Chapter 66 Dominic Appearance

Chapter 66 Dominic Appearance
Everyone’s eyes immediately darted toward the source of the unfamiliar voice and the room seemed to fall into an uneasy silence as a man seated in a wheelchair came into view even when confined to a wheelchair, Dominic Blackwood carried himself with the kind of authority that made his physical limitations almost irrelevant.

His posture was straight, his shoulders relaxed, and his presence filled the room with a quiet dominance that seemed completely out of place for someone everyone assumed was weak and sickly.

Liora's eyes widened the moment she saw him. “Dear?”

She immediately pushed back her seat and hurried across the room, her earlier frustration momentarily forgotten.

She lowered herself into a squat in front of him, her eyes moving over him with a mixture of surprise and concern. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice softer now. “Where’s Mr. Lawrence?”

Dominic's eyes settled on her, and the severity in his eyes softened almost imperceptibly without answering immediately, he lifted a hand and gently stroked her head.

“My wife is being mistreated,” he said simply. “How could I not come?”

Liora's heart tightened because now she knew why he had come. Dominic was supposed to be resting and focusing on his treatment rather than pushing himself into an argument at her school and more than anything, she didn't want him to waste his money because of her.

“It’s nothing,” she insisted, trying to reassure him despite the frustration still sitting heavily in her chest. “I can handle it.”

She wanted him to believe that because she had survived far worse than a confrontation like this.

She didn't want Dominic to think she needed to be rescued every time someone tried to make things difficult for her. “Even so, I can’t just leave you like this.”

Liora stared at him for a moment before finally letting out a small breath. She knew that look, once Dominic made up his mind about something involving her, convincing him otherwise was nearly impossible wiith no other choice, she reached for the handles of his wheelchair and began pushing him farther into the room.

The professor watched the newcomer closely and his eyes traveled over Dominic from head to toe, lingering on the wheelchair and the mask that concealed most of his face.

Whoever this man was, there was clearly something mysterious about him, and the professor couldn't tell what kind of person he was dealing with.

“Liora beat up and threatened a fellow student,” he declared firmly. “She deserves to be punished, regardless of whoever you are.”

Liora's expression tightened at the accusation but Dominic, however, remained completely composed. “And have you found out why Liora attacked her in the first place?”

“There’s a winner and loser in every fight,” Dominic continued. “Why should the loser receive money?”

The professor's expression changed slightly but Dominic didn't give him enough time to respond. “It’s called survival of the fittest or aren’t you smart enough to understand that, Professor?”

Mara, who had been standing nearby, nearly found herself applauding because she had expected Dominic to defend Liora, but she hadn't expected him to do it with such ruthless confidence.

He might have been seated in a wheelchair, his face partially hidden behind a mask, but there was nothing weak about the man in front of her.

If anything, he seemed twice as imposing because he didn't need to raise his voice to command the room.

A sickly cripple he may have been according to appearances, Mara thought, but he certainly didn't carry himself like one.

“Exactly,” she echoed, unable to resist joining in. “You shouldn’t get into fights you can’t win. What’s the point of crying now? Shameless thing.”

Sophie's face twisted with anger. “You ganged up on me!” she screeched.

The professor's patience finally snapped. “I witnessed Liora and Mara bullying Sophie.”

“We are an institution that takes pride in our learning and no matter the reason, such disgraceful behavior will not be tolerated.”

He straightened, clearly determined to reassert his authority. “Who are you, anyway, to barge in like this?”

Dominic didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned his head toward Liora.

“He’s my husband, Dominic Blackwood.”

She didn't care if the professor was impressed by the name or not. Dominic was her husband, and that alone was enough reason for her to stand beside him.

“You didn’t even try to find out why we were fighting, Professor,” Liora continued. “You just assumed it was our fault. How is that fair?”

Her frustration finally spilled into her voice. “We were willing to let it go, but to compensate her? No. We can’t, and we won’t.”

Sophie immediately stepped forward, refusing to let the matter disappear so easily. “You attacked me and I deserve to be compensated!”

Her eyes shifted toward Dominic then she remembered what her friend had said....that Liora had married a rich man.

Her eyes moved over Dominic's clothes, taking in the quality of his suit tgen she noticed the expensive watch displayed on his wrist.

The wheelchair and mask might have made him look sickly, but neither concealed the quality of what he was wearing.

Sophie suddenly found herself calculating just how much money she might be able to demand from him..If Liora's husband was wealthy, perhaps this confrontation could benefit her after all. “Compensated for a slap?” Dominic sneered.

His eyes settled on her, and there was something almost mocking in it. “Are you certain?”

“Of course.” Sophie's confidence returned immediately. “Why? Are you going to pay up?”

“No!”

Liora reached for Dominic's hand before the conversation could go any further. Her fingers closed around his, as if she wanted to make it clear that she wasn't going to allow Sophie to take advantage of him.

“We didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “If she hadn’t hit Mara first, I wouldn’t have attacked her even Mara’s own parents have never slapped her like that. What right did Sophie have?”

Her anger was controlled, but it was unmistakable and Dominic lowered his eyes to their joined hands before looking back at her.

“I know and I won’t waste my money on her.”

Liora studied his face for a second before nodding in understanding. She knew Dominic wasn't someone who would throw money at a person simply because they demanded it.

Mara's eyes drifted toward their intertwined hands and she hadn't meant to stare, but something about the sight caught her attention.

There was an ease between them, a quiet familiarity that didn't seem forced.

Dominic didn't need to say much for Liora to understand him, and Liora didn't seem uncomfortable touching him or standing close to him.

There was a subtle sense of trust between them, something almost like an unspoken rhythm they had developed without realizing it.

They seemed comfortable together and compatible.

She quickly shook it away, refusing to dwell on it.

Whatever their relationship looked like from the outside, that wasn't her concern right now.

“Liora was right,” Mara said firmly, turning her attention back to Sophie. “We won’t pay her a cent.”