Chapter 29

"At least treat me to something..." Dominic scanned the nearby eateries with a grimace. They were either dimly lit and reeking of smoke or packed with laborers wolfing down cheap takeout on the sidewalk.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. If he wanted to win over this stubborn girl, he'd have to pull out all the stops.

"Come on, the least you could do is buy me a ten-dollar lunch box, right?"

"Fine," Alice agreed without hesitation.

They settled for a basic meal—two vegetable sides and a small portion of meat. Alice, already full from the two mushroom sandwiches she'd eaten earlier, sat across from Dominic and watched him eat with an unreadable expression.

The silence was unbearable.

What made it worse was Alice's completely blank face as Dominic forced down the tasteless food. He had the sudden urge to reach over and pinch those cold, unresponsive cheeks—or better yet, yank her into his arms and see if that icy composure would finally crack.

But Dominic was a patient hunter. He knew how to bide his time with his prey.

When Alice reached for her wallet after the meal, she realized Dominic had already paid.

Embarrassed, she avoided his gaze. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pierce. This should have been my treat."

"You think a ten-dollar lunch box counts as treating me?" He scoffed. "I can tell you're broke, so I'll let you owe me. When you get your first paycheck this month, you’re taking me somewhere decent." Dominic never minced words.

In Harborview City, the only person Dominic feared was Alexander.

Everyone else? They feared him.

Yet, to his surprise, Alice smiled.

It was a genuine, warm smile.

Dominic froze.

"You're a good person," she said softly. "You might be blunt, but I can tell you don’t have bad intentions. A handsome, outgoing guy like you must have plenty of admirers, right? That must be nice."

There was a wistfulness in her voice, as if she envied the carefree romances of people her age—something she could never have.

Dominic was speechless.

"Mr. Pierce, I need to get back to the construction site. When I get paid, I’ll treat you properly. You can come find me anytime. Goodbye." With that, Alice walked away.

As he watched her retreating figure, Dominic pulled out his phone and dialed Ethan, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Ethan, bet you I’ll get that stubborn girl from the construction site. Mark my words."

Ethan laughed mockingly. "Didn’t you say she was Alexander’s woman? You really want to risk your life like that?"

"She’s not Alexander’s woman," Dominic shot back smugly.

Alice, boarding the bus, had no idea the heir of the Pierce Group was plotting his next move.

To her, Dominic seemed sincere.

He had once given her a ride from the construction site to the wedding venue.

Today, he’d helped her keep her job.

That small kindness left her in a surprisingly good mood. Despite the grueling afternoon at the site, she didn’t feel exhausted. After work, she headed to the hospital as usual to visit Margaret.

But when she reached the ward, she froze.

Standing outside were two women—Olivia and Victoria Sullivan.