Chapter 163: Just Not Giving In

Bella had more or less figured it out: Dominic had never truly fallen for Amber, not even when he returned to the country. That's why they broke up.

Out of nowhere, Lia remarked, "You rich people are all about those business marriages, aren't you? Honestly, Dominic marrying Amber makes sense. Neither of them is a saint, so they can just mess with each other. It doesn't matter if they actually like each other, right?" Leonard smiled faintly. "Well, that's not exactly how Dominic sees it. Even with all the pressure, he still won't give in."

He glanced at Bella, as if his words held a hidden message just for her.

Bella shifted uncomfortably. "This has nothing to do with me Let's just eat, okay?"

She had always felt that her relationship with Dominic was something that couldn't be openly discussed. There was an unspoken rule about keeping it secret.

After they finished eating, Lia lingered for a while before Leonard arranged for someone to take her home.

Leonard had thoughtfully provided everything Bella might need: clothes, daily necessities, even a full set of skincare and makeup products. His thoroughness was almost overwhelming, leaving Bella slightly embarrassed.

She was about to offer to pay him back, but hesitated when she saw the price tag. This whole situation was Dominic's fault; he could pay. She couldn't afford such an astronomical sum.

Before bed, Leonard texted her from the other room: "Need anything else? If something doesn't fit or isn't right, let me know immediately!"

If she hadn't known Leonard might have feelings for Lia, Bella might have felt a pang in her chest. Aside from Felix, no man had ever been so attentive and considerate. Dominic was good to her, but his kindness always had a certain roughness to it. It felt different.

She replied simply, "I don't need anything else. Thank you. Just send the bill to Dominic—I don't have that kind of money."

He responded quickly, "Talking about money makes things feel distant. Just relax and stay here as long as you need to."

Chapter 363: Just Not Giving In

The next morning, Bella woke naturally, just after 9:00 a.m.

When she went downstairs for breakfast, she was surprised to find Leonard still at home. Life here seemed far slower than at Miller Manor, where Dominic was always up early and already at the office by this time. Leonard, on the other hand, seemed to live on his own schedule.

Seeing her, Leonard quickly invited her to breakfast. He thoughtfully pulled out a chair and arranged the best dishes in front of her.

For some reason, watching Leonard's serious expression as he did this gave Bella goosebumps. "You really don't have to I'm not used to it. We've lived together before, right? You weren't this attentive when we stayed in town" Leonard laughed, looking a bit embarrassed. "Really? Maybe it's because this is my place, and you're my guest. It's only right that I take care of you. Does it make you uncomfortable? What am I supposed to do, then, to get along with a woman?" Bella narrowed her eyes slightly. "You're not using me as practice for your dating skills, are you?"

Leonard immediately protested. "Practice? Me? Do you have any idea how many women I've met? I just have to stand here, and they come flocking. Do I really need to try so hard? Alright, alright, just eat your breakfast."

A week passed in this polite but uneventful routine. Bella was starting to feel restless cooped up in Leonard's villa, but she didn't dare go out, afraid she might cause trouble for him.

There was still no word from Dominic, and over the past few days, she had been having recurring nightmares. In one, she dreamed of Miller Manor, completely deserted and in ruins, cold and desolate. In another, Dominic looked at her with a fierce expression, telling her he never wanted to see her again. She watched helplessly as his figure faded into the distance. No matter how hard she tried to chase after him, she never saw him again.

Changes Made:

• Grammar and Punctuation: Corrected sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and punctuation errors.
• Word Choice: Replaced weaker words with stronger synonyms for improved clarity and flow.
• Formatting: Improved paragraph breaks and chapter headings.
• Removed irrelevant content: The instruction to search a website was removed as it was out of place.
• Time Consistency: Changed "9:00 pm" to "9:00 a.m." in Chapter 363 for better context.
• Clarity: Improved sentence structure for better comprehension.

The revised text is more polished, readable, and engaging.