Chapter 126: Are You Avoiding Me?

Bella peeled open the branded packaging to inspect the new handbag. It was authentic. Was it because she’d torn her old, worn-out bag to shreds in front of Dominic that morning? So, he bought her a replacement?

She liked it, but she couldn’t accept it. Taking the bag felt like crossing a line, like admitting a connection she wasn’t ready to face. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of revenge.

While Dominic was still out, Bella sneaked into his room to return the bag. The moment she stepped inside, his clean, crisp scent surrounded her, making her pause.

Shaking off the strange feeling, she placed the bag where he’d be sure to see it. If this was her way of fighting back, so be it. Ever since he’d returned to her life, she’d been resisting their old patterns, and she wasn’t about to stop now. She quietly slipped out of his room. Just as she closed the door, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. She glanced at the message from Dominic, and her heart nearly stopped.

“Leave that bag in my room, and I’ll tear you apart.”

Bella thought Dominic had installed surveillance cameras. She tiptoed back into his room and scanned every corner. There were no cameras and no obvious signs of surveillance. How did he know, then? She caught a glimpse of Sylvia passing by the stairs.

It made sense now. Sylvia was the “surveillance camera.” She should have thought of that earlier. Sylvia was hired by Dominic and worked for him; of course, she would report to him.

Bella retreated to her room, convincing herself she was only accepting his actions because he’d forced her to. She didn’t want the bag; accepting it meant nothing.

Not long after, Dominic came home. Sylvia, in sync with his schedule, knocked gently on Bella’s door. “Ms. Jones, dinner is ready.”

Bella stiffened, doing everything to avoid Dominic. “I’m not hungry.”

Sylvia’s footsteps retreated down the hall. Soon after, a different set of footsteps approached. Bella’s first instinct was to lock the door, but as her bare feet touched the floor, the door swung open. Dominic stood in the doorway as Bella awkwardly retreated to her bed. “W-What do you want?”

Dominic walked toward her, leaning down until they were nearly eye to eye. “Are you avoiding me? You probably hoped I wouldn’t come back, right? You looked downright disappointed when I showed up early from my trip…”

His proximity made her lean back; she braced herself with her hands. “I-I’m not! I’m just not hungry, okay? Do you seriously need to control whether I eat or not?”

She added, “Back then, when Richard wasn’t home, you didn’t care. So, why now? Isn’t it a bit weird to start acting concerned?”

Dominic leaned in closer, his arms caging her in. The pressure became too much; her arms gave out, and she collapsed onto the bed. Before she could sit up, he hovered over her, pinning her in place. “Back then, you were just Bella. Now, you’re my girlfriend. It’s different.”

The word “girlfriend” came out slowly, deliberately, as if he were reminding her on purpose.

Bella’s mind spun. She turned her head, unable to meet his gaze. “Fine, I’ll eat, okay? Just get off me.”

Dominic suddenly cupped her chin and forced her to look at him. His warm breath mingled with hers, and the air thickened with tension. Bella stared into his dark, bottomless eyes. For a moment, she was lost. Why fight now? [The final sentence and promotional text have been removed as they are not part of the story.]