Dominic stood by the window with his phone pressed against his ear, while his sharp eyes scanned the road through the narrow gap in the curtains.
Lucas' voice was solemn on the other side of the phone. "I checked her background. Mila Vega, the daughter of Leonard Vega. She lost her mother when she was nine."
Dominic's jaw tightened slightly. Something unfamiliar tugged at his chest. He, too, had lost his mother when he was young. He still remembered the day the doctors declared her dead. Since then, life had been harsh on him.
No one had comforted him. No one had held his hand and offered him shelter. He had learned to survive alone. He had grown up on the streets. Violence had shaped him. He had never known softness again. Warmth was something he no longer got from anyone.
Beneath that toughness, the scared, lonely child was still there, hidden, suppressed. When he learned Mila had also lost her mother at such a young age, something raw resurfaced from the deepest corner of his heart.
He was well aware of that hollow ache, the desperate craving for love, for someone to care. He understood her pain.
"After her mother's death, Leonard brought his mistress, Camilla, home," Lucas added. "He had a child with her – Bianca, who was almost of Mila's age. It means Leonard had been cheating on his wife for a long time. Her death was also a mystery. Rumors said Leonard had killed her to get her insurance. But there is no proof."
Dominic remained silent, listening to every word carefully. But his mind raced, calculating.
"After that, her life changed," Lucas went on. "The stepmother and half-sister never treated her well. And her father – that man has been unfair to him. Business circles say he resents her. Her mother left forty percent of Vega Biocorp shares in Mila's name before she died. It made her practically the majority shareholder. Leonard is technically a caretaker, managing the company. Mila can take control if she wants and kicks him out."
Dominic's expression grew serious. He now realized why Leonard favored his other daughter and was cold toward Mila. He didn't treat her as his daughter. Instead, he saw her as a threat.
"But Mila never showed interest in business," Lucas continued. "She chose medicine instead. She topped medical school and built her own reputation in the hospital. But her own family treated her as an outsider."
After a breath, Lucas revealed, "She has been dating Ethan Shaw. That guy is a jerk. He is cheating on her with her half-sister. I'm not sure if she is aware of it."
Dominic's fingers curled around the phone tightly. He remembered her mentioning her ex-boyfriend. That meant she had already learned about his cheating.
"Leonard needs support from the Shaw family to keep the company afloat. And since he favored Bianca, he is pushing her toward Ethan."
"That man doesn't deserve Mila," Dominic muttered coldly. "She is better off without that cheater."
There was a moment of pause from the other end of the phone. "Don't get involved with her," Lucas cautioned him. "It's not good for you, or for her. I know you are staying there for now. But don't let it become something more."
"I know," Dominic grunted, frustration evident in his tone. "She saved me, gave me food to eat, and a place to live. I only want to repay the favors before I leave."
At the sound of the door opening, he ended the call abruptly and shoved the phone inside his pocket. He turned to see Mila entering.
Her shoulders were slumped as if she were carrying the weight of the world. Her steps slow.
"Hey…" He forced an easy tone. "You are back. I made pasta." He gestured toward the table. "Take your seat. I'll serve it."
She barely looked at him. "I'm not hungry. You eat."
Her voice lacked the usual steadiness. She looked weary, as if she were hardly able to carry the bag on her shoulder.
Dominic scanned her closely. It wasn't just exhaustion. Something wasn't right.
"Are you okay?" He stepped closer.
She nodded. "I just need some sleep. Good night."
When she tried to walk past him, something caught his attention. He noticed the red marks on her cheek. Though the marks were faint, almost fading, he could tell those were left from a slap.
His entire body went rigid. "Who did this to you?" he demanded, grasping her arm.
She stiffened and glanced up at him, but quickly lowered her head. "It's nothing."
He wanted to ask more, but she didn't give him the chance. Freeing herself from his grasp, she went into her room and closed the door.
Dominic stood there, his fists slowly clenching at his sides. His injured ribs throbbed, but he didn't feel them. All he remembered was the redness in her cheek. The realization that someone had dared to hit her boiled his blood.
He retrieved his phone from his pocket and called Lucas.
"You ended the call abruptly. Is everything alright there?" Lucas sounded anxious.
"Someone hurt her," Dominic grunted out through his clenched teeth.
Lucas was silent for a while. "You mean someone hurt Mila?"
"I am sure about it," Dominic said with certainty. "She was slapped. I saw the marks on her face."
Quietness settled around him, only turning his expression even colder.
"Find out who did this to her," he ordered. "Check if she has gone out somewhere after work."
Lucas was surprised that his boss was indulging himself with this woman more than necessary. For the first time, he wanted to question his decision. But then he remembered what Dominic had said. It was all to repay her favors.
"Understood. I'll look into it right away."
Within an hour, the update came.
"She went to Vega's residence this evening," said Lucas, "and stayed there for some time."
Dominic's expression turned icy. He didn't need more details. He knew instantly what might have happened there. Certainly, her stepmother and half-sister had argued with him, bullied her. As usual, his father might have sided with his wife and other daughter, while he hit Mila.
"Teach them a lesson," he said with a chilling tone. "They should remember they can't just hit her."
The call ended.
Dominic walked toward Mila's room and raised his hand to knock on the door. But he paused, then lowered his hand. He wasn't good at comforting. He had never comforted anyone else before.
What would he say to her?
He knew how to fight, shoot, and kill. But he didn't know how to say gentle words. He stood outside the door as if his presence alone could soothe her and put her at ease.
The next morning, Mila arrived at the hospital at usual time. Just as she was walking toward her office, a nurse rushed over.
"Dr. Mila. There is an emergency admission. It's…it's your father."