The Windfalls of Love (Roxanne and Harrison) novel Chapter 317

Although Roxanne shot him a glare, a straightforward smile crept onto her lips.

It was a smile that had been absent for far too long.

A smile that came from the heart, pure and real.

As Dominic had said, Harrison was indeed the only one who could breathe life into her once-stilled heart.

Right then, Roxanne's phone buzzed with a notification.

It was a message from Dominic.

"Hey Roxanne, you up?" Dominic texted.

Roxanne immediately shot back, "Yeah, I'm up. What's up?"

"Just didn't want to disturb your beauty sleep, but since you're awake, I gotta come clean about something," Dominic typed.

Roxanne cut him off, "You don't have to say anything. I know all about the fake plane crash news. You cooked up that story for Harrison, didn't you? I'm not mad at you, so no hard feelings."

Dominic was worried she'd hold a grudge.

He had promised never to lie to her again, yet for the sake of her reconciliation with Harrison, he'd deceived her once more.

His conscience was heavy.

After all, the fake news had worn Roxanne down to a shadow of her former self.

He was terrified it might have broken her spirit.

"Really, Dominic, no need for apologies, truly. I should be thanking you. You helped me see what's truly in my heart. I had a great day today," Roxanne replied.

Meanwhile, Harrison finished blow-drying Roxanne's hair.

She remained engrossed in the conversation, oblivious to Harrison's presence.

She owed her reunion with Harrison to Dominic's interference, his push to help her see her own heart clearly.

There were a thousand things she wanted to say to Dominic, a flood of gratitude she wanted to express.

In the chat box, she typed out a message only to delete it.

Words seemed inadequate to convey her thanks. Simple thank-yous felt too light.

Harrison, glancing downwards, noticed how engrossed she was in conversation with another man.

It wasn't jealousy that stirred within him.

He knew Roxanne's true feelings and appreciated Dominic's part in bringing them back together.

He and Dominic were tight now, solid buddies.

Jealousy over Dominic didn't cross his mind.

It was just that, on the first day of their renewed relationship, Roxanne seemed more invested in chatting with someone else than with him.

He felt a twinge of neglect.

"Roxanne, I need to talk to you," Harrison said, setting aside the hairdryer and pulling up a chair next to her.

She bit her lip, pondering how to express her gratitude to Dominic, ignoring Harrison.

Harrison felt a pang of sadness. "Roxanne, look at me."

"Just a sec, let me send this message," she mumbled, eyes still glued to her phone.

A stifled frustration built in Harrison's chest.

But unlike other times, he didn't blame Roxanne for her negligence.

He understood the weight of Dominic in her life, a bond that surpassed even family ties.

No one could replace that.

He had no intention of vying for the spot Dominic held in Roxanne's heart.

Dominic went to answer it.

Standing there was Evelyn, barging in without invitation, her arms laden with bottles of liquor.

Following her in, Dominic watched as she made herself at home on his sofa, and frowned. "Are you here to drink with me?"

"Shouldn't you be the one hurting the most today?" Evelyn asked, looking at him intently. "Roxanne and Harrison are back together. I thought I'd keep you company."

"I don't drown my sorrows in booze," Dominic said coldly.

Evelyn popped open a bottle of high-proof whiskey. The cap clattered onto the coffee table.

"Are you afraid of drinking too much? Scared you'll lose control?" she teased.

Dominic stood still, his gaze lowered. "Provoking me won't work."

With that, he turned away.

"Drink if you want. I've got software to write. Excuse me."

Evelyn, clutching a bottle of whiskey, caught up to Dominic and firmly grasped his arm. "Come on, Dominic, if you don't want to drink, you don't have to. No pressure, really. I'm just worried about you being all by your lonesome. Thought you could use some company."

The word 'lonesome' was an understatement for Dominic's state of mind.

His life had been a study of austerity.

Like Roxanne, he too bore the tragic fate of being abandoned by his parents at a young age.

Then, at twenty, he was struck by a serious illness that forced him to lie and leave the woman he loved.

Naturally distant, friends were scarce in his life.

Affection, love, friendship – all the dear things in life seemed to be a luxury of pain he couldn't afford.

He turned slowly, his gaze strained and in the depths of his eyes, a flicker of barely discernible agony. His eyes settled on the whiskey bottle in Evelyn's hand and he asked in a low voice, "Can booze really drown the sorrows?"