Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella)

Chapter 270 Can't Wait to Come Back and Hold You

Bella couldn't quite pinpoint what she was feeling as she closed the drawer and continued searching

After rummaging around for a while, she finally found the document Dominic had mentioned-tucked underneath his laptop.

She carefully took photos of each page and sent them to him. Once he confirmed everything was in order, the tone of the conversation quickly shifted. Almost immediately, he sent her a new message, "I can't wait to come back and hold you." Bella's heart fluttered at his words. She replied simply, "I'll be waiting."

Dominic didn't respond after that, likely caught up with work again.

Later that night, just before she went to bed, he called her on video. Bella put down the scarf she had been knitting, answered the call, and lay back on the bed

His face appeared on the screen, casually handsome. His voice carried a subtle warmth.

"Where are you on this business trip?"

He looked exhausted, with half his face buried in a soft pillow and his eyes half-closed. "Holha Victor suddenly introduced me to a major business partner. At first, I thought he was looking to take a cut for himself, so I offered him 4%, but I thought he'd find that too stingy. "But it turns out he doesn't want anything at all. I have no idea what his angle is. He's got no reason to look out for me like this, and I can't figure out what his game is."

Bella wasn't familiar with the complexities of business, so she replied casually, "Maybe he just admires you and doesn't have any bad intentions. Or maybe he's after something better than a small percentage. You'll figure it out. I wouldn't know. If you're tired, you should get some sleep. Should I hang

Hearing her suggest ending the call, Dominic frowned. "Why are you always so reluctant to talk to me? You're like this at home, and you're the same when I'm away. Are you trying to make me chase after you?"

Bella felt a wave of frustration. "Who am I to make you chase me? I'm the one who's been running after you this whole time. I'm just trying to be considerate. You must be tired, and I don't want to bother you. That's called being thoughtful, not avoiding talking to you." Dominic's lips curved into a barely noticeable smile. "Go to sleep, but don't hang up. Let's just keep the call going while we sleep.

Bella wasn't thrilled about the idea, but she didn't dare say no. Sleeping with the call ongoing felt like she was being watched. What if she fell asleep and accidentally showed him her less-than-flattering sleeping face?

Determined to avoid that, she stayed awake until she was sure he had fallen asleep first. Only then did she set her phone aside and finally drift off.

The next maming. Dominic's voice woke her. "You're late. Get

he said through the phone.

Bella shot upright in bed, panicking as soon as she checked the time. She rushed around, scrambling to get ready.

For some reason, her bedside alarm hadn't gone off, and now, she was running late!

Skipping breakfast, she sped down the road while gripping the wheel with sweaty hands. She was driving so fast that she even scared herself. Despite her efforts, she still arrived late at the hospital.

What made it worse was that she had surgery scheduled first thing in the morning, and because of her lateness, the procedure was delayed by 20

After the surgery, the hospital director called her into his office. "Being late isn't usually a big deal, but when there's a surgery involved, it's different. I'm not scolding you, just giving you a heads-up. It's cold, and I know It's hard for you young people to get out of bed, but just try to be more mindful." Bella wished she could crowd into a hole. She rarely ever arrived late to work. She had always been diligent and professional

This was entirely her fault, so she couldn't argue. "You're right. I'm really alps

sorry. It won't happen again."

The director, likely out of respect for Dornink, was unusually kind. "It's fine. Just get back to work"

Bella felt a little down after leaving the director's office.

Work was one of the few things she was truly passionate about, and now, she couldn't shake the guilt of letting her standards slip.

As she rounded a corner, she accident

their tell frame.

bumped into someone. She quickly muttered an apology, but the person didn't move and blocked her path with