Crossroads

"How could this happen?!"

"Massive bleeding from the forehead, severe impact fracture to the right scapula, blood pressure and heart rate are weak, signs of heart and lung failure..."

"He was in a major car accident six years ago... Get the doctors at Aurorastra on the line now..."

The room was filled with panicked voices.

Suddenly, the door was violently kicked open with a loud bang, and a familiar voice shouted angrily.

"You morons! What took you so long? It's been hours since the crash, and you're just getting here now! Screw you! If he doesn't make it, you're all gonna pay!"

The loud crash jolted the woman on the hospital bed awake.

Stephanie was dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown. Her face was pale, her body trembling as she stared blankly at the white ceiling above...

Her mind was a complete fog...

"Stephanie!" The man outside the door rushed in as soon as he saw her awake. "Stephanie, what the hell happened? How did you end up in a car accident?

"And why were you brought to the hospital first? Dominick was left in the car! Do you realize he's way worse off than you? He could die any minute; how could you be so selfish!"

Vincent stormed to her bedside, glaring at her bewildered face. His teeth clenched as he fired off question after question.

Her eyes were dull as she raised her head to meet Vincent's furious gaze. Stephanie had never seen him so angry before. Her mind felt dizzy, as if she couldn't think straight, and she just stared blankly at him.

Vincent's words echoed in her ears. "He could die any minute...

"Dominick..." she murmured his name.

Stephanie's eyes widened. The bloody images flashed through her mind. His cold skin and even the lingering taste of blood on her lips...

"How... How is he now? Dominick... How is he now..." she stammered, her eyes red and welled up with tears. "Where is he?"

"What the hell do you think, Stephanie?!" Vincent yelled at her in anger. "Dominick took the hit for you in that crash! You ask me how he is... After something that bad, what do you think happened to him?!"

She stared at him, eyes wide with shock, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Someone leaked the news, and I can't contain it... I don't care who's trying to take the Innovate Group down with this, we need to call an emergency shareholder meeting right now and lock down all information. We can't let Dominick's condition get out."

The sound of a commotion echoed through the hospital corridor. It was Scott's voice, urgent and panicked, a far cry from his usual cool composure.

"Where's my dad? Where is he?!" Stella suddenly rushed over from the other side of the elevator.

The hallway outside the hospital room was already a chaotic scene, and with Stella's arrival, Scott and everyone's faces hardened even more.

Vincent didn't spare another glance at Stephanie and strode out.

He faced Stella with a cold expression and spoke harshly, "You're not welcome here. Get out."This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

Stella glared at Vincent, her anger rising, and shouted through clenched teeth, "Kevin had nothing to do with Dominick's accident! Let him go, now!"

Scott stepped forward and coldly uttered, "No way."

away with this!

Kevin had slammed into the back of Dominick's taxi. This was a murder. They would never let him get away Stella looked at their unyielding stance, panic rising within her. All the evidence pointed to Kevin, and now, with Dominick critically injured, this might be going to a conviction. That would...

She turned her head and loudly questioned the butler, Brad, "Where is my dad? Where is he?!

"I need to talk to him. This car accident is definitely not that simple. Kevin and Dominick had their issues, but he wouldn't do something this reckless. It's Stephanie, that woman put him up to it. Kevin's innocent..."

Brad's face was grim, devoid of his usual warmth. He said in a deep voice, "George has already flown to Aurorastra."

Stella was furious. "My dad went to Aurorastra? What about the company? What about Kevin? Are you all just going to sit around and wait for Dominick to wake up? If he dies..."

A tall, imposing bodyguard behind her instantly raised his gun and pressed it against the back of her head, his face cold and hard.

"Watch your mouth!" he threatened through gritted teeth.

No one could speak ill of their boss in front of them.

Stella's face paled. She fearfully glanced sideways at the cold, black gun aimed at the back of her head, swallowing hard and not daring to speak again.

"George is with Dominick in Aurorastra. Everyone else, including Kevin and anyone involved in the crash, is to stay put here at Havencrest," Brad said, looking into Stella's eyes and making sure she got the message.

"And let me be perfectly clear," he added, his voice grave, "there are to be no further mishaps before Dominick wakes up."

Stella could only nod in agreement, her face pale.

Seeing this, the bodyguard behind her finally lowered his gun.

"The president was absent in the shareholders' meeting, and the m Innovate Group is in chaos Stock Group is in opened at rock bottom this morning. No one expected a simple car accident to have such a severe consequence..." Vincent said.

"Anthony, get the executives on the line. Make sure to find the ones we can trust.

I'll handle the media circus..."

Vincent and the others were anxiously discussing a plan while inside the hospital room, Stephanie slowly sat up against the headboard, dager to learn more about Dominick's condition...

"Stephanie's awake... Did you ask her why she was brought to the hospital early? What about Dominick? Why did she leave Dominick behind?"

"Asking her is pointless. She only cares about herself..." The door slammed shut as Vincent stormed out in anger.

Stephanie stared blankly at the blocked out all closed door. The door the sounds dusted unds from dutside, leaving her alone in the cold and empty hospital room.

In this room, no one paid attention to her. No one cared about her.

Without Dominick, she was nothing.

It was just like everyone always said. If she hadn't gotten pregnant with the Wellington heir, she'd be nobody. No one would care about her.

But this wasn't the time to wallow. Tears ears welled up in her eyes, not because she felt wronged, but because...

"I'm worried about him..."

And she was. It wasn't just about being the lady of the Wellington family or having his protection. She genuinely cared about him.