Chapter9
1148 Words
Turning his face away, Dominic helped Isabella take off the blood-stained dress and pulled the blanket over her. He tossed Isabella's dress and his coat into the trash, then came back with clean hands.
Quietly dimming the table lamp, Dominic's gaze fell on the girl's sleeping profile, and his eyes paused.
In the dim light, the girl's features appeared soft and beautiful.
Rosy lips, slightly parted.
The pose resembled asking for a kiss.
Dominic lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. "Goodnight."
Covering her with a blanket, he stood up to leave.
"Dad, don't go!"
Isabella turned, clinging to his arm. Due to the movement, much of her shoulder was exposed, and her chest partially exposed outside the blanket. Dominic frowned, reaching for the blanket to cover her again.
"Let go."
"I don't... Daddy, stay with me."
Daddy?
Dominic:...
"I'm not your dad."
"Daddy, don't leave." Holding onto his arm, Isabella acted like a child, soft and clinging. "Mom is gone, and I... I'm scared alone."
"Troublesome!"
Dominic grumbled, but he still sat by the bedside.
That night, Isabella had a dream.
She went back to her childhood, and her dad was putting her to sleep.
She hugged her dad's waist, refusing to let go, insisting he sleep with her.
Dad was tangled by her, so he lay down and embraced her.
Dad's chest was broad and warm, feeling secure...
No nightmares, no insomnia, a night of deep sleep.
This was the most peaceful night Isabella had slept since her father's accident and the decline of the Hartwell family.
In the early morning, she opened her eyes and saw a hand.
It was a man's hand, and she was resting on his arm.
That fair-skinned hand with distinct joints and slightly protruding veins had an indescribable... charm.
A man?
The nerves that were somewhat confused became instantly clear to Isabella.
She sat up abruptly, looking behind her.
The morning light seeped through the curtains, casting a hazy glow in the room.
A man in black lay on one side of the big bed, with long legs hanging halfway off...
Dominic?!
How did he end up sleeping with her?
Could it be...
Isabella looked down, glanced at her chest, and hastily pulled the blanket over herself.
Startled awake, Dominic frowned, opened his eyes, and sat up, rubbing his arm that had been flattened by her.
"Awake?"
"Did you undress me?"
Dominic stood up, towering over her.
"Otherwise?"
Isabella:...
"Next time, I won't trouble you."
Next time?
Bending down, Dominic placed his hands on her sides, close enough to meet her eyes.
"Isabella, listen carefully. I won't allow a repeat of what happened last night."
Being dragged to the police station in the middle of the night, someone like him must feel very embarrassed.
Isabella lowered her eyelashes. "Rest assured, I won't trouble Mr. Kingsley again."
Trouble?
Dominic furrowed his brows.
Noticing the bruise on the girl's neck, Dominic struggled to suppress his anger.
"I'll be waiting downstairs for you."
Picking up the discarded coat from the floor, Dominic strode out of the bedroom. As he heard his footsteps fading away, Isabella jumped off the bed, grabbing a blanket to wrap around herself.
She quickly took a shower, drying her hair with a towel, and casually glanced at the trash can. Inside, she saw her little dress covered in blood and a man's coat.
Could that be the reason he helped her undress?
Isabella lacked experience in matters between men and women, but being an adult, she understood what had happened.
Thinking carefully, when she woke up just now, Dominic was still dressed, and her underwear was still on. When she showered, she didn't notice anything unusual about her body.
He rescued her from the police station, took care of her all night, and got misunderstood as a rogue.
Isabella felt embarrassed.
She turned and quickly went downstairs.
In the living room, Dominic was standing by the French window, smoking. Hearing footsteps, he extinguished the just-lit cigarette in the ashtray.
Descending the stairs, Isabella stopped in front of him, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding you earlier, and... thank you for taking care of me last night."
The girl was only wearing a white bathrobe, her long wet hair hanging on her shoulders. A few strands of black hair playfully peeked into the collar, highlighting her fair skin.
Thinking about last night, Dominic's Adam's apple moved twice.
Avoiding eye contact, he spoke casually, "So... too moved to offer yourself in return?"
A good man but with such a mouth!
Isabella felt both embarrassed and angry. "Absolutely not!"
Every autumn and winter, her throat tended to be sensitive. The smell of smoke made her throat itch, and she couldn't help coughing a couple of times.
"None?" Dominic raised his right hand, fanning away the lingering smoke. "Who was hugging me and not letting go last night?"
So, it wasn't a dream yesterday. She was hugging him, not "Dad"?
"I...," Isabella's face turned red, "I... I was just drunk."
"Don't you want to offer yourself? Then don't wear like this early in the morning, swaying in front of me."
Dominic raised his right hand, using the back of his fingers to wipe away the water droplets on her forehead.
"Men are very dangerous in the morning!"
Rogue!
The slight touch of gratitude in Isabella's heart turned into annoyance instantly. She slapped away his hand and turned to run upstairs. Watching her disappear on the stairs, Dominic took a glance at the car outside the French window, then walked over to open the living room door.
Assistant Michael happened to step onto the porch, holding Isabella's violin in one hand and a paper bag containing breakfast in the other. Guiding him into the dining room, Dominic took the takeout bag from him and placed breakfast on the table.
"Is everything settled?"
"Don't worry." Michael smirked. "That guy will have to lie in the hospital for at least a month. We've done our part to eliminate the harm."
Dominic put on his coat, sat at the table, stirred the hot red bean oatmeal with a spoon. "You go to the company first; I'll join later."
As Michael left, Isabella hurriedly came down the stairs. Carrying her coat in the left hand and grabbing her backpack with the right, she looked like she was ready to go out.
"Come over." Dominic placed the cooled oatmeal in front of her seat. "Eat with me."
"No, I have to go to the police station now. I have something important that I haven't retrieved yet." Isabella rushed into the living room, hastily putting on her shoes.
When she changed her clothes just now, she remembered her violin was still at the police station. It was the item her mother gave her. No matter what, she had to get it back.
Dominic raised his left hand. "This one?"
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