dom, Liliana, why¡­ why are you two together?¡±


    I said nothing, merely turning and casting Dominic an icy look.


    Hah! Serves him right! I wanted to leave; yet, he just had to grab me. Well, he can exin things himself


    now!


    However, I didn¡¯t quite understand why he was still holding on to me when Camille was standing right in


    front of us.


    Is he overly confident that she¡¯ll never leave him? Or¡­ does he not care at all?


    Dominic then asked in a terse voice, ¡°Why are you here, Camille? Didn¡¯t I tell you to rest earlier?¡±


    Camille¡¯s expression turned slightly awkward, and she stammered weakly, ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t sleep, and I


    found the room stuffy, so I came out for some air.¡±


    Despising her pitiful and fragile act, I demanded, ¡°Then, why did you call me out and even im that you


    found something of mine? Take it out and show it to me right now!¡±


    Camille was startled for a moment before she murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you


    deliberately. I just wanted to talk to you.¡±


    Hearing that, I unceremoniously sneered, ¡°Talk? What is there to talk about between us? Don¡¯t you know


    that I hate you?¡±


    ¡°Liliana¡­¡±


    I cut her off abruptly. ¡°Don¡¯t say my name. My name is actually melodious, but it sounds odiousing


    from you. You really shouldn¡¯t be so pretentious in life, Camille. You abhor me, so why are you so


    persistent in hounding me? Why must you bug me?¡±


    Then, I swung my gaze at Dominic in chagrin since he forcefully yanked on my arm just now.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone overboard.¡±


    I stared at him before shifting my eyes to Camille, who seemed a moment away from bursting into tears.


    Curling my lips, I countered, ¡°Overboard? I don¡¯t think so. I didn¡¯t utter a single swear word, after all.¡±


    Besides, I know her, and she¡¯ll only hem her act up if I were to go overboard.


    As I regarded the man¡¯s indiscernible expression, I inwardly rolled my eyes.


    I really don¡¯t understand why he can¡¯t see Camille¡¯s real colors. Don¡¯t tell me he has exhausted all his


    usual acuity at devising ways to sabotage me?


    Irritated, I snarled, ¡°Whatever! Just forget it and take her away quickly. I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Ugh! If it weren¡¯t for the two of them making trouble for me, I¡¯m probably having sweet dreams right now!


    Nevertheless, Dominic acted as though he hadn¡¯t heard me. He was still clutching my arm with no sign of


    letting go anytime soon.


    He then ordered, ¡°Go back by yourself, Camille. It¡¯s not early, and staying upte isn¡¯t good for your


    health.


    All at once, I was stupefied. What does he mean by that? Is he not nning to go back with her?


    Simrly, Camille wore an astonished expression, and I even seemed to have glimpsed a trace of panic.


    ¡°What about you, Dom? Are you noting with me? The way back to the room is dark, so I¡¯m a bit


    scared to go back alone.¡±


    I silently turned my face away, truly nauseated at her pretentious look right then.


    Afraid of the dark? Haha, I trulyud her foring up with that!


    Surprisingly, Dominic didn¡¯t seem to be taken in by her deception. But still, his words resonated with


    concern.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something to discuss with Liliana, so I¡¯ll have a staff member walk you backter. When you¡¯re


    back, rest earlier, okay?¡±


    When I heard that, I inwardly doubled over inughter.


    Haha¡­ As long as the woman is sane, she¡¯ll never allow her fianc¨¦ to be alone with his ex-girlfriend in


    the middle of the night! She¡¯ll never agree to that¡­


    That was what I thought, but about a minute of silenceter, I heard Camille acquiescing softly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    What? Is she for real? She actually concurred just like that without kicking up a fuss?


    While I was still in shock, Dominic was already dragging me away right before Camille.


    Midway, I couldn¡¯t resist looking over my shoulder, only to lock gazes with Camille.


    The resentment and malevolence in her eyes were so intense that fear enveloped me. I instinctually


    tugged at Dominic and motioned for him to look back.


    He dubiously nced back over his shoulder before promptly turning back around. Then, he questioned


    in bemusement, ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Good Lord, you¡¯re really dense! Didn¡¯t you see that Camille isn¡¯t pleased? In fact, she looked as though


    she wanted to devour me!¡±


    As he continued dragging me forward, he cidly riposted, ¡°Are you talking about yourself? Your attitude


    toward Camille seems to fit that description better.¡±


    At that, I was instantly rendered speechless. Ew! I¡¯m not going to devour her even if you were to pay me


    to do so! Her heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys may be all ck considering her evilness, and I¡¯m afraid of


    poisoning!


    I initially wanted to nce back for another look, but we had already arrived at the elevator doors. And


    the elevator just happened to be on the first floor, so we didn¡¯t even have to wait.


    Only when I had entered the elevator did I remember to worry about my own predicament. Oh God, I¡¯m


    doomed now!


    Thinking that it was never toote to make amends, I immediately said to Dominic in a fawning voice,


    ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Hartnell, as you¡¯ve seen earlier, I was truly there to retrieve something. I wasn¡¯t lying to you!


    Also, I do remember that I¡¯m your woman.¡±


    Gah! I¡¯ll just bear with the embarrassment since I¡¯ve got no other choice but to be subservient as I¡¯m at a


    disadvantage here!


    The corners of Dominic¡¯s mouth slowly tilted up. Leaning close to my ear, he drawled, ¡°Let me remind


    you of that.¡±

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    Chapter 129 A Domineering Order


    Upon hearing that, a full-body shudder ran through me at once.


    Remind me, my foot! If only I had magical powers or spells for teleportation, I¡¯d just disappear from his


    sight right now!


    s, I had nothing at all, so I could only resign myself to my fate and meekly allowed Dominic to drag


    me out the elevator and into the room.


    As soon as I entered the room, he pinned me on the bed.


    When he started stripping me deftly, I ced a hand on his and blurted anxiously, ¡°Wait! I need to make


    a call.¡±


    Propping himself on his arms, he inquired with a half-smile, ¡°What call, and to whom? Are you nning


    to have someonee and rescue you?¡±


    ¡°I want to call Shannon. I told her that I was going to retrieve something when I left the room, so she¡¯ll


    worry if I don¡¯t return.¡±


    Pulling me up, the man handed his cell phone to me.


    The moment I made the call, Dominic put it on speakerphone. I pressed my lips into a thin line and threw


    him an angry stare, not daring toin despite my vexation.


    I inwardly prayed fervently, hoping that Shannon wouldn¡¯t start with her antics and spout nonsense.


    In no time, she answered the call. Since it was on speakerphone, I wanted to quickly hang up after telling


    her I wasn¡¯ting back that night.


    Unexpectedly, she promptly blurted out something that had me seized by the urge to strangle her right


    after hearing that.


    ¡°Where are you spending the night if you¡¯re noting back? Liliana, don¡¯t tell me you went to look for


    Royce?¡±


    I sneaked a peek at Dominic, but he was wearing a faint smile that rendered his emotions unfathomable.


    However, he then pushed me onto the bed and took the cell phone from my hand, cing it on the pillow


    instead.


    While trying to fend him off with my hands, I turned my head and urgently shouted a denial toward the


    cell phone. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? How could I possibly go and look for Royce?¡±


    Nheless, Shannon started acting up and continued pressing for an answer. ¡°If so, tell me where


    you¡¯re spending the night. Who else could it be other than Royce? It can¡¯t be Dominic since he¡¯s a


    scumb*g. Liliana, you really shouldn¡¯t go back to a jerk like him.¡±


    My head started throbbing as regret swamped me. Damn it! I shouldn¡¯t have made this call. She¡¯s really


    signing my death warrant!


    Meanwhile, Dominic muttered into my ear, ¡°You¡¯ll only look for Royce? And I¡¯m a scumb*g, huh?¡±


    I shook my head frantically. ¡°No!¡±


    In the next moment, Shannon¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Liliana, you urged me to take things slow with


    Quinn, yet you yourself couldn¡¯t hold back anymore as passions ignited, huh?¡±


    In that instance, I glimpsed a nightmare unfurling in my mind.


    Oh my God, she¡¯s sounding increasingly outrageous!


    Once again, Dominic brought his lips to my ear and whispered, ¡°Passions ignited? Well, well¡­ Liliana,


    I¡¯m really curious as to how you got acquainted with Royce.¡±


    In a trice, he divested most of the clothes on the upper half of my body, leaving me in a baggy long-


    sleeved T-shirt.


    Then, he started roaming his hands all over me.


    I bit my lip hard, not daring to allow the slightest gap.


    After all, I knew that I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop myself from moaning once I opened my mouth, and that


    would be utterly mortifying.


    ¡°Liliana? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Liliana?¡± Shannon called out to me in puzzlement from the cell


    phone on the pillow.


    Smirking wickedly, Dominic slowly slipped a hand into my pants.


    I hastily grabbed his hand, my eyes almost popping out of my head.


    Good heavens! He might be so shameless that he doesn¡¯t mind someone hearing him in bed, but I do!


    Besides, I still want my dignity!


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem truly serious in messing around and did nothing excessive. The good thing


    was, he had also stopped his assault on my upper body.


    Instantly rxing, I panted, ¡°I¡¯m hanging up, Shannon. Anyway, I¡¯m noting back tonight. As for


    tomorrow¡­ Well, just wait for my call.¡±


    After saying that, I swiftly hung up the phone.


    Surprisingly, Dominic was no longer in any hurry to obtain gratification. Propping himself up, he looked


    down at me and dered, ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about how you got acquainted with Royce.¡±


    I pursed my lips and kept quiet for a moment. Feeling uneasy at his frank perusal while I was in my


    birthday suit, I curled into myself and shielded my breasts with both hands.


    Only after having done that did I nervously stutter, ¡°We¡­ We just got acquainted.¡±


    Grasping my chin, the man turned my face back to him. ¡°How exactly did you get acquainted with him?¡±


    I gulped quietly, fairly certain that he would kill me if I were to speak the truth.


    When I merely kept silent, Dominic suddenly chuckled coldly.


    ¡°I can investigate it even if you don¡¯t tell me, but are you sure you want me to investigate it myself?¡± he


    drawled unhurriedly.


    I shuddered at his tant threat though I was quite used to it by then.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡­ Back then, Shannon asked me to apany her for a meal, so¡­ so I got acquainted with him.¡±


    I contemted for a long while, but I decided not to mention the word ¡°blind date.¡± I simply couldn¡¯t


    shake off the feeling that those two words were particrly dangerous.


    Harrumphing, he sneered, ¡°Cut off all contact with him and never meet him again.¡±


    Jeez, here hees again! He¡¯s simply too domineering, always asking me to sever all contact! Is he


    nning to have me cut off ties with every single man in my life? We¡¯re only going to be together for a


    few more months at most, so I can contact whoever I want after that, no?


    Despite my thoughts, I still nodded swiftly before him.


    Honestly speaking, I didn¡¯t n on having a rtionship with Royce, and I had already made it clear to


    him previously.


    If Shannon hadn¡¯t dragged me here today, I wouldn¡¯t even have bumped into him.


    Out of the blue, I felt that I was even more wrongly used than the greatest viin on earth.


    Subsequently, Dominic continued in a frosty voice, ¡°Liliana, you¡¯re quite popr with men nowadays.


    Before this, it was Nichs, and now, it¡¯s Royce. Who else is it going to be next?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, so rest assured that there won¡¯t be anyone else!¡± I blurted without even thinking about it.


    Quirking a brow, he stared at me with gleaming eyes. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he repeated.


    Without further deliberation, I asserted, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Perhaps appeased by my sincere attitude, Dominic¡¯s expression finally eased.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean that he was going to let me off easily. After having been tormented the entire


    night, my entire body ached as though a huge truck had run me over more than a dozen times.


    Worse still, Dominic woke me up at the crack of dawn the next morning. He wanted to check out, and it


    seemed as though he was in a great hurry.


    He even said that it was fine if I didn¡¯t want to wake up, but I would have to pay the extra money.


    When I heard that, I was truly gripped by the urge to kill him.


    Having no other choice, I dragged my tired body that was on the verge of falling into pieces out of bed.


    Upon seeing that it was still early, I went back to the room I shared with Shannon.


    The moment Shannon saw me when she opened the door, she started interrogating me about my


    whereaboutsst night.

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    Chapter 130 Do Him A Favor


    Pushing Shannon away, I stumbled into the room and tumbled right into bed.


    Before I closed my eyes, I muttered, ¡°Let me sleep for a bit first. I¡¯ll tell you where I wentst night


    when I wake up.¡±


    Then, I promptly fell into a deep slumber, only rousing when it was almost noon.


    As soon as I opened my eyes, Shannon was already eagerly demanding answers while my mind was


    still groggy with sleep. ¡°Okay, no more giving me excuses now. Quick, tell me whether you went to look


    for Royce yesterday! Earlier this morning, just after you had dozed off, he came over with breakfast. It¡¯s


    right there, so look for yourself.¡±


    Looking in the direction where she was pointing, I was greeted by the sight of a myriad of food on the


    small table.


    A momentter, I retracted my gaze. Ah, he¡¯s indeed a good man, but there¡¯s already someone else


    upying the space in my heart. As such, there¡¯s no more space for anyone else. What a pity!


    Shannon lifted a hand and waved it in front of me. ¡°Why are you spacing out now?¡± she queried. ¡°Well?


    Say something!¡±


    After a second¡¯s contemtion, I admitted, ¡°Shannon, I was not with Roycest night, and it¡¯s impossible


    between us. Last night¡­ I was with Dominic.¡±


    Shannon seemed to have suffered a shock, and she only reacted after an eternity. ¡°You got together with


    Dominic again? Are you a fool, Liliana?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not together per se. We¡¯re just¡­ in a mutually beneficial rtionship.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Shannon¡¯s expression abruptly turned grave.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as it means. When he gets married, I¡¯ll sever my rtionship with him,¡± I exined in a mere


    whisper.


    Shannon was momentarily taken aback before she clutched my hand and asked apprehensively, ¡°Did he


    coerce you? Does he have dirt on you or something?¡±


    In response, I shook my head slowly. ¡°This matter is actually veryplicated, but he didn¡¯t coerce me.


    Shannon, my current rtionship with him will only persist for a few months at most. When he gets


    married, things will be over between us.¡±


    Shannon froze for a second before she murmured in distress, ¡°Have you taken leave of your senses? By


    doing so, you¡¯re the one who¡¯ll be on the losing end. And it¡¯ll also be you who¡¯ll be wallowing in pain and


    grief in the end.¡±


    Forcing a smile, I mollified her, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine? You¡¯ll be crying your heart out then!¡± Shannon cut me a re.


    At that, I kept mum.


    On our way back, we were both silent for the entire trip. Shannon was angry at me, but I knew that she


    just wanted the best for me.


    It wasn¡¯t until I made to alight from the car when we arrived at my house did she finally call out to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a foolish woman like you. If you¡¯re heartbroken then, remember to ring me up


    beforehand. I¡¯ll be waiting for you with tons of liquor.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Honestly, it¡¯s nice to have friends!


    After going home, I focused all my attention on drawing though I did make myself a bowl of noodles


    sometime in between.


    When it was almost midnight, I suddenly heard the sound of someone unlocking the door outside. Upon


    taking a gander, I saw that it was actually Dominic.


    Despite glimpsing the keys in his hand, I didn¡¯t bother asking since it was obvious that he had furtively


    made a copy for himself.


    Regarding him in bafflement, I inquired, ¡°Why did youe over at this hour?¡±


    The man loosened his tie before plopping down on the couch with fatigue etched on his face. ¡°I came to


    see whether you¡¯re obediently staying home.¡±


    At once, I was rendered speechless. Jeez, he¡¯s dead on his feet; yet, he doesn¡¯t forget to snub me!


    Ignoring him, I spun around and went back to my room. But after sitting down for two minutes, I couldn¡¯t


    resist going back to the living room.


    Dominic was still sitting on the sofa, but his eyes were closed, and he seemed to be asleep.


    At the sight of his sorry state, I couldn¡¯t help walking over and nudging him. ¡°Go and take a shower


    before sleeping on the bed. Don¡¯t sleep here, or you¡¯ll catch a cold,¡± I urged.


    Without opening his eyes, he blurted, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Exasperation flooded me, but still, I queried, ¡°I¡¯ll cook some noodles for you, okay?¡±


    I waited for a long while before I finally got a murmur of acquiescence in reply.


    However, when I was done cooking and wanted to call him to eat, I realized that he had truly fallen


    asleep. He seemed to be slumbering soundly, his breathing deep.


    I pondered for a moment, but in the end, I decided against waking him. After arranging him properly on


    the couch, I snagged a nket from the room and draped it over him.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Then, I took my tablet to the living room. Putting a cushion on the floor, I sat down on it.


    Dominic was tall in stature, so I was worried that he would fall off in the middle of the night.


    I was quite energetic in the beginning, but I gradually grew drowsy during thetter half of the night. I


    wanted to go back and sleep in my room, but I worried about him, so I rested my head against the couch


    and dozed off.


    While I was groggy with sleep, I felt someone scooping me up.


    Blinking an eye open, I saw that Dominic was carrying me to the bedroom.


    At that, I closed my eye drowsily. Only when I sensed the soft covers surrounding me did I finally open


    my eyes while half-asleep.


    ¡°What time is it now? Are you going to work?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip for two days¡­¡±


    I heard Dominic telling me that he was going on a business trip, but I truly had no inkling of whatever


    else he said after that.


    When I racked my brains upon waking up, I still couldn¡¯t remember anything other than the fact that he


    had gone on a business trip.


    In the afternoon, both Royce and Nichs sent me a WhatsApp message. Besides, I also had two


    missed calls from thetter.


    Royce wanted to ask me out for a meal, but I declined right away. It wasn¡¯t just for the sake of my


    promise to Dominic, but more so because I didn¡¯t want to go either.


    Nichs, on the other hand, asked me to call him back when I was free.


    I phoned him, but he didn¡¯t answer. Guessing that he was probably filming, I didn¡¯t continue calling.


    At a little over eight at night, he finally called me back.


    I hadn¡¯t contacted him for a long time, aware that he would definitely be swamped with filming.


    Furthermore, I was afraid that I wouldnd him in hot water, Dominic¡¯s threat toward him back then still


    vivid in my mind.


    Anyhow, things seemed fine at the moment, for all those people who previously ndered him on the


    Inte had now disappeared.


    While I couldn¡¯t see his countenance, I could hear the weariness from his voice alone.


    It turned out that Nichs phoned me because he needed me to do him a favor and visit someone on his


    behalf. He was on a tight schedule recently, so he couldn¡¯t leave the set.


    Although Dominic told me to cut off contact with Nichs, I only regarded him as a friend. Besides, he


    had helped me multiple times. It was rare that I had an opportunity to help him out, so I agreed without


    an ounce of hesitation.


    The next day, I did some shopping as per his request. Then, I hailed a taxi and headed straight to the


    location he gave me.


    178, Cobalt Avenue turned out to be an old house. That was where Nichs¡¯ grandmother, Monica


    Cross, resided.


    I rang for the doorbell for a long time before an elderlydy with gray hair opened the door. Although she


    was up in years, she seemed to be in good health.


    Guessing that it was probably Nichs¡¯ grandmother, I was just about to greet her when the elderlydy


    pointed at me excitedly and eximed, ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you Nicky¡¯s girlfriend?¡±

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Chapter 131 I Am Not His Girlfriend


    The elderlydy¡¯s exmation stunned me for a moment. I wanted to rify things, but she had already


    pulled me into the house with all the enthusiasm in the world.


    As she walked, she prattled on. ¡°Why did you onlye to visit me now? I¡¯ve been keeping track of


    news about you and Nicky on the Inte every day. I¡¯d hoped you¡¯de soon so that I could have a


    good look at you. Fortunately, you¡¯re finally here today. Liliana¡­ Oh, your name is Liliana, right? That¡¯s


    a good name. Lily symbolizes purity and innocence. Your parents must be decent people as well.¡±


    She then continued, ¡°Do you mind me calling you Lili, child? Let me tell you, don¡¯t take thosements


    on the Inte to heart. It doesn¡¯t matter in the slightest whether they like you. It¡¯s fine as long as Nicky


    likes you. Besides, I like you, too! Are you thirsty, Lili? Do have a seat. I¡¯ll go and get you a ss of fruit


    juice.¡±


    She led me into the house by the hand, chattering all the way. I wanted to interject, but there was no


    room for me to do so.


    Right then, my mind was already feeling fuzzy, and my temples throbbed faintly.


    What did she say just now? She read the news on the Inte and assumed that I was Nichs¡¯


    girlfriend, so she has been waiting for me to visit? She appears to be in her sixties or seventies; yet, she


    reads the gossip on the Inte?


    All at once, I was torn between amusement and exasperation.


    Why is Nichs¡¯ personality the pr opposite of hers?


    ¡°Lili, I¡¯ve decided not to give you fruit juice. The weather is chilly now, so it¡¯s not good to drink that. I


    made you milk tea instead, and it¡¯s strawberry-vored. Do you like it? This is my favorite!¡±


    Monica was all smiles as she ced the milk tea in front of me. Then, she stared at me earnestly.


    Seeing that, I was stunned for a moment. Is she hoping that I¡¯ll drink it right now?


    ¡°So, do you like it? If you do, hurry up and take a few sips to warm up.¡±


    Strawberry-vored milk tea, huh? She¡¯s really young at heart! I¡¯ve never seen anyone of her age


    drinking milk tea, after all.


    Picking it up, I could sense that the cup was warm, so Monica probably made it with warm water.


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Scott. It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    When Monica heard that, she instantly beamed like a child.


    After a moment¡¯s deliberation, I exined, ¡°Mrs. Scott, Nichs is a tad busy on set this month, so he


    can¡¯t visit you for now. Yesterday, he phoned me specifically to ask me to visit you. And everything I


    bought was ording to his specifications. They¡¯re all your favorite foods.¡±


    Monica was again over the moon. Grasping my hand, she fervently asserted, ¡°You don¡¯t need to buy


    anything. Next time, juste empty-handed. Lili, I can tell that your rtionship with Nicky is very good.


    When are you two nning to get married?¡±


    Married? Isn¡¯t she going too fast? I feel as though I can¡¯t quite keep up with her thought processes!


    Having no other choice, I rified, ¡°Mrs. Scott, Nichs and I are just friends. Our rtionship isn¡¯t what


    the public thinks it is.¡±


    ¡°How could that possibly be the case? It¡¯s all over the news. Besides, Nicky has even asked you toe


    over and visit me, so he certainly has his heart set on you.¡±


    Huh? That doesn¡¯t make sense at all. Nonplussed, I insisted, ¡°We¡¯re really not a couple.¡±


    At that, Monica put on an understanding expression and waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Alright, I know there


    are many rules in the entertainment industry, so it¡¯s okay even if you refuse to admit it. It¡¯s enough as


    long as I know that you two are dating,¡± she replied. ¡°Lili, stay for lunch, okay? I¡¯ll cook some delicious


    food for you!¡±


    I hadn¡¯t seen anyone in the house ever since I came in, so I surmised that she usually lived alone.


    Recalling her advanced age, distress washed over me.


    ¡°Sure! But I¡¯ll cook, Mrs. Scott. Just take a rest and watch some television or something.¡±


    Hearing that, Monica patted the back of my hand and grinned from ear to ear.


    ¡°I love a woman who can cook. It looks like Nicky will be in for a treat in the future.¡±


    I was thoroughly amused by her words. After mulling it over for a while, I decided to give up on


    convincing her about my rtionship with Nichs.


    Never mind, I¡¯ll just let her believe that if it makes her happy. Anyway, Nichs and I both know that


    we¡¯re only friends.


    Monica then led me into the kitchen and told me about where I could find the utensils and ingredients.


    When I had a rough idea of things, I urged her to go to the living room and watch television.


    Just then, Nichs called. ¡°Have you gone over to visit my grandmother, Liliana? How is she?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Your grandmother is fine, and she seems to be in high spirits. Would you like to speak to her? I¡¯ll


    hand the phone to her.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Hence, I temporarily turned down the heat and went in search of Monica with my cell phone in hand.


    Monica¡¯s smile brightened further when she heard her grandson¡¯s voice. She even sang my praises to


    Nichs, saying, ¡°Nicky, Lili is cooking lunch for me. Do you want toe back and eat before going


    back?¡±


    Truth be told, I was actually a touch embarrassed, for my culinary skills pale inparison to Nichs¡¯.


    I had no idea what Nichs said to Monica, but she chortled in delight.


    When Monica returned the cell phone to me, Nichs murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liliana. My grandmother


    must have talked your ear off. She has a childlike character now, so please don¡¯t take offense at her.¡±


    Chuckling, I replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, for I don¡¯t mind as long as she¡¯s happy.¡±


    After that, Nichs hung up since he was already being called for his scene.


    Indeed, I heard it when Monica asked him whether he wasing back to eat, but I didn¡¯t mention it


    since he didn¡¯t say anything about it. Considering how busy he was, I reckoned that he probably had no


    time to make a trip back even if he wanted to do so.


    Unexpectedly, he truly turned up when lunchtime came about, and I was done cooking.


    Monica was ted, and she kept bombarding him with questions.


    After having lunch with her, Nichs and I then left the old house.


    When I left, Monica repeatedly urged me toe over and visit her often in the future.


    I merely smiled and acquiesced.


    The narrow alley right after we exited the old house was rather isted with few people, so Nichs and


    I walked side by side.


    ¡°Thank you for everything, Liliana.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger with me. You¡¯ve helped me so many times, so this trivial matter is nothing. Besides,


    your grandmother is really adorable and interesting.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nichs¡¯ expression turned exasperated, but his smile remained bright. Thus, it was clear that he


    definitely had a close rtionship with his grandmother.


    ¡°Actually, I feel bad that I¡¯m so busy with work, but Grandma said she likes to watch my movies. For that


    reason, I want to film a few more movies in recent years so that she can enjoy watching them.¡±


    That came as a surprise to me, for I never expected Nichs to have such a reason behind his acting


    career.


    We chatted as we strolled down the road, so we were already close to the main road before we knew it.


    I then asked Nichs to leave first while I took a taxi home myself.


    Just after I had alighted from the taxi outside my residential area, I heard someone calling my name.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Chapter 132 A Good Hand Of Cards


    The voice calling out my name was simply too familiar to me¡ªCamille. Without even a backward nce,


    I continued striding toward my residential area.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Ugh! Why must she hound me endlessly? How irritating!


    Despite my fervent desire to be rid of her, she was simply persistent at pestering me. Right then, she had


    already caught up to me and blocked my path.


    ¡°Liliana, I want to talk to you.¡±


    I ignored her as though I didn¡¯t hear her. Moving around her, I continued forging ahead.


    However, Camille again raced up to me and grabbed me. ¡°Liliana, I¡­¡±


    Shaking her off, I pushed her away and snarled testily, ¡°Are you sick in the head? I¡¯ve got nothing to say


    to you, nor do I want to listen to anything from you, so stop blocking my path!¡±


    Every single time Camille sought me out, I always expressed my detestation of her loud and clear.


    However, she was simply like a burr which I couldn¡¯t shake off no matter how hard I tried.


    This situation now was the perfect example of that. I had already put things bluntly; yet, she was still


    blocking my path.


    My head started throbbing, and aggravation assaulted me. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Camille Madison! What the


    hell do you want?¡± I barked.


    A faint smile bloomed on her face, and she earnestly asserted, ¡°I have no malicious intentions. I just


    want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t figure out what¡¯s going on in your head. What do you think there is to talk about between


    us?¡±


    Camille¡¯s gaze abruptly dimmed, and she even appeared a tad cautious. ¡°Are you and Dom¡­ Have you


    both gotten back together again?¡±


    At her question, I was startled for a moment.


    Can she tell? But that isn¡¯t surprising since Dominic doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of keeping things


    discreet before her.


    While I detested her, I still felt a smidge guilty toward her at her current expression. Indeed, I only agreed


    to Dominic¡¯s stiption of being friends with benefits because I had no other choice, but it wasn¡¯t a


    virtuous thing to do at the end of the day.


    ¡°You think too much. We¡¯re not together,¡± I rified.


    ¡°But the two of you were together that night at the resort, no? Dom didn¡¯te back the entire night, and


    I¡¯ve seen you with him more than once.¡±


    At Camille¡¯s frank remark, my face started ming out of embarrassment.


    I castigated her for carrying on with Dominic while he was still my boyfriend then, but how are my actions


    now different from hers?


    All of a sudden, I didn¡¯t quite know what to say. I was at a loss for words, and sheer distress mmed


    into me like a sledgehammer.


    ¡°We¡­¡±


    Just when I wanted to speak, Camille cut me off in a choked voice. ¡°Liliana, I know your rtionship with


    Dom was very close back then. Although I have no idea why you two broke up, I don¡¯t mind backing out


    if you really want to get back with him. The two of you¡­ The two of you don¡¯t need to sneak around


    behind my back.¡±


    I was taken aback before I instinctively frowned.


    What does she mean by having no idea why we broke up? Back when I caught her with Dominic, she


    spotted me alright. And when I asked Dominic for a breakupter, she even phoned me and thanked me


    for setting him free, her relish and smugness were clear as day! Yet, she¡¯s now telling me that she


    doesn¡¯t know why I broke up with him?


    ¡°Putting aside the issue of whether Dominic and I are together now, you know full well why I broke up


    with him back then, no? I didn¡¯t want to pursue it because it made no difference, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s


    too much for you to feign ignorance and innocence?¡±


    My voice inexorably turned cold, and every single shred of guilt I had harbored toward her earlier had


    now faded.


    Without warning, Camille started sobbing. She clutched at me tightly with both hands, and her voice


    shook as she spoke. ¡°I¡­ I love Dom. I love him very much! However, you¡¯re more important to me.


    You¡¯re my best friend, so I¡¯m willing to back out for your sake. But¡­ Liliana, I hope you¡¯ll treat him well


    this time and not hurt him anymore.¡±


    My headache turned into a migraine, and I truly couldn¡¯t stand her anymore. Ugh! Isn¡¯t she tired of


    putting on an act all the time?


    ¡°Alright, you should really stop acting while you¡¯re ahead. I¡­¡±


    Before I had finished my utterance, I was suddenly shoved away. When I was steady on my feet, I swung


    my gaze to the person who pushed me, only to see that it was Dominic¡¯s mother¡ªMilena.


    She hugged Camille with a distressed expression and even wiped the tears off her face. ¡°Camille, you¡¯re


    really too kind for your own good. What¡¯s all that talk about backing out? The daughter-inw of the


    Hartnell family can only be you. Don¡¯t cry anymore, okay? I¡¯m here, and I¡¯ll stand up for you!¡±


    Camille shook her head profusely, tears streaming down her pale cheeks steadily.


    ¡°Milena, Liliana is my friend, and she¡¯s very important to me. I have very few friends, so I don¡¯t want to


    lose her. She likes Dom as well. She¡¯s actually a very nice girl. You¡¯ll definitely like her after spending


    more time with her. Milena, please¡­ please ept her and allow her to be with Dom¡­¡±


    Whileforting her, Milena shot daggers at me with resentment written all over her face.


    Seeing that turn of events, my heart clenched tightly. I knew that I had been set up by Camille once


    again.


    ¡°Mrs. Hartnell, I know you probably won¡¯t believe me no matter what I say now, but I have no intention of


    getting back with Dominic. As such, I don¡¯t need anyone to back out. Also, I¡¯m no friend of hers.¡±


    I had nothing else to say besides that, and I preferred to put the episode behind me.


    Thus, I moved around them to leave. Milena, however, refused to allow me to leave. ¡°Stop right there!


    I¡¯ve got something to say to you!¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, but still, I halted in my tracks. Feeling trapped in a sense of helplessness, I


    turned back around.


    She swept a cial look over me and uttered a few words to Camille in a low voice before stalking


    toward me with a frosty expression.


    When she reached me, I started, ¡°Mrs. Hartnell¡­¡±


    p! She struck me right across the face. Caught off guard by the blow, I instantly fell into a trance.


    ¡°Milena!¡±


    With a tear-stained face, Camille dashed over, following her exmation. She wedged herself between


    Milena and me.


    ¡°Step aside, Camille.¡±


    Milena pulled her away and regarded me with a grim look in her eyes.


    ¡°The same trick will only work once. Do you think it¡¯ll still work for a second time? You may be able to fool


    Camille with reverse psychology, but not me. I never expected you to be so cunning despite your tender


    age. Camille wants the best for this so-called best friend of hers, but you don¡¯t appreciate her sincerity in


    the slightest. Worse still, you keep taking advantage of her. Liliana, I¡¯m warning you today that I¡¯ll never


    let you off easily if you again take advantage of Camille¡¯s kindness to y tricks and pester Dom.¡±


    Then, she went on to dere, ¡°A crafty, despicable, and shameless woman like you is not at all worthy of


    my son! The Hartnell family doesn¡¯t wee you either!¡±


    At once, my hands clenched into fists. Camille has truly yed a good hand of cards!

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    Chapter 133 I Have Been Hit


    Pinning my gaze on Camille, I drawled, ¡°You must be gratified with this oue now, huh? Are you


    rejoicing inwardly?¡±


    ¡°No! Liliana, that¡¯s not true¡­¡±


    She wore an expression of urgency and concern. Then, she even wanted to rush over to me, but Milena


    pulled her back. ¡°Don¡¯t get fooled by her anymore, Camille!¡±


    Out of the blue, I was seized by the urge to burst intoughter. Haha, she should be saying that to


    herself!


    ¡°Mrs. Hartnell, I respect you as an elder, so I don¡¯t want to fight with you. Hence, I¡¯ll ept and resign


    myself to this p today. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m acknowledging your usations. Putting


    aside the issue of whether I¡¯m the kind of person you alleged, you have no right toment on my


    conduct even if I am. Since you think your judgment is faultless; thus, believe that Camille is innocent


    and kind, I hope you¡¯ll only see this side of her for the rest of your life. Otherwise, you¡¯d know how


    laughable you are today if you were to identally discern her true colors.¡±


    Milena was stunned for a moment before she snorted coldly. ¡°What a glib and sharp tongue you have!¡±


    I merely snickered without saying anything further. After casting Camille a final nce, I spun on my


    heels and left.


    All the way back, I kept my back ramrod straight and my steps steady. It wasn¡¯t until I got home and was


    finally free from other people¡¯s scrutiny that I released the tight rein on my emotions. With my back


    against the door, I slowly dropped into a crouch.


    As I gazed at the floorboards with my head lowered, a drop of tear suddenly trickled down and sttered


    onto the floor. I then touched the cheek that Milena struck, only to feel red-hot pain.


    This is all your fault, Dominic Hartnell! If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have suffered such great humiliation


    today!


    Dashing off my tears, I whipped out my cell phone and gave Dominic a call.


    Aggrieved at having suffered a p for no reason, I felt that I would be doing myself a disservice by


    keeping it from him. Besides, it would also be good to tell him earlier, lest someone proceeded to twist


    the story.


    In no time, Dominic answered the call. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Sniffling, I demanded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯m your woman, Dominic? I¡¯ve now been hit. Do you care?¡±


    Dominic¡¯s voice abruptly turned frantic. ¡°You¡¯ve been hit? Who hit you? And are you a moron? Why didn¡¯t


    you retaliate? Aren¡¯t you gutsy as hell with me?¡±


    Retaliate? Hah! I¡¯ll just see what he¡¯s going to say after learning the identity of the person who hit me.


    ¡°Are you sure I should retaliate? What if I¡¯m not the person¡¯s match? I¡¯m alone now, after all.¡±


    ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯ll ask someone to go over right away! Liliana, did you run around again? I¡¯m just


    gone on a business trip for two days, yet you simply can¡¯t behave and stay home?¡±


    What the hell? He¡¯s making it sound as though I¡¯m the kind of person who likes to cause trouble on


    purpose!


    Both incensed and aggrieved, I roared, ¡°I didn¡¯t run around! It was Camille who sought me out with your


    mother, and your mother even pped me! So, do you still want me to retaliate now?¡±


    Silence reigned on the other end of the phone. After a long while, Dominic murmured, ¡°Where are you


    now?¡±


    ¡°At home. Dominic, while I didn¡¯t retaliate, I didn¡¯t mince words with your mother either. I¡¯m telling you


    now that I won¡¯t ept it if you want to chastise me because you think I was in the wrong if they were to


    comin to youter. I¡¯m not going to apologize either. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything wrong regarding


    this incident today!¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dominic was quiet for a few seconds before he replied, ¡°Got it. Wait for me at home, and don¡¯t go out


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± After the end of our conversation, we both hung up.


    Fine, I¡¯ll wait for you! I¡¯ll just wait and see what¡¯s he nning to do when he¡¯s back.


    Subsequently, I went to my room and changed into somefy clothes. Standing before the mirror, I


    inspected my face. It was slightly red though I wasn¡¯t certain whether it would get swollen.


    Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t n on applying a coldpress. Well, whatever. If it really gets swollen, it¡¯s all


    the better for him to see it when hees back.


    Composing myself, I started drawing while waiting for Dominic toe by.


    I initially thought that he would be back very quickly, but there was no sign of him even after I had waited


    until night dawned, and it was now almost ten o¡¯clock.


    Earlier in the afternoon, I had called him again to inquire whether he would be back for dinner, but no one


    picked up.


    Truthfully, I really wanted to wait for him. s, Iter couldn¡¯t quite stay awake anymore and dozed off


    while drawing.


    At around one o¡¯clock in the morning, I jolted awake. But still, he had yet to be back.


    Argh! What¡¯s the meaning of this? He should¡¯ve just told me that he couldn¡¯t make it back instead of


    stringing me along! What a waste of time to have waited up for him so long!


    Disregarding thete hour, I phoned Dominic in a pique.


    The call was finally answered this time, and it was done so in record time to boot. As soon as I heard the


    call being connected, I immediately started ranting.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to wait for you, Dominic? Do you know what time it is now? You should¡¯ve told me


    earlier if you couldn¡¯t make it back instead of making me wait up for such a long time!¡±


    When I was done, I was greeted by silence. It persisted for more than ten seconds before the person on


    the other end finally spoke.


    ¡°Ms. Zti, this is Calvin here.¡±


    Calvin? Why is he in possession of Dominic¡¯s phone?


    Chuckling awkwardly, I blurted, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Calvin? I¡¯m sorry about waking you up. Um¡­ So, where¡¯s


    Dominic?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell¡­ Mr. Hartnell is undergoing treatment. He met with an ident.¡±


    Huh? He met with an ident?


    My mind instantly went nk, and I almost dropped the phone.


    When I had gathered my wits about me, I frantically asked, ¡°Is he hurt very badly? And how did he get


    into an ident? Are you two back now?¡±


    Calvin was silent for a moment before he admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about his exact condition right now. The


    original n was to go back together after we settled everything tomorrow, but Mr. Hartnell insisted on


    going back today. So, I stayed to wrap up the loose ends while he drove back by himself. He wanted to


    rush back overnight.¡±


    Then, he went on to exin, ¡°He has been swamped these days and had very little rest. For the past two


    days over here at Ludshire, he worked around the clock and slept less than three hours the first night.


    Besides, it rained heavily, and the roads were slippery. For that reason, he met with an ident soon


    after getting onto the highway.¡±


    Upon hearing that, my heart lodged into my throat. Stark worry engulfed me even as anxiety battered


    against me. Thus, the next words out of my mouth became harsh and unforgiving.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you his assistant? Why didn¡¯t you dissuade him from doing so? You knew that he didn¡¯t have


    enough rest, and the road conditions, as well as the weather, were bad; yet, you allowed him to drive


    through the night?¡±


    ¡°I tried to dissuade him, but¡­¡± Calvin sounded exceedingly guilty. after a brief pause, he murmured, ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, Ms. Zti.¡±


    Only when I heard him apologizing did I realize that I shouldn¡¯t haveshed out at him. Dominic was a


    domineering man, after all, so he wouldn¡¯t have listened to anyone else.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, Calvin. I shouldn¡¯t have lost it. Are you both at Ludshire now? Which hospital are you at?


    I¡¯lle over right away.¡±


    ¡°Ludshire General Hospital.¡±


    Hmm¡­ It¡¯ll only take a little over an hour from Lightspring to Ludshire by express train. I really hope I can


    still get a ticket at this hour!

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    Chapter 134 What A Thankless Task


    I was really lucky, for I managed to get a ticket. Before boarding the train, I sent the estimated arrival time


    and the train information to Calvin.


    Upon arriving at Ludshire, Calvin picked me up, and we headed straight to Ludshire General Hospital.


    To my relief, Dominic wasn¡¯t badly injured. Only his right arm was fractured, and it would be right as rain


    after a few months.


    He must be extremely tired, for he had long since fallen asleep when I arrived at the hospital to visit him.


    As I sat beside the hospital bed, I stared at his sleeping countenance. My emotions right then were a


    chaotic mess that I couldn¡¯t quite put into words.


    On my way there, I kept pondering why exactly he was in such a hurry to rush back.


    Was it because I told him that his mother pped me, or was it because he knew that I was waiting for


    him? No matter which reason it was, it was ultimately because of me, no? But that doesn¡¯t quite fit his


    usual attitude and sentiments toward me. Nevertheless, he seems adamant about keeping me by his


    side. Why is that? I really don¡¯t understand him or his motivations.


    Perhaps I had pondered too much that I found it exceedingly convoluted, but I simply couldn¡¯t make


    heads or tails of it.


    Logically speaking, I should be dead tired after having bustled around for half the day, rushing over to


    Ludshire from Lightspring. But for some reason, I wasn¡¯t sleepy at all right then.


    I sat by the bed and stared at Dominic with a hand propped against my head until the sky gradually


    lightened outside.


    After having sat there for the entire day, my hands and feet were numb.


    Yet, Dominic hadn¡¯t awakened. I nced at the time, only to see that it was already past seven.


    I had no inkling when he was going to rouse, but I decided to go out and buy some breakfast back, in


    case he was hungry upon waking up.


    When I stepped out of the hospital room, I saw Calvin dozing on the chair outside. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t


    wake him.


    The moment I exited the hospital, I couldn¡¯t help shivering. Even the air I breathed in felt icy cold.


    It didn¡¯t rainst night, but it was currently drizzling. Without an umbre, the rain dripped into the cor


    of my shirt, making me so cold that my legs felt frozen.


    I swiftly sprinted out of the hospital and randomly bought a bunch of food from a stall by the street.


    When I returned to the hospital roomden with breakfast, Dominic was already awake.


    Yesterday, Calvin told me that he fell asleep right after the doctor had treated his injury, so I insisted that


    he should just let Dominic sleep instead of informing him.


    Thus, he was exceedingly surprised when he caught sight of me then.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake? Where does it hurt? The doctor is probably going to make the rounds soon, so


    remember to tell him if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±


    I ced the food in my hand on the bedside table. Then, I rubbed my hands and brought them to my


    mouth, exhaling into them in a bid to warm them.


    ¡°I bought breakfast. Are you hungry? Even if you¡¯re not, do eat some while it¡¯s still hot now. Otherwise,


    it¡¯ll definitely be cold in a while,¡± I chattered as I rummaged through the contents in the stic bag.


    ¡°There are grilled sandwiches, pancakes, and hash browns. I even bought chicken soup and hot


    chocte. What would you like?¡±


    I had finished speaking yet received no response even after a long time had passed. At that, I lifted my


    head and looked at him. ¡°Cat got your tongue, Dominic? I asked you a question.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here? And when did youe over? Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait for me at home and not to run


    around?¡±


    All at once, I felt like ignoring him. Hey! I¡¯ve never seen someone who starts lecturing the moment he


    opens his eyes, let alone a patient!


    ¡°Do you know the principle of firste, first served? I asked you what you wanted to eat first, so I¡¯ll only


    answer you after you¡¯ve answered me.¡±


    Dominic locked eyes with me for several seconds before he replied, ¡°Anything. You decide.¡±


    Picking up the chicken soup, I sat down by the bed.


    ¡°Here, I think chicken soup will do you some good. Open your mouth.¡±


    Never before had Dominic been so obedient to me, opening his mouth at mymand.


    After he had finished the chicken soup, I took the hash browns over. Taking one with a fork, I brought it to


    his mouth. ¡°Have more since I bought plenty. You get hungry very quickly with just chicken soup.¡±


    He opened his mouth and ate it without a single word. In no time, he finished the hash browns as well.


    I was rather happy and satisfied. Taking out the slightly cold grilled sandwich and hot chocte, I started


    eating my breakfast.


    ¡°Did youe over in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I came over yesterday. You told me to wait for you, but you didn¡¯te back even when I waited


    until it was past midnight. So, I gave you a call. Calvin told me that you were in an ident, so I came


    over.¡±


    Dominic was startled for a moment before his face darkened ominously. ¡°Have you lost your mind,


    Liliana? Did youe all the way to Ludshire from Lightspring in the middle of the night? What if


    something happened to you?¡±


    I took a sip of hot chocte to wash down the grilled sandwich before ring at him. ¡°Right back at you.


    Who¡¯s the one lying on the hospital bed now, huh?¡± I shot back. ¡°Say, why can¡¯t you just speak nicely?


    Since you know that I rushed over in the middle of the night, can¡¯t you say something else? For instance,


    you can thank me or even apologize for the inconvenience. Just say something nice for a change.¡±


    Ugh! I¡¯ve seen anyone as ungrateful as him! Isn¡¯t it because of him that I came running over in the


    middle of the night? What a thankless task!


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, he wasn¡¯t the least bit remorseful. The next words out of his mouth almost had me bursting a


    blood vessel.


    ¡°Did I ask you toe? You simply like to cause trouble, and you never behave. If something had


    happened to you, it¡¯d have been more work for me, no?¡±


    mming the hot chocte in my hand onto the table with a thud, I shot up from the chair.


    ¡°Fine, just pretend that I¡¯ve never been here then, Dominic Hartnell! You can stay here alone. Meanwhile,


    I¡¯m now heading back to Lightspring!¡±


    I pivoted and stormed toward the door. Argh! I¡¯m so angry that I feel like I¡¯m on the verge of exploding!


    Truly, I¡¯ve never met anyone like him!


    ¡°Stop right there! Did I tell you to leave?¡±


    Jeez, what a lunatic! Am I supposed to stop just because you said so? I¡¯ve got a temper, too!


    Ignoring him, I quickened my pace.


    When I swung open the door upon reaching it, I was greeted by a group of people outside. The doctors


    were here to make their rounds, and Calvin trailed after them.


    As the doctors were here, I changed my mind about leaving since I wanted to listen to their prognosis.


    Anyway, Dominic was dered fine and could be discharged after another day. In fact, it would be fine


    even if he wanted to do so that day itself.


    Therefore, Dominic had Calvin settle the discharge procedures. Recalling his horrible attitude earlier, I


    made to leave, but he called me back.


    Glowering at him, I huffily snarled, ¡°I¡¯m not weed here, am I, Mr. Hartnell? In that case, why did you


    call me back? I know how to buy a ticket back, so rest assured that I won¡¯t be shamelessly clinging to


    you.¡±

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Chapter 135 Only I Can Bully You


    ¡°I only said a few words, and you¡¯re being so pissy. What¡¯s with you?¡±


    Hearing this made me even angrier.


    I was angry at your poor attitude. How did this turn into my fault?


    ¡°Dominic, do you have split personalities? You were the one that started this first! Be honest and answer


    me with your conscience!¡±


    Dominic nced at me casually before saying slowly, ¡°I am the sick one here. Why are you arguing with


    a patient? Can you be more patient and tolerant toward me?¡±


    I clenched my fists tightly before letting go.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± I decided not to make a big fuss about it.


    ¡°Come over here.¡±


    I walked over with a scowl. ¡°What do you want now?¡±


    Dominic did not answer but stared at me for some time. Then, he used his uninjured left hand to pinch


    my face, pulling it left and right.


    I pulled away from his hand and asked exasperatingly, ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me. You have


    only one hand left and still want to fool around.¡±


    Dominic was not using any strength, so after I said that, he released his hand.


    ¡°I do not see any marks on your face. Which side did my mom hit?¡±


    I realized that he was staring at me to check whether there was a p mark on my face.


    As I recalled the unwarranted p, I felt upset. I puffed out her cheeks and answered, ¡°Why are you


    asking which side she hit? She already pped me. Asking which side she pped would not change


    anything. Dominic, if there is a next time, I will not take it like this. She¡¯s nobody to me, so why would I


    just let her p me? Also, I do not know what you think of Camille, but I really dislike her. Can you


    promise me one thing? Don¡¯t ever let her appear in my sight. I won¡¯t bother her, so she better note


    and cause me any trouble.¡±


    The room grew silent for a while before Dominic replied, ¡°There won¡¯t be a second time. No one can


    bully you except me. I am the only one that can pick on you.¡±


    My heart skipped a few beats listening to the first part of his reply. However, I immediately became


    unhappy after hearing the rest of his words.


    I gritted my teeth. ¡°If only you retracted thest few words you just said, I will be very satisfied.¡±


    Dominic raised his eyebrows. There was a hint of warning in his tone. ¡°It¡¯s not a good habit to push your


    luck.¡±


    Tch! He is not a good person. He did not even mention the matter about Camille.


    I felt a little helpless as my heart sank. He is probably like his mother, who thought the best of


    Camille. Maybe he thought I did this purposely because I do not like her. Forget it. They have known her


    longer than the time Dominic and I are together. Although Camille is a pretentious hypocrite in front of


    me, it might not be the case when she is with them. I have already told them so much. It is up to them to


    choose whether to believe me or not.


    But after this incident, I decided that as long as Camille was present in the future, I would note close


    or say another word to her again.


    After a while, Calvin finally settled the discharge procedures. We assisted Dominic in changing his


    clothes and then left the hospital.


    Dominic¡¯s car crashed yesterday, so driving back was not a choice. Even if the car could be driven, I did


    not intend to let them drive. I wanted to take the high-speed rail, as it was fast and convenient.


    After considering Dominic¡¯s arm injury, I requested Calvin to buy train tickets with seats at the back


    instead of finding the earliest timings.


    Calvin did not take the train with us as he needed to stay to settle matters.


    It was already mid-afternoon when Dominic and I returned to Lightspring.


    When we left the station, Dominic asked me to return first as he wanted to go back home first.


    After thinking for some time, I asked, ¡°Are youing back in the evening?¡±


    He smiled arrogantly. ¡°Liliana, could you not stand being away from me?¡±


    I immediately rolled my eyes and felt I had talked too much.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need toe back. Take care of your mother, or she might cause trouble for me.¡±


    He looked at me for a while before reaching out a hand to pinch my face. ¡°Cook dinner and wait for me at


    home.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I pushed away his hand and took a side nce at him. I replied curtly, ¡°Who is going to cook and wait for


    you? Return after you have eaten. Your mother would not starve you.¡±


    ¡°You can try and not cook.¡±


    At this moment, the taxi came, and I got into the car without replying to him.


    When I got off in front of the supermarket, I felt exasperated that I had be someone with no


    backbone.


    Although I had told myself to buy some ingredients to patronize Dominic, I ended up buying a bunch of


    ingredients, including a fish.


    Fish is slimy. Just like that b*stard Dominic.


    Back at home, I started making soup and got ready the ingredients required for dinner before waiting for


    Dominic to return so that I could cook themter.


    I slumped on the couch, as I was tired from not sleeping the night before.


    As I was able to fall asleep, my phone rang. It was my mom.


    ¡°Lili, how are you doing with Dom recently?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been good. Mom, I haven¡¯t slept for one whole night. If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I will


    hang up and sleep for a while.¡±


    Upon hearing I had not slept, my mom started to nag about the same things that I had heard many times.


    After a while, I could not hold it any longer and interrupted her, ¡°Mom, I know. I will not pull all-nighters in


    the future.¡±


    ¡°I just said a few words, and you are annoyed. Let me tell you. The third of next month is your


    grandfather¡¯s seventieth birthday. Remember to bring Dom here a day earlier so that we can go


    together.¡±


    That¡¯s right. I almost forgot about Grandpa¡¯s birthday. However, I don¡¯t feel like bringing Dominic.


    However, I could not say this to my mom as she would definitely ask more questions.


    I decided to agree but thought otherwise. I will just go by myself on that day and say that Dominic was


    busy and couldn¡¯t make it.


    After hanging up on Mom¡¯s call, Iy on the couch as I felt sleepy. I dozed off after a while.


    Dominic woke me up after he returned. He said crossly, ¡°I asked you to cook and wait for me to return.


    But you were here sleeping so soundly.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and did not respond to him, as I felt saying anything to a person without conscience was


    useless.


    Does he not know the reason why I was so sleepy?


    Luckily, I had prepared the ingredients earlier and just needed to cook them. The soup was also ready.


    After I finished cooking, I called Dominic over. However, he sat at the table and stared at the food without


    eating.


    ¡°Why are you not eating? Do you get full from looking?¡±

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Chapter 136 Twisted Arm


    Dominic gestured to his right arm, which was in a cast, and pointed out, ¡°How am I supposed to eat with


    my arm like this?¡±


    I challenged, ¡°Then shall I get you a bigger spoon?¡±


    He refuted with a straight face, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you get me. The injury is on my right hand.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean? Do you expect me to feed you?¡±


    He stopped talking, but the way he looked at me showed me that was exactly what he was expecting.


    This freaking idiot of a man. Must he behave like a two-year-old? Would it kill him to make-do and eat


    with his left hand?


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, can I ask you a question?¡±


    Dominic was especially proud when he replied, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I can feed you for the day, but it¡¯ll take some time before you fully recover. You don¡¯t expect me to feed


    you forever, do you?¡±


    Dominic¡¯s gaze brushed against me calmly before he replied, ¡°You don¡¯t want to? If you refuse to do so, I


    will call Helen and tell her that you are mistreating me. I¡¯m already injured. Yet, you refuse to take care of


    me.¡±


    Helen? As in my mom?


    I red at him. I could see, from the look of his eyes that he was genuine about calling my mom.


    He is such a shameless oaf! I felt a sudden urge to smack his head with a tray at that moment.


    In the end, I caved under his threat and fed him unwillingly but withoutining aloud.


    I was especially annoyed as I fed him thatst serving of soup.


    Both women are mothers, yet my mom treats Dominic like a treasure while Milena saw me as trash. This


    is so unfair!


    I red at Dominic for quite some time and prayed that he could detect the hostility and the murderous


    intent in my eyes.


    It didn¡¯t work. He didn¡¯t let me off the hook even when it was time to take a shower. His excuse was that


    it was inconvenient for him to shower with only one hand since he could not let the other get wet.


    There was absolutely no way I could help him shower, though. In the end, wepromised, and I


    cleaned him up with a wet towel.


    Even that level of intimacy was enough to get me so embarrassed that I almost died of shame.


    Despite all that, heined about how the ce I rented was too small and imed that he wouldn¡¯t


    need my help if the ce could fit a tub.


    Only the angels in heaven would know that, but I had to spend a f*cking lot of effort to stop myself from


    shoving his head into the bucket of water and drown his sorry a*s!


    After busying away for an hour, Dominic was finally all satisfied and rxed. Me? I was so exhausted


    that I didn¡¯t even want to talk.


    The onlyfort I had was that he couldn¡¯t do the dirty to me since his hand was injured. That meant


    that I could sleep well and without worries.


    Unfortunately, I fell sick the following morning. How did I suddenly catch a cold?


    D*rn it! Now one of us is injured while the other is sick. It¡¯s practically a hospital here.


    I was rather strong physically, so I rarely fell sick. Unfortunately, when I did be ill, it would take me


    forever to recover.


    Dominicined about how I was being coquettish and dumb. I so wanted to kick his a*s when I


    heard that.


    At night, I saw that he had returned, so Iined in slight distaste, ¡°Oy, Dominic. I think it¡¯s better if


    you go home. Your ce is so spacious, and there are people there who will cook and care for you. You


    even have a tub there, so you can bathe well. Things aren¡¯t so good for you here.¡±


    What I truly wanted to say was that my life would be so much easier if he would just f*ck off.


    Dominic looked like he has seen through me. He sat down on the sofa and rxed before he replied


    lazily, ¡°It¡¯s true that my ce is better in every way, but I¡¯d enjoy life more if I make you serve me. Maybe


    you should go to my ce with me. That will be pretty awesome.¡±


    F*ck him! Why would I want to go to his ce? Milena is still there, so I¡¯d just be walking into a death


    trap. I¡¯d have to be a retard to do that!


    Dominic smiled in amusement when he saw how I wasn¡¯t replying to him. That annoying smile made me


    feel like knocking his d*mned teeth off.


    After we had our dinner, Dominic told me that I should start packing because we would be moving soon.


    I was slightly taken aback, but I regained my footing soon enough. I demanded, ¡°Why are we moving all


    of a sudden? And where are we moving to? I¡¯m not going to your ce!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to move to my ce. Gosh, why are you asking so many questions? Just pack up.¡±


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    You¡¯re asking me to move all of a sudden, so it¡¯s only natural that I ask for details, you idiot!


    I ignored Dominic¡¯s requests and continued interrogating, ¡°What about the rent? I prepaid the rent for a


    year. It¡¯d be such a waste if I leave now. Also, just so we¡¯re clear, I¡¯m not going to pay for the rent for the


    new ce!¡±


    Dominic replied generously, ¡°Just get rid of this ce. If the owner refuses to refund you, I will pay you


    the money you spent. As for everything else¡­ Well, you don¡¯t need to care about them at all.¡±


    Hearing his words got me delighted. Wow, the rich really are something else.


    I spent the next couple of days packing my things, and when the weekend rolled by, Dominic and I


    moved to a new ce.


    We went to a condo in the city center.


    Holy freaking hell! Even the tiniest ce here costs a fortune. The rich really behave differently. He spent


    a fortune on a whim!


    As for the ce I was renting¡­ Well, I actually thought about it, but in the end, I didn¡¯t cancel my lease


    agreement.


    Dominic and I are interacting well now, but who knows how long this wouldst? If we fall apart, I would


    need a ce to stay.


    Time zipped by fast. My grandpa¡¯s seventieth birthday was right around the corner before I even knew it.


    I had already nned ahead but had no intention of sharing that information with Dominic.


    I spent quite some time trying to figure out what to get grandpa for his birthday, though. In the end, I went


    a little over my budget and bought him an exquisite teapot set.


    Grandpa enjoyed drinking tea, and I thought that he might like a nice teapot set.


    My n was to stay at my parents¡¯ ce on the following day then head back to my family home with my


    parents on the day after. The party would be held near the family home.


    That night, I told Dominic that I¡¯d be busy and had to stay at the family home for two days. His gaze


    seemed a little strange when he looked at me, and I worried that he might¡¯ve realized that I was lying.


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯tment on anything in the end.


    I got up earlier than usual the following morning, and Dominic woke up soon after I did.


    It was ahead of his schedule, but I assumed that he got up early for work, so I didn¡¯t say anything.


    Just as I was about to leave the house, Dominic stopped me. His expression was grouchy as he did so.


    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to share with me?¡±


    I didn¡¯t quite catch what he meant at the time, so I asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Dominic sneered a little andined, ¡°I guess that means you truly are nning on heading home all


    on your own.¡±


    I was stunned for a moment there. That was when I realize that he knew it was my grandpa¡¯s birthday.


    What the hell? How did he learn about this?


    There was no way I¡¯d tell him the truth, so I lied, ¡°I only kept it a secret because I noticed how busy you


    have been at work. Besides, your hand is injured, and the party is in the vige, so I worried that you¡¯d


    be ufortable.¡±


    Dominic hummed in displeasure. He sounded a little annoyed and evil when he grumbled, ¡°Stop making


    excuses. Have I been too nice to youtely? I¡¯ve only been civil for three days and already you¡¯re


    causing a scene.¡±


    His words made me feel trapped. For a moment there, I felt like a wife who had just been stripped of her


    basic human rights.


    I chuckled dryly and was strategizing about what to say next when my mom called.


    After picking her call up, I discovered how Dominic knew about grandpa¡¯s birthday. D*mn it. When did


    she call him and let him know about this?


    Things became more frustrating after I picked up the call. Turned out, my mom wasn¡¯t concerned about


    when I¡¯d be home. Instead, the first thing she asked about was whether Dominic would be joining us.


    ying favorites at that level? It truly was annoying.


    In the end, Calvin drove us to my parent¡¯s ce, then left on his own.


    I never had the chance to speak up after I get inside because Louis came running. He said, ¡°Dom,


    there¡¯s my brother-inw! You¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve been waiting forever for you.¡±


    What the hell? It¡¯s bad enough that this idiot doesn¡¯t call out to me, his big sister, first, but referring to the


    guy as his brother-inw?

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Chapter 137 Kiss Me


    I red evilly at Louis before I walked up to him and pped his arm.


    ¡°Oy, Louis Zai, what the hell is wrong with you? Why did you greet him before youe to me?


    And why were you waiting for him? When did the two of you be so close? Also, do not refer to


    him as your brother-inw! He is not my husband as of now.¡±


    Louis pushed me aside andined, ¡°Lili, why are you being so violent? Geez, we¡¯ve known each


    other for decades, so it¡¯s only normal that we¡¯ve had enough of seeing each other¡¯s faces. It¡¯s different


    with Dom. The two of you are finally back together, and it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him in forever.


    ¡°While we¡¯re on the topic, what¡¯s wrong with me calling him my brother-inw? You two may not be


    married yet, but it¡¯ll happen eventually. It¡¯s just a timing matter.¡±


    The way Louis spoke made it sound like I would only ever be with Dominic. Things change! It¡¯s not like


    every other guy on Earth suddenly dropped dead.


    ¡°Louis Zti!¡±


    I was both embarrassed and angry when I reached out to pinch that idiot¡¯s ear. He was agile, though, so


    he slipped away and right to Dominic¡¯s side.


    That stupid baby brother of mine even winked at Dominic to elevate the problem and ask for help.


    ¡°Dom, you agree with me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Dominic chuckled and replied, ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯ll have to regard me as your brother-inw sooner or


    later, so just speak as you like. Don¡¯t listen to your sister, Lou. She¡¯s just being shy.¡±


    I red over from the corner of my eye. Shy, my a*s!


    And what the hell does he mean when he said that he will be the brother-inw, eventually? Everything


    we have now is an illusion. It¡¯s entirely possible that we will split again when he gets married!


    A sting suddenly gripped my heart as that thought run past me.


    Things had changed since I agreed to y along with Dominic. He had been mindlessly¡­ or perhaps


    deliberately saying romantic things that got me feeling all warm and fuzzy. Unfortunately, those promises


    often left me broken-hearted.


    There were times when I would find myself fantasizing about an impossible future as I rxed.


    I swayed a little, but I was quick to p my face lightly to remind myself to return to reality.


    When I turned toward Dominic, I saw that he was smiling warmly and sweetly. That got me so upset that


    I was tempted to head over and bite him.


    Why the hell is he smiling so happily? He¡¯s that delighted, huh?


    Louis never listened to me. He just went around treating Dominic like a brother-inw and seemed


    completely at ease about it.


    ¡°What happened to your arm, Dom? Has Lili turned that violent?¡±


    I gritted my teeth and growled at Louis, ¡°What the hell, Lou? Is that how you think of your big sister?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. Dom, how did you get injured? Oh, and you even had a cast on. Lili, why didn¡¯t you tell me


    about this when I called earlier?¡±


    My mom was exiting the kitchen with a te of fruits at the time. When she saw that Dominic was


    bandaged, her smile turned upside down, and she seemed heartbroken. If a stranger was around, they


    would probably assume that Dominic was her biological son.


    I instantly became speechless. Seriously? He¡¯s just injured. Was I supposed to make an official


    announcement or some sh*t?


    Dominic grinned and spoke up tofort my mom. He said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Helen. It¡¯s just a minor injury.¡±


    His words probably broke my mom¡¯s heart even more because she reacted by leading him to the sofa to


    have him take a seat. She even called my dad and had him buy some supplements.


    They sat there and had Dominic surrounded as they asked endless questions. I ended up being ignored


    at the side¡­


    What the f*ck? I¡¯m the biological daughter and sister here!


    ¡°Mom,¡± I called out, but no one responded.


    I called out again, but still, no one replied to me. That got me so infuriated that I got up from the couch. I


    avoided Dominic¡¯s injured arm and pulled at his other arm to get him up.


    ¡°Ah, Lili! What are you doing? Dom is injured, so you have to be gentler.¡±


    ¡°Lili, watch it. You don¡¯t want Dom¡¯s injury to exacerbate.¡±


    My mom and brother were in unison and acted as if I was going to torture Dominic or something.


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    ¡°Enough, both of you. I have something to tell him.¡±


    My mom had a disapproving look on her face when she pointed out, ¡°Then talk nicely. Why are you


    pulling him like that? The way you¡¯re acting now means that you must not routinely take good care of


    him.¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    What the actual f*ck? Back then, I was reprimanded and banned from bulling Lou, and now I am to treat


    Dominic like a fragile baby? Is that it, then? Am I just a pitiful child that no one loves?


    I turned around and saw how Dominic was grinning brightly. That worsened the anger in me and


    prompted me to drag him right into the bedroom.


    Click! I locked the door and pushed him onto the bed before growling angrily, ¡°Dominic Hartnell, you are


    not to brainwash my parents and baby brother anymore!¡±


    Pfft! Dominic chuckled aloud and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you jealous to see how Helen and Lou are


    treating me so well? There¡¯s really nothing I can do with it, though. I am born with the charisma that


    makes everyone love me.¡±


    ¡°Can you stop being so narcissistic?¡± I demanded and harrumphed.


    Dominic put on an exasperated expression, but his tone revealed that he was bragging when he said,


    ¡°The truth that they like me more remains.¡±


    I instantly got so angry that I could feel the words stuck in my throat. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t find the


    right words to refute him.


    That was the day I learned that the old wives¡¯ tale was true. Narcissistic a*sholes really were unbeatable.


    It felt like my anger only served to make Dominic happier because he grinned at me after that. He even


    reached out and held my hand as he did so.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, or I might just break your other arm!¡±


    Dominic ignored me. He pulled me over and got me to fall onto hisp. Everything felt natural, and it was


    like it was our routine.


    I worried that I would hurt his arm, so I didn¡¯t dare to resist too aggressively.


    ¡°Behave!¡± I warned evilly while ring over.


    He circled his arm around my waist. His beautiful eyes shone with warmth as his gaze focused on me. A


    hint of seduction was in his voice when he asked, ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯re not jealous of them being nice to


    me? Maybe you¡¯re mad at me because I neglected you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even think about it before I reached out to push his stupid face away and said, ¡°Puh-lease! Like I


    would ever care about you? You know what? Forget about it. I¡¯m too tired to argue with you. Let¡¯s head


    out.¡±


    After saying my piece, I stood up to leave, but Dominic¡¯s hold on my waist tightened.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go!¡±


    He had me pinned and shoved his face closer to mine as his lips curved into a small grin. His voice was


    soft when he asked, ¡°You dragged me all the way over, and now you want to leave just like this?¡±


    I was slightly taken aback. I learned what he was really saying, so I turned my face around and


    demanded, ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene!¡±


    He forced me to turn my face back to him. His thumb caressed my lips before he offered, ¡°You can leave


    if you want. All you have to do is kiss me, and I will let you go¡­ for now.¡±


    I stared at him and thought that he might be a lunatic. Is this guy alright? He¡¯s already injured and in a


    cast, but still, he won¡¯t behave. All he can think about is doing the dirty.


    ¡°Not even in your dreams! Why would I kiss you?¡±


    Dominic¡¯s eyes shone with a hint of glee when he threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t, I will initiate the kiss myself.


    Just don¡¯t me me if I lose controlter.¡±


    I could feel my face burning red. Lose control¡­ he might actually make good on his threat.


    I had no choice but topromise. Fine, it¡¯s just a kiss.


    ¡°Okay, but keep your word. We¡¯ll leave once I kiss you, and you won¡¯t do anything else!¡±


    Dominic didn¡¯t reply, but his expression showed that he was waiting, so I closed my eyes and kissed him.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Chapter 138 Prayed They Would Be Nice To Me


    That was not the first time we kissed. Even if we ignored the countless times we kissed when we were


    dating, there were also the infinite times we kissed after we got reunited.


    When we were dating, I would take the initiative to kiss him too, but he had always been the one to


    make the first move after we reunited.


    Hence, I felt a little shy about kissing him, and I could feel my face turning red. What truly worried me,


    though, was the way my heart was thumping wildly as I kissed him.


    At first, I nned on simply brushing my lips against his, but Dominic pinned the back of my head and


    locked me in ce.


    I leaned in his arms and panted after the intense kiss. It took me some time before I catch my breath.


    His tone was ever so ambiguous when he whispered into my ear, ¡°That is how a kiss is supposed to be.


    How many times do I have to teach you before you learn that lesson?¡±


    I was already panicking, so his tease messed me up even more. I lost control and pushed him away


    without paying attention.


    I stumbled out of his arms and was some distance away when I saw him holding his injured arm like he


    was in a lot of pain.


    ¡°Ah, how are you? Did I hit you? Does it hurt? Should we head to the hospital?¡±


    It was likely I actually hurt him because sweat was flowing out of his forehead.


    He was supposed to take it slow for a hundred days, and it was crucial that he recuperate. I genuinely


    worried that he wouldn¡¯t recover if he got injured again.


    Dominic gritted his teeth and grumbled, ¡°Liliana, if you¡¯re going to kill me, then at least give me a quick


    death!¡±


    I was worried, but I was also angry. I also refused to admit defeat, so I refuted, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.


    Besides, you can¡¯t put all the me on me. You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t control yourself and keeps thinking


    the dirty.¡±


    Dominic stared calmly at me without saying a word.


    I walked over and carefully helped him up. After that, I asked, ¡°How are you feeling now? Maybe we


    should head over to the hospital to have your hand examined. You better stay here instead of following


    us along to the vige tomorrow. I¡¯ll ask Calvin toe to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine for now,¡± replied Dominic as he reached out and pinched my face. He spoke slowly and clearly


    when he threatened, ¡°I will keep a mental note of what happened today and will get back at you in the


    future.¡±


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    After saying his piece, he let me go and opened the bedroom door.


    F*ck! He¡¯s going to make a mental note of something so small? What the hell did I even do?


    I chased after him to demand an exnation, but Dominic was already sitting on the couch with my dad


    when I left the room.


    My dad looked worried and was pointing at Dominic¡¯s injured arm while asking some questions.


    D*mn that Dominic! He¡¯s trying to make himself look good in front of my dad.


    I walked over and greeted, ¡°Hey dad. You¡¯re back.¡±


    My dad turned around and replied, ¡°Yeah. Lili, go help your mom get the supplements ready and ask her


    to use the new blender. That way, Dom can drink the supplement quicker and recover soon.¡±


    Dominic took advantage of the situation and timed it perfectly. He sounded ever so sweet when he said,


    ¡°Thank you, David. My arm is actually fine. Besides, I¡¯m still a young fellow, so I¡¯ll recover soon.¡±


    Hearing that got my dad to shake his head and replied, ¡°That won¡¯t do. You know, if I had known that


    you¡¯re injured, I would¡¯ve asked Helen to prepare everything beforehand. Lili never really cooked at


    home, so she must not have taken good care of you.


    ¡°Drink up tonight. The supplements will help heal you up.¡±


    The way my dad was acting so worried and asking endless questions¡­ D*mn, Dad is just as bad as


    Mom.


    Why is everyone being so nice to Dominic? I hate this.


    I was fuming a little as I marched into the kitchen. There, I saw my mom washing the vegetable, so I got


    a small stool and sat down beside her.


    ¡°Mom, why are you and Dad being so nice to Dominic? He¡¯s an adult, so he can take care of himself.


    You didn¡¯t need to do all this extra stuff for him. Also, neither you nor Dad are paying attention to me,


    even though I am right here.¡±


    My mom shot an amused look at me and grinned. Shemented, ¡°Sweetie, why are you acting like


    this? Dom is injured, but he is still making the effort to celebrate your grandpa¡¯s birthday with everyone.


    Under those circumstances, it¡¯s only right that I cook for him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but everybody is going overboard.¡± I was still extremely annoyed at the time.


    My mom giggled aloud and teased, ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    I knew that I was being immature, but still, I replied, ¡°Yes, I am! Everyone has been circling around him


    since this morning. No one even asked about how I¡¯m doing. Mom, I caught a cold!¡±


    ¡°My gosh, you really are¡­¡± said my mom before she trailed off. She looked a little exasperated at that


    moment.


    That upset me even more, so Iined, ¡°What? It¡¯s not like my description is inurate. It¡¯s true that


    everyone is circling around him. Everyone is so worried about him that it is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°He is your boyfriend and your future husband, so shouldn¡¯t we be nice to him?¡±


    I muttered, ¡°But no one was as nice to Julius. What is it about Dominic that got everyone so into him?¡±


    My mom paused suddenly and dropped the vegetable she was washing. She sighed a little.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. Let¡¯s not think about that guy.¡±


    I regretted being that immature and straightforward after hearing my mom sigh.


    Julius was a bit of a taboo with my family at the time.


    ¡°Your dad and I sometimes talk about Julius after the two of you got divorced. We wondered if it was our


    fault. Perhaps we weren¡¯t kind enough to him and his mother. Maybe that is what prompted him to do


    something so vile to you.


    ¡°Your dad and I really like Dom, and we are delighted to see the two of you together. We genuinely think


    that he is someone who will take care of you for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, the truth at the end of


    the day is that you are a divorcee. Dom doesn¡¯t seem to mind, but there¡¯s no saying what his family


    actually thinks about that.


    ¡°That is why we are all being nice to him. Yes, we genuinely care about him, but we also wish that his


    family will learn about this. That way, they would be discouraged from treating you badly.¡±


    I waspletely stunned because I never imagined that my parents had considered the issues that far


    into the future.


    ¡°Mom, I¡­¡±


    I suddenly lost control and teared up a little. I was also tempted to tell her the truth.


    However, I knew that my family wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it if I reveal the truth at that moment.


    That was why I swallowed the words at the tip of my tongue.


    My mom wiped my tears away for me and grinned while teasing, ¡°Why are you crying suddenly? You¡¯re


    like a kid. So embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I will always be a kid to you, and it doesn¡¯t matter how old I actually am. No one should think that it¡¯s


    embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? Are you going to say that you¡¯re just chubby if I had said that you¡¯ve gained weight?¡±


    challenged my mom as she rolled her eyes at me.


    We talked a lot after that, but she was mostly worried about what Dominic and I had nned for the


    future. She even reminded me to tell her right away if we identally got pregnant. She would rush to


    help us with the wedding.


    Unfortunately, my mom was being too straightforward, so I felt embarrassed.


    That afternoon, we went to the shopping mall.


    Dominic and I held hands as we browsed around. That was when we bumped into someone we knew.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Chapter 139 If He Bought It For Me


    ¡°Dominic, Liliana¡­ are you two back together?¡±


    I was genuinely surprised when I saw Vicky and her shocked expression. I never expected to see her


    there.


    My first instinct was to break free of Dominic¡¯s hold, but he refused to let go of my hand.


    What the hell? Does he not know that we should avoid causing misunderstandings?


    Everyone saw that he and Camille were together when we were at the ss reunion. Heck, we even got


    into a fight at the time.


    Given our past, everyone would make terrible assumptions!


    I grinned awkwardly and scanned around before replying, ¡°What a coincidence. Are you here to buy


    some stuff too?¡±


    Everyone was an adult who had worked a couple of years, so we were all political and adhered to the


    social rules. I could tell that Vicky was still curious, but she was quick to hide it away. She even rolled


    along and continued the conversation and topic I started.


    We were all busy, so we didn¡¯t chat for long.


    Vickyter waved at me and imed, ¡°Let¡¯s hang out and have a meal together some time. Oh, and if


    you two ever get married, remember to inform me of the wedding date beforehand. We can get all our


    ssmates over and make it a grand party.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Vicky was being genuine, so I didn¡¯t give her a clear response. After that, I dragged


    Dominic away.


    I turned to Dominic when Vicky was no longer within our line of sight. Frustrated, Iined, ¡°Why


    didn¡¯t you let go of my hand earlier? What will you do if she bulls*ts to others?¡±


    ¡°You might think that it was timely, but she saw us holding hands ages ago,¡± replied Dominic


    nonchntly.


    Okay, you¡¯re right about that, but we should¡¯ve still let go!


    ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re a brave dude with zero fears, but I am warning you right now! Deal with your mom and


    Camille ordingly and don¡¯t let theme after me.¡±


    The mere mention of Milena got me caressing my face instinctively. At that point, I was practically


    traumatized.


    Dominic suddenly stopped walking. He crouched down and gave me a soft peck on my lips. That


    stiffened me immediately.


    What the f*ck? We¡¯re in the mall, and everyone is watching!


    Dominic draped his arms over my shoulders and as he led me ahead, he promised, ¡°I told you. I am the


    only one who will ever bully you.¡±


    When I came around, I ignored everything and dragged Dominic out of the ce.


    Ah, that is so embarrassing! How is he staying so calm?


    When we met up with everyone else, Lou asked curiously, ¡°Lili, what¡¯s up with your face? Is that an


    allergic reaction?¡±


    As he spoke, he reached out to touch and check my cheek. I pushed my brother aside andined,


    ¡°Ah, go away. I¡¯m not allergic. I¡¯m j-just a little hot.¡±


    This is all Dominic¡¯s fault, but he¡¯s standing there all calm like nothing had happened.


    ¡°Enough, you two. You¡¯re both adults, so stop making a scene,¡± scolded my dad sternly to stop us both.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I stopped talking, and Louis became quiet after he stuck his tongue out at me.


    After shopping for quite some time, my dad bought two boxes of luxurious tea. Huh, what a coincidence.


    That would match the teapot set I got grandpa.


    Two boxes of tea didn¡¯t seem enough, so my dad added a mary gift to it.


    ¡°Oy, aren¡¯t you supposed to prepare a present for my grandpa¡¯s birthday? You¡¯reing along, after all,¡±


    I deliberately teased as I nudged Dominic.


    He hadn¡¯t even replied before my mom scolded, ¡°What is there to prepare? Dom is there as our guest,


    so there is no need for him to get anything. Don¡¯t listen to her, Dom.¡±


    I pouted a little. What is she so nervous about? It¡¯s not like Dominic is broke or anything. Besides, who


    would go to a birthday party empty-handed?


    Dominic grinned brightly at me and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m meeting your grandfather,


    and it¡¯s his birthday, so there is no way I¡¯d go empty-handed. I won¡¯t embarrass you or your parents.¡±


    After he said his piece, I noticed, from the corner of my eye, that my dad was nodding in approval.


    I wasn¡¯t bothered by that. Instead, I was curious. I wanted to know what Dominic prepared, but he didn¡¯t


    tell me. He simply gave me a mysterious grin.


    We left after we bought everything we need.


    When we walked out of the mall, I caught sight of the branded store on the other side of the road. It was


    a Cardill store.


    Cardill¡­ their products were crazy expensive, and I¡¯ve seen a few photos of their products in the


    magazines before. The actual item itself, however, was beyond my reach.


    Most women liked pretty and shiny objects and tended to fantasize about things. I was one of them.


    As I stared at the poster in the shop, I fantasized. If Dominic were to buy me a gift from that store¡­


    I was still lost in my own world when I heard Dominic asking my parents and Louis to wait for a while.


    After saying his piece, Dominic led me across the road while I was still in a daze.


    He was going to lead me into the Cardill store when I finally came around.


    I stopped him and tugged at him before demanding, ¡°Dominic, why did you take me over?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think? We¡¯re here to buy some stuff. Hurry. Your parents are waiting.¡±


    Yeah, I figured we¡¯re here to buy some stuff, but¡­ is he buying me a ring?


    I suddenly panicked and did everything I could to drag Dominic away.


    ¡°What the hell are we buying? I don¡¯t even like rings. Come on, Dominic. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I wanted one, but I couldn¡¯t afford it, nor could I get myself to ask for it. More than anything, I worried that


    I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist asking for even more as time passed.


    ¡°When have I ever said that I¡¯m heading in to buy you a ring?¡± refuted Dominic while wearing a strange


    expression on his face. He dragged me into the store with ease.


    Hearing his response got me lost. I asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re going to buy some stuff? Cardill is


    famous for its rings, right?¡±


    Dominic stared for a while before he grinned meaningfully and replied, ¡°Cardill specializes in rings, but


    that is not the only thing they offer. Do you want a ring from me? Are you that eager to marry me?¡±


    I was instantly speechless. Gah, this is so embarrassing!


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not a rich woman, so how would I know what the store actually sells? The posters can be


    misleading sometimes. Whatever the case, I don¡¯t want anything from there.¡±


    Dominic pulled me along and replied, ¡°You can forget about the ring. It¡¯s a gift meant for wives, so there


    is no way I¡¯d buy it on a whim. Still, I can get you a small gift since you¡¯ve been treating me so well


    lately.¡±


    A gift meant for wives¡­ Hearing those words stung my heart, and I felt terrible.


    I am such an idiot. How many times have I warned myself against having stupid fantasies? Why won¡¯t I


    listen to my own advice?


    Camille is Dominic¡¯s future wife, so she is the one he will buy a ring for.


    As for me¡­ Well, I am not allowed to have any fantasies about him.

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Chapter 140 So He Could Sleep Well


    Dominic dragged me into the store and waved generously. He even told me to choose whatever I like.


    The way he spoke got the saledy to smile ever so brightly.


    Before we got into the store, I was proudly iming that I didn¡¯t want anything. Actually seeing those


    bright, sparkly essories bedazzled me, though.


    The saledy worked especially hard to rmend all sorts of diamonds to me. Those sparks


    practically blinded me.


    I was actually having a hard time and thought that everything looked wonderful¡­ with prices that match


    them ever so ¡°wonderfully¡±.


    Before we entered the store, Dominic made things clear and told me to forget about getting a ring.


    However, seeing those sparkly gemstones resting on the velvet disy still got me to turn my attention


    over.


    The saledy was observant, and when she caught me looking at those rings, she picked a few out for


    me to test it.


    I wanted to reject her offer, but my instinct overtook me. Before I knew it, I had already slipped one into


    my finger.


    It¡¯s stunning¡­


    Everything became more natural after I took that first step. I ended up trying out a few rings.


    Perhaps it was because it caught my eye first, but I loved the first ring I tried on.


    Its diamond wasn¡¯t as big as the others, but its design was especially breathtaking. The tiny diamonds


    spread out like stars in the Milky Way, and it made it impossible for me to look away.


    ¡°Your finger is beautiful, and your hand is soft, so the ring matches you perfectly. These styles fit you


    well. Shall we get your husband over to take a look as well?¡±


    The saledy¡¯s words instantly cleared my mind up.


    It didn¡¯t matter how beautiful they were. They will never be mine.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. P-please show me something else. A bracelet or a ne, for example.¡±


    The saledy seemed a little disappointed, but she led me to another disy section like a pro.


    That was when Dominic walked over. His tone carried a hint of impatience when he demanded, ¡°Have


    you made a choice yet?¡±


    I suddenly felt guilty and worried that he¡¯d learn about how I tried the rings earlier.


    ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m not sure what to choose. Do it for me, will you?¡± I asked as I headed over.


    ¡°You are so troublesome.¡±


    Dominic seemed a little reluctant, but he ended up getting me a ne.


    He pushed my hair aside as we stood in front of the mirror and helped me put it on.


    ¡°Not bad. We¡¯ll take it. Just keep it on. I¡¯ll go pay for everything now.¡±


    When Dominic went to pay for the ne, I stood in front of the mirror and checked everything


    out. Huh, he¡¯s got good taste.


    I couldn¡¯t help shifting my gaze to the corner where the ring was disyed. At the end of the day, that


    ring was still my favorite.


    Ah, forget about it. What¡¯s the point of thinking about it? It¡¯s nice enough that he¡¯s buying me this


    ne because it costs a fortune.


    After we left the store, we stood and waited for the traffic light to turn green. Dominic turned to me at the


    time to warn, ¡°Keep this ne safe and do not take it off. You are not allowed to lose it, you hear


    me?¡±


    I hid the ne under my shirt before replying sarcastically, ¡°Okay, okay, I will wear it every day and


    every hour. I won¡¯t even take it off when I shower.¡± After that, I added, ¡°You don¡¯t actually need to remind


    me, though. I will take care of it, anyway. It¡¯s way too expensive, and I¡¯d feel bad if I lose it.¡±


    When we got back and met up with my parents, that stupid brother of mine immediately asked, ¡°Lili,


    Dom, were you two in there earlier to buy a ring? Are you getting married? Dom, are you proposing to


    my sister?¡±


    I was so tempted to knock him out.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Quit bullsh*tting. It¡¯s way too early, so don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    When I turned to my parents, I sensed that they might¡¯ve been hoping that Dominic had proposed as


    well.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I let go of Dominic¡¯s hand and went over to hug my mom¡¯s arm. After that, I revealed the ne and


    asked, ¡°See? He got me this. What do you think, Mom?¡±


    My mom smiled and nodded beforementing, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. Wear it well and don¡¯t show it off all the


    time. It would make you a thief¡¯s target.


    ¡°It must¡¯ve cost you a fortune, Dom. Thank you, but don¡¯t waste money unnecessarily all the time, okay?¡±


    Dominic grinned. His eyes shone with a loving glow when he replied, ¡°It¡¯s not that expensive. I¡¯m just


    d Lian likes it.¡±


    I pouted a little. He made it sound so nice, but he never got me the item I wanted the most.


    ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t need to be heartbroken for him. He¡¯s loaded, and he¡¯s supposed to buy me gifts,


    anyway.¡±


    My mom pinched me a little and scolded, ¡°Don¡¯t gloat, and remember to be nicer to Dom.¡±


    So at the end of the day, you¡¯re still siding with him¡­


    ¡°Mom, I am already nice to him. You can ask him if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Naturally, Dominic wouldn¡¯t make me look bad in front of my parents.


    At home, my mom told me and Louis to pack up after we had our dinner. We needed to get ready for our


    trip to the family home.


    After some time, my mom got some new bedsheets and handed them to me.


    ¡°Lili, your dad and I talked about it. We think we should renovate the house.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of what was going on, so I asked, ¡°Why the sudden urge to renovate? I


    think everything looks great, and it¡¯d be troublesome to renovate the ce.¡±


    Dominic happened to enter the room at the time.


    My mom looked at the both of us before answering, ¡°Your room is too small, and so is your bed. It¡¯s fine if


    you¡¯re sleeping on your own, but it¡¯s too cramped if you¡¯re going to share it with Dom. Everyone will have


    to make-do for tonight, but once the holidays are over, we will get someone to renovate the ce. Maybe


    we can figure out a way to make this room bigger.¡±


    My mom¡¯s careless choice of words got my cheeks to burn with so much shame that I was practically


    crispy.


    So, unless I somehow misinterpreted that, they¡¯re renovating the ce just so Dominic and I can sleep


    better together¡­


    What the hell? D*mn it. What do I freaking do?


    My mom grinned at Dominic and said, ¡°Dom, you¡¯ll have to make-do tonight. Everything will be just right


    when you visit the next time.¡±


    I was already speechless when my mom talked about renovating the ce. Dominic¡¯s strange response


    made things even worse for me.


    That idiot is actually telling my mom to stay with us while this house is being renovated! Ah, and he


    mentioned that we¡¯re living in the luxurious condo he just bought.


    Dominic also offered to handle the house¡¯s renovation and told my parents not to worry about anything.


    Hearing all that got my mind to spin. I felt like I was no longer on the same page¡­ or even the same


    freaking book as them!


    My mom imed that she needed to discuss the matter with my dad, but I could tell that she was


    tempted.


    When she finally left the room, I turned to Dominic and demanded a valid reason for making those offers.


    His answer was that it was just a simple matter since the condo was big enough for everyone to stay.


    I was genuinely speechless about that. Okay, fine. I¡¯ll just wait and see what disaster they¡¯ll cook up in


    the end.


    We had to wake up early the following morning, so we went to bed early.


    Calvin dropped by before we left that morning. He had dozens of bags with him. Those are probably for


    Dominic.


    We traveled for a couple of hours before we finally reached the vige and saw my grandpa in the family


    home.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Chapter 141 I Finally Have Backup


    Two years ago, my grandfather went through coronary artery bypass surgery. Since then, his health


    deteriorated, and he couldn¡¯t afford to be triggered emotionally.


    He was the one who suggested moving to the suburbs. In the beginning, we disagreed, but he insisted


    on moving.


    Unable to convince him, we gave in atst, but we made him promise that he would go for a medical


    check-up in the city monthly.


    Since I was young, my grandfather had always doted on me. Even after Louis was born, I was still his


    precious little princess.


    I didn¡¯t have the nerve to tell him about me and Julius, afraid that it would enrage him and make him ill.


    Only when the matter had been solved did my Mom spill the beans.


    ¡°If Julius wasn¡¯t in jail, your grandpa would snap his head off,¡± shemented.


    Having joined the army when he was young, my grandfather was outgoing and extremely belligerent.


    It had been a long time since Ist met him, so we were ted to see one another.


    Gazing at me, a look of distress crossed his face. Needless to say, it was because of Julius.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I wrapped my arms around him like I used to do when I was young. ¡°Grandpa, I miss you so much. Do


    you miss me?¡±


    ¡°You little brat. Why haven¡¯t you visited me for such a long time? I bet you don¡¯t miss me.¡±


    I shook my head vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s not true! I miss no one but you every day! Grandpa, how are you


    recently?¡±


    He let out a heartyugh. ¡°I¡¯ve never been better. But¡­ I¡¯m sorry for what you¡¯ve gone through.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Besides, I still have you and my family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. Tell me if you ever face such a thing again, I¡¯ll stand up for you. Then, no one


    would dare bully my precious granddaughter.¡±


    With a sweet smile, I nodded repeatedly. ¡°Sure, sure, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. Lili has a new boyfriend now. He¡¯ll surely protect and take good care of her. Dom,


    come and greet Lili¡¯s grandpa.¡±


    Only then did I realize I was so engrossed in talking to my grandfather that I forgot to introduce Dominic.


    That¡¯s exactly why I didn¡¯t want to bring him along at first. The more people knew about our rtionship,


    the more troublesome it will be.


    Dominic stepped forward. Just as I was about to introduce him, my grandfather snorted petntly.


    ¡°Yeah, right. Julius told me he would love and treat Lili well for a lifetime. Look at how things have turned


    out! He¡¯s nothing more than just a pretty face! As for her current so-called boyfriend, I don¡¯t know what


    kind of man he is yet. Let me tell you this now itself. I don¡¯t care if you guys are happy with him. He has


    to get my approval to be with Lili. Otherwise, she may be bullied again.¡±


    After being yelled at by my grandfather, my mom seemed a little embarrassed, and my dad dared not


    say a word. Louis tried to stay as still as he could.


    Yet, I was like a dog with two tails. Grandpa loves me the most.


    I lifted my chin triumphantly at Dominic. Now that I have a backup, I would like to see if he still has the


    guts to act all high and mighty in front of me.


    Nevertheless, the man seemed entirely at ease and showed no hint of worry.


    Hmph! What a pretentious man. I bet he¡¯s feeling nervous on the inside.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Hi, Grandpa. I¡¯m Dominic, Lian¡¯s boyfriend,¡± he answered calmly.


    Apparently, my grandfather wasn¡¯t ttered. ¡°Enough. Why did you talk so much? I only asked for your


    name. What did you mean by Lian¡¯s boyfriend? I have not given you the green light yet.¡±


    I was on the verge of pping my hands. All hail Grandpa!


    Dominic wasn¡¯t provoked. His expression remained nonchnt as he ced the gifts on the table.


    ¡°This is my first time visiting, and I don¡¯t really know your preferences, so I¡¯ve brought you quite some


    gifts. I hope you¡¯ll like them.¡±


    My grandfather cast an impassive nce at the gift and said nothing, ignoring Dominic.


    My mom couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Dad, Dom bought these especially for you. Why don¡¯t you take a


    look?¡±


    With that said, she winked at me for my help.


    I didn¡¯t feel like helping, but I was worried that the quick-tempered man might not be able to hold his


    anger back.


    After all, he was always the superior one who bossed people around, so he rarely got humiliated.


    Fine, that¡¯s enough of humiliation for him.


    With a grin, I clung onto my grandfather¡¯s arm and held him up. ¡°Grandpa, let me apany you to see


    what he has bought for you. Who knows? There might be something good.¡±


    Sure enough, he wouldn¡¯t reject me. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it together.¡±


    Unwrapping the gifts, I was shocked. Though I didn¡¯t know their prices, they must have cost a bomb.


    They were all supplements and tonics. I could only recognize three well-known brands among them.


    ¡°See if you like any of these. I can buy more the next time I visit you.¡±


    I never knew Dominic could be this humble.


    He was very respectful toward elderly people.


    Just then, arge group of people marched in. They were my rtives.


    As the eldest, my mom had two sisters, Aunt Vivienne and Aunt Gianna. It looked like they had nned


    toe together.


    Aunt Vivienne and her husband were civil servants. They had a son as old as Louis.


    On the other hand, Aunt Gianna and her husband were business owners. They had a daughter and a


    son. The boy was only five years old.


    Perhaps they were rather well off, so the couple was quite condescending, and I had never liked them.


    Aunt Gianna strode right toward me as soon as she showed up. I could guess what she was going to say


    before she even opened her mouth.


    ¡°Lili, I heard from your mom that you¡¯re divorced. It¡¯s alright, I know many eligible young men. Some are


    from wealthy families. I¡¯ll introduce them to you, then you¡¯ll have many options.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Aunt Gianna, but I don¡¯t need that.¡± I smiled, shrugging indifferently.


    ¡°Forget it. None of those men that you know are decent. Ask them to stay away from Lili.¡± My grandfather


    was annoyed.


    ¡°Dad, why do you say so? Lili is my niece. Why would I hurt her? Lili, look for me afterward. Don¡¯t be shy,


    alright?¡±


    Hah! Don¡¯t be shy? Do I look that desperate for men?


    ¡°Wow! Who¡¯s this good-looking man? He looks so familiar.¡± Aunt Gianna¡¯s daughter, Rachelle, noticed


    Dominic.


    She was in her second year of college. The woman was quite blunt, but she meant no harm.


    Dominic introduced himself in an impassive tone again. ¡°I¡¯m Dominic Hartnell, Liliana¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    Rachelle was buzzing with excitement. ¡±Wow! Lili, where did you steal such a dashing man as your


    boyfriend?¡±


    Her words displeased me at once. What does she mean by stealing a man?


    ¡°Dominic¡­ Oh! I remember him. Lili, isn¡¯t he the man in the news earlier? But didn¡¯t Nichs take you


    away?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, Lili. Tell me now. Which is your actual boyfriend?¡±


    Her deafening babble made my head throb with pain. Dominic¡¯s grim expression made it worse.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Chapter 142 Childhood Memory


    I felt that Nichs was now a taboo to Dominic. The man became irritated whenever someone


    mentioned Nichs, even if it wasn¡¯t me.


    I didn¡¯t know about others, but I could sense the tension building up around him.


    Unwilling to get into trouble, I quickly exined, ¡°Rachelle, that news can¡¯t be trusted. I¡¯ve even brought


    him home to celebrate Grandpa¡¯s birthday. Isn¡¯t this obvious enough?¡±


    ¡°Haha! No wonder you don¡¯t want me to introduce some men to you. You¡¯ve found a boyfriend. Lili, since


    everyone is around, why don¡¯t you introduce him to us?¡±


    I let out augh. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to say. His name is Dominic Hartnell, and he¡¯s a businessman.¡±


    My words piqued Aunt Gianna¡¯s interest right away. ¡°A businessman? Does he own apany? That¡¯s


    great. He¡¯s much better than the useless Julius, who only works for others. What kind of business is Mr.


    Hartnell doing? Maybe we can coborate in the future. Honey, please get our business card,¡± Aunt


    Gianna asked while calling her husband toe over.


    The first time I brought Julius home, she asked the same questions as well. After knowing he was only


    an average sales director, she treated him with disdain.


    Despite knowing that they wouldn¡¯t look down on Dominic if I revealed his family background, I refused to


    let the couple know more about him.


    Like all businessmen, they often carried a guileful and materialistic aura. If they ever found out about


    Dominic¡¯s prominent identity, they might do something outrageous.


    My rtionship with Dominic wasplicated enough. I wanted nothing else to meddle in our affairs.


    Aunt Gianna¡¯s husband handed his business card to Dominic with a ttering grin. Before he could open


    his mouth or make his next move, I interrupted them. ¡°Uncle, Dominic owns only a small business, so he


    doesn¡¯t have any business card. If you and Aunt Gianna are interested, he can tell you more about his


    company after dinner.¡±


    Sure enough, my words wiped the smiles off Aunt Gianna¡¯s and her husband¡¯s faces. After mumbling a


    few words, they brushed me off and stopped bothering me.


    ¡°Okay, okay, you two have asked too many questions. Why do you keep talking about that rascal? You¡¯re


    rubbing salt into the wound.¡± My grandfather wasn¡¯t happy that Aunt Gianna brought Julius up.


    Even my parents¡¯ expressions seemed a little surly.


    Dominic didn¡¯t show any unusual response, but the atmosphere was slightly awkward.


    Immediately, Aunt Vivienne tried to lighten the mood. ¡°Dad, why are you angry? Gianna is only


    concerned about Lili.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear to see my grandfather being upset, so I rushed over to him and changed the subject.


    Then, no one else brought the matter up again.


    The birthday celebration would start tomorrow for three sessive days so everyone in the suburbs


    could attend it.


    All we needed to do was to buy the groceries and ingredients. Several chefs would be here to prepare


    the food tomorrow.


    However, everyone would lend a helping hand, as this was the custom of how we organized a birthday


    celebration.


    The younger ones had nothing much to do, but our parents still had to get a lot of things ready.


    Other than my five-year-old cousin, Dominic, Louis, Rachelle, Aunt Vivienne¡¯s son, Richard, and I left the


    house after eating lunch.


    My parents did not want us to be at home too, lest we cause them any trouble.


    There was not much entertainment in the suburbs. When I was young, my favorite activity when I


    returned to my hometown was following my grandfather to the market. He usually bought me various


    mouth-watering food and fun toys, but that was a long time ago.


    Coincidentally, it was a market day today.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s walk over there. It¡¯s so crowded,¡± I urged the others.


    Without waiting for their replies, I pulled Dominic toward the crowd.


    ¡°Dominic, I guess you have never seen this before. Let me show you around.¡± I appeared more


    enthusiastic than usual because I was in good spirits today.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a market day. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Dominic sounded a little exasperated.


    Turning around, I nced at him and asked in surprise, ¡°How did a city slicker like you know about a


    market day? How strange!¡±


    Dominic ignored myment. Never mind, since I¡¯m in a good mood, so I¡¯ll let him off.


    Afterward, I ambled around the market for half a day, dragging Dominic along. Despite the ordinary


    products sold in the market, I found them interesting.


    I purchased countless knick-knacks while Dominic watched me with contempt.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t as happy when I asked you to choose diamond and gold jewelry, but now you¡¯re so thrilled


    about these useless knick-knacks.¡±


    Holding a stic bag while enjoying cotton candy, I spoke with a slur, ¡°It¡¯s not the same at all. This is my


    childhood memory. It¡¯s very dear to my heart, alright?¡±


    Seeing that he remained silent, I waved my hands. ¡°Fine. Rich kids like you won¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Do you want some cotton candy? I¡¯m too full to take another bite.¡±


    This was a bad habit of mine. Every time I saw cotton candy, I couldn¡¯t help buying it, but I wouldn¡¯t be


    able to finish eating it.


    Dominic gave me a sniff of disapproval. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll eat your leftover? It¡¯s so dirty.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so picky. How is it dirty? I picked the cotton candy with a stick before eating it. It¡¯s so yummy.


    Try it!¡±


    I did not care whether he was willing to eat it, picking some cotton candy with a stick and cing it in


    front of his lips.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Liliana¡­ Mmm¡­¡±


    Right when he opened his mouth, I stuffed the candy in and chortled. ¡°How¡¯s it? Is it sweet? Does it taste


    good?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really childish.¡± The man shot daggers at me with a grim face.


    His reaction amused me, and I broke out into a fit of giggles. I lifted the remaining cotton candy in my


    hand. ¡°Here you go. Don¡¯t waste it. It has cost me some money.¡±


    ¡°One of my hands is upied, so I can¡¯t eat it.¡±


    With a broad grin, I gazed at him. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll feed you then. Finish it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t utter a word. His silence meant consent.


    Along the way, I nced around keenly while feeding him cotton candy.


    Suddenly, someone bumped into me, and I staggered forward. Fortunately, Dominic reacted swiftly and


    held me up.


    Before I found out what had happened, a hostile voice yelled, ¡°Hey, watch where you walk! Are you


    blind? You knocked my wife!¡±

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Chapter 143 Encountering a Fraudster


    Steadying myself, I turned and saw a young couple standing several feet away.


    The man¡¯s expression was fierce, while the woman appeared calmer and had a hand resting on her


    bulging stomach. Realizing btedly that I might have collided with a pregnantdy, I quickly


    apologized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    This being a market, it was naturally jam-packed with people, and idental collisions were not at all a


    rare urrence. I had assumed that my apology would be sufficient to smooth things over with the


    couple, but I was sorely mistaken when the man continued to re at me.


    ¡°What use do I have of your apology?¡± he spat. ¡°My wife is pregnant! You need to take full responsibility if


    anything happens to her or the baby because of your carelessness!¡±


    I frowned. That¡¯s unnecessarily harsh¡­


    ¡°Excuse me, but I think you were the ones who knocked into me and not the other way round,¡± I point out


    as politely as I could. ¡°And in any case, I¡¯ve already apologized. What else do you want me to do?¡±


    The man scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve hurt my wife and my unborn child. I¡¯m going to need more than just a pathetic


    ¡®sorry¡¯.¡±


    I was about to rebuff him when Dominic intervened. Pulling me behind him, he stared the man down and


    asked in a cool voice, ¡°What do you want then? Rpense?¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Yeah, now we¡¯re talking.¡±


    It was then that realization dawned on me. We must¡¯ve encountered a fraudster. He¡¯s trying to scam us!


    There were many onlookers, but none stepped out to speak against the man. It seemed that this was not


    the man¡¯s first scam, nor would it be hisst. Judging by the fearful looks of some of the locals, he was


    probably quite the scoundrel in town.


    Knowing Dominic, I expected him to teach the man a harsh lesson. However, I was once again mistaken.


    ¡°How much do you want?¡± he asked.


    I gaped slightly. Are you kidding me? Is he actually going to pay that guy? That¡¯s just outrageous!


    Stepping from behind, I tugged at Dominic, trying to pull him away. ¡°Let¡¯s just go to the police,¡± I said.


    ¡°He¡¯s just going to think you¡¯re a total pushover and bully you even more if you fall for his scam.¡±


    Enraged, the man came up to me and shoved, hard.


    Dominic did not manage to catch my fall this time. Losing my bnce, I stumbled backward and sprained


    my ankle on a small rock.


    The pain shot up my leg faster than I could think. I grunted, shifting my weight onto the other leg while


    bending down to inspect my injury.


    Dominic supported me by the arm. ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Can you stand?¡±


    I hissed in pain. ¡°I think it¡¯s not serious. Don¡¯t offer that guy any rpense, okay? He¡¯s a fraudster.¡±


    Said fraudster was spitting mad. ¡°F*cking b*tch,¡± he cursed. ¡°Your man here has already agreed to pay


    up, so just shut your f*cking trap, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?¡± Dominic raised a brow. Without preamble, he delivered a kick


    straight on the man¡¯s stomach.


    Thetter doubled over, groaning loudly. If not for his wife¡¯s help to steady him, he would have copsed


    on the ground.


    I blinked in surprise at the quick esction of events, my throbbing ankle momentarily forgotten.


    ¡°Son of a b*tch!¡± the man snarled, face contorted in pain and rage. ¡°How the f*ck dare you!¡±


    ¡°If I hear another word from you, you¡¯re going to get more than just a kick,¡± Dominic said coldly. ¡°Just try


    me.¡±


    Perhaps cowed by his intimidating aura, the fraudster did in fact keep his mouth shut, though he was still


    ring daggers at the both of us.


    Seizing the opportunity, I hobbled over to Dominic and dragged him away from the scene. ¡°Come on,


    let¡¯s go back home.¡± His arm is still injured. It¡¯s best that we just steer clear of that jerk.


    ¡°Why are we running away?¡± Dominic frowned unhappily. ¡°I can take him on.¡±


    I continued to hobble while pulling him along. ¡°Oh please,¡± I retorted without looking back at him. ¡°If you


    weren¡¯t still injured, I wouldn¡¯t stop you. But with your arm like this? Forget it. You can¡¯t fight in such a


    condition.¡±


    The pain was getting worse. A few more stepster, I had to stop to catch my breath and ease the pain


    in my ankle.


    ¡°I¡¯m calling Lou,¡± I announced breathlessly. ¡°The pain¡¯s too much. I¡¯m going to rest a bit. When they


    come, we can leave together.¡±


    Dominic held me with his good arm as we stood on the roadside. ¡°You wouldn¡¯tnd yourself with a


    sprained foot if you¡¯d just let me take care of that hoodlum,¡± he remarked, casual-as-you-please.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I protested sharply, jabbing a finger into his chest. ¡°I was looking out for you, okay? I didn¡¯t want


    you to get scammed. If you have nothingforting to say to me, then just keep quiet.¡±


    Silence. Utter silence from the other party.


    I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Seriously? Noforting words at all? Geez¡­ This guy¡­


    A whileter, Lou and the rest came looking for me. As my ankle hurt too much for me to walk, the rest of


    the journey home had me bouncing on Lou¡¯s back as he carried me back.


    The rest of the family were in the living room, chatting, when they saw using in.


    Mom hurried over to help me get down from Lou¡¯s back. ¡°What happened? Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, gingerly cing my foot on the floor and limping toward the couch. ¡°It¡¯s just a sprain. I


    was careless.¡±


    It was what I told Lou and the others too. I had omitted the incident with the fraudster because it would


    only cause unnecessary concern.


    Even so, Mom was still in her mother hen mode. She clucked her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some ice and


    ointment for you. You need to take better care of yourself and watch the road like the rest of us, you


    know.¡±


    I listened to her chiding, feeling like a teenager again. I guess moms just have that special power¡­


    Grandfather, on the other hand, was mad at Dominic. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you keep an eye out for her, boy?


    What kind of boyfriend are you to take a girl out and have her home injured?¡±


    I snickered quietly. Ha! Serves him right!


    Compared to how he kicked and threatened a man earlier, the Dominic in front of my grandfather now


    was as docile as amb. ¡°My apologies¡­ It¡¯s my fault for not taking good care of Lian. It won¡¯t happen


    again.¡±


    Grandfather did not appear appeased. Mom nudged me surreptitiously, motioning with her eyes for me to


    help Dominic out.


    Hmph. Shouldn¡¯t Mom be on my side? I huffed but eventuallyplied reluctantly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandpa.


    I¡¯m the one who didn¡¯t watch where I was going. And anyway, his arm is still injured, so cut him some


    ck, okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no reason to let you get hurt!¡± Grandfather sounded almost petnt. ¡°As your boyfriend, he


    should¡¯ve done a better job, broken arm or no.¡±


    Although I knew he was being unreasonably demanding, the way my grandfather was so protective of


    me filled my heart with warmth.


    ¡°Come on, Grandpa,¡± I wheedled, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s really not his fault. He had offered to carry me back, too. If


    he wasn¡¯t injured in the arm, he would¡¯ve prevented my fall for sure.¡±


    Grandfather scoffed, though he did stop his berating. Taking this as my cue to change the topic, I


    managed to get everyone to move on to a different conversation.


    We chatted for a while more before the cook we had hired came in to announce that dinner was ready.


    The family sat around the dinner table. As the meal was being served, Uncle Frank took out a bottle of


    whiskey and proceeded to pour a ss for all the men at the table. When he came to Dominic, I reached


    a hand to cover the mouth of his ss.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Lili?¡± Uncle Frank asked.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Chapter 144 Always Thinking of Him


    I gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, Uncle Frank. Dominic won¡¯t be drinking. I¡¯ll get him some juice


    later.¡±


    Thest time, he had drunk himself into a stupor and ended up in a hospital. I would really rather not


    have him repeat that experience again.


    Uncle Frank frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t me you for not knowing your liquor, Lili, but this whiskey here is the


    good stuff. I specially bought it for this asion. And you know it¡¯s a family tradition for us men to toast


    each other at the family gathering.¡±


    I tried to let Uncle Frank down easy. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but he really¡ª¡±


    Grandfather harrumphed loudly. ¡°Lili, don¡¯t coddle him. If he wants to drink, drink. If he doesn¡¯t want to,


    he should say it himself rather than hiding behind his girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± I pouted.


    Dominic¡¯s hand covered mine, taking it off the ss. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He gave me a reassuring squeeze before


    addressing Uncle Frank. ¡°I¡¯ll have a ss, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡± Pleased, thetter filled more than half the ss. ¡°There you go.¡±


    When Uncle Frank moved on to his next target, I elbowed Dominic in his ribs. ¡°Did you forget about what


    happened thest time?¡± I hissed in annoyance. ¡°We¡¯re in the countryside. It¡¯s a long way to a hospital if


    you get alcohol poisoning again.¡±


    Although we did have the local doctor, a proper hospital would be quite out of the way.


    Dominic¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    As if! Internally, I was throwing my hands up in chagrin. If that were true, you wouldn¡¯t have been


    hospitalized in the first ce, nor would Benjamin and Yvonne tell me you¡¯d nearly drunk yourself into an


    early grave.


    Unable to resist, I pinched his leg under the table. ¡°Just this one ss, okay?¡± I said warningly. ¡°No


    seconds.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Are you henpecking me?¡±


    ¡°So what if I am?¡± I red at him, peeved by his devil-may-care attitude when his health was at stake.


    ¡°No seconds, and that¡¯s final.¡±


    Aunt Gianna looked at us teasingly. ¡°What sweet nothings are you two whispering? Keep your pillow talk


    to another time, okay?¡±


    I flushed. In retrospect, Dominic and I did act like quite a couple just now.


    ¡°All right, enough talking, more eating,¡± Grandfather said. ¡°Everyone dig in.¡±


    tes of food were passed around and the clinking of sses filled the room. There was one thing


    Uncle Frank was right about¡ªit was in fact a tradition in this household for the men to drink and make


    toasts during a family gathering.


    Grandfather was a bibulous person. Back in the day, when his health was better, he used to have a drink


    at every meal.


    My dad, on the other hand, was a social drinker and only imbibed alcohol when Grandfather was around.


    After Grandfather had a heart bypass surgery some time ago, the doctor had told him to cut back on


    liquor, much to his disgruntlement.


    This was how the tradition was born¡ªGrandfather was allowed to indulge in his drinks during special


    asions where our family gathered and the men would drink to his health.


    That being said, the copious amount of alcohol Grandfather was currently imbibing had me frown in


    concern. It¡¯s true that it¡¯s a special asion, and he could cut loose a little¡­ But he has already downed


    three sses!


    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve had enough for today! Drink something non-alcoholic, okay?¡± I passed him a ss of


    juice and raised my own by way of toasting. ¡°Cheers to your good health, Grandpa!¡±


    Grandfatherughed in delight. ¡°Thanks, Lili. Okay, okay. I promise I¡¯ll stop after your boyfriend over


    there downed a drink with me.¡±


    He looked at Dominic as if daring him to do otherwise.


    ¡°Grandpa,¡± I said pleadingly. ¡°Dominic¡¯s not good with alcohol. He was hospitalized one time because he


    couldn¡¯t take too much.¡±


    I had intended for Grandfather to cut Dominic some ck, but I forgot that in the eyes of someone like


    my grandfather, who used to guzzle booze as freely as he breathed, being ¡°not good with alcohol¡± was


    effectively a demonstration of one¡¯s inferiority.


    True enough, while Grandfather no longer insisted for Dominic to drink, he had instead found something


    else to pick on thetter¡ªmore specifically, that he had too weak a stomach and ought to exercise more


    to develop a higher alcohol tolerance.


    Oh, well. I tried my best. Shaking my head in amused exasperation, I watched Dominic nod amicably in


    response to Grandfather¡¯s chiding before promising that he would exercise to be stronger so he could


    ¡°take better care of Lian.¡±


    As he said thest part, he looked at me with a raised brow loaded with meaning.


    I stared back at him uprehendingly for a second before the realization that it was an innuendo


    dawned. I turned away, cheeks burning. He¡¯d better not put in any more hours in the gym! If his stamina


    bes any better in bed, I¡¯d probably die of exhaustion.


    The rest of the family took my persistent attempt to stop Dominic from drinking as a sign of how much I


    cared about him. Aunt Vivienne, in particr, joked that I was always thinking of him, so much so I


    probably forgot my own name.


    The othersughed good-naturedly while I feigned annoyance.


    The pleasant atmospherested for the rest of the dinner.


    Shortly after dinner, Grandfather retired to his room, but not before telling Dominic very sternly that the


    latter must sleep alone in a separate room.


    Dominic had disyed the utmost patience with Grandfather throughout the day, agreeing to whatever


    he said with a serene smile or nod. Upon hearing that he and I were to sleep in separate rooms,


    however, there was an almost imperceptible downward turn of his mouth.


    I almostughed out loud as he struggled to rein in his reluctance. Good job, Grandpa!


    The night was still early for a night owl like me. Unfortunately, being in the countryside meant there were


    limited entertainment options. Having nothing else to do, I pulled Dominic out of the house and into the


    front porch to do some stargazing.


    The night was clear. Free from light pollution, the dark canopy above us was covered by thousands of


    twinkling lights.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± I breathed. ¡°The city life is great, but sometimes it justcks this kind of simplistic


    beauty, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°You and your melodrama.¡±


    I elbowed him. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because you don¡¯t know how to appreciate such beauty.¡±


    He fell silent. It was momentster when he spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve taken you to see the stars before, but I


    don¡¯t remember you being so appreciative of the sight.¡±


    Before? I searched my memory and finally found the answer. We had gone traveling once, back when


    we were still together, and he had taken me to a spot perfect for stargazing. Oh¡­ I think this is the first


    time since we reconnected that he has brought up our shared past.


    He was right, too, in saying that I had not been as appreciative of the starry sky as I was now. How could


    I have been, when all I had eyes for under the curtain of starlights was him?


    ¡°Dom, do you minding over here for a minute?¡± my mom called from inside the house. ¡°I want to


    show you your bedroom.¡±


    Dominic replied in the affirmative and went indoors.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Not long after he was gone, I heard the ringtone of his cell phone, which he had left on the chair next to


    me.


    Taking the phone, I was about to deliver it to him when my fingers identally pressed the pickup button


    on the screen. Oops¡­


    It was an unknown number. Thinking that it might now be too rude to hang up without a word, I ced


    the phone to my ear and greeted the caller.

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    Chapter 145 Not Good Enough


    ¡°Hi! I¡¯m sorry, but the owner of this phone is not here right now. If you can wait for a while, I will get the


    phone to him.¡±


    I had always felt that it was a bad idea to answer others¡¯ phone calls. That was why I rified my


    identity upfront.


    However, once I had finished speaking, there was no response from the other end. I thought that the


    caller had already hung up.


    Just as I was about to speak again, I heard a familiar female voice.


    She said coldly, ¡°Liliana? Is Dom with you? Looks like you didn¡¯t get my message during ourst


    conversation.¡±


    Oh my gosh! Is this woman Dominic¡¯s mom?


    ¡°Why are you keeping quiet? Where have you taken Dom to this time? Don¡¯t you know that he hasn¡¯t


    recovered from his injury yet? Liliana, have you ever spared a thought for him before?¡±


    Why am I so unlucky? One mistake, and I end up answering his mom¡¯s call.


    After hearing Milena¡¯s bombardment on the phone, I dared not utter a single word.


    In the end, after hesitating for about three seconds, I hung up the call.


    She was not somebody that I could afford to offend. I would rather keep away from her.


    It was my fault. I should not have answered his phone. When he checked his pher, he would


    certainly return the missed call.


    It¡¯s all my fault!


    I kept berating myself silently over and over again.


    Unfortunately, his mom refused to give up. After a while, she called again.


    Seeing that it was the same number, I declined the call without answering.


    Dominic should have saved his mother¡¯s number so that I would not have made a boo-boo like that.


    Then again, I recalled that I did not save my parents¡¯ phone numbers as well.


    Nheless, Dominic¡¯s mom was too persistent. After I had rejected the call, she phoned again.


    That was too much for my poor heart to take it.


    Once again, I declined the call. As ast resort, I decided to turn off the phone.


    I needed to look for Dominic quickly so that he could pacify his mother.


    My mom should have arranged for Dominic¡¯s room to be adjacent to mine. True enough, as I walked out,


    I saw the door of that room open.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Doesn¡¯t your leg hurt anymore? Go back. I¡¯ll get Dom to bring some medicine


    for you, and you can rub it in yourself.¡±


    The moment my mom saw me, she chased me back into my house. Before I left, I signaled to Dominic


    and waved the phone in my hand.


    After waiting for a while in the house, Dominic came in with the ointment.


    I handed him his phone. When he saw that it had been turned off, he looked at me.


    ¡°Now, listen to me. I didn¡¯t intend to answer your phone. It¡¯s just that you dropped it earlier on, and a call


    came in. I identally touched it, so I had no choice but to answer the call. Y-Your mom called three


    times. You better return her call immediately. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s going crazy.¡±


    I had thought that Dominic would rush to return the call. Instead, he said, ¡°All right. There¡¯s no hurry.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to return the call?¡± I was feeling a little faint. His mom was already fuming, and if he


    was not going to do something to cate her soon, I might get into big trouble.


    ¡°Lift up your leg.¡± Hepletely ignored my question.


    I removed my shoes and ced my leg on his. ¡°Your mom didn¡¯t sound too pleased just now. Didn¡¯t you


    inform her that we areing back to my hometown?¡±


    Dominic looked at me as if I was a moron.


    Come to think of it, it was a stupid question. I should have known that he would not have told her about


    it.


    Dominic passed me the ointment and said, ¡°Open it.¡±


    I obediently did as I was told and handed the medication back to him. ¡°You really don¡¯t n to return her


    call?¡±


    He ignored me once again and started to rub the medicine on my leg with his left hand.


    ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t care if you want to return her call or not, but please don¡¯t let her take it out on me,¡± I


    pleaded helplessly.


    The room became quiet after that. After watching him massage my leg for a while, I noticed something


    was amiss.


    His left hand was working perfectly fine. Furthermore, he was also using his left hand to eat during


    dinnertime.


    Before that, he needed me to feed him.


    ¡°Dominic, how dare you take me for a fool? Your left hand is obviously working fine, and yet you were


    ordering me around.¡±


    ¡°I like it,¡± he replied casually.


    I nearly died of frustration. Before I could give him a piece of my mind, I was taken aback by a sudden


    burst of pain.


    I tried to retract my leg, but s, Dominic refused to let go.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    I pouted andined, ¡°It hurts. Can you please be gentler?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m being too gentle, how are you going to recover?¡±


    I had no idea if he was doing it on purpose. His massage was causing me much pain, and if he had not


    pinned my leg between his knees, I would have surely kicked him away.


    ¡°All right, it¡¯s almost done.¡± In truth, I really could not take it anymore. Standing up with one leg, I felt like


    pushing him away.


    However, I lost my bnce and fell into his arms.


    Before I could get up, I heard my mom¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Oh my! The two of you better behave


    yourselves. It¡¯s only for a couple of days. It will be over soon.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Turning to Dominic, she continued, ¡°Dom, chat with her for a while more and then return to your house.


    Tomorrow, you need to be up early.¡±


    I was stunned momentarily, and the next thing I knew, I could hear the door closing.


    ¡°Haha!¡± Dominicughed.


    I regained my senses and immediately stood up in a panic. Before I could get away from him, he


    grabbed hold of my hands and locked them behind my back.


    I kept twisting my body to get away from him.


    When I recalled what my mom had said earlier on, my body started to feel hot.


    ¡°If you move again, I cannot promise you I won¡¯t do anything.¡±


    His voice sounded husky, but there was something else that did not feel right.


    Damn Dominic! He¡¯s having an erection!


    I dared not move anymore and had no choice but to use my mom as my shield. ¡°Well, you heard my


    mom just now. You are not allowed to do anything. You know what she meant.¡±


    ¡°If you want me to listen to Helen¡­¡±


    I cut him off. ¡°What do you want again? You want a kiss, isn¡¯t it? Come,e,e. Come over a little


    more, and I will give you that kiss.¡±


    I puckered up and leaned in to kiss him on his lips.


    Thinking of the time when hemented that I was a lousy kisser, I thought I might as well go all the


    way and show him what I was capable of.


    Instead, he pulled me away.


    I did not understand what he was trying to do and so, I eyed him with caution. What? Is this not good


    enough for him?

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Chapter 146 Birthday Celebration


    Dominicughed and teased me, ¡°Liliana, actually I wanted to say that I will definitely obey Helen. After


    all, this is your family home, and there are several of your rtives around. But judging from the look of


    things, you want it very much, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I was dumbfounded for a moment before realizing that I had been fooled again.


    ¡°Go to hell! Who wants it? Speak for yourself. You¡¯re the one with an erection. I can¡¯t believe the audacity


    of it! Dominic, you are a man who can only think with your dick! Scumbag! B*stard! Baddie!¡±


    I¡¯m so pissed off right now. He¡¯s obviously the one who isn¡¯t behaving himself, and yet he has the guts to


    take me for a ride! Evil man!


    I felt so good after giving him a good tongueshing. However, Dominic¡¯s eyes darkened.


    His mouth assaulted me unexpectedly like a thunderstorm, and I was caught off-guard.


    I had no idea when he released my hands. By the time I regained my footing, his burning hands were


    already inside my clothes.


    His kisses started to travel from my lips down to my neck.


    ¡°S-Stop it.¡± I tugged at his hair and pulled his head away from my body.


    His eyes were filled with burning desire.


    ¡°No¡­ You have to go back now¡­¡±


    He whispered in his hoarse voice, ¡°I can¡¯t. You obviously want it.¡±


    I pursed my lips, not knowing what to say.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It¡¯s true that I want it but not now!


    ¡°Dominic, are you trying to get me chased out by my grandpa tomorrow?¡± I sounded hoarse as well, and


    my throat felt parched.


    Without saying another word, he held the back of my head and slid his tongue into my mouth


    passionately. It was only after a long time before he let go of me.


    Both of us were panting heavily. I stole a nce at his manhood, and a saying crossed my mind. You


    asked for it.


    ¡°Enough. You better leave now and go to bed.¡± I got off my bed and made sure I chased him out of there


    no matter what.


    Dominic lifted my face up and said, ¡°In the future, I will take my time and reim what is owed to me.¡±


    Before I could react, he walked out of the door.


    I sat on my bed and felt my ears burning.


    After being riled up by Dominic the previous day, it had taken me quite a while before I fell asleep. At six


    that morning, I nearly could not open my eyes.


    However, after a night of sleep and the application of the medication on my leg, it did not hurt as much


    anymore. At least, walking would not be an issue.


    The moment I went out of my room, I saw grandpa sitting on the chair dressed in his best outfit. He


    looked particrly sprightly.


    ¡°Grandpa, you look so handsome today!¡±


    Heughed upon hearing mypliment. ¡°Cheeky girl! You are such a sweet talker. I¡¯m already at this


    age. How can I still be handsome?¡±


    I patted myself on my chest and said with confidence, ¡°No matter how old you are, you are always the


    most handsome man in my eyes!¡±


    Grandpa doubled over withughter the moment I said that.


    Not long after, Louis, Rachelle, Richard, and my youngest cousin, Jackson had all arrived.


    I looked around for Dominic, but he was nowhere to be found, so I sent Louis to look for him.


    Louis returned and told me that he was helping Dad.


    I mumbled, ¡°He has only the use of one arm. What can he possibly help Dad with? Lou, Dad didn¡¯t


    assign him any chore that was too tough, did he?¡±


    ¡°Rx, Lili. The way I see it, Mom and Dad treat him better than they treat the two of us. It was just some


    minor chore. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Louis was right. Mom and Dad could not be any more biased.


    Forget it. I can¡¯t be bothered. Let him get tortured for a bit. I just wonder if he has returned Milena¡¯s call


    yet.


    Around ten, the custom-made, seven-tier cake had arrived as well.


    The kitchen was already getting ready, and several others from the vige hade to help out with the


    cooking. The house was bustling with excitement.


    Louis and the rest of us had nothing to do, so we kept Grandpa apanied. Whenever any guests


    arrived and offered Grandpa their birthday wishes, we would serve drinks to them.


    Dominic only appeared after eleven o¡¯clock. When I asked him what he helped my dad with, he


    mentioned something about doing the ounts.


    I almost died when I heard that. I could not believe that my dad would dare to ask Mr. Hartnell to do such


    menial chores.


    The banquet started at twelve.


    In the early days, grandpa used to be a soldier. Later on, he became a teacher. Grandpa¡¯s upright


    character made him a very prestigious and well-liked man in the vige.


    It was a pity that my grandma had passed away so early. If not, his seventieth birthday celebration would


    have beenplete.


    The three days and nights of celebration had finallye to an end. I could tell that grandpa was very


    happy.


    All of my uncles and aunts had to leave the next day because of work and business.


    Since my dad was about to retire and did not have many sses left, and my mom had also made prior


    arrangements, they would stay for another two more days to be with grandpa.


    As for Louis, he had to return to school the next day too. His final exams were approaching, and like it or


    not, he would need to study for them.


    Therefore, my parents and I decided to stay on for a few more days.


    My dad asked Dominic where he nned to leave. To my surprise, he said he would leave with us. On


    the other hand, Calvin had informed me that Dominic would be busy during this period.


    When I asked him about it, he said that everything had already been arranged. Since he said so, I let him


    be.


    Our time in the vige was not as exciting as city life, but it was rxing, and I found it particrly


    enjoyable.


    I also took Dominic around, and let him try his hand at everything that I had done when I was younger.


    Even though Dominic did not seem to be too enthusiastic about everything, he went along nheless.


    I was not sure how grandpa felt toward Dominic because he seemed to be finding fault with Dominic at


    almost everything.


    In the end, I felt sorry for him.


    To be honest, Dominic¡¯s effort during the past few days had far exceeded my expectation.


    The following day, we would be returning to the city. That night after dinner, we were all sitting down and


    having a chat.


    After a short while, grandpa said he was tired and wanted to rest early. Naturally, none of us stopped


    him, but he took Dominic with him.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    Chapter 147 A Private Conversation


    I had noticed over the past few days that Grandpa did not seem to like Dominic very much. So, naturally,


    I did not have a good feeling about the two of them being alone and tried to follow them into the room.


    However, Grandpa sternly stopped me at the door.


    He even told my parents that we were not to eavesdrop on their conversation. Thus, the three of us


    were left waiting outside the door.


    I wanted to secretly sneak in after them, but Dad stopped me. He said that Grandpa must have


    something important that he wanted to say to Dominic privately.


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    But what important things do they even have to talk about?


    My grandfather was not the kind of man who would say the same thing over and over again. I had


    actually not thought much of their conversation, but after what my father said, I suddenly felt curious


    about what they would talk about.


    I paced restlessly outside the door. After a long while, I turned to my father. ¡°Dad, what do you think


    Grandpa is saying to Dominic? They¡¯ve been in there for so long! Why don¡¯t I go in and see what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°No, no. You stay put here with me. Do you think your Grandpa is a monster? Are you afraid that your


    Grandpa will eat Dom up? You¡¯re a grown woman; have a little patience!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please! As if you aren¡¯t curious too, Dad!¡± I muttered to myself, quietlyining about my


    father¡¯s fakeposure. He had already downed several sses of water in his anxiety.


    ¡°I think your grandfather must be testing Dom. Anyway, you both should have nothing to worry about.


    Dom is a good kid. It¡¯ll be fine!¡± Mom said optimistically.


    After waiting for another ten minutes, Dominic finally emerged from the room.


    I immediately ran over to him and bombarded him with questions about what Grandpa had said to him.


    My parents, too, were listening curiously.


    Dominic gently caressed my hair and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Nothing much. He just told me to take


    good care of you. Otherwise, he will hunt me down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked incredulously. It took Grandpa half an hour just to say that?


    Dominic nodded and replied, ¡°Yep, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°David, Helen, please rest early. I¡¯ll get someone to pick us up tomorrow morning.¡±


    My parents did not protest; they turned and walked back to their room to get ready for bed.


    After they left, Dominic did not say anything more to me. We, too, returned to our room for the night.


    When I woke up the next morning, Calvin had already arrived to pick us up.


    He sent my parents back home first before dropping Dominic and me off at our apartment.


    I immediately started busying myself with the draft. After all, I had already taken a few days off from


    working on it.


    Shannon had called me to pester me for updates as soon as I had returned to the city.


    Dominic, too, had been busy with his own work. We had been home for four days. Every single day, he


    would go out early in the morning and returnte at night. In fact, on two of those days, he only reached


    home at midnight.


    When I woke up that morning, Dominic was already nowhere to be found.


    I did not mind it much; after all, this had be the norm.


    After having some toast for breakfast, I started working on the draft again. However, before I had the


    chance to even turn on my tablet, my phone rang. It was Shannon calling.


    Truthfully, I did not want to answer her call. I did not want to hear her nagging me to submit my draft


    again.


    However, Shannon was a persistent woman. I knew that if I did not answer, my phone would blow up


    with her repeated calls. If I turned off my phone, she would hunt me down at my house.


    However, I had recently moved and she did not know my current address. Nevertheless, I knew that it


    was better to deal with her sooner rather thanter.


    ¡°Hello, if you¡¯re calling to chase me for the draft, please know that I am already drawing non-stop.


    There¡¯s no use for you to pester me! I am not made of magic!¡± I warned her as soon as I answered the


    call.


    ¡°Huh? Who said I was going to chase you for the draft? I just wanted to ask if you¡¯d like to pay a visit with


    me today.¡±


    ¡°A visit? Where?¡±


    I felt instantly relieved to hear that she was not calling to pester me about handing in my work. However,


    I was confused by her invitation. Visit? Where?


    Shannon¡¯s voice suddenly became high-pitched. ¡°Visit Nichs, of course! Come to think of it, we


    haven¡¯t seen him in almost two months! Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll bring some snacks with us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bad idea! You know nothing good wille out of us visiting him! Let¡¯s not do that.¡±


    The gossip has finally died down and I don¡¯t want to instigate any more rumors. Besides, Dominic won¡¯t


    be happy if I went over!


    ¡°Really? Don¡¯t you want to see Nichs?¡±


    ¡°If I really wanted to see him, I¡¯d just go online and watch any TV series that he acts in,¡± I joked.


    Shannon seemed ticked off by my silly joke. She said through gritted teeth, ¡°That¡¯s not the same at all!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said with a smile, trying to soothe her feelings. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go shopping this afternoon?


    We haven¡¯t spent time together in a while. About Nichs¡­ Let¡¯s see him after he¡¯s done filming. Maybe


    we¡¯ll go somece low-key and have a meal with him. That¡¯ll work, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay then! I do have things that I need to shop for.¡±


    That afternoon, I arrived at the ce where I had agreed to meet Shannon and stood there waiting for


    her. After a while, I could see her hurrying toward me.


    ¡°You said you wanted to shop for things, right? Where do you want to go?¡± I asked.


    Shannon thought quietly for a moment. ¡°Well, actually, I don¡¯t know what I should buy yet. What would be


    a good gift for a guy?¡±


    I was surprised by her question. Is she buying a gift for Quinn?


    ¡°Are you buying a gift for Quinn? I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re still in touch with him.¡± Come to think of it, I¡¯ve


    almost forgotten about him!


    Shannon looked at me strangely. ¡°Well, of course we¡¯re still in contact! We are in a¡­ stable rtionship,


    I guess. His birthday ising up. It¡¯ll be the first time I¡¯m celebrating his birthday with him so I want to


    get him something special! Help me think of the perfect gift!¡±


    How long have they even been dating? She already wants to get him a special birthday gift¡­ Didn¡¯t


    Dominic say that Quinn isn¡¯t really a good person?


    ¡°Shannon, didn¡¯t I tell you to take it slowly? This Quinn guy¡­ Dominic told me he isn¡¯t exactly a good


    person.¡±


    Shannon suddenly burst outughing. ¡°Come on! That scumbag has the audacity to say another man


    isn¡¯t a good person? That¡¯s funny!¡±


    I sighed to myself. I knew she would react that way. If those words hade from her beloved Nichs


    instead of Dominic, she would have easily believed him and gotten rid of Quinn immediately!


    ¡°So, how far have you and Quinn gone?¡±


    Although I knew that these were modern times and it wasmon for couples to sleep together, I still


    hoped that Shannon had not slept with Quinn yet.


    Should Quinn not be a good man, at least he would not yet have taken advantage of Shannon.


    ¡°Rx! We haven¡¯t gone all the way yet. After all, we just started dating recently!¡±


    I felt instantly relieved.


    There was nothing else that I could say since Shannon obviously trusted Quinn wholeheartedly. As such,


    I turned my attention to helping her find the perfect gift for him instead.


    I secretly decided that I would ask Dominic about Quinn upon arriving hometer that night. I¡¯ll find out


    what kind of monster he really is!


    However, I soon discovered that I did not need to wait so long to ask Dominic¡ªbecause I witnessed


    everything that I wanted to know.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Chapter 148 First Sign Of Fishiness


    Shannon had her head lowered as she chose among the tie clips. She was prepared to spend big as it


    was a branded shop.


    As I lifted my head, I noticed a man and a woman passing by outside. Based on their gestures, I could


    tell they were in an intimate rtionship.


    I had never met that woman before, but I recognized the man to be Quinn.


    With that, I immediately pulled Shannon and ran out of the shop even though she was in the middle of


    picking the tie clip. I wanted to confirm what I saw.


    From what I knew, Quinn was indeed a yboy.


    Just then, Shannon stopped. She refused to continue running. ¡°Liliana, what are you doing? Why did you


    pull me out of the shop? I haven¡¯t done picking.¡±


    I responded with a displeased tone. ¡°I just saw Quinn with another woman. He had his arms wrapped


    around her shoulder and they were utterly intimate.¡±


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    ¡°Huh? Are you sure it was him? Where are they now?¡± Shannon looked around in disbelief.


    But to my disappointment, there was no sign of Quinn anymore no matter where I looked.


    I let out a sigh. ¡°We¡¯ve lost him. But Shannon, I know what I saw. Quinn is really not a good man. Right,


    why don¡¯t you call him now and ask where he is? Say that you want to look for him. Let¡¯s see how he¡¯ll


    respond.¡±


    After hesitating for a while, Shannon took out her phone and made the call.


    After she hung up the phone, I immediately asked, ¡°So? What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He says he¡¯s busy and he¡¯s in the middle of a meeting.¡±


    A meeting? I did not know why but I felt skeptical as soon as I heard that word.


    ¡°So be it, then. But you have to trust me because there¡¯s something wrong. Please keep an eye on him.


    I¡¯ll try to find out tonight.¡±


    Shannon¡¯s mood seemed ruined by now. She was no longer interested in buying gifts anymore.


    I knew what was troubling her. As such, we said goodbye and parted ways.


    After that, I went right back home.


    The moment I reached home, my mom called. She said she had discussed with Dad and decided to take


    Dominic¡¯s advice. They nned to spend some time over here during the winter break while their own


    ce was undergoing renovation.


    But she did not mention if they would be staying at Dominic¡¯s house or the hotel.


    I told them that we should discuss it again when the time came.


    Even if they did not want to stay at Dominic¡¯s ce, they did not have to book a hotel because I was still


    renting my ce.


    Hanging up the phone, I drew my sketch for the entire morning. I made a call to Dominic in the afternoon,


    but no one answered.


    I figured he should be busy, hence I decided not to call him anymore. But one way or another, I would


    have him exin to me by tonight.


    But that night, I identally dozed off. By the time I woke up, it was already past midnight. Dominic was


    still not home yet.


    I stretched my back and took a look at the time. Whoa! It¡¯s three in the morning.


    What is Dominic busy with? Doesn¡¯t he need to sleep?


    Right at that moment, I heard the sound of a key opening the door.


    I immediately jumped off my bed and ran toward the living room. Right then, I saw Dominicing in


    with an exhausted look.


    ¡°Why are you back after midnight again? You¡¯ve got so much to dotely?¡± I helped him take off his suit.


    He sounded utterly tired. ¡°Since it¡¯s after midnight, why are you still up?¡±


    ¡°I was waiting for you. I saw Quinn today and I wanted to ask. Is he¡­¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, he kissed my lips.


    He only let me go after a long while. ¡°Liliana, I worked till sote, and the first thing you mentioned to me


    was another man. Do you think it is appropriate?¡±


    I rolled my eyes instantly. ¡°Mr. Hartnell, I¡¯ve told you before: Quinn is with Shannon. I¡¯m merely asking for


    her sake. Today when I went shopping with Shannon, I saw Quinn with another woman. I wanted to


    chase him but we lost him in the end. Shannon didn¡¯t believe me as there was no proof. Tell me now¡ª


    what exactly is Quinn¡¯s problem? Only then can I advise Shannon.¡±


    I exined the whole story to Dominic as I felt he was somewhat unreasonable.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for so much trouble. Just tell Shannon to keep her distance from Quinn. But of course,


    it¡¯s her own business if she wants to get near him. But I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from Quinn the next


    time you see him. He¡¯s more troublesome than you think.¡±


    Upon hearing what Dominic said, I became even more worried.


    But since it was already sote, I could only send Shannon a message and remind her to be careful with


    Quinn.


    After Dominic finished taking his shower, he pulled me into bed. I thought he was going to get intimate


    but he dozed off only after a few minutes.


    I let out a long sigh. It looks like he¡¯s worn out.


    Recently, I had gotten used to being alone after waking up in the morning. But today, Dominic was by my


    side.


    I yawned and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work today?¡±


    ¡°I need to run other errands today. I¡¯m heading out in a while; I won¡¯t be back tonight.¡±


    Upon hearing that, I nodded faintly.


    When I was about to take a sip of water, I heard him say again, ¡°Even though I¡¯m noting back


    tonight, don¡¯t you try to sneak out secretly. You¡¯re gonna get it if I find out.¡±


    Left speechless, I cast a re at his bandaged hand. You¡¯ve only got one hand left. What could you


    possibly do to me?¡±


    I did not like what he said to me as it felt like I was the type of woman that wanted to seduce men.


    Dominic went out around ten in the morning. I did not ask where he went as I figured I could not stop him


    from going anywhere.


    As such, I stayed in for the entire day, working on my sketch.


    Around nine at night, Shannon sent me a message with only two words: Golden Prince.


    I was stunned momentarily. Not knowing what it meant, I texted her back but there was no reply. When I


    then called her, her phone was turned off.


    Shannon had never acted like this before. At that moment, an uneasiness surged within me because I


    feared she might have gotten into trouble.


    But I could not figure out what ¡°Golden Prince¡± meant.


    Right now, the only person that came to my mind was Dominic. After living together with him, I did not


    realize that I had gradually be more and more dependent on him.


    Dominic was swift to answer my call. As soon as I heard his voice, I raised my question. ¡°Dominic, have


    you ever heard of something called Golden Prince?¡±

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Chapter 149 Choose To Trust Him


    Dominic¡¯s tone turned stern instantly. ¡°Golden Prince? Why are you asking about this? Liliana, did you go


    anywhere to have fun? How dare you!¡±


    I could not be bothered with his temperament at that moment. I only knew that he seemed to know


    about Golden Prince.


    ¡°So you know about Golden Prince, right? Is it a person? Is it Quinn?¡± I shot him a few questions at once.


    Dominic¡¯s voice turned low. ¡°Why do you keep mentioning Quinn? Didn¡¯t I warn you to stay away from


    him?¡±


    I was losing my patience as well. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Shannon just texted me with two words: ¡®Golden


    Prince.¡¯ I can¡¯t reach her now, so I¡¯m worried something might have happened to her.¡±


    ¡°Did you say that Shannon texted you the two words?¡±


    I was not sure if I was being too sensitive, but I could sense the tension in his voice.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Just cut to the chase. Stop wasting time. What exactly is Golden Prince? Is it a person or a


    ce?¡±


    It was the first time I felt so frustrated with Dominic.


    ¡°Dominic, I¡¯m asking you a question. Why aren¡¯t you answering me?¡± I stomped my feet in anxiousness


    as he still kept his silence.


    A few secondster, he opened his mouth again. ¡°Are you home now?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Tell me now¡­¡± I was about to explode in wrath.


    He interrupted me calmly. ¡°I¡¯m picking you up now. Where are you?¡±


    I froze for a second and replied, ¡°I¡¯m still at home.¡±


    ¡°Get changed and wait for my call.¡± Upon saying that, he ended the call.


    Is he going to take me to find Shannon? But his arm hasn¡¯t recovered yet. Right then, I could not help but


    worry a little.


    Nheless, I cast aside my phone and started getting ready. The priority now was to find Shannon.


    Twenty minutester, he called and asked me to go downstairs.


    Before heading out, I went past the kitchen and put a fruit knife into my bag.


    What if there¡¯s unexpected trouble? I should get prepared.


    After getting downstairs, I spotted Dominic¡¯s car parked in front of my house. I felt relieved as I noticed


    he had brought Calvin, who was the one driving.


    Getting into the car, I impatiently asked him about Golden Prince again.


    Only then did he tell me that Golden Prince was an entertainment center opened by Dominic¡¯s father.


    Based on what he said, I could gather that it was a ce of illegal business.


    Just then, I was overwhelmed with uneasiness. Shannon must have been brought to Golden Prince, or


    she wouldn¡¯t have texted me like that.


    On the road, I made a few more calls to Shannon, but all were in vain.


    ¡°Are we there yet? How long does it take? Will Shannon¡­¡± I did not dare to further imagine.


    Dominic¡¯s expression turned utterly stern. ¡°Almost.¡±


    He had said that a few times already but the car kept moving.


    After another twenty-minute drive, the car finally stopped.


    The car door already opened before I could open it myself. It was the same on Dominic¡¯s side.


    I found it difficult and embarrassing to keep my eyes on the valets who opened our doors.


    Even though I seldom visited entertainment venues, I knew it was normal to have valets opening the car


    doors for customers.


    Not to mention how pretty thedies looked, but they were wearing sexy bunny costumes in such cold


    weather.


    I felt cold from merely staring at their exposed long legs.


    My heart skipped a beat as I started to worry about Shannon. With staff dressed so inappropriately, this


    surely isn¡¯t a good ce.


    ¡°Come over here. Quickly.¡±


    As I heard Dominic¡¯s voice, I responsively shifted my gaze toward him and our eyes met.


    I immediately rushed over to him.


    In front of him was a middle-aged man wearing a ck suit.


    ¡°Mr. Hartnell, what a rare asion. Have youe here to rx today?¡±


    Dominic furrowed his brows as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    The man ttered, ¡°Everyone in Lightspring knows about you, Mr. Hartnell. Besides, our boss has


    specially instructed us to recognize you so that we won¡¯t identally offend you if youe here.¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Even I got goosebumps all over my body upon hearing that.


    Dominic did not react much as he cut to the chase. ¡°Great. It¡¯ll save me a lot of trouble then. Is Quinn


    Somers here? I¡¯m here for him.¡±


    The middle-aged man was stunned momentarily and collected himself before long. ¡°Mr. Hartnell, please


    have a seat inside. I¡¯ll go check if Mr. Somers is in.¡±


    Right then, I pulled Dominic¡¯s sleeve slightly. I wanted to tell him that I thought the man was merely


    brushing us off.


    Nheless, Dominic sounded utterly domineering no matter where he went. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go inside. Tell


    Quinn that I¡¯m waiting for him.¡±


    With that, Dominic grabbed my hand and walked toward the door, ignoring the man.


    After a while, the man caught up with Dominic¡¯s pace. ¡°Mr. Hartnell, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll inform him.¡±


    Little did I know that Dominic was so respected around the town.


    Just then, I pulled Dominic¡¯s hand slightly and whispered, ¡°So is this Golden Prince? Is Quinn really


    coming over? How are you going to find Shannon?¡±


    Dominic cast me a re and said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask for her directly.¡±


    Fine. Since he¡¯s so confident, I¡¯ll trust him this time.


    As we followed the middle-aged man into the ce, I was blown away instantly.


    The light outside was too dim for me to observe the surroundings. Only now did I realize how luxurious


    and magnificent the ce was.


    The man led us to arge room with elegant designs.


    Then, he let out a smile. ¡°Mr. Hartnell, please wait over here for a while. I go now and check if Mr.


    Somers is in.


    Dominic nodded faintly and the middle-aged man left.


    ¡°Calvin, check around please.¡±


    Seeing Calvin scanning all corners of the ce, I asked with utter curiosity, ¡°What¡¯s he checking?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. Just remember not to speak or create trouble, and stay by my side. As for


    Shannon, I¡¯ll ask Quinn to hand her over. Understand?¡±


    I immediately nodded my head, even though I still did not know how he would pull this off. However, I


    chose to trust him.


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