Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)

Lia secretly snapped a photo of the hot soldier and shared it with Bella. He was undeniably handsome, exuding a charm that set him apart from ordinary guys-the kind that was simply irresistible to Lia. She had a habit of posting on Instagram. That day, she proudly shared a photo of her new boyfriend with the caption, "Better late than never. The right person will always come along."

When Bella saw the post, she was stunned to see Leonard's comment a simple question mark. That question mark felt loaded, more than just a symbol of curiosity.

Lia, oblivious to the underlying tension, thought Leonard was just asking about her boyfriend's name. She replied, "His name is Zion Crawford. You don't know him." Leonard didn't respond, and everything seemed calm on the surface.

Late that night, Lia returned home, still giddy from her date. Zion walked her to her door. Since they had just started dating, even holding hands made them both feel shy.

Lia shyly said, "Make sure to call me when you're back."

Zion nodded. "I will, but I don't have much leave left. I hope you don't mind."

Lia was lost in a bubble of happiness. How could she mind? She quickly shook her head. "I won't mind. My dad rarely comes home, and my mom doesn't mind either. By the way... will you always be in the army?" Zion chuckled. "That was my plan, but now... I think I need to reconsider."

That hint was clear enough. He was contemplating a change for her sake.

Lia gathered her courage to meet his gaze, taking in his tall, impressive physique and strikingly handsome face. She felt herself fall deeper. "So... see you again?"

Zion asked with a gentlemanly demeanor, "Can I hug you goodbye?"

As he spoke, he opened his arms, looking surprisingly righteous in that moment.

Lia happily stepped into his embrace and inhaled the faint scent of lavender, from his laundry detergent. It was her favorite scent. She marveled at how well her dad knew her preferences.

Once inside, Lia waved goodbye, and Zion turned to leave.

As he reached the entrance of the neighborhood, he sensed a piercing gaze directed at him.

Slowing his pace, he turned slightly to find Leonard standing in front of his car.

"It's been a long time." Zion's gaze darkened slightly.

Leonard remained silent, his expression stoic as he walked into the neighborhood.

Zion shrugged it off and drove away.

When Lia heard a knock on the door, she instinctively thought Zion had returned. She quickly set down her phone and rushed to open the door.

Seeing Leonard there made her heart sink a little. "What are you doing here?"

Leonard looked at her without responding right away. Lia had just returned from her date, so she hadn't removed her makeup. Her meticulously styled hair and flawless look must have taken her a considerable amount of time.

Lia found him a bit strange. Noticing the time, she said, "I need to remove my makeup. Do you have something to say? You can come in and wait while I do my night routine." Leonard stepped past her and sat down on the couch. His long fingers curled into tight fists.

Lia, unaware of his agitation,

hummed a tune as she removed her makeup and showered. After that, she emerged with a face mask on "What's up with you? You walked in with such a serious face. Just so you know, I've finally found a guy I really like. If you try to interfere, you'll get it from me."

Leonard finally said, "Break up with him."

Lia blinked in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? Why should I listen to you? He's not like my previous boyfriends. You can't intimidate him."Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.