Crossroads

"Sit tight."

Dominick shoved her into a taxi and even made sure to buckle her seatbelt. This wasn't a Wellington family car, and he didn't trust these "outsiders" at all The driver felt immense pressure. He didn't know who these people were, but the man's icy stare told him he couldn't afford a single mistake.

As the car started moving slowly, Dominick sat beside her, frowning as he looked at her legs. "How are your legs?"

Earlier, the fact that Stephanie had the nerve to sit in the middle of the road had shocked Dominick. He'd assumed she was having some kind of pregnancy-related leg cramp and hadn't even waited for the Wellington family's driver, jumping into the first cab he saw.

Stephanie felt a bit embarrassed under his gaze.

She lowered her head in guilt and started pondering how to smooth things over when suddenly her phone rang. She perked up instantly, fumbling it out of her pocket and hitting the answer button.

"Steffi, have you seen Dominick?" It was George calling.

Stephanie found it a bit strange and replied, "Yes, we're on our way back together."

George didn't ask any more questions, but instead, he offered some advice, "From now on, if you run into any trouble, just tell him. He's your husband after all..."

"Grandpa, did something happen?" Stephanie was genuinely confused.

"Didn't he tell you? That punk heard you were trying to borrow money and rushed out to find you as soon as he got your call..."

Stephanie blushed again, somehow. "Wasn't he just passing by?"

"He went looking for you, specifically." George hung up with a huff. These kids were such a pain.

He hung up the phone, leaving Stephanie staring blankly at the screen, her mind in a whirlwind.

The man beside her could vaguely hear their conversation. He pressed his lips, eyes fixed on her profile, hesitating to speak up.

"How's your leg?" he asked again with mixed emotions.

Stephanie lowered her head, unable to meet his intense gaze. She wiggled her legs a bit and said, "I'm fine now."

Dominick watched her childish leg-wiggling action and couldn't help but smirk.

Stephanie was surprisingly easy to take care of during her pregnancy. There was no morning sickness to speak of, just the occasional food craving. And unlike some women who got moody or depressed, she wasn't high maintenance. All in all, she was pretty chill.

"Next month, I'm handing off my work to Anthony and the team so I can be home with you more," he said casually, his voice betraying no emotion.

Stephanie's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise.

As if that was too flattering, she stammered, "I... I'm doing fine at home. Grandpa and everyone are taking good care of me."

He noticed the nervousness on her face and frowned, wanting to say something.

But suddenly, his eyes widened as he urgently instructed the driver, "Turn right!"

No sooner had Dominick spoken than the driver glanced in the rearview mirror in shock.

Behind them, a white Bentley was speeding towards them recklessly like crazy, closing in fast like a missile.

The driver seemed panicked, slamming on the brakes and jerking the wheel.

The car suddenly made a sharp turn, and Stephanie felt a dizzying spin, her face draining of color in fright.

But they still couldn't avoid the white Bentley behind them. Stephanie caught a glimpse of the Bentley's strong light reflected in the rearview mirror and a familiar face inside the car made her eyes widen. It was Kevin...

He was drunk, his face contorted with rage, and his bloodshot eyes were budging. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, pushing the car to its limits. "Dominick, go to hell!"

Her mind went blank with terror as she stared at the oncoming collision, paralyzed with fear.

"Cover your head."

She couldn't hear Dominick clearly, only seeing his anxious face as he lunged towards her, wrapping her tightly in his arms...

"Boom-"A deafening crash sounded as the car was struck with tremendous force, flipping over the guardrail on the mountain road's shoulder. The car tumbled down the slope, everything in chaos, Finally, it came to a stop. The car's metal frame was mangled and twisted, wheels pointing towards the sky.

Blood oozed from the broken car onto the pitch-black mountain road below.

"Are you alright?"

After a long time, a hoarse voice finally came out from the narrow, suffocating space..

The car was severely crushed, and Stephanie felt dizzy but not seriously injured. Dominick had shielded her with his body, taking most of the impact.

It was dark down the hillside of the highway, so dark that she couldn't see Dominick's face, but his voice, low and hoarse, reached her ears.

"I... I'm fine."

Fear and unease gripped her heart, but Dominick was right there in front of her.

Her mind was a bit foggy, but she kept telling herself to stay calm, that everything would be alright. She weakly responded.

The driver slumped motionless in the front seat. Stephanie couldn't even hear his breathing.

The surroundings, deathly silent with an overwhelming scent of blood, caused her to shiver uncontrollably in every limb. She wanted to struggle out of the car, and to cry out loudly, but tears started to stream down her face.

Panic set in, a wa a wave of helplessness washing over her. She didn't know what to do.

"Hey, hey, it's gonna be okay. Someone will come..." Dominick's deep, familiar voice reached softly to her ear.

He hardly reached out a large hand, using what seemed to be his last bit of strength to touch the tears sliding down her cheek as if to comfort and encourage her.

Fearfully, Stephanie raised her arms to hold him, but suddenly, she felt a salty, metallic taste hit her lips. It wasn't her tears... It was blood!

Thick, crimson drops fell from his forehead onto her face.

Her face turned pale as she frantically gripped his hand, which felt cold,

"Dominick! Dominick, what's wrong... she choked out, always so strong and never got hurt...

tears s streaming down her face. Panic made her breath hitch in her chest. He was But as she reached him, she was horrified to find that Dominick's skin was ice cold, as if all the warmth had been drained from his body.

"Dominick, Dominick, wake up. Don't do this to me. Please say something, okay? Dominick!" she kept calling out his name in a low, pleading voice, desperately clinging to hope, but he didn't respond.

"No... No, this can't be happening!" She sobbed. "Someone help! Please, someone help us!"

Her voice was raw with desperation as she struggled to crawl out of the wreckage, but she was too weak. She couldn't escape. "Help. someone... Help!!

Time seemed to lose all meaning as the suffocating atmosphere of death filled the small car. Finally, she closed her eyes in exhaustion, and everything seemed to fall into a deathly silence...

Then, a faint sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears.

Her head swam, her consciousness hazy from the shock, but she was sure of it.

Someone was running towards them.

"The baby..."