Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)
Chapter 126

Chapter 126 Are You Avoiding Me?

Bellapeeled open the branded packaging to inspect the new handbag. It was authentic.

moming? So, he bought her a replacement?

Was it because she had torn her old, worn-out bag to shreds right in front of Dominic this momi

She liked it, but there was no way she could accept it. Taking the bag would feel like crossing a line, like admitting to a connection between them she wasn't ready to face. No way was she going to give him the satisfaction of revenge.

While Domitue was still out, Bella sneaked into his room to retum the bag. The moment she stepped inside, his signature clean, crisp scent surrounded her, making herpause for a second

Shaking off the strange feeling, she placed the bag where he would be sure to see it. If this was her way of fighting back, so be it. Ever since he returned to her life, she had been resisting the old patterns between thens, and she wasn't about to stop now. After that, she quietly slipped out of his room. Just as she closed the door behind her, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. She glanced at the message Irem Dominic, and her heart nearly stopped.

"Leave that bag in my room, and I'll tear you apart."

Bella thought Dominic had installed surveillance cameras. She tiptoed back into his room and scanned every comer. There were no cameras and no obvious signs of surveillance. How did he know, then? While Bella was trying to figure it out, she caught a

a glimpse of Sylvia passing by the stairs from the comers of her eyes.

It made sense now. Sylvia was the "surveillance camera". She should've thought of that earlier. Sylvia was hired by Dominic and was on his payroll. Of course, would report to him

she

gand retreated to her room, convincing herself that she was only accepting it because he had forced her to. She didn't want it, and accepting it

Bella grabbed the bag a meant nothing.

Not long after, Dominic came home.

Sylvia was in syme with his schedule. She knocked gently on Bella's door. "Ms. Jones, dinner is ready."

Bella stiffened, doing everything in her power to avoid facing Dominie. "I'm not hungry."

sfootsteps retreated down the hall. Soon after, a different set of footsteps approached.

Bella's first instinct was to lock the door, but just as her bare feet touched the floor, the door swing open. Dominic stood in the doorway while Bella retreated back to herbed awkwardly. "W-What do you want?"

Dominic walked toward her without hesitation, leaning down until they were nearly eye to eye. "Are you avoiding me? You probably hoped I wouldn't come back, right? You looked downright disappointed when I showed up early from my trip..."

His proximity made her lean further back, and she had to brace herself with her hands. "I-I'm not! I'm just not hungry, olay? Do you seriously need to control whether I eat or not?"

She then added, "Backthen when Richard wasn't home, you didn't care whether fate. So, why now? Isn't it a bit weird to start acting concerned?"

Dominic leaned in even closer, his arms caging her in on either side. The pressure became too much, and her arms gave out. She collapsed onto the bed. Before she could sit up, he hovered over her and pinned her in place. "Back then, you were just Bella. Now, you're my girlfriend. It's different."

The word "girlfriend came out slow, deliberate, as if he was reminding her on purpose.

Bella's mind spun. She turned her head, unable to meet

et his gaze. "Fine, I'll eat, olay? Just get off me."

Dominie suddenly cupped her clum and forcek at him. His warm breath migled with hers, and the air between them thickened with tension. Bella stared into his eyes which were dark and bottomless. For a moment, she was lost Why Fick Fight Now!