Crushed Affections

Dominic's words seemed loaded with meaning, but Bella didn't dwell on them. She quietly pressed the earring into her palm, not wanting to unpack the implications.

He stayed by her side during the prenatal checkup, silently accompanying her. It felt like he was fulfilling an obligation, which, in a way, he was.

After leaving the hospital, he simply drove her to the neighborhood entrance and then left without saying another word.

Bella stood there for a moment, looking at the overcast sky. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? No more entanglement in pain. What she needed was time to move on gradually, step by step.NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

At the end of the month, Zion returned and married Lia. The two families had lunch together, and in the evening, Lia invited Bella to join her for a get-together.

When Bella arrived at the restaurant with Cara, she was surprised to discover that Lia had invited only her and Felix. Zion, on the other hand, didn't invite anyone.

She was puzzled. "Are you sure it's just us?"

Lia looked more feminine than usual in a pale pink dress with a sheer overlay. She had light makeup on and her hair styled into soft waves. She looked a bit stunning, and when she glanced at Zion, she smiled. "You and Felix are my best friends. This may not be the right occasion to invite certain people. Zion's friends are all in the military, so it's just us."

Bella glanced at Zion, who was even more handsome in person than in photos. His presence exuded a certain charm. It was no wonder Lia had been so eager to marry him.

Zion seemed like a warm-hearted guy, a lot like Felix. The two men had even fought over who would serve tea. Lia couldn't help but tease, "You two just take care of yourselves. Bella's got Cara with her. I have Zion. Felix, you're alone."

Felix chuckled. "Alright. I didn't expect things to move so fast. You just decided to get married, and now I'm scrambling for the wedding gift. The parcel hasn't even arrived yet, so you'll have to wait a couple of days."

Lia gave him a playful slap on the arm. "What's the rush? I've already gotten married, and Bella's pregnant, too. Felix, you had better hurry up. It's time to look forward!"

The implication was clear, and Felix understood it. His gaze inadvertently lingered on Bella. "Yeah... I should step it up."

Bella lowered her head, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll head to the restroom."

As usual, Cara followed her, even to the restroom.

While walking ahead, Bella didn't notice that Cara had suddenly called out from behind. "Did someone lose their wallet?"

Bella stopped and turned around. She saw Cara holding a black leather wallet and reached out to take it. Opening it, she checked for any identification, hoping it would help find the owner.

Inside the wallet was around a

thousand dollars in cash. The most

noticeable thing was a black-and-white photo in a

transparent compartment of a girl who looked around 18 or 19 with a sweet smile. But the photo was in black and white...

Just as she was about to search for other identification, a hand suddenly reached over and snatched the wallet away. "Sorry, that's mine."

t

Bella frowned. She looked up to see Zion's slightly awkward expression. She said nothing and quietly went to the restroom. When she returned, Zion was no longer at the table She asked Lia, "Does Zion have any sisters or female family members?

Ishe an only child?"

Lia knew Zion's family well enough. "No, he's the only one in his family, just like the rest of us. We're all the only children at home."

Bella felt a wave of doubt. She

couldn't help but wonder whose

photo was in Zion's wallet if what bia said was true. She figured that if it wasn't a family member, it must have been someone like his first love or something.