Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)
Chapter 417 The Regret Shouldn't Be Mine

Bella was at her breaking point. She choked out, "Every time we fight and make up, it always ends the same way. We can't help but bring up old arguments. We can't help but use cold, hurtful words to hurt each other... This is why we're not right for each other. Dominic, thank you for giving me the chance to be with you and for helping me see the truth that we're not suited for each other. If that's the case, why can't we just leave each other in peace?"

She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling sharply, her breathing shallow and frantic.

The tears in her eyes almost blinded her to Dominic's expression. She couldn't see if there was any subtle shift in his expression. Through the foggy haze of her vision, at least she didn't have to face the coldness in his eyes so directly. Suddenly, he spoke. "I never wanted you to feel regret."

Bella's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to see his face when he said those words, but the tears clouded her sight. Before she could wipe them away, he turned and walked out.

She kept replaying his words in her mind. His voice had been low, his tone seemingly calm, but there was a trace of something else.

Bella couldn't figure Dominic out. She never understood what he was truly thinking. He had this way of making her feel hopeless one moment and offering her hope the next. She was stuck, caught between the two, always going back and forth between the highs and lows. And yet, she still didn't learn her lesson. She thought she could navigate in and out of this relationship, but had she ever truly emerged unscathed?

After a while, Cara entered the room and said, "Mr. Miller has already left."

Bella nodded and lay back in the dark, staring out at the evening sky and the occasional flash of lightning across the horizon.

It felt impossible to replace peace that night. The long, damp rainy season made everything feel heavy. The incessant drizzle never seemed to stop, without any certainty, keeping her awake with no end in sight.

As the elevator doors opened, a cold wind swept in. Dominic tried to light a cigarette, but the flame from his lighter was blown out each time as if the wind was against him.

He eventually gave up on the idea of

smoking, leaving the cigarette

dangling from his lips. His brows furrowed in frustration as his deep eyes stared at the rain outside. The downpour was heavy now, with raindrops as large as beans splattering on the ground, forming small water flowers. The rain was thick with fog, creating a misty haze.

He had no intention of leaving in the rain. His car was still parked at the entrance of the complex, some distance away. He never imagined that one day he would replace himself in such a desperate situation because of Bella. He felt that she might just be the most difficult woman he'd ever encountered.

Dominic couldn't remember exactly when he lost control over her. He just knew that in the beginning, she had been very obedient, always listening to him. No matter how badly he treated her, she always

l.ne

endured it and stayed by his side.

As he thought about this, a wave of irritation washed over him.

His phone rang, and he answered it absentmindedly without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

On the other end, a soft, cautious voice greeted him. It was Gloriana. "Mr. Miller... It's me, Gloriana. Do you have some time? Would you like to come over? Mr. Clarke is here too."