After sending this message, I put my phone on silent, but noticed Dominic immediately called back.
“Aria, stop being difficult, right? I know having Viviant and Phoenix around these past couple days has upset you, but I’ll send them away as soon as Phoenix gets better, okay?”
“I was a bit harsh with you earlier, and that’s on me. But Phoenix is barely three years old–you shouldn’t have done that, right?”
“Enough now, stop this. I’m exhausted and…”
I cut Dominic off mid–sentence.
“Then stop exhausting yourself, Dominic. You know me–I never joke about things like this.”
After saying this, I ignored whatever Dominic wanted to say next, hung up the phone, turned it off completely, and adjusted to a comfortable position against the seat to rest.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, after calling Aria several times with no answer, Dominic called his deputy.
“Go check on my house. Aria’s upset and alone–she probably won’t remember to eat. Bring her some food. I’ll be back once I’m done here.”
An hour later, Phoenix had finished his examination and was receiving an IV in the hospital room.
Aria’s calls remained unanswered, and her messages went unread. Dominic’s face grew increasingly dark.
Just then, his deputy rushed in, bursting through the hospital room door.
“Boss! Miss Bailey is gone!”
Dominic’s eyes locked onto the food container in his deputy’s hands.
“Why didn’t you give her the food? And what do you mean ‘gone“?”
The deputy lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly.
“All Miss Bailey’s clothes and personal items are still there, but her passport and bank cards are missing…”
Dauidc froze, while Vivian sneered
“Miss Bailey is so dramatic! She makes a mistake, then plays the victim and disappears. Such childish games–trying to make you chase after her. So innature”
“Dor, this isn’t your fault. She’s just angry at you But my bad for freaking out like that, yet you get where I’m coming from, right? The way Phoenix looked just now was scary Al. I was just completely losing it.”
“It’s okay, Dom. When she comes back, I’ll explain everything properly. You don’t need to worry too much–she’s just
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Chapter 5
trying to get your attention. She won’t really break up with you.”
Dominic remained silent, his eyes fixed on Aria’s final message.
“It’s over, Dominic.”
Those simple words burned his eyes.
Not counting the three years Aria waited for him, they had met when she was sixteen and fallen in love when she was eighteen.
Seven years of knowing each other, five years of loving each other–undoubtedly, he was the person who understood her best in this world.
Aria’s parents and grandfather had raised her well. So she would never stoop to using such tactics to express anger.
Even now, Dominic clearly remembered when she’d agreed to be with him after waking up in the hospital bed after taking a bullet for him.
Though her face had been deathly pale, her words were frighteningly resolute.
“Dominic, I’m saying yes, but you have to promise me something. If you ever stop loving me, don’t lie to me. Just tell me honestly–I won’t cling to you.”
“But until then, no matter what happens between us, I’ll believe in you unconditionally. I will never use breaking up to threaten you.”
Aria was true to her word. In their five years together, no matter how fiercely they argued, she had never once mentioned breaking up.
Hearing those words from Aria now sent a chill down Dominic’s spine.
Aria’s love, like the woman herself, had always been straightforward and undisguised. She would never resort to playing hard–to–get.
Seeing Dominic’s prolonged silence, Vivian grew anxious.
“Dom, don’t tell me you actually believe Aria’s act? Though I guess it makes sense–you’re a man, so you wouldn’t understand women’s tactics. I’ve seen plenty of women like her. She’s just trying to manipulate you.”
Hearing Vivian continue, Dominic felt an inexplicable irritation surge through him.
“That’s enough. Shut up. She’s my girlfriend and my future wife. You have no right to judge her.”
As he spoke, Dominic stood up. Vivian was frightened by his dark expression but still fought through her fear to speak
“Dom, Phoenix is still getting his IV. You
This time. Dominic cut her off completely.
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“This is a hospital. There are doctors here. What use am I standing around?”
“When Phoenix is discharged, I’ll have someone take you both back where you belong, You won’t be returning to my home. That’s mine and Aria’s home–an outsider like you doesn’t belong there.”
After saying this, Dominic didn’t spare Vivian another glance as he left the room with his deputy.
Once outside the room, Dominic paused and turned to look through the observation window at Vistan, still unders on the hospital bed.
He understood Aria. She loved him enough to take a bullet for him. For three years, she had waited for him all because of his single promise.
Aria wouldn’t leave so easily over this morning’s minor conflict. She wouldn’t abandon their relationship over something so trivial.
Dominic turned away from the window and walked straight toward the hospital exit.
“Investigate what happened since Vivian arrived!”
“I want everything, every detail!”
Chapter 6
