Cross Roads

Chapter 135 How did last night unfold so unexpectedly? Everything seemed to happen with a natural ease...

Stephanie couldn't quite fathom it herself, but her heart still raced, her thoughts in disarray.

Morning light streamed through the window, casting a soft glow across the room. The clock on the wall pointed to nine o'clock, and the man beside her had already risen.

"You've certainly got quite the vigor.” Her voice held a playful, slightly teasing tone.

Despite staying up late into the night, he had woken at five in the morning. Normally he would slip away quietly, but today he lingered with a buoyant mood, disrupting her dreams.

Throughout her sleep, her dreams had been dominated by him. It was maddening.

"How much longer do you plan to hide in there?" Suddenly, a light tap on the bathroom door interrupted her. "Remember you said I can't bully you with our sons around, Cout, it's breakfast time. You need to refuel" His familiar, deep voice carried a hint of laughter, and he was clearly in high spirits.

Stephanie's cheeks blushed anew. He had been overly persistent and clingy last night. Unable to resist him, she had casually mentioned their sons to coax him into giving her sspace! After finishing her morning routine, she opened the bathroom door with a pout, only to find the man outside looking refreshingly energetic. Despite staying up all night, he seemed unfairly lively. It irked her.

"Are you sleepy?" Still groggy from sleep, she retorted, slightly annoyed, "Our sons're hungry." Dominick stepped closer. "Are you truly that exhausted?" His tone was unexpectedly earnest.

His hand instinctively brushed aside a few disheveled strands of her hair, his gaze dropping to her flushed cheeks and lingering on her lips.

"Stephanie, from now on...you'll need to adapt toquickly," he said in a hoarse voice.

"What?" She parted her lips slightly, words poised on the tip of her tongue. Without explanation, he simply wrapped his left arm around her waist. She breathed shallowly, his touch stirring a whirlwind within her.

Their breaths intertwined, each exhale a dance of shared intimacy, while her heart pounded erratically, "We should head downstairs for breakfast.

"Yeah.

Stephanie's checks flushed hotly. Without looking at him, she turned shyly and hurried to the dressing room to change her clothes.

Dominick wielded remarkable self-control; had he taken advantage just now, she would have undoubtedly given in to him.

Reflecting on it left her feeling somewhat bewildered.

Chapter 135 "Dominick, um, why did you?" Her cheeks flushed as she asked, her words hesitant and muffled.

After finishing a hot bowl of soup, she wrestled with her thoughts. Suddenly, she looked up, her gaze complex as she fixed it on him. "Why didn't you forcebefore?" She couldn't muster the courage to ask outright, but Dominick grasped her meaning, his expression tinged with irritation as he shot her a glance.

Playing innocently, Stephanie continued to lower her head, quietly sipping her soup.

Yet she couldn't help but think it was his formidable pride that prevented him from forcing women into sharing intimate moments with him.

If he had pressed her from the start, she wouldn't have been able to resist, nor would she have had a reason to refuse him.

Lost in her thoughts, Stephanie felt her heart swelled with a sweet warmth once again, eliciting a silly grin as she relished every spoonful of the clam chowder, finding it exceptionally comforting and delicious Dominick glanced at her with a hint of exasperation, observing her lips curl into a self-satisfied smile.

In her presence, the concept of dignity seemed to fade into irrelevance.

His sole desire was for her to embrace their bond willingly.

"Oh, Dominick, I completely forgot to show you something." Stephanie suddenly becanimated, pushing her chair back and striding purposefully to the living room cabinet, eagerly rummaging through drawers.

With breakfast nearing its end, Dominick noticed her increasingly frantic search and swiftly approached. “What are you looking for?" Stephanie remained focused on her task, ignoring his inquiry as she continued to sift through the contents. After a brief pause, she turned to the maid who was tidying up the table. "Did any of you happen to see the bag I brought back from the hospital a few days ago? I left it here..." "Mrs. Wellington, we placed the hospital documents you're looking for in the middle drawer under the coffee table." "These are ultrasound photos of our sons." Finally locating it, she proudly presented it to him, eager to share. "Look, these two..." Dominick sat comfortably on the living room sofa, facing her with a smile as she excitedly showed him. He naturally extended his hand to guide her into sitting on his lap His large palm rested tenderly on her abdomen, where their children were growing Stephanie settled beside him, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as she leaned in close to whisper in his ear, “Lettell you about those old men at the hospital. They're such phonies, always fawning over these ultrasound pictures, calling them precious and adorable. It's just two tiny blobs of flesh, and yet they're making such a fuss." "So you're saying our children are just tiny blobs of flesh, hmm?" Dominick chuckled softly.

Stephanie's expression briefly faltered, her forehead touching his as they shared a close moment. She saw a glint of amusement in his typically composed eyes, his chest subtly rising and falling with laughter, resonating with depth and sincerity.

He genuinely seemed content.

Chapter 135 Not only Stephanie, but even those observing from a distance could sense that Dominick was truly in high spirits.

It had been many years since anyone had witnessed such a genuine smile grace Dominick's lips.

As their intimate moment unfolded, they becunwitting subjects of curious and envious gazes from afar, freezing the steps of onlookers hesitant to intrude.

"Mr. George Wellington has returned." The butler coughed lightly, cautiously reminding the others as he gestured towards the direction of the living room. Stephanie, nestled against Dominick's neck, widened her eyes in surprise and turned her head towards the entrance.

"Grandpa..." After being momentarily taken aback, she quickly adjusted herself, rising respectfully from Dominick's lap and addressing the elder with deference.

The rumors had it that George would return to Wellington Villa to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, and they turned out to be true.

"Mary..." Stephanie uttered timidly after looking at Mary's displeased expression.

"It's Friday today. What exactly are you up to? Still getting in the way of Dominick's work? Mary's expression soured inexplicably whenever she laid eyes on Stephanie. "All this hugging and cuddling. Does anyone here remember proper decorum?" "I just... Stephanie faltered, feeling the weight of Mary's piercing stare, her voice trailing off uncertainly. Stephanie's gaze dropped, only to find Dominick seated on the sofa, his expression unusually dark and unsettling.

Summoning courage, Stephanie continued in a soft yet resolute voice, "Mary, Dominick is exhausted today so he won't be going to the office." Mary's face contorted with displeasure, her retort sharp and cutting. "The affairs of the Wellington family are beyond your purview!" "She's my family affair, and none of you have any say in the matter." X