Chapter 43: Are You a Hamster?

Dominic looked weary as he sat on the couch. "Get me—"

Bella had so much she wanted to say, but she rose quietly to get him some water. When he noticed the blood on her hand, his eyes flickered. "Never mind, I'll get it—"

When she returned with the water, she sat back down. "What happened to your hand?" he asked casually.

Bella looked at him repentantly. "You startled me when you opened the door, and I cut myself on the knit."

Dominic cleared his throat. "I can't believe you chose to be a doctor when you're this clumsy. Aren't you scared when you see a dead body? Over the years, there must have been patients who didn't make it under your care."

Exasperated, she responded, "I've never lost a patient in surgery, so stop underestimating me… Y-You did this on purpose, didn't you? Did Leonard tell you that I came to Holha? Then you sent me the rental ad—"

He wasn't the least bit embarrassed or guilty at being caught red-handed. He simply responded matter-of-factly, "I did it because I was afraid you'd run away. You still owe me money, after all. Apart from that, you owe me time. Without my permission, you'll never escape my sight, no matter where you go! So, why don't you just come back to Joville with me? Why are you making things harder on yourself?"

Bella was at a loss for words. So, the only reason he wanted her to return to Joville was because she owed him. Nothing more.

Even though it wasn't surprising, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She sighed. "I understand. If I wanted to run away, I would have done so by now. You don't have to go to such great lengths to keep me under your thumb. I just started a new job, and I'll keep paying you back. Just let me know if you need anything else."

Dominic didn't respond right away. His gaze darkened as he walked over to the other couch and sat. "Go get the bedroom ready for me. I'll be staying for two days."

Without a word, Bella put a band-aid on her finger and went to tidy up the room for him. When she came back out, she noticed he had already fallen asleep on the couch. His hands were crossed in front of him, and he looked so serious even when sleeping. She grabbed a blanket to drape over him, but as soon as she got close, his eyes flickered open.

Their eyes met, and as she gazed into the fathomless depths of his eyes, she felt a little embarrassed. "I-I was just getting you a blanket."

Dominic closed his eyes again. "That won't be necessary. I need to head out after a short nap."

Bella set the blanket aside and said softly, "You're always doing so much. Do you really have to be around all the time? I think you should avoid doing everything yourself; it's exhausting to watch you do that."

He slept, and she didn't want to disturb him further. While he was resting in the living room, she tried not to make too much noise; she was even careful when she took a bite of her apple.

The house was so well soundproofed that it was almost unsettlingly quiet. The only sounds were their soft breathing and the occasional crunch as Bella bit into her apple.

After just a few minutes, Dominic stirred in his seat. "Are you a hamster or something? You just keep nibbling away."

Bella was at a loss for words. She was paying to stay here; surely she had the right to eat in her own space? It wasn't her fault he could hear everything.

She rolled her eyes inwardly. "Pray tell, where is it that you don't own property?" She refused to believe that he could own property all over the country.

His lips curled into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile, as if he had heard something amusing. "I get a house wherever I want to go. I don't have one in that city, I can just buy one. Is there anything in this world that money can't buy?"