Chapter 79: Men Fall for This Every Time

Bella wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she felt Dominic leaning in. His breath was warm against her skin. Just as their lips were about to touch, he suddenly turned away and released her. In a burst of anger, he stormed upstairs and slammed the door. The sudden commotion snapped Bella back to reality. What had just happened?

The next morning, Bella woke to find Sylvia had already made breakfast. Seeing the empty wine glasses from the night before, Sylvia also made hot soup to soothe their stomachs.

As Bella sat at the table, Dominic came downstairs. Adjusting his suit cuff as he approached, his expression soured upon meeting her gaze. Without a word, he turned and strode toward the front door.

Sylvia noticed Dominic's strange behavior and gave Bella a questioning look. Bella glanced down at her soup and murmured, "I don't know what's wrong with him."

Sylvia sighed. "Men and their moods. Just coax him a bit, Ms. Jones. Most men love that."

Bella's lips twitched. Coaxing Dominic seemed unlikely to succeed; he wasn't that type. Besides, she had no idea why he was upset. Was it because she mentioned her mother? But hadn't he asked her why she wanted to be a doctor?

As soon as Bella arrived at the hospital, a nurse informed her that someone was waiting. Initially dismissing the appointment as a familiar patient, she was unnerved upon entering her office to find a woman dressed like a wealthy matron sitting in her chair. The woman didn't bother to stand. Leaning back with her legs crossed and arms folded, she looked down at Bella.

After a moment of contemptuous scrutiny, she finally spoke, "You must be Bella?"

The voice confirmed Bella's suspicions, but she kept her expression neutral. "Yes, I'm Bella," she replied. "Is there something you need, Mrs. Kennedy?"

A flicker of surprise crossed the woman's face. "I need to talk to you. This isn't a good place for it. Can we step outside?"

Bella knew exactly why Elaine Baldwin was there and had no intention of wasting time. "Mrs. Kennedy, I'm very busy, but I can give you a clear answer right now. It's not possible. If you're not here for a medical appointment, then please leave."

In a fit of rage, Elaine stood up, grabbed the pen holder from the desk, and hurled it at Bella. "Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that? You're nothing! I'm doing you a favor by even being here. Don't get ahead of yourself! You're a whore, just like your mother!"

The pens didn't hurt, but the woman's insults pierced Bella's heart. Her colleagues calmed Elaine and gently pulled Bella away.

Bella glared at Elaine, her fists clenched. She couldn't understand how this woman dared criticize her mother. It was clear Simon had been involved with her mother first. Why was this woman so bold?

Seeing Bella's lack of response, Elaine grew bolder. "What are you staring at? Huh? What are you going to do? Fine, if you're not going to talk to me now, I'll just wait outside the hospital until you're ready."

(The final sentence is promotional material and should be removed.)