Crossroads

When Stephanie woke up the next morning, her right hand felt useless. Her right arm ached terribly, and she doubted she had the strength to hold cutleries.

A surge of resentment rushed to her head. She glared at the ceiling for a while, vowing that if she had a gun right now, she'd shoot a few big holes into it.

"If you can't get the hang of it, you're not going anywhere tonight, that voice echoed in her mind, sending her blood pressure soaring. Dominick, you bastard!"

If it weren't for her karate training from a young age, an ordinary woman wouldn't have been able to endure it. It felt like he was rushing to see results, or maybe he was just toying with her, Sla*th the (F)indNvI.Det website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The club's head shooting coach had even asked for her phone number. With a friendly expression, this burly coach told her, "Don't forget to come next week."

"Why?" she asked.

"Ms. Reed, don't make it hard for me. The coach looked at her with pure eyes for so long that she eventually felt guilty and agreed.

Stephanie suddenly realized that Dominick had always been adept at bullying her. She hadn't forgotten how he had deliberately hired two maids from poor rural areas to deal with ber when she lived at the Wellington Villa. The maids would look at her with innocent eyes and say pitifully. "Please don't make it hard for us. Stephanie felt like if she didn't comply, shed be struck by lightning.

Thinking about the past, a mixture of emotions surged through her.

Still filled with resentment, Stephanie brushed her teeth with her left hand, washed her face with her left hand, and scrolled/ through her phone with her left hand.

Now practically a cripple from last night's exertion, all she wanted was to find some food to fill her stomach. Without eating her low blood sugar would make her mood even worse.

Stephanie quickly changed into casual clothes and prepared to head to a restaurant across from her apartment complex for breakfast.

Just as she was about to enter the restaurant, her phone rang. It was someone from the production team of the Innovate Group, an employee named Jack. "Ms. Reed, the advertisement. The results are out... His voice was a bit shaky.

After last night, when the fallen actress Jessica revealed Stephanie's identity, they all worked overnight to verify it. It turned out to be true. She was the big boss wife.

They guessed that Stephanie had joined the group event out of boredom. These rich people had nothing better to do than to mess with small employees like them. Unfortunately, Jack drew the short straw last night and was responsible for reporting the results to her today.

"Ms. Reed, about the advertisement... In the end, Eloise was selected. His voice was shallow, hoping Stephanie wouldn't care too much about the result.

"Why?" she asked.

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Oh no, she seems angry Jack immediately explained, "Ms. Reed, you know how it is... It's company policy. After all, Eloise is professional model with a stable track record. Actually, your performance was great. Everyone thought you did really well, honestly. We all wanted to choose you...

But their big boss was adamant that Stephanie shouldn't be selected.

Rumor had it that they were planning to divorce and had been fighting. When bosses fight, mere mortals suffer.

Jack kept showering Stephanie with praise but eventually ran out of things to say, leading to an awkward silence.

"I understand." Stephanie said icily, then hung up. They really did cut me out!

Though she knew she couldn't compete with Eloise professionally, still... That night, Dominick had said, "If you don't come in tonight, you'll be cut out tomorrow."

He never actually promised her that she would get the advertisement. And she had foolishly spent the night with him.

Stephanie's face darkened, feeling like she had been played As for Lucy, she was at a loss for what to do.

Feeling vexed, she figured she might be famished, finding the croissant particularly delicious this morning. Good food could lift one's spirits, and she was just starting to feel better when her phone buzzed again, seemingly determined to ruin her mood.

Stephanie saw a transfer of 60 dollars to her bank account.

She was surprised because it was from Dominick, and there was a message: [Bring me breakfast.]

It was a request, yet he made it sound like an order.

StephForce replied: [Dominick, you're dreaming. Why should I bring you breakfast?] She added a punching emoji for good measure.

Unfortunately, Dominick had seen it all and was not easily intimidated by a mere emoji.

Ice King typed: [This apartment complex is close to the Innovate Group office. You live here to be near me, don't you? Don't be so coy if you want to get close and please me.]

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Stephanie's face darkened further, gripping her phone as anger simmered. She hadn't even asked him why he had moved to this old neighborhood, and now he had the nerve to be so self-centered.

Dominick seemed to think his provocation wasn't enough, so he sent another message: [Vincent said you pushed yourself so hard for this commercial just for me.]

StephForce replied: [Dominick, don't flatter yourself!]This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

Stephanie furiously replied on WhatsApp, her fingers flying over the screen, then she grabbed her phone and yelled into it, "I would do it for a pig, a dog, or money, but for you! Don't think the world revolves around you. You're not that important." She almost added, I could forget you in a heartbeat! But she held back from saying that last part.

She thought, 'If he could forget me, why couldn't I forget him?"

Stephanie didn't know if she meant m those words or if they were just spoken out of anger. She hadn't expected that cold-hearted man to reach out to her. Yet, on the other end of WhatsApp, he suddenly fell silent.

As she stared at his juvenile and unfitting nickname, "Ice King," she had an epiphany. When deeply in love, people often foolishly forgive every hurt.

A minute later, he seemed to have figured her out entirely and replied: [Stephanie, don't forget, it's you who didn't want the divorce.] Because she didn't want the divorce, she had to cater to his every whim?

Fuming, Stephanie slammed her fist on the table and stood up. Her whole demeanor radiated gloom as she walked to the counter to order a breakfast takeaway.

Stephanie took the elevator, awkwardly pressing the button for the fifth floor.

When the doors opened, she glanced at Room 502, feeling a mis of emotions. She bag in her fried the breakfast hand while her right hand was too sore to use, Planning to vent her frustration, she lifted her right foot to kick the door.

Stephanie suspected Dominick had a surveillance camera at the door. Just as she raised her foot halfway, the door swung open.

Seeing his familiar face made her heart skip a beat.

A group of office workers passing the elevator saw her awkward pose, and their curious looks made her blush. She quickly lowered her foot and stood straight.

The man who had been picking fights with her on WhatsApp didn't say word. He simply strøde forward and shatched the breakfast bag from her left hand.

Stephanie stood there, dumbfounded. She got shut out.

Unable to contain her anger, she pounded on the door. "Hey!"

Dominick seemed uninterested in acknowledging her, his voice cold and dismissive. "Get me avocado toast tomorrow."

Tomorrow? I have to bring him breakfast again tomorrow?' she thought in disbelief.