Chapter 64: Not Even on His Bed
Bella frowned, suspecting that men had seen more than just her and Dominic by the pool—perhaps they had even witnessed their kiss. Siblings? Bella found the idea laughable. Legally or otherwise, she and Dominic had never been siblings. Her mother, before her death, had never married Richard. Bella felt like Simon was a persistent shadow, following her everywhere. She’d never considered being involved with him. She casually blocked Simon’s second number and tossed her phone aside, allowing herself to fully unwind in the bath.
As she soaked, drowsiness crept over her. She drifted off to sleep. In her hazy state, she dreamt of the scene at the banquet where Pierre was shot and collapsed.
In her dream, she couldn't break free from Dominic's embrace; she felt like she was suffocating. Bella struggled with all her might, but the sensation only intensified.
Suddenly, she was lifted out of the bathtub. She opened her eyes and found Dominic standing before her. It took her a few seconds to regain her senses. She grabbed a towel and wrapped herself in it. "W-What are you doing here?"
His expression was a grin as he looked at her. "If I hadn't come in, you would have been the first person to drown from falling asleep in the tub."
Bella was mortified. It dawned on her that the suffocating sensation she'd experienced in her dream was because she had fallen asleep in the tub and nearly drowned. It was miraculous that she hadn't been roused by the water, but she knew it was probably only a matter of time.
Dominic didn't stick around. He gave her a withering look before leaving.
The incident at the Sawyers' party made headlines the following day. The media painted a dramatic picture of the events, with a few embellishments, but the core of the story was fairly accurate. Pierre had pulled through and was now out of danger. The Sawyers publicly thanked Bella during their interview, putting her in the limelight. The last time she was in the spotlight was when she was photographed with Lia; this was a welcome change of pace. When Lia found out she had been at the scene, she couldn't stay put and went to see Bella right away. Lia arrived during the day while Dominic was away.
With no one else around, they felt free to do as they pleased. As soon as they closed the door, they let loose.
When Bella mentioned that Dominic had protected her when Pierre was shot, Lia scoffed. "If people can get attached to their dogs after raising them for a long time, it's only natural he'd feel the same way about a living, breathing person like you."
"It's been almost 20 years. Even if he still harbors resentment toward you, would he really put you in harm's way? Don't fall for his tricks again."
Bella understood the logic, but she wasn't going to fall for his carrot-and-stick approach. As she could never forgive Simon, she knew Dominic would never fall for her. She had come to terms with that.
Just then, Bella heard a car pull up outside and walked to the window to take a look. "Dominic's back!"
Lia was sprawled on Bella's bed with a bag of chips. "So what? He's back. It's not like he can do anything to me. I'm in your room, not his bed."
Bella chuckled. "You're seriously… Forget it. We can't go out right now because he won't let me. Once I'm free, I'll come hang out with you!"
Lia rolled her eyes. "What kind of power trip is he on? How could he keep you locked up like this? This is outrageous! If he weren't so tall and imposing, and I weren't so tiny, I'd definitely help you beat him up!"
Bella compared Dominic's towering height and Lia's petite frame, noting the stark difference. Lia was even smaller than her; she was a tiny, charming young woman with a big personality. Bella was drawn to all of Lia's qualities, which was why they were so close. No sooner had Dominic stepped inside than Sylvia knocked on Bella's door. "Mr. Miller wants to see you downstairs, Ms. Jones."
Chapter 65: We'll Him Over in Bed
(The final line is unclear and likely contains a typo. "We'll Him Over in Bed" needs context to be corrected properly.) The repeated advertisement for FindNovel.net has also been removed.