Chapter 21

Chapter 21
As Amelia drifted off to sleep, her mind began to wander back to Dominic. She imagined herself standing in a dimly lit room, facing him. He was looking at her with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

“Amelia,” Dominic whispered, his voice low and husky. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Amelia’s dream self felt a shiver run down her spine as Dominic took a step closer to her.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dominic’s eyes seemed to bore into hers. “I want to show you what you’ve been missing,” he said, his voice dripping with seduction.

As Dominic reached out to touch her, Amelia’s dream self felt a surge of excitement. She imagined herself melting into his touch, feeling his warm hands on her skin.

The dream became more and more vivid, with Amelia imagining herself in various scenarios with Dominic. She pictured them together in the office, sneaking around to avoid detection. She imagined them in a luxurious hotel room, surrounded by candles and soft music.

As the dream progressed, Amelia’s feelings of excitement and desire grew stronger. She felt herself getting lost in the fantasy, unable to distinguish between reality and her subconscious mind.

It wasn’t until she woke up with a start, breathing heavily and feeling a mix of emotions, that Amelia realized the true extent of her fantasies about Dominic.

As the day went on, Amelia’s grumpiness only intensified. She couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach since the anonymous caller’s last phone call. She found herself cursing the mysterious person, whom she had now dubbed “Ass” in her mind.

“Ass” had managed to plant these disturbing ideas in her head, and now she couldn’t stop thinking about Dominic in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. She tried to push the thoughts away, but they lingered, refusing to be ignored.

As a result, Amelia began to act weird around Dominic. She found herself avoiding eye contact, stumbling over her words, and generally acting like a nervous wreck whenever he was around.

Derek, who had always been perceptive, noticed the change in Amelia’s behavior right away. “Hey, is everything okay?” he asked her, as they worked on a project together. “You seem a little... off.”

Amelia hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She didn’t want to confide in Derek about her strange feelings towards Dominic, but at the same time, she didn’t want to lie to him either.

“I’m just stressed, that’s all,” she said finally, trying to brush it off.

Derek raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, sure, you’re just stressed. That’s why you’ve been acting like a completely different person around Dominic. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s rich, handsome, and powerful.”

Amelia felt a surge of defensiveness. “What are you trying to say, Derek?”

Derek leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. “I’m saying that maybe you’re not as immune to Dominic’s charms as you think you are. And maybe, just maybe, you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get close to him.”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed, her mind racing with suspicion. What did Derek want from her? Was he trying to get her to confess something?

As Amelia tried to steer the conversation back to the project, Derek’s questions became more probing. “So, Amelia, what’s going on with you? You’ve been acting strange all day.”

Amelia hesitated, unsure of how to respond. “I’m just stressed, that’s all,” she repeated.

Derek raised an eyebrow. “Stressed? That’s not all, is it? You’re not still thinking about Dominic, are you?”

Amelia’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “No, I’m not thinking about Dominic,” she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Derek leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Come on, Amelia. I know you. You’re not immune to Dominic’s charms. And I have to say, I’m a little surprised. I thought you were smarter than that.”

Amelia’s face grew hot with anger. “What are you trying to say, Derek?”

Derek shrugged. “I’m just saying that you’re not the first woman to fall for Dominic’s wealth and power. But I have to admit, I’m a little hurt. I thought we had something special.”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about, Derek?”

Derek’s expression turned bitter. “I’m talking about how you chose to marry that rich guy instead of me. I’m talking about how you settled for a life of luxury instead of taking a chance on me.”

Amelia’s face crumpled as she felt a wave of pain wash over her. “That’s not fair, Derek,” she said, her voice shaking.

Derek’s expression softened slightly, but his words were still laced with venom. “I’m just telling the truth, Amelia. You chose money over love. And now, you’re falling for Dominic’s charms. It’s just so... predictable.”

Amelia felt a tear roll down her cheek as she struggled to maintain her composure. Just as she was about to respond, Dominic walked into the room.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, his eyes scanning the room.

Derek sneered. “Just having a little chat with Amelia about her questionable life choices.”

Dominic’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think that’s any of your business, Derek.”

Derek smirked. “Oh, I think it’s very much my business. After all, I’m the one who knew her before she became a gold-digger.”

Dominic’s face darkened with anger. “That’s enough, Derek,” he growled.

And with that, he punched Derek in the face, sending him crashing to the floor.

Amelia’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at Dominic. “What did you just do?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Dominic turned to her, his eyes blazing with anger. “I protected you,” he said. “No one gets to hurt you like that.”

Amelia felt a wave of emotion wash over her as she stared at Dominic. She couldn’t believe what he had just done. And yet, a part of her felt grateful. Grateful that someone was finally standing up for her.
As Derek struggled to get to his feet, his face twisted in anger and humiliation. “So, Amelia, is that what’s going on?” he spat, his voice loud and venomous. “Are you sleeping with him now? Is that why you’re so defensive?”

The room fell silent, with all eyes on Amelia and Derek. Amelia’s face burned with embarrassment and anger, and she took a step forward, her hands clenched into fists.

“How dare you,” she hissed, her voice trembling with rage. “You have no right to ask me that.”

Dominic stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. “That’s enough, Derek,” he growled. “You’re not going to stand there and insult Amelia. Apologize, right now.”

Derek’s face twisted in a snarl, but he seemed to realize that he had gone too far. “Fine,” he muttered, his voice still laced with venom. “I apologize.”

The apology seemed insincere, and Amelia’s anger still simmered just below the surface. She turned to Dominic, her eyes locked on his. “I think I need to get out of here,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dominic nodded, his eyes still blazing with anger. “I’ll take you home,” he said, his voice firm. “You’re not going to deal with this kind of behavior from anyone.”