Cross Roads

Chapter 186 "Dominick really adores Stephanie, doesn't he?" "Yeah, so you need to be careful not to upset her, or else Dominick would get mad at you. Did you get that, Yvonne!" After lunch, the lary weekend afternoon found them wandering leisurely in the back garden of Wellington Villa Stephanie, full of excitement, had brought fish bait and eagerly teased the fish in the pond. As she glanced over towards the gazebo, she noticed two women engaged in what seemed like an intimate conversation She didn't know what Hayley and Yvonne were chatting about, but when Yvonne glanced in her direction, Stephanie felt an odd look in her eyes.

Stephanie didn't have much of an impression of Yvonne, finding her rather reserved. She had wanted to get closer to her, but everyone said she was too bossy and might scare Yvonne away.

Stephanie was frustrated. How would she scare Yvonne? Then, she remembered how Oscar used to be withdrawn as well and didn't understand why things had turned out this way She sprinkled the fish bait into the pond. Several fish energetically leaped out of the water to snatch the food, creating splashes and ripples. Stephanie found it amusing, her eyes lighting up mischievously as she tossed the bait to another corner.

"It's quite satisfying to watch others work so hard." Stephanie was being childish, stretching her neck to peer into the pond with narrowed eyes, smiling cunningly, amusing herself with the fish.

"She can play by herself all day...

A familiar deep voice cfrom behind. Stephanie froze for a moment, then turned to see Dominick walking towards her. Her cheeks blushed slightly, maybe from the afternoon sun, or perhaps from the subdued smile on Dominick's face.

That glance unsettled her heart.

Stephanie instinctively stepped closer to him, but the pond had no railing, and the ground was scattered with smooth pebbles of various sizes. As a result, she slipped and staggered on her feet, Startled, Dominick quickly ran over but Stephanie wasn't that fragile. She adjusted herself slightly, waving her hand and reassured him, I'm fine, really" "Walk carefully." Dominick stood before her, his face serious as he assessed her.

Dominick had a unique way of reprimanding her, like "walk carefully" or "eat seriously, as if he needed to watch her all the time.

"Dominick, don't always think I'm just messing around every day. I think I'm quite useful... Stephanie protested What made her think she's useful? Dominick thought Stephanie's reckless act had dearly ruffled Dominick's feathers. As he steadied her, his gaze fell upon her flushed profile, a mix of exasperation and amusement tugging at his lips. “Stay away from the edge,” he admonished, his voice laced with a hint of reprimand.

Stephanie, feeling sheepish under his scrutiny, nodded meekly. "Okay," she replied softly.

Vincent, trailing behind them at a leisurely pace, couldn't help but smirk knowingly. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he observed the bickering couple, finding a strange endearment in their chaotic dynamic.

George, meanwhile, happened to be strolling along the corridor just then. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the scene, "Who's glaring at me?' Stephanie's heart pounded with an inexplicable sense of foreboding. Her face hardened, and her scanned the surroundings.

eyes narrowed as she "What's wrong?" Dominick inquired, noticing her sudden change in demeanor. Stephanie couldn't quite articulate the reason for her unease. “It's nothing." Recently, she felt that someone had been watching her from the shadows.

Dominick observed her troubled expression and wanted to delve deeper, but before he could, his phone buzzed insistently. It was a call from the company's vice president, likely about an urgent matter.

With a gentle release, Dominick turned and took a few steps away before finally pressing the answer button. "What's up?" he inquired, his voice laced with a hint of impatience.

When it cto matters concerning the company, or any business-related affairs, Dominick instinctively kept Stephanie at a distance. He had once told her that she wasn't his subordinate and didn't need to be privy to such details.

Chapter 186 As people grew older, the more they knew, the more burdens they carried.

He didn't want her to know too much, a protective measure fueled by his possessiveness and desire to shield her from the harsh realities of the business world. This was Dominick's unique way of safeguarding those he held dear.

Stephanie watched his imposing profile, her thoughts swirling with a mix of emotions.

She stood quietly to the side, unable to decipher the content of his conversation. However, his cold, clipped tone suggested a growing irritation Who had dared to cross him! Vincent had been idly lingering nearby, feasting on the latest gossip, when he noticed Hayley briskly approaching from the pavilion, her face animated with urgency.

"What's going on"" Vincent's relaxed demeanor evaporated, replaced by a furrowed brow and genuine concern. "Mason turned down the Innovate Group's investment," Hayley replied, her expression a blend of astonishment and subtle derision. "Can you believe it? Who would reject such an offer? Is he strapped for cash, or is there something more calculated behind in* "Is Mason losing his grip?" Vincent quipped, unable to contain a touch of sarcasm.

In recent months, Mason had achieved impressive feats with several new projects that had dazzled the industry. Just last week, he boldly unveiled a new venture in renewable energy- an arena known for its steep investment requirements and slow returns. Despite the challenges. Mason had been riding a wave of success. Whispers suggested he had put significant personal capital on the line, stirring curiosity across various sectors about his unconventional financing strategies.

Mason actually declined investment from the Innovate Group, the most influential player in the industry. It was hard to fathom what his intentions

Hayley, sharp as ever in her executive role, quickly sensed somethingm amiss. “Last time, Dominick had us thoroughly investigate all of Mason's investment projects, especially the list of partners collaborating with him Pausing for a moment, she fixed her gaze on Vincent "Vincent, let's be honest. Is there spersonal conflict between Dominick and Mason?"

"We couldn't find a damn thing" Vincent replied, his face darkening with frustration. Despite Dominick's furious orders t to uncover Mason's background, their investigations turned up nothing out of the ordinary; all data appeared perfectly normal.. Without Vincent needing to say more, Hayley also sensed that something was off. “Mason clearly doesn't want Dominick to invest in his new project. There's definitely more to this." As they discussed, Dominick had already hung up the phone.

Vincent and Hayley exchanged glances, hesitating on whether to approach and say something. In truth, they didn't need to say much; Dominick was more clear-headed about many things than they were.

"Did you find anything when you were looking around earlier! Dominick pot away his phone, as if all those official matters had been dealt with, and turned to calmly ask Stephanie about something else Stephanie was caught off guard by his question. "Nothing" "If there's anything, just let the staff know, Dominick said casually, not dwelling on her response. His gaze softened as he looked at her in a comfortable matemity dress "I won't be hfor dinner tonight. You should get srest early," he added naturally, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead, his voice low and reassuring "Okay" Stephanie blushed when she cback to herself.

Dominick wasn't one for overly sentimental gestures. He didn't say much else before decisively striding towards the gate of Wellington Villa

The bodyguards swiftly headed to the garage to fetch the car, and am Vincent and Hayley were hurrying behind them. Watching them leave in haste, Stephanie frowned slightly in confusion. "What's happening?" Everything seemed to fit together, yet also seemed rather intricate...

Just as Dominick's car was pulling out of the gates of Wellington Villa, Stephanie stood by the pool, lost in thought, when suddenly, she felt a force behind her.

Before she knew it, her body leaned forward and she plunged into the pool...

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