Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)
Chapter 127

Chapter 127 Why Pick a Fight Now?

It wasn't until his lips brushed against hers that she snapped out of it. She shoved him back. "I'm hungry now!"

Dominic's gaze darkened slightly. With one hand braced against the bed, he kept her pinned. The other hand tugged off his tie effortlessly. "You just never listen, do you?"

Bella swallowed nervously. "W-What are you doing?"

He didn't answer. With a swift motion, he wrapped his tie around her wrists, binding them together. Her delicate hands looked so tragile, and her resistance seemed weak and meaningless. The soft fabric of the tie robbed against her pale skin, leaving faint red marks. The black pencil skirt she wore was modest yet form-fitting. His hands liked it up easily. With the hem pushed to her waist, her long legs were fully exposed.

A deep blush crept across Bella's face as she squirmed, trying to close her legs in protest. However, when he bent down to kiss her again, she was already out of ways to push him off.

The kiss was hot and overpowering, scattering her thoughts. His tongue pried her lips apart, seizing every bit of her resistance. She was breathless, and just when she thought she might pass out from the intensity, he pulled away,

His lips trailed down to her neck and collarbone. It felt like sparks were coursing through her entire body, spreading from wherever he touched, setting her nerves

on fire.

His low whisper brushed against her ear. "See? You like me. You can't say no, no matter what I do."

Bella bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to acknowledge the truth. His deliberate teasing was getting to her. She wasn't a robot. Of course, her body would respond

When he tried to

to strip away her final layer of defense, she gathered every ounce of courage she had. "Don't you feel disgusted? Doesn't it make you sick to touch me? The woman under you is someone you've hated for 20 years. Get a grip, Dominic."

She knew exactly what buttons to push to provoke him. Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, the tension in his body shifted and his movements halted. He lifted himself off her and stared at her with cold eyes. "Why pick a fight now of all times?" Belladidn't dare meet his gaze. Instead, she slut her eyes and played dead. Her job was done, and there was no need to say another word.

A long silence filled the room before the pressure on her chest disappeared. She felt the the slip from her wrists just as the door slammed shut behind him.

Bella was done, but oddly enough, it felt like something inside her had caved in.

She didn't want to dredge up old wounds, but falling deeper into this mess wasn't an option either. There was no other way.

There was a chasm between them-one that had formed two decades ago and had been growing ever since, keeping them on opposite sides. Whoever dared cross it first was doorned to lose everything.

Dominic was never one to stay under the same roof with her after moments like this. As expected, he drove away and skipped dinner entirely.

Bella sal alone at the dining table, surrounded by dishes she didn't have the appetite for

Sylvia tried to coacher into eating, "Ms. Jones, you should at least eat a little. You're so thin. You're a doctor and should know it's unhealthy to be too thin." Bella propped her chin on her hand in frustration and asked, "Did Dominic tell you to keep an eye on me?" Sylvia's gaze shifted uncomfortably. "L.1."

Hella

waved her off. "Never mind. I already

y know. It doesn't matter. What's there to watch anyway?"

Later that night, just as Bella was about to drift off, Lia called her

"Hello?" the mumbled, still half-asleep.

The first thing she heard was the booming bass of loud music and more chaotic noises in the background. Struggling to make sense of it, she groggily advised, You should stop going to clubs. Be careful with that heart of yours. Take care of it while you're still young." The noise on the other end softened, replaced by Lia's frustrated voice, "Your big brute of man dragged Oscar out to drink and talk about work. Now, they're both wasted. I can't handle them! Hurry up and get a car over here!"