Chapter 183

Chapter 183: Chapter 183

Lena’s POV

Ever since we left the manor, Dominic had been in a foul mood. He sat in the driver’s seat with his jaw locked tight, that heavy, suffocating pressure around him so intense it felt like the car windows might crack from it.

Whatever Celeste had said in the study had clearly hit him hard. Really hard.

"Your mom really likes Gemma," I said as I fastened my seat belt, keeping my tone as casual as I could. "Honestly, after spending time with her today, I get why. I kind of like her too."

Dominic didn’t start the car. He just sat there, both hands gripping the wheel, staring through the windshield like he was somewhere else entirely.

After a long silence, he finally turned to me. "Do you want to break the bond?"

The second those words left his mouth, every hair on my body stood on end.

I pulled at the corner of my mouth and lifted one brow. "Obviously. You know I’ve wanted that for ages. The one who kept refusing was you."

"You still want that? Even now?"

"Yes." I held his gaze without backing down.

His chest rose and fell hard, but he was clearly trying to keep himself under control.

"Dominic, whenever you’re ready, I can do it. Today, tomorrow, whenever. This was a contract from the start. No love, no deeper attachment. You’re done with it, the girl you really wanted is back, game over. Simple as that."

I tilted my head, a sharp little smile curling on my lips. "Unless... you’re hesitating because you fell for me?"

The veins on the back of his hand stood out. His eyes turned ice-cold.

"Yeah, that’s what I thought." I turned to look out the window. "This contract was always temporary. Looks like time’s up."

He said nothing. I said nothing either. He started the car and drove.

We had never said the word "love." Not once. From the very beginning, we both knew this relationship had nothing to do with love. I never expected it. Never asked for it.

If there was no emotional debt between two people, then leaving shouldn’t hurt.

In theory, anyway.

Gemma was different from Eliza. That was my gut feeling. Dominic had once said Gemma coming back wouldn’t change anything, but promises like that? Time wears them down.

He gave no response to anything I’d said. He just drove in silence, and I didn’t push.

That evening, after my shower, I came out and found Dominic standing by the window on the phone.

He heard me and turned around. "Set it up as soon as possible." Then he hung up.

I climbed into bed and asked, "What was that about?"

"Gemma’s leg. It’s an old injury. I’m asking specialists if there’s any way to treat it." He actually explained on his own for once, which was new.

I nodded. "That’s the right thing to do."

It was his business, not mine.

"Do you know how she got hurt?" I pulled the blanket over myself. "Did she ever tell you what happened in those eight years?"

"She doesn’t want to talk about it."

Yeah. I’d expected that. Whatever Gemma had gone through, she had buried it deep.

"What about Eliza? Have the two of them gotten in touch?"

"I don’t know."

Eliza had gone completely off the grid. No calls, no appearances, no drama. She’d vanished from our lives as suddenly as she had barged into them.

There was nothing else to say. I closed my eyes. "Good night."

Dominic looked at me for a second, then went to shower.

That night, we slept in the same bed without touching each other once.

The new year started with a staff meeting and a team dinner. Our department manager picked a casual restaurant near the office. We all sat around one big table and ordered way too much food. At first we talked about work, then, like always, the conversation drifted into personal life.

I went along with the vibe, joked when I needed to, comforted people when it fit, doing my best to keep things light and easy.

Then I happened to glance out the window.

Gemma was outside, moving toward the restaurant entrance with a crutch. She looked through the glass for a moment, then pushed the door open and came in.

There was a step by the entrance. She nearly lost her balance, but caught herself at the last second. Once she steadied herself, she sat down at the nearest table to the door.

She ordered one dish and a soup. She was wearing a plain dark coat and dark pants, nothing eye-catching at all. If not for the crutch, she probably would’ve disappeared into the crowd completely.

From where I was sitting, she hadn’t noticed me.

Her food arrived. She ate quietly, movements steady, never once lifting her head.

"What are you staring at?" one of my coworkers asked, nudging me.

I looked away. "Nothing."

When I turned back again, she was gone.

After dinner, I walked out with my coworkers. The table where Gemma had sat hadn’t been cleared yet. My eyes dropped to her plate.

She had eaten everything. Every last bite. Even the rice was gone, not a grain left behind.

People don’t eat like that unless they’ve really known hunger.

That faint unease in me got stronger.

Whatever Gemma had gone through during those missing years, it hadn’t been anything gentle.

After work, I sent Dominic a message saying I was meeting Anna and would be home late.

[Okay.]

Just that one word. Nothing else.

I raised a brow, then got in a cab and headed to the restaurant Anna had picked.

It was a nice place by the river. The window seats looked out over the water. Boats glowing with warm lights drifted past, passengers leaning on the rails as they watched the shoreline slide by.

"Did you tell Daniel?" I asked as I sat down.

"I did. He’s busy." Anna slid a glass of sparkling water toward me. "Try this. It’s good."

I took a sip, nodded, then looked out at the river.

We sat there quietly, both carrying things we hadn’t said out loud.

At the same time, we turned to look at each other and burst out laughing.

"What’s wrong with you?"

"What’s wrong with you?"

We asked in unison, and that just made us laugh harder.

Still smiling, I let out a sigh. "You go first."

Anna didn’t dodge it. "Living with Daniel feels weird. Compared to before the bond, we’re actually more polite now. It doesn’t feel like a couple building a home together. It feels like roommates splitting rent."

"He’s probably holding back because he doesn’t want to pressure you. Daniel’s one of the most respectful people I’ve ever met."

"That’s exactly the problem. I know he’s trying to respect me. But every time I see him, I feel guilty for dragging him into the mess that is my life." Anna shrugged. "My brain always circles back to that."

I shook my head. "Don’t do that. If Daniel didn’t want this, not even a crane could drag him into this mess. He agreed because he meant it. If you feel bad, the answer isn’t guilt. It’s getting closer to him, not pushing him away."

Anna made a face. "I’m starting to get what you’ve been dealing with this whole time. Two people with no love between them trying to keep a contract relationship going. That sounds exhausting as hell."

"It is."

"And now you’ve got a fresh new problem." Anna narrowed her eyes. "Remember that girl we ran into outside the store? The one with the crutch?"

"I remember."

"And?"

I took a long drink of my soda, set the glass down, and leaned back in my chair. "That was Gemma."

Anna froze.

I couldn’t help laughing.

In the space of about three seconds, her expression shifted from shock to pain to worry.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

"Because this is totally different now, Lena." Anna’s voice dropped. "Eliza was just an annoying headache. But Gemma... she’s the woman Dominic loved. Loved enough that guilt made him take care of her sister for years. If he could go that far for Eliza, just imagine what he’d do for Gemma herself."

I didn’t flinch. "It’s not complicated. We end the bond. That’s it."

Anna stared at me, and I could tell she’d reached the same conclusion I had.

This time, Dominic and I might really be over for good.