Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)
Chapter 324 Well Played

Bella hadn't expected Dominic to ask a question like this. She had already made plans with Felix and Lia. Agreeing to spend the holidays with Dominic now would mean ditching them. She picked her finger absently. "I've got a shift tomorrow. You know how unpredictable my schedule is. Forget about it."

Dominic let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Lia's going overseas with her family, and Felix's stuck working extra shifts. Neither of them has time for you."

Bella looked at Dominic in surprise. "How do you know that?"

The smug expression on his face told her all she needed to know. He had everything figured out.

Bella then realized Dominic knew about her plans way before. She hated how easily he seemed to keep tabs on her. "How did you even know I was planning to spend the holidays with them?" Dominic pulled out his phone and casually scrolled through Lia's social media posts before flashing the screen at her. Of course, Lia had posted every little detail online, likely forgetting Dominic could see them too. After cursing Lia for being a less competent friend, Bella sighed resignedly. "How did you even replace out about Lia's trip and Felix's overtime? Don't tell me you orchestrated all this."

Dominic gave a lazy shrug. "Something like that. You shouldn't always say no to me right off the bat. I've got a thousand ways to make you listen."

Bella didn't believe he had that kind of control over everything. Dominic only had to pull a few strings for Felix to take on extra shifts. However, there was no way Lia would ditch her for him. "How did you convince Lia?" Though impatience flickered in his gaze, Dominic humored her. "I got her dad a vacation package. It's a fully sponsored, seven-day international trip. You got a problem with that?"

Bella was speechless. Lia's dad hardly ever got time off, and with a free vacation on the table for the whole family, it made perfect sense for Lia to choose her family over her. That was well played.

Annoyed, Bella decided she had had enough of Dominic's manipulations. She climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut before walking to the entrance of her apartment building.

Dominic didn't get out of the car but said through the car window, "You've got your shift tomorrow, but I'll pick you up at the hospital the morning after."

Bella clapped her hands over her ears, determined not to listen, but the winter wind carried his words straight to her.

...

The next afternoon, Bella's phone buzzed with calls from both Felix and Lia Just as Dominic had warned, Lia and Felix had ditched her Bella wasn't even surprised.

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That night the hospital was eerily quiet. Bella sat alone in the on-call room, her stomach growling in protest. All the nearby restaurants had closed, and there wasn't even an option to order takeout.

As midnight approached, distant fireworks echoed from the plaza. Bella leaned against the desk and stared into space while her hunger gnawed at her.

The sound of approaching footsteps

snapped her out of her daze. She

perked up, expecting an emergency case. However, as the steps grew closer her heart gave a jolt of recognition. That steady, deliberate

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pace sounded familiar.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Dominic stepped inside while carrying a thermal food container. "Sylvia thought you might starve, so she sent me to deliver this."

Bella glanced at him, torn between pride and practicality. Starving just to spite him wasn't worth it, so she made the right choice.

She opened the container, and the comforting aroma of hot food filled the room. She thanked Dominic, grabbed a spoon, and eagerly dug in.

When a strand of spaghetti fell onto the table, Dominic didn't miss a beat. "Wow, you act like you haven't eaten in days."

Bella shot him a look but decided to let it slide since he delivered her food.

Just then, the door swung open, and Ethan burst in. "Bella, I brought you..."