Chapter 68
Watching Scott comfort Lola, Dominick could barely contain his inner turmoil.
Dominick’s hands, hanging at his side, were slightly clenched, the veins on the back of his hand subtly protruding.
Ethan knew all too well what Dominick was feeling. He was somewhat worried that Dominick wouldn’t be able to hold back and subtly squeezed his shoulder as a hint.
After Lola and Jasmine returned to the tower, leaving only the three men outside, the atmosphere instantly reached a peak of
tension.
Dominick no longer suppressed the fierce energy emanating from him and coldly asked Scott, “What exactly is going on here? Why does it seem like Lola doesn’t recognize me anymore?”
Ethan was also very curious. “Scott, shouldn’t you explain? Why does Layla seem to have forgotten everything? And about your marriage, don’t you think you owe me an explanation too?”
Scott was taken aback for a moment and then forced a smile, replying, “Come to think of it, you’re my wife’s brother. Why are you questioning me now?”
Though Ethan and Scott were indeed relatives, Ethan felt even more displeased at the mention of family ties.
“Weren’t you married to Jenna? So, you already have a wife, and yet you want to rekindle something with Layla? No, to be precise, you two never had anything to begin with,” Ethan said.
While he appeared to be expressing his doubts, both his tone and his gaze revealed whose side he was on now.
Although Ethan had once despised Dominick, their shared experiences over a month of fighting side by side had changed things.
Scott paused at Ethan’s question and then avoided the direct issue, saying, “Layla now has no memory of her past.
“She was barely alive when I found her. She almost died, but not from the cruel ways in the basement. It was the unbearable memories of her past that had almost crushed her to death!
“The doctors said she didn’t want to wake up, to face reality. If left as is, she would have died.”
Dominick’s expression darkened. He thought, ‘What Scott says must be true. Lola went missing because she saw that video. It drove her back into a state of self–harm, and then Jenna found her. Lola must have been devastated, and at a time when she needed me the most, I wasn’t there.”
With that thought in mind, guilt started to gnaw at him, slowly taking over his heart.
Dominick asked, “So, what now?”
Scott observed Dominick’s expression and slowly replied, “So, I asked the hypnotist to make Layla forget those painful memories.” Ethan’s expression darkened. “Scott! Isn’t that a bit too much? You didn’t even consider what Layla wanted!”
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Scott was unable to contain his emotion any longer and irritably replied, “Then what else should I have done?! Ask Layla what she wanted? You didn’t see what state she was in! She was dying, do you understand? If I were to hesitate even for a few minutes, it could have cost her life!”
Ethan then paused, realizing Scott’s actions weren’t entirely wrong.
Ethan felt that if he were in that situation, he would have done the same, as Layla’s life was of utmost importance.
Dominick understood everything now.
For Lola to live a healthy and peaceful life, she needed to live in a world without him.
It was a harsh reality, but Dominick had no energy to argue because Scott was right in both his actions and words.
“Sir, I don’t know who you are, but from what I’ve observed, I could guess you are the man who made Layla so sad and nearly cost her life. Am I right?” Scott finally asked the question, harboring a hint of reluctance.
The girl who once followed him around, with eyes only for him, had grown up to fall in love with another man.
Scott felt somewhat relieved that Layla could forget everything and return to how she was before. Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
Dominick didn’t say a word, but that said it all and confirmed that he was indeed the man in question.
Upon seeing the conversation was veering off course, Ethan shifted the topic and asked, “So, what do you plan to do about your relationship with her? If I remember correctly, before Layla was taken
away, you two were arranged to get married. Layla probably only remembers that you two are engaged, but she doesn’t know you’re already married, right?”
Scott responded somewhat hastily when this question came up. “I’ll handle it!
“I’ll divorce Jenna and I’ll be good to only Layla. She’ll have my care, and her days ahead will be smooth sailing. Don’t worry too much.”
Ethan then instinctively looked over at Dominick.
Dominick’s face was expressionless, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance, as if he had heard the conversation and yet hadn’t.
Ethan asked, “Dominick? Are you okay? You…”
“Please, take good care of her.” Dominick, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up, asking for her to be taken care of.
That was all he could bring himself to say now.
Lola’s current state was inseparably linked to Dominick, so he couldn’t bring himself to say anything else.
He felt that he had no right to.
In just a few short minutes, many images flashed through Dominick’s mind.
Lola’s expressions were filled with fear, panic, disgust, and hatred. Yet, upon seeing her for the first time just now, her eyes finally regained their original purity and clarity,
Dominick mused, ‘Lola was always meant to be that kind of girl. It’s being with me that has tormented her for so long, wearing away the light that was rightfully hers. Now, returning to her former self seems like the best choice. I’ve given her back to the world she belongs to.”
He had made a mistake and tried to make amends, only to realize later that some mistakes are irreparable.
Dominick then concluded that the best course of action was to let go.
Ethan should have gone back to be with Lola, but seeing the despair in Dominick’s departing figure, which seemed capable of destroying a person, Ethan became worried.
After a moment of hesitation, Ethan looked at Scott and said, “We’ll talk about Jenna later.”
Then, he chased after Dominick and said, “Wait up. You don’t know your way around here. Where are you going?”
Dominick suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with melancholy, his voice soft as if coming from a faraway place. “Do you want to go have a drink?”
Ethan was slightly taken aback, thinking, ‘Given Dominick’s personality, he should be raging and planning to take Layla back by now. But Dominick’s calmness is frightening me.”
He asked in confusion, “Why…would you make such a decision? Although I also hope Layla’s future life to be peaceful, without the memories of past hardships, I thought you would forcibly take her away by now.”
Dominick shook his head bitterly, filled with helplessness, like a fallen monarch devoid of any grandeur.
He replied, “It’s better she doesn’t remember. The debt I owe her can never be repaid in this lifetime. Instead of both of us suffering, it’s better she forgets all this, and I suffer alone.”
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