Chapter 164: He's Back

Every night, Bella woke from her dreams unable to return to sleep. She would lie awake until dawn. She constantly asked Leonard for updates on Dominic, even attempting to call him herself, only to find his phone perpetually switched off.

That night, just as she was about to go to bed, she heard several cars driving away downstairs. The last time there had been such a commotion was when Leonard returned after her arrival. Sensing something was amiss, she checked Leonard's room, but he was gone, as she expected.

With a flicker of hope, she called him. "Did you just leave? Did something happen?"

Leonard's voice was subdued. "Just go to sleep. I'll explain when I get back. I'm afraid telling you now will prevent you from resting."

Bella's heart leaped into her throat. "Is Dominic back?"

A two-second silence followed before he answered, "Yes, I'm going to pick him up. I probably won't be back tonight. Get some rest."

The call ended.

Of course, Bella couldn't sleep. She lay awake, her mind racing, but too anxious to leave the house. All she could do was wait, restless and on edge.

She expected the wait to last only until morning, but then a second day passed…and a third. Leonard had seemingly vanished, and she couldn't contact him.

Just as she was about to lose patience and go to Sawyer Manor herself, Leonard finally sent someone for her.

A man, who looked like a bodyguard, appeared, giving her only ten minutes to pack. He said he was taking her somewhere.

Without hesitation, she returned to her room, changed clothes, brushed her hair, and followed the man to the car. They drove directly to Sawyer Manor.

As they reached the entrance, Bella noticed twice the usual number of guards, each on high alert, scanning their surroundings and listening intently to their radios. Unable to contain herself, she asked, "What exactly happened?"

The bodyguard didn't answer, simply gesturing for her to follow. "This way."

Nervous, Bella's hands trembled. She instinctively dug her nails into her palms, pressing hard enough to nearly draw blood. The bodyguard led her to the basement of Sawyer Manor.

After a short hallway, she entered a surprisingly large, hidden room. It resembled a small medical facility, filled with high-end equipment surpassing even her own hospital's. Before she could fully register her surprise, she saw someone lying on a bed through a half-open curtain. An IV was attached to his arm, clear liquid flowing steadily. Her steps faltered. She knew who it was. It had to be Dominic.

The bodyguard said softly, "Mr. Sawyer is waiting for you upstairs. Take a quick look, then let's go."

Summoning her courage, Bella stepped forward and gently pulled back the curtain. The familiar face made her heart sink.

She hadn't expected Dominic's return in this condition. He lay quietly, his face pale and lacking its usual sharpness. She could see, from his exposed shoulder, that he was shirtless and bandaged.

Carefully, she lifted a corner of the blanket and saw blood seeping through a bandage on his upper abdomen.

Tears welled up. Afraid her sobbing might wake him, she pressed a hand tightly over her mouth.

Just then, a young woman in a nurse's uniform emerged from a nearby door. She approached and adjusted the blanket, then said, "He's going to be fine. Dr. Clarke performed the surgery. He just lost a lot of blood, and his body is struggling to compensate, so he's very drowsy. I'm the Sawyer family's private nurse. You can leave him in my care."

Choking back tears, Bella asked, "How did he get hurt?"

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