Chapter 88: Mellow

Bella hesitated. "Maybe Never mind. I don't think I can look."

Lia was losing patience. "Ignoring it won't make it go away. Pretending you didn't get a reply won't help. Just check it already. If you don't, I will."

So, Bella opened the message, holding her breath as she read. Dominic's reply surprised her: "Yeah. I'm in a meeting."

Lia considered this. "That 'yeah' probably means you two did sleep together, and he was serious about what he said. Saying he's in a meeting just means he's too busy to talk." She nudged Bella. "I told you so. Congratulations, you're finally with the guy you've wanted for years!"

Bella stared at the bright sun, still groggy from last night's drinking. She struggled to accept what had happened.

"Stop joking. This can't be true. He's just busy right now. Let's not talk about it. You go do your thing, and I'll be fine."

Lia saw how upset she was and stopped teasing. "Okay, I'll get back to work. You relax, and when I'm done, we'll go out for a meal."

Feeling bored and tired, Bella fell asleep on the couch with her Bluetooth headphones on, listening to music. Lia, being thoughtful, turned up the air conditioning and covered her with a light blanket.

Looking at Bella's phone, held tightly in her hand, Lia sighed inwardly. "Loving someone who might not be right for you—is it a curse or a blessing?"

As evening fell, Lia finished her work and woke Bella up.

Bella blinked sleepily. "I'm so hungry. Let's go eat."

Lia grinned. "I know a great place. It's hidden away, so leave your car. Let's use my old one instead; yours is too flashy."

Bella agreed. Getting into Lia's car, she noticed her phone was dead and decided not to charge it.

After dinner, Lia dropped Bella off at her studio to pick up her car. Bella saw a black Rolls-Royce parked outside and recognized the license plate. "That's Dominic's car."

Lia asked, "Is he here to see you? How did he know you were here?" Bella didn't know what to say.

Seeing Bella's hesitation, Lia's expression shifted. "You're not scared to get out, are you? You two have been living under the same roof for nearly twenty years. Afraid he'll bite?" She added, "As for last night, if he's serious, just go with it. If he's not, then act like nothing happened."

Bella took a deep breath, trying to act casual as she stepped out of the car. Dominic remained in his car, silent and still. She hesitated but headed toward her own car, only to be jolted by the sudden blare of Dominic's horn.

Bella sighed and walked back to Dominic's car. He rolled down his window, his face hard to see in the dark.

"Why are you here?" Bella asked, trying to stay calm while fidgeting with her nails.

Dominic replied calmly, "Drive home now."

His nonchalant tone was disconcerting. Bella's heart raced with confusion. It was so unlike him to be so mellow.

After a moment of disoriented silence, she returned to her car. Once she had carefully maneuvered her car out of the parking spot and onto the road, Dominic followed.

Bella glanced in the rearview mirror occasionally, noting his patience as he stayed behind, regardless of how slowly she drove.

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