Crossroads

"The door wasn't locked!" This rough voice carried annoyance.

"Where is the person?" Jessica straightened her clothes, her face looking quite awful as she hurried over.

Then, she saw that the entire hallway was empty, with no one in sight.

"I thought I saw a dark figure here just now?" one of them questioned.

"It might have been a mistake. The Flaming Bar places a high priority on guest privacy, and we have special security on the 35th floor..."

"There should be cameras in the hallways and elevators. Who owns this Flaming Bar? I'm going to find him!" Jessica declared with an air of arrogance, still somewhat uneasy.

Upon hearing that, the others looked conflicted. "Jessica, the owner of this bar might be a bit... I heard... It's Mr. Wellington from the Wellington family...

П

Jessica thought nervously, 'Dominick? He must never find out about me being her, absolutely not!"

A flash of panic then crossed her eyes, but quickly she switched to a cold expression, loudly telling the other actors, "Remember, I was forced to come here today..."

The rest were puzzled, but after seeing how tense Jessica was, they began to suspect something They wondered, "Could it be that the mysterious benefactor who has always supported her from behind is...

Jessica was utterly anxious and yelled at them, "What are you all still standing here for? Go and find out if someone was eavesdropping outside the door just now!"

Meanwhile, Stephanie was struggling against a strange man inside the men's restroom on the 35th floor of the Flaming Bar. "Hey, let go of me. I don't know you!"

She had been eavesdropping outside Jessica's private room and was terrified when she saw someone rush out to catch her. Suddenly, a strange man appeared behind Stephanie and forcefully dragged her toward the men's restroom.

"Jessica!" The man was strong, and his voice was hoarse. He reeked of alcohol, and he didn't look like he was in a clear state of mind. With a firm grip on her neck, he forcefully pushed Stephanie against the wall Stephanie struggled to say, "I'm not Jessica..."

y the man, and the narrow space made it difficult for her to fight back against his overpowering.

Stephanie was pushed into a small restroom by presence.

She pushed against the man's chest with all her might, but he was very agitated. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Stephanie. She then felt a chill down her spine as he looked at her.

"Jessica, you wretched woman!" he growled hoarsely, reaching out his right hand to slam the restroom door shut heavily.

As Stephanie met his hateful and lustful gaze, fear gripped her heart. She quickly shouted for help to the outside, but it was useless, as everyone at the Flaming Bar was a "player" and would not interfere in others' private matters.

She reached out to open the door, but her fingers got caught in the door panel, causing her to scream in pain. "Ah!"

Eventually, the thick door panel locked with a click.

As Stephanie was trapped in the confined space, she clenched her fingers clenched tightly, the pain making her face turn pale.

86%►

At that moment, when she was facing the drunk, strange man, her face was full of panic. Stephanie looked around nervously, but in her panic, she couldn't think of a way out.

"...I'm really not Jessica." Stephanie spoke again, hoping the man would come to his senses.

The man seemed too agitated to heed her words. The grip of his right hand on Stephanie's neck tightened. "Jessica, my role got cut! You're the one behind this, aren't you?"

The man's gaze on her became even more intense and vigorous, as if his body was being overtaken by impulse.

Suddenly, he pushed Stephanie down onto the toilet seat. "You wretch, don't forget, when you first started in the industry six years ago, you were serving me."

Stephanie watched in horror as he unbuckled his pants. Upon seeing the man's disgusting actions, she frantically grabbed the toilet paper and its holder, hurling them at him.

However, the man became even more agitated when he saw her resistance. His heavy male body pinned Stephanie down. She leaned back on the toilet seat, suppressing the fear in her heart..

"I'm sorry for cutting your role. Tell me what you want, I can make it up to you," Stephanie said quickly, pretending to be Jessica and negotiating with the man.

"Jessica, you're quite something now, aren't you? Everyone in the circle respects you. Any role or ad you want is yours for the taking!" He loomed over Stephanie, his voice growing more agitated as he spoke. "You wretch!"

Immediately after, the man's heavy hand slapped her cheek with a loud smack.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The man suddenly burst into a terrifying, sinister laughter, saying, "Don't think I don't know about your fling with Mr. Wellington. You've cozied up to Dominick and relied on him to do as you please in the circle.

ou better listen up now. It's not me who needs you now! You must obey mel

"You

"If you don't obey, I'll tell Dominick about your plastic surgery....

Stephanie's cheek burned painfully from the man's slap. Although the drunk man's words were somewhat slurred, she was shocked when she heard the phrase "plastic surgery."

As the man loomed over her, his gaze fixed on her beautiful face, his blood boiling with desire, his eyes filled with hunger. He then leaned in, wanting to kiss her.

"Get off me!" Stephanie turned her head aside and pushed him away with both hands.

lare to refuse me, I'll go straight to Dominick and tell him you're not the woman he's looking for in his pocket watch...

"Jessica, if you dare The man didn't finish his threatening words because Stephanie bent her right elbow and smashed it into the side of his head, knocking him out instantly.

She then pushed the unconscious man off her, and he fell to the restroom floor. Afterward, Stephanie stood up and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Go to hell, you bastard!" Stephanie shouted angrily, kicking the man several times in the stomach with her right foot.

If it weren't for the cramped space of the restroom, an ordinary man wouldn't have been able to get close to her. Just thinking about how the

man almost kissed her made Stephanie feel sick. "How dare you touch me, you bastard..."

Stephanie looked thoughtfully at the unconscious stranger at her feet. "But did he just say Jessica had plastic surgery?"

She wondered, Jessica didn't look like what she is now six years ago. Plastic surgery is common in the entertainment industry, but why...why did she refer to my face?

Stephanie didn't dwell on it long as the Flaming Bar was bustling. She opened the door and quickly ran out.

However, as soon as she left the restroom, she heard noisy commotion as if something big had happened, Down the corridor, by the elevators, and in every private room, people were pouring out as if they were being evacuated, their expressions somewhat bewildered.

"What happened?"

"Is there a fire?" the bar bar's VIPs asked frantically.

"I'm sorry, there was a little incident on the 35th floor. Please leave in an orderly manner with us. We will compensate you. This way, please," the bar's staff explained politely, their eyes scanning the faces of the guests as if they were urgently searching for something.

Stephanie had never encountered such a situation and felt that the staff looked extremely anxious and nervous.

She immediately thought of Vincent. However, she didn't have her phone with her. Stephanie then slowly walked forward, thinking that Vincent was a regular here and the staff should know him.

But before Stephanie could get close, someone grabbed her from behind.

She was suddenly gripped tightly by the wrist and pushed against the wall, her entire body pressed by the force, leaving her in a state of shock.

The cold, stem face in front of Stephanie was full of uncontainable anger as he harshly scolded her, "Why are you here!"

She stared blankly at Dominick, who had suddenly appeared before her, her mind sluggish.

At that moment, the other staff and guests in the hallway looked toward them and instantly recognized Dominick. The entire corridor then fell silent as no one dared to speak.

"I'm asking you, why did you come to a place like this? Didn't I tell you that you're not allowed to go o to go out?!" He seemed extremely angry, his voice tense as he repeated the question.

Dominick kept tightening his grip on Stephanie's wrist, causing her pain and snapping her back to reality.

"It hurts. Let go of me!" she exclaimed.

As Stephanie listened to Dominick's icy questioning, she felt somewhat wronged.

She pondered, 'He's scolding me for no reason again.

Upon seeing Stephanie's face wincing in pain, with a clear handprint on her right cheek and bruising on her left hand, Dominick's expression grew even darker and more menacing.

He harshly scolded her, "Stephanie, do you really enjoy making me angry that much? You always have to cause me trouble. Don't you know how to consider..."

"The child is fine," Stephanie retorted as she bit her lip.

10:35 Sat, 22 June Chapter 47

Dominick immediately fell silent and thought, 'The child? She thinks this is just about our child...

His piercing eyes stared intensely at Stephanie. "You will go back right now! From today onward, you're not allowed to step out of Wellington Villa!" Dominick's cold, ominous voice sent shivers down her spine.

Stephanie met Dominick's cold, deep eyes and felt disheartened.

"Dominick, I brought her here," Vincent explained as he hurried over. He had already heard Dominick scolding her by the elevator and couldn't stand it any longer.

He always felt that Dominick was too harsh and tense toward Stephanie. "You!" Dominick's face darkened upon seeing Vincent. "Who allowed you to bring her out? Did I approve you to take her out?"

Upon hearing his icy voice, Vincent thought in astonishment, 'He is really angry

"It was me who asked Vincent to bring me out," Stephanie replied as she suppressed her anger. She m immediately stood protectively in front of Vincent, defiantly lifting her head to meet Dominick's gaze. "Why should I have to ask you for permission when I want to go out?"

Upon seeing her defiant stance, Dominick's expression grew darker.

Stephanie glanced to the side and saw a familiar figure around the corner. She turned and took Vincent's arm. "Let's go!"

Vincent was utterly shocked. He dared not leave with her. Dominick would surely be furious.

Stephanie raised her voice and shouted, "He came here looking for his Jessica, What are we even in the way for?!"

Dominick had indeed seen Jessica in the corner. He glared at Stephanie and then walked straight toward Jessica.

Stephanic and Vincent stood frozen as everyone made way for Dominick. Just like that, Dominick walked away while intimately embracing Jessica as they watched.