Crushed Affections (Dominic and Bella) novel Chapter 102

Chapter 102 Tone It Down 

Maybe Lia had ruined the mood at the table because Amber and her group quickly paid the bill and left. 

With the “eyesore” gone, Bella’s appetite returned, and she slowly finished her meal. After taking a break at the restroom, she stopped by the front desk to pay the bill, only to be told it had already been settled. 

She glanced over at Felix, who was already looking at her. 

Back at the table, she said, “Why did you pay the bill? I said I’d treat you.” 

Felix, not one for macho posturing, smiled gently. “Treat me next time, then. It’s all the same. 

” 

His way of handling things never made Bella feel “taken care of” or uncomfortable. Instead, it was like a breath of fresh air. That was Felix’s charm–making interactions feel easy and pleasant. 

As they left the restaurant, Lia and Yvonne playfully ran ahead to the car while Bella and Felix trailed leisurely behind. They chatted casually until Felix glanced toward a car parked nearby. “Dominic is waiting for you.” 

Bella looked over, and it was indeed Dominic’s car. She had assumed he had already left. 

She didn’t want to go over. “He might not be waiting for me. Let’s just go.” 

She had barely reached Felix’s car when her phone rang. It was Dominic calling, though he refrained from honking the horn this time. 

She answered the call, and his deep voice came through. “Come here.” 

Bella hesitated as she glanced at Felix and hung up. “You guys go ahead. Don’t wait for me. I’ll head back on my own.” 

Felix was silent for a couple of seconds. “Call me if you need anything” 

Bella nodded but avoided meeting his eyes. Knowing that Felix liked her made it harder for her to act close to Dominic in front of him. It would be one thing if she and Dominic were officially together, but they weren’t 

Most people would try to avoid looking like they were losing in love in front of someone who liked them, 

Once Felix’s car had driven off, Bella reluctantly walked toward Dominic’s car. What should have been a short walk took forever, and she dragged her feet as though she was dreading it. 

The main reason was that she assumed Amber was in the car with him. Amber had been staying at Miller Manor recently, so it made sense for them to come and go together. Bella didn’t want to deal with seeing Amber. 

“Get in.” Dominic rolled down the window, clearly already irritated. 

Bella planced at the passenger seat. It was empty–Amber wasn’t there, 

She opened the door and got in. “What’s wrong?”