Crushed Affections

Soon, Cara drove up, and Bella waved at Felix. She smiled and said, "Goodbye."

Felix's smile was a little pale. "Goodbye," he echoed, but his words felt uncertain. It was as if he was questioning whether "goodbye" truly meant they'd see each other again.

Cara was driving cautiously on a wide road, staying under 50 mph in the city despite not having many cars. Bella and Cara had this in common. Bella was naturally cautious, while Cara was careful and worried about potential accidents. As they approached an intersection, a car suddenly shot out from the side, startling both Bella and Cara. In theory, they should've been able to avoid the collision by hitting the brakes immediately, but for some reason, they still crashed! The violent impact sent their car skidding sideways, nearly hitting the car behind them. Finally, the car's front end collided with the median, stopping.

The jarring shock left Bella dizzy. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, and a cold sweat broke out all over her.

Cara, still recovering from the shock, didn't care about the blood oozing from the cut on her forehead. She hurriedly asked, "Ms. Jones, are you okay?"

Bella clutched her stomach, her voice trembling. "It hurts... Call 911. Take me to the hospital!"

Cara, still shaken, fumbled to dial the number, muttering about how the brakes had failed.

Bella's ears were buzzing, making it hard to hear what Cara said. Maybe it was the shock, or maybe her body couldn't handle the fear, but she soon lost consciousness.

When she woke up again, she was in a hospital. The sterile scent of disinfectant filled the air, a smell that, thanks to her former career, brought her a sense of calm.

2

Her first instinct was to touch her stomach to make sure the baby was still there. Once she confirmed everything was okay, she let out long sigh, feeling her eyelids grow heavy. She hoarsely called out for ara. "Cara... I need water."

Strong hands gently helped her sit up and propped a pillow under her. Then, a glass of water was brought to her lips.

She drank several large gulps before stopping. Opening her eyes, she stared into Dominic's deep, unfathomable gaze. She was momentarily stunned. "Why are you here? Where's Cara?" Dominic replied with indifference, "She was too shaken up. So, I sent her to rest."

Bella didn't quite believe him. With his personality, if Cara had made a mistake at work, he probably wouldn't have kept her around.

Frowning, she asked, "What really happened? I think I heard Cara say that the brakes failed... If that's the case, the car is to blame-not Cara. She's always been careful with me." Dominic didn't offer much explanation. He simply set down the glass of water and adjusted his jacket. "I'll have someone look into it. Don't worry about it."

With that, he turned and walked out without sparing her a second glance.

Bella was starting to get angry. Was

he really going to act so high and

mighty now? She'd just been in an an accident and couldn't even get the essential information. Was it his habit to not talk to "strangers"? She was his child's mother, after all.

Sometime later, lan entered the room wearing a doctor's coat. "How are you feeling, Dr. Jones? I never imagined I'd be treating you one day. It feels a bit awkward, honestly." Bella's lips twitched involuntarily. "You're enjoying this, aren't you? My baby... Is everything alright?"

lan nodded. "For now, everything'sNôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

fine. I'm not a specialist in

obstetrics, but I've studied it enough. Otherwise, Dominic wouldn't have had me step in. You did get quite a shock, though, and it had a minor negative effect. After you get home, you should stay in bed for a week and return for a check-up."