Chapter 5
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Ryan’s outrageous demands left Doris utterly speechless, her rage fueled by his audacity. She couldn’t comprehend how he could utter something so selfish and repulsive with such nonchalance.
A cold laugh escaped her lips, sharp and biting. “Ryan, what do you take me for? Do you seriously expect me to become the other woman in your life?
“I may come from a humble background, but I’m not so lowly that I’d stoop to something so degrading. If you truly loved me, you’d never make such a shameless request.”
Ryan’s expression twisted into one of wounded indignation as he scrambled to defend himself. “If I didn’t love you, why would I even bother trying to make you stay?”
“Oh, so I should fall to my knees, overwhelmed with gratitude, and cry tears of joy?” Doris shot back with a mocking sneer.
His brow furrowed deeply, frustration simmering in his eyes. “Doris, must you speak to me like this?”
Her voice was calm, yet firm, each word cutting like shards of glass. “Ryan, I will get married one day. I will have children and build a happy home. But it won’t be with you. From now on, let’s go our separate ways.”
She rose from her seat with an air of quiet determination, her clear, wide eyes radiating a glacial serenity.
As she walked past Ryan, his deep voice drifted to her ears. “Doris, there’s something you need to know. Not long ago, your parents came to me begging for a loan. One million dollars. If you insist on breaking up with me, we’ll need to settle this debt.”
‘One million dollars?‘ she thought. The sheer figure rendered Doris momentarily speechless, a wave of disbelief washing over her. I’ll speak with my parents to get to the bottom of this. Once I confirm it’s true, I’ll pay you back every penny.”
Ryan’s lips curled into a smirk, his businesslike demeanor surfacing. “Doris, one million dollars is no small sum for your family. How exactly do you plan to pay it back? With your measly salary? It’ll take you a lifetime. I’m not running a charity”
Doris earned about four thousand dollars a month, half of which went to support her parents. What little remained barely covered her expenses, leaving her with hardly any savings after years of scrimping and saving.
Ryan leaned back in his chair, his voice dripping with condescension. “Doris, be sensible. If you agree to stay with me, I won’t pursue the matter.
“And when your brother gets married, I’ll throw in a generous sum as a wedding gift, ensuring your family can host a grand celebration. Doesn’t that sound like a fair deal?”
“Shame on you,” Doris hissed, her fury bubbling over. Without a second thought, she grabbed the lemonade from the table and flung it into Ryan’s face.
The icy liquid splattered across his perfectly groomed features, leaving him stunned. “Doris,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous as her name slipped through clenched teeth. He hadn’t anticipated this fiery side of the usually gentle and composed girl.
Doris’s eyes blazed with fury. “Ryan, you can keep dreaming if you think I’ll ever do as you say.”
As she turned to leave, Ryan’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist with a force that betrayed his mounting anger. The veins on his temple throbbed, his temper on the brink of exploding. “Doris, don’t you dare walk away from me like this,” he snarled. “Don’t push me.”
Doris didn’t flinch. Instead, her tone was laced with disdain, every word a dagger aimed at his pride. “Have you no shame, Ryan Her eyes bore into his, unwavering. “Let go of me. Or I’ll call the police.”
Their argument had already drawn quite a bit of attention in the restaurant. The weight of curious gazes pressed down on
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them, making Ryan reconsider his stance. Making a scene in public was the last thing he wanted. Reluctantly, he released
Doris’s wrist.
“Doris, you’ll regret this, he declared with the kind of overconfidence that only served to aggravate her further
Doris didn’t dignity him with another word. With her head held high, she turned and walked away, her every step brimming with quiet resolve.
The moment she stepped outside, Lola stood up and rushed over, her brows furrowed with concern. “Did he lay a hand on you?” she asked, scanning Doris for any signs of distress.
“Not at all,” Doris replied with a shake of her head, her voice light and almost anused. “If anything, I gave him a taste of his own medicine. I poured a drink on his face.”
Lola’s eyes widened briefly before she let out a delighted laugh. “Serves him right,” she said, her tone dripping with satisfaction.
“Let’s go, Doris said, looping her arm through Lola’s and steering her away from the scene,
As they strolled down the street, Lola’s gaze flitted over to a sleek Rolls–Royce parked nearby. She tugged on Doris’s arm, her excitement bubbling over. “Did you see that car? It’s a Rolls–Royce..
“And the license plate sa
over the family business.”
“H. That’s the Hartman family’s car. Rumor has it, their heir is finally back in the country to take
Doris didn’t even blink at the information. “So what?” she replied, her voice indifferent.
Lola stared at her in disbelief. “So what? Last night, weren’t you saying you’d marry the Hartman heir if you had the chance? He’s back now, so here’s your big opportunity.”
Heat rushed to Doris’s cheeks as she recalled her tipsy bravado from the previous night. I was joking,” she said, feeling a little mortified.
“Doris, don’t chicken out now. If you snag the Hartman heir, not only would you be set for life and make me proud, but even Ryan would have to bow down to you. Imagine the look on his face.” Lola teased, giving Doris a playful nudge.
Lola then added, “Besides, I’m dying to see what this mysterious heir looks like.”
Doris rolled her eyes, not in the mood for gossip. “What’s there to see? Two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Same as everyone else.”
“You’re no fun,” Lola huffed, her curiosity unabated. “I just want to know if he’s ridiculously handsome or unbearably ugly. Why else would he hide from the public eye for so long?”
Doris shrugged. “Maybe he’s just low–key.”
As the two friends crossed the street, they happened to pass right in front of the Rolls–Royce.
Inside the car, the driver glanced in Doris’s direction and immediately leaned toward his boss. “Mr. Hartman, that’s Mrs.
Hartman.”
Lewis’s eyes lifted from the phone in his hand, landing squarely on his wife. “I see her,” he murmured, his voice as smooth as
velvet.
Doris, unaware of the attention, walked with an effortless grace. Her casual low ponytail swayed gently as she chatted and laughed with Lola, her vibrant energy lighting up the otherwise ordinary street.
Her slender neck and natural beauty made her seem almost otherworldly, as if she’d stepped out of a painting
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Chapter 5
Lewis’s gaze lingered on her, captivated by the way her every movement radiated life. She was like the first bloom of vivid and full of vitality. His eyes followed her as she made her way toward Hampstone Hotel.
spring.
Once back at the hotel. Doris threw herself into her work, entirely unbothered by the unpleasant lunch with Ryan. Her focus was sharp, her productivity unwavering
But when her shift ended and she returned home, an unexpected problem awaited her. Standing outside her parents‘ place, Doris fished out her keys and tried to unlock the door, but no matter how many times she twisted the key, the lock wouldn’t budge.
Frowning, she stepped back and double–checked the number on the door–701. She hadn’t gone to the wrong place, but she just couldn’t unlock the door.
Doris knocked on the door, her voice tinged with confusion. “Mom, Dad, open the door.”
Inside, Peyton sat on the couch, her expression conflicted as she glanced at Jimmy, who was puffing away on a cigarette. After a tense moment. Peyton spoke up hesitantly, “Jimmy, maybe we should let Doris in first and talk about this later.” Jimmy crushed the cigarette in the glass ashtray with a sharp twist, his jaw tightening as he turned to glare at Peyton. With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself up from the couch and strode to the entryway.
Behind the cold, hard door, he yelled, “Doris, I just got off the phone with Mr. Watson. He told me he spoke with you at lunch today. He’s willing to break off his engagement and marry you–as long as you stop being so difficult and insisting on breaking up.
“But what do you do? Instead of appreciating the opportunity, you throw a drink in his face.”
His words came out in clipped, furious bursts. “You’re an adult now, Doris. How can you still be so reckless and irresponsible?”
Doris’s eyes widened with a mixture of disbelief and indignation. Her voice trembled, barely masking the outrage bubbling beneath the surface. “You actually believe Ryan when he says he’ll marry me? He’s engaged.
“Everyone at my office knows he booked the Hampstone Hotel for his engagement party. What are you expecting me to do? Humiliate myself and become his mistress?”
Jimmy’s scowl deepened, and his tone turned icy. “Doris, why must you be so stubborn? Mr. Watson cares about you. Does it really matter what title you hold! You’d only have to put up with a little discomfort before securing a future full of happiness.”
His words dripped with insincerity, every syllable crafted to manipulate. Tm doing this for your own good. Why can’t you see how much your mom and I have sacrificed for you?”
Doris’s lips curled into a bitter smile as she retorted, exposing his hypocrisy, “No, you’re doing this for the one million. dollars Ryan lent you.”
The accusation hung in the air, sharp and unyielding Jimmy’s face darkened, and without a word, he opened the door and delivered a resounding slap across Doris’s cheek.
The force of the blow snapped her head to the side, her vision momentarily swimming. A searing pain radiated across her face, burning hot and relentless. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over as she stood there, stunned and silent.
“You ungrateful brat!” Jimmy spat, his voice rising with fury. “We raised you, fed you, gave you everything. And now it’s your
turn to repay |
Doris barely had a chance to recover when Peyton’s voice, soft yet insistent, broke through the storm. “Doris, you know how small this apartment is. We can’t keep everyone here forever. Rupert and Claudia are getting married soon, and they’ll need their own place.
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Chapter 3
“Claudia’s parents expected us to buy them a home. We didn’t have that kind of money, so we had to borrow from Mr.
Watson.”
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Her tone grew almost pleading, but there was an undeniable edge of favoritism in her words “Rupert is your little brother. As his sister, it’s only right for you to help him out. He’ll be grateful to you for this”
Peyton moved closer, her expression softening as if trying to coax Doris into agreement. “Mr. Watson is a decent guy. Stop fighting this, Doris. Make peace with him. It’s what’s best for everyone.”
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