Chapter 4 Embracing Her

Allison glanced up and saw Dominic's silhouette framed by the dim light in the hallway.

Her mind was a whirl of thoughts. Earlier, in a moment of sheer desperation, she had struck Ethan, gambling everything. The image of her father, languishing in the hospital, spurred her to flee the restroom.

To her utter astonishment, Dominic was here. Considering the commotion she'd caused in the restroom, Allison wondered if he had overheard.

Their eyes met, suspended in the gloom. Embarrassed, Allison couldn't bring herself to meet his stare.

"Come over," Dominic commended.

Prompted by Ethan's rushing over, Allison cast aside her hesitation and walked determinedly toward Dominic, stopping before him. She caught a whiff of his familiar pine scent, its coolness soothing her frayed nerves and diminishing her annoyance with Ethan.

Brad Martin, Dominic's friend, watched Ethan with a smirk. "Well, Mr. Hopkins, since when did you take up such peculiar kinks?"

Brad and Dominic had unwittingly eavesdropped on the altercation between Allison and Ethan in the restroom.

Dominic's reaction shifted noticeably as he recognized Allison's voice. His composure swiftly returned to him after a moment of fury, which was noted by Brad, causing him to give up the idea of just walking by.

Just days earlier, while still overseas, Brad had heard rumors of Dominic's new romantic interest but had dismissed them as unlikely. Yet, witnessing Allison's captivating presence, his curiosity was piqued, his eyes shimmering with intrigue.

Ethan paid no attention to Brad and reluctantly approached Dominic. "Good evening, Dominic."

Ethan's tone caught Allison off guard. Ethan addressed Dominic by his first name, making her wonder if they were close.

Dominic ignored Ethan. Turning to Allison, he inquired, "What brings you here?"

"The sponsors are hosting a dinner, and the head teacher wanted me to come," Allison replied succinctly. "And you? What's your reason for being here?"

At that moment, Allison felt a piercing gaze from the side. Turning her head with a slight frown, she caught Brad's eye. He wasted no time in introducing himself. "Hello, Miss Roberts. I'm Brad Martin, a friend of Dominic's."

Allison had expected Dominic's friends to mirror his serious, polished demeanor. Yet, Brad's relaxed attitude caught her off guard. "Pleasure to meet you..."

"Let's go." Before Allison could finish her words, Dominic whisked her away.

Left standing alone, Brad was a bit annoyed.

As they walked, Dominic inquired about the room number. Reluctant at first, Allison decided to disclose it after noticing Ethan's glare from the doorway.

Dominic escorted her back to their private room.

Previously, not long after Allison exited the room, Ethan followed suit, prompting those onlookers to speculate about their departure.

However, when the door swung open again, the scene that greeted them was not as expected. Instead of just Ethan and Allison, Dominic was there too, holding Allison's hand as they entered.

Everyone immediately disregarded Ethan, their eyes turning to Dominic in complete surprise.

Once Dominic entered, he made his way to the main seat and sat beside Allison as if it was the most natural thing. The rest of the group instinctively shifted to accommodate him.

Shawn, who had been troubling Allison earlier, now wished he could disappear, grateful that his actions hadn't crossed a more serious line.

The music in the private room resumed. Despite no one being in the mood for entertainment, they felt compelled to maintain a lively atmosphere.

Allison, who had been the butt of the jokes earlier, now became the center of attention at the dinner after stepping out and back into the room.

Allison noticed the shift in how others treated her and wondered if Dominic had intentionally come to her aid. Yet, she couldn't pinpoint why.

As Allison pondered, a large hand enveloped her, pulling her into an embrace.

Allison was suddenly brought back to the moment by the familiar scent, her breath halting as Dominic held her so close. His bold gesture openly declared to everyone that Allison was his.

Ethan watched, his eyes seething with fury and resentment.

Dominic turned to Ethan and asked, "How's your grandfather doing?"

The mention of Greyson Hopkins made Ethan instinctively tense, and he replied, "He's the same as always."

Dominic nodded slowly. "Remember not to dishonor your grandfather." His words carried a heavy undertone.

Allison cast a puzzled glance at Dominic, her confusion deepening. She found herself unable to stop thinking about what kind of connection Ethan and Dominic could have.

Not long after, Dominic escorted Allison out of the private room.

It was only then that the tension in the room eased, yet Ethan's expression remained dark and his complexion turned ashen. No one dared to approach him or say a word.

In the car.

"How long have you been seeing Ethan?" Dominic posed a question.

Caught off guard, Allison hesitated before replying, "Two years."

The dim car light obscured Dominic's face, making it impossible for Allison to gauge his reaction. "Do you know who Ethan's grandfather is?" he inquired.

A sense of unease gripped Allison. She shook her head. "No, I don't know." Despite her two-year relationship with Ethan, she had never been introduced to his family.

Dominic shifted in his seat and said with a casual indifference, "His grandfather is my mother's foster father."

Allison stared at him, shocked. This was new to her. She knew that the Clarks and the Hopkins families were close, yet she hadn't realized their ties ran this deep. Dominic's words extinguished the flicker of hope that had sparked within her.

With a scoff, Dominic challenged her. "So, Allison, do you think I'd go against Ethan just because we've been intimate a couple of times?"

Dominic had no reason to challenge Ethan directly, nor any interest in antagonizing Greyson on Allison's behalf.

Dominic had clarified things thoroughly, ensuring Allison grasped his meaning. He tapped slowly on the armrest. "I helped you out today. We're square now."

Suppressing her irritation, Allison clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She had been intimate with Dominic on two occasions. Yet, all he had done in exchange was a little help at the dinner party.

Allison's remaining sense of pride compelled her to maintain her composure. Staring directly into Dominic's eyes, she snapped, "I could have managed earlier even without your help, Mr. Clark. But thanks anyway. Goodbye."

Allison was convinced she wouldn't seek him out after tonight. Their paths were unlikely to cross again.

When the car came to a stop, Allison opened the door and stepped out.

Aaron inquired, "Mr. Clark, is something wrong with Miss Roberts? She seems distracted."

Dominic's eyes lingered on Allison's slender figure. He had to concede that she still held an allure for him. But that was the extent of it.

Just as Aaron was ready to drive off, Brad dashed over, swung open the backseat door, and climbed inside. "I've been following you, thinking you'd go after her. Why did you let her leave so easily?"

Brad was puzzled by the sight, convinced there was more to Allison than met the eye. Dominic had stooped to assist her, yet it had ended like this. Brad clicked his tongue in disbelief.

"You've got nothing going on right now, do you?" Dominic's voice was laced with a cold edge.

"That's where you're wrong. I just got a call. Want to take a guess who it was?" Brad retorted.

Dominic shot him a glance and directed Aaron, "Drive."

Aaron, not wanting to get involved, promptly started the engine.

Noticing Dominic's disinterest in continuing the conversation, Brad arched an eyebrow and prodded further, "You're really going to just ignore Freya?"

At last, Dominic's attention shifted back to Brad as he responded nonchalantly, "She initiated the breakup with me. Why is she reaching out to you now? Trying to make amends with me?"

"It makes sense. Allison's quite the catch, becoming your date and all. The word about your relationship with Allison must've gotten around. Freya called me to dig up some details," Brad explained.

The rumor in Zenvale was that Dominic, having broken up with his girlfriend, Freya Ellsworth, in a fit of anger, would eventually forgive her once she came back and apologized.

Dominic had always doted on Freya excessively, and everyone expected nothing less than a reconciliation.

But with Allison's sudden appearance, the future was anything but certain.