Chapter 133
Lewis shot Doris a look, silently telling her to stay calm.
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Then, he gently explained to Arianna, “Ari, you’re the precious daughter your mom fought so hard to bring into this world. As long as she loves you, that’s what matters most. If you talk like that, you’ll hurt her feelings. Do you want to make her sad?”
“Of course not!” Arianna shook her head. “I want Mom to be happy every day.
“That’s the spirit.” Lewis spoke with infinite patience. “And being a girl isn’t a bad thing at all. In fact, it comes with so many perks. Girls get to wear pretty hairstyles, dress up in all kinds of lovely outfits, and have endless possibilities ahead of them.
“Ari, you have to keep going. Eat well, grow strong, and be happy. That’s what will make your mom happy. And it’ll make us happy too.”
“Okay!” Arianna’s face lit up. “Lewis, I’ll be a good girl. But… can you promise to always like me?” She looked at him with so much hope.
She had never received much love from her own father, but somehow, Lewis filled that void.
She had unconsciously projected her longing for a father’s love onto Lewis, finding solace in his presence.
“Of course.” Lewis gave Arianna a firm answer. “Lewis will always like you, Ari. He’ll love you like his own daughter.
“You’re so nice, Lewis.” Arianna’s smile finally returned.
Doris, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly pushed her chair back, got up from the table, and ran toward the bathroom.
Arianna didn’t understand. “Lewis, what’s wrong with Doris?”
Lewis set Arianna back in her seat and gently told her, “Be good and finish your food. I’ll go check on Doris.”
“Okay.” Arianna nodded.
Lewis got up and walked toward the bathroom.
Standing outside the door, he could hear the sound of running water from inside.
He waited a moment before knocking gently with his knuckles. “Doris, you okay?”
Inside, Doris cupped some cold water and splashed it on her face. When she heard the knock, she slowly turned off the tap.
“I’m fine.” She gripped the edge of the sink, trying to suppress the lump in her throat.
But Lewis picked up on the slight strain in her voice. “Can you open the door?”
She looked up at her reflection in the mirror–her face streaked with water, her eyes slightly red.
Then she lowered her head again, gripping the sink so tightly that her knuckles turned white, the veins on the back of her hands standing out.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
There was no sound outside, but in the corner of her eye, she could see his tall figure still standing there.
She had lost control of her emotions earlier and ran here to hide.
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Chapter 138
She didn’t want Lewis to see her like this. And she definitely didn’t want Arianna to see,
Right now, she just needed a moment to pull herself together.
“I’m really fine, Go eat before your food gets cold” Doris tried to get Lewis to leave,
“I can’t just leave you like this” Lewis had seen the glimmer in her eyes when she walked away from the table.
Watching Arianna had reminded Doris of herself.
She, too, had grown up without her parents‘ love. They had given all their affection to her younger brother, just because he was a boy,
She used to wonder why her parents didn’t love her. She had wanted to be cherished like her brother, to feel the warmth of her parents‘ love,
Just like Arianna, she had once wished, ‘If only I were a boy. Maybe then, I wouldn’t have been scolded, beaten, or constantly
made to feel like not good enough, no matter how hard I tried
Meanwhile, her brother never had to do anything, and their parents would still praise and encourage him.
So many times, when he made a fuss, their parents would laugh.
The contrast was unbearable. It was a pain that cut deep.
“Open the door and let me see you.” Lewis knocked again.
After a long pause, Doris slowly opened the door. She stood there, head down, lashes casting shadows under her eyes.
Strands of hair near her forehead and temples were damp from the water. Her pale face still had traces of moisture, her eyes slightly red, making her look as fragile as a porcelain doll.
Lewis reached out and tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “Seeing Ari like that… made you think of yourself, didn’t it?”
Doris nodded honestly, still not looking up.
“You know, if you ever need to cry, my shoulder’s right here.” Lewis patted his shoulder.
“Then… can I lean on it now?” The words left Doris‘ mouth before she could stop them. Realizing what she had just said, she quickly tried to cover it up. “I was just jo-”
Before she could finish saying “just joking,” Lewis pulled her into a hug. “A hug works too.”
Her cheek pressed against the soft cotton of his T–shirt. It was warm, smooth, and carried a faint, clean scent of wood.
Breathing in that familiar scent, she felt herself calming down. “I didn’t mean to cry… I just couldn’t hold it in.”
“It’s okay. The past is behind you. You’re not that Doris anymore. You have a home now.” Lewis ran a hand over her hair. “And from now on, you have me too. I’ll be here for you.”
Doris nodded against his chest, the warmth of his words settling something deep inside her.
It was like he had the power to heal her wounds, to make the pain a little less sharp.
“Come on, let’s eat. After dinner, we’ll take Ari to the amusement park.” Lewis had already planned it the night before.
“Okay.” Doris stepped back from his arms, avoiding his gaze.
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13:17 Thu, 13 Mar ** M
Chapter 133
Her eyes landed on the fabric of his shirt–it was slightly wrinkled and a bit damp now.
She bit her lip and lowered her head even more, her face burning. I didn’t do that on purpose.”
Lewis chuckled lightly, “I know.”
Doris secretly lifted her eyes and glanced at him. His laughter didn’t sound like he believed her at all.
“I’ll go check on Ari first,” Lewis said, giving her time to compose herself.
Lewis returned to the dining room to have breakfast with Arianna.
“Lewis, what’s wrong with Doris?” asked Arianna.
Lewis replied, “She’s fine now.”
Arianna drank the last sip of her milk. “Lewis, I’m all full
“Ari, good job.” Lewis took a napkin and wiped the milk from the corner of her mouth.
Doris sat down as well, acting as if nothing had happened, and continued eating her breakfast.
Lewis asked, “Ari, do you want to go to the amusement park?”
“Yes! I really do!”
“I already discussed it with Doris. We’ll take you there later.”
“Really? I’ve never been there before!” Airanna’s big eyes were filled with anticipation and curiosity.
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“Not only are we going to the amusement park, but we’re also going to the marine park and the zoo… Today, you can play to your heart’s content.”
“Wow! That’s amazing! Thank you, Lewis! Thank you, Doris!”
“Why did I get ranked after Lewis?”
“Look, Doris is getting jealous.”
Arianna wrapped her arms around Doris‘ neck and kissed her on the cheek.
Doris couldn’t help but laugh, “Alright, I forgive you.”
After breakfast, they set off for the amusement park.
In the car, Doris called Lola. “Lola, I’m taking the day off to bring Ari out. I’ll have to trouble you to watch the shop.”
“Don’t worry about it. We have enough staff at the shop, so there’s nothing to be concerned about.” Lola reassured her. “Have fun
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