Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella) novel Chapter 15

Among the items, Bella found a photograph of Dorothy with a handsome man whom she had never seen before. But instinct told her that this man was her father.

Most of the letters were written by Dorothy to her father, but they were never sent. As she carefully sorted through the contents, she noticed a single sheet of paper at the bottom without an envelope.

Curiosity got the best of her, and she unfolded it. The moment she saw Richard's name, her heart sank.

This was the only letter written by Richard to Dorothy. The handwriting was strong and bold, and every word expressed a deep and enduring love.

Bella was stunned. Did this mean that Dorothy and Richard weren't as innocent as she had believed?

At the very least, Richard had feelings for Dorothy. It was possible that when Dorothy was at her most desperate, trying to secure Bella's future with the Miller family, she had spent her final days with Richard.

For years, Bella had avoided seeking the truth, but it seemed like the answers had been hidden in this small box all along. The years of coldness and resentment from Dominic suddenly didn't seem unwarranted.

At the same time, she felt a strange sense of relief that Dominic hadn't opened the box and uncovered these painful secrets himself.

Guilt flooded her, along with a deep sense of unease. She had no idea how she could ever face him again.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a car outside. Was Dominic leaving?

She walked to the window and watched as his car drove away. The guilt gnawing at her heart made her want to reach out to him, to make up for everything, but she didn't know how.

She pulled out her phone and sent a message. "Where are you going this late?"

To her surprise, Dominic replied, though his message was brief. "Business trip."