Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)

11

Chapter 102 Tone It Down

Maybe Lia had ruined the mood at the table because Amber and her group quickly paid the bill and left.

With the "eyesore" gone, Bella's appetite returned, and she slowly finished her meal. After taking a break at the restroom, she stopped by the front desk to pay the bill, only to be told it had already been settled. She glanced over at Felix, who was already looking at her.

Back at the table, she said, "Why did you pay the bill? I said I'd treat you."

Felix, not one for macho posturing, smiled gently. "Treat me next time, then. It's all the same.

His way of handling things never made Bella feel "taken care of" or uncomfortable. Instead, it was like a breath of fresh air. That was Felix's charm-making interactions feel easy and pleasant.

As they left the restaurant, Lia and Yvonne playfully ran ahead to the car while Bella and Felix trailed leisurely behind. They chatted casually until Felix glanced toward a car parked nearby. "Dominic is waiting for you." Bella looked over, and it was indeed Dominic's car. She had assumed he had already left.

She didn't want to go over. "He might not be waiting for me. Let's just go."

She had barely reached Felix's car when her phone rang. It was Dominic calling, though he refrained from honking the horn this time.

She answered the call, and his deep voice came through. "Come here."

Bella hesitated as she glanced at Felix and hung up. "You guys go ahead. Don't wait for me. I'll head back on my own."

Felix was silent for a couple of seconds. "Call me if you need anything"

Bella nodded but avoided meeting his eyes. Knowing that Felix liked her made it harder for her to act close to Dominic in front of him. It would be one thing if she and Dominic were officially together, but they weren't Most people would try to avoid looking like they were losing in love in front of someone who liked them,

Once Felix's car had driven off, Bella reluctantly walked toward Dominic's car. What should have been a short walk took forever, and she dragged her feet as though she was dreading it.

The main reason was that she assumed Amber was in the car with him. Amber had been staying at Miller Manor recently, so it made sense for them to come and go together. Bella didn't want to deal with seeing Amber. "Get in." Dominic rolled down the window, clearly already irritated.

Bella planced at the passenger seat. It was empty-Amber wasn't there,

She opened the door and got in. "What's wrong?"

Dominic, annoyed by her cold tone, tugged at his tie. "Are you that eager to move on to someone else?"

Bella took a moment to understand what he was implying. He must've seen her with Felix. She smiled. "Who's 'someone else? There was never a "someone, so there's no moving on. If that's what you've been waiting here to say to me, it's pointless." Her sharp response caught him off guard, and he pressed his lips together in frustration. His angry gaze nearly seared her.

What seemed like a brewing storm of tension passed after a while. When he spoke again, his tone had surprisingly softened, "I don't plan to let you live outside for too long. Tone it down unless you want to bring trouble to Felix." Though his voice was calm, the threat was unmistakable. It carried a chilling weight, and even though Bella wanted to push back, she didn't dare risk it. If Dominic threatened her, he had the means to back it up.

She stayed silent, but from the corners of her eyes, she noticed a car parked nearby. Amber was staring at them with sharp, piercing eyes through the windshield. That was when Bella realized Amber had "made room" for her. Amber was probably feeling uneasy about the situation while sitting in Leonard's car.