Chapter 13
Just happened to be passing by Lewis said casually, tossing out an excuse without much thought.
Is truth, he’d stepped in only when he saw Rupert raising his hand against Doris
Doris nodded in quiet understanding, her expression calm.
Does your brother always bully you like that? Lewis asked, his tone tinged with a hint of irritation. Rupert struck him as the kind of guy who was just begging for a beating. In the Hartman family, no one would dare behave like that.
Doris, used to such situations, responded with a wry smile. “He’s not the only one dishing it out. I’ve made sure he’s suffered his fair share too.”
Rupert’s earlier comment wasn’t entirely wrong–whenever he got the worst of their fights, their father would inevitably step in to avenge him. But that was a truth Doris dared not share with Lewis.
“If you’ve been making him pay for it, I’m guessing there’s no chance of you going back to that house.” Lewis speculated, his voice steady.
Doris let out a soft, humorless laugh: She’d long since given up on her family, and the idea of any semblance of affection within it. “It’s not a house worth going back to anyway.”
Lewis raised a brow, intrigued. “You sure about that?”
Her lashes fluttered slightly as she looked up at him, her eyes bright with a spark of mischief. “Didn’t you just give me a new home?”
That caught him off guard for a moment, the faintest flicker of surprise passing through his features.
“Mr. Hartman,” Doris said softly, “I’m looking forward to our one–year marriage.” She was genuinely grateful for his intervention–it felt strange but comforting to be protected, even if just this once.
Lewis gave her a small nod, his voice firm. “Doris, as long as you behave yourself, I won’t let anyone lay a finger on you
He didn’t dwell on Doris’s character or intentions–those were now secondary in his mind. She was his wife now, and protecting her wasn’t just his responsibility; it was a matter of principle.
Letting someone else harm her while he stood idly by was something he would never allow.
“I always behave,” Doris replied lightly, unsure why he’d even said such a thing. But she didn’t think too much about it. “And I’m not a pushover. Don’t worry about that.”
Seeing she was unharmed, Lewis left without another word. Doris, in turn, headed back to the hotel to resume work.
As soon as she stepped into the lobby, a coworker at the front desk called out, “Doris, Mr. Morris is looking for you.”
Leon Morris, the manager of the Food and Beverage Department, was infamous for his sleazy reputation. Years of skimming profits had padded not only his wallet but also his waistline, leaving him with a belly so large it seemed to swallow
his neck.
“Got it,” Doris replied, keeping her tone neutral, and made her way to Leon’s office.
Knocking lightly, she entered the room and approached his desk. “Mr. Morris, you wanted to see me?”
Leon’s face was grim with anger, his fleshy hand slamming down on the desk with a loud thud. “Doris, are you trying to lose this job!
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His tone was sharp and accusing. “Whatever drama you’ve got going on at home, keep it at home. Do you have any idea how much damage this little spectacle of your brother’s has caused?
How much negative press and financial loss we’re now dealing with because of this stunt?
“If everyone’s family members started barging in here and creating chaos, do you think this place could keep running?”
Doris’s heart sank. Lowering her gaze slightly, she replied sincerely, “Mr. Morris, I deeply apologize for today’s incident”
Leon scoffed, the anger in his voice simmering down, replaced by something far more unsettling. If it weren’t for me stepping in, smoothing things over with Mr. West, you’d have been out of here already
He stood from his chair, his beady eyes glinting with something predatory as he closed the distance between them. “So tell me, Doris–how do you plan on thanking me for saving your job?‘”
Doris froze at his words, her stomach churning with unease. “Mr. Morris, I’ll make sure to work hard and do my job well.” she said cautiously, keeping her voice steady even as her instincts screamed for her to leave.
“Oh, come on, Doris. Don’t play dumb with me. His gaze raked over her beautiful figure shamelessly, lingering in ways that made her skin crawl “You know what I want. If you just say yes, I’ll make sure your career here is as smooth as silk.”
As he reached out a pudgy hand aiming for hers, his grin widening. Doris felt her chest tighten with disgust. She took a quick step back, avoiding his touch. “Mr. Morris,” she said firmly, “if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work now.”
Leon’s expression darkened instantly, his tone turning sharp and mocking. “Don’t be ungrateful, Doris. Who do you think you can rely on now? Mr. Watson’s not around to back you up anymore.
“You think you can survive here without someone like me pulling strings? I could fire you in a heartbeat–let’s see how long you last then.”
Leon had always had an eye for Doris–her beauty was hard to ignore. But back when she was Ryan’s girlfriend, he didn’t dare overstep.
Now that she was single, Leon had grown bolder, summoning her to his office under flimsy pretenses and letting his harassment become blatantly obvious.
There had even been whispers among her coworkers, little rumors that flitted through the halls like gnats. But Doris had never let them bother her. “Let them think what they want,’ she thought. I know the truth.’
Straightening up, Doris turned on her heel, yanked the door open, and walked out, her head held high with unwavering dignity.
By midday, Lola found her, fuming with indignation. “Doris, did you check out the company intranet? You got called out by name and docked three months‘ bonuses. This is a blatant abuse of power. Leon is using this whole thing to get back at you”
Lola was well aware of Leon’s sleazy intentions toward Doris, and the thought of Rupert’s antics only fueled her anger. “Your brother is an absolute menace,” she spat, pacing the room with her arms crossed. “Someone needs to put him in his place once and for all
She continued, “Mr. West mentioned that the Hartman Group’s party is going to be hosted at our hotel. If you can manage to catch the attention of the heir to the Hartman family, you could crush them all–Leon, Rupert, every single one of them -like they’re nothing but dust”
“Lola,” Doris interrupted, a little more forcefully this time, “I was drunk when I said that stuff before. I don’t have any interest in the Hartman family heir.
“Not anymore, she added inwardly. I’m married now. I have a husband, even if our relationship is just a sham. I can’t go around daydreaming about other men.
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Lola arched a skeptical eyebrow, “Oh, sure. And they say drunk words are sober thoughts”
“I swear,” Doris said, raising her hand as if to take an oath. Her expression was so serious it bordered on comical
Lola gave her a look that said she wasn’t buying it for a second.
Finally, Dons pulled Lola down to sit and leaned in close, lowering her voice so only Lola could hear. “Okay, fine. I have a confession. I’m married. It was a spur–of–the–moment thing. I wasn’t trying to hide it from you?
With the secret she’d been holding inside finally out in the open, Doris felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted from her
chest.
Lola froze on the spot, staring at Doris as if she’d just announced she’d married an alien. “Doris, you’re joking, right? You’ve got to be kidding me.
Weren’t you
obsessed with the Hartman family heir? What happened to becoming Mrs. Hartman and throwing that in Ryan’s smug face?”
Doris’s lips curved into a faint, serene smile. “I am Mrs. Hartman.”
Lola’s jaw practically hit the floor. “Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying he is the Hartman family heir?”
Doris shook her head. “No, no. I’m not that Mrs. Hartman. The man I married is just a regular guy who happens to have the same last name. As for the Hartman family heir, that was nothing more than a drunken, unrealistic fantasy of mine.
“Let’s face it–I’m just an ordinary person. He’s so out of my league. Obsessing over him is like getting too close to the sun. I’d only get burned or turn to ash.
“Dreams are nice, but I can’t live in them forever, especially the wildly ridiculous ones.”
“But… Lola’s expression shifted to one of sheer disbelief, her worry evident. “You can’t just marry someone on a whim like
that
“My dad was pressuring me to stay with Ryan as his mistress,” Doris said with a sigh, the weight of her decision heavy in her tone. “The only way to put an end to their plans was for me to get married.”
Lola’s jaw tightened, anger and shock flashing in her eyes. “Your dad teamed up with Ryan to force you into being his mistress? What kind of father does that? Selling out his own daughter like you’re some kind of pawn. Seriously, is he even your real dad.“
Doris fell silent, her long lashes lowering to conceal the sorrow clouding her eyes. In her father’s world, she was nothing more than a piece on a chessboard, someone to be traded for profit or convenience.
Lola, clearly not ready to drop the subject, leaned forward. “Okay, back to this husband of yours. Where’s be from? What’s
debts? his family like? Where does he work? Does he have a car, a house? Does he have any
“More importantly, is he violent, alcoholic or addicted to gambling?”
Doris hesitated, chewing on her fingernail nervously. “He seems like a local. He has a nice apartment, a car, and a job. But… other than that, I’m not really sure.”
Lola smacked her forehead, irritation dripping from her voice. “You’re kidding me, right? What the hell were you thinking? You married a guy you barely know? What if he’s some kind of scammer preying on clueless girls?”
Lola looked at Doris as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Then, bluntly, Lola asked, “Did you sleep with him?” Doris flushed with embarrassment, her cheeks turning as red as a rose in bloom. “No… He and I are not that close yet.” The truth was, their marriage contract explicitly stated they wouldn’t engage in any marital obligations, especially not the
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Chapter 13
kind that involved sex.
Not that Doris had any plans to jump into that kind of arrangement with Lewis anyway. In her eyes, Lewis was insufferable. —cold, arrogant, and sharp–tongued. She wasn’t about to put herself through that kind of misery.
She had her limits, and dealing with someone like him in that way was definitely beyond them,
“Good.” Lola said with visible relief. “You’ve got to protect yourself, Doris. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you
“I know.” Doris mumbled.
“No, seriously. I mean it.”
“I get it.”
“Okay, here’s the deal. You need to introduce me to this guy. I want to meet him face–to–face. If there’s even the slightest red
losses.” flag, you’re divorcing him immediately. No arguments. You’ve got to cut your
“Alright, I’ll ask him if he’s free.
“What’s he got to be so busy about! He can’t possibly be busier than the Hartman family heir. If I wanna see him, he’d better show up. No excuses.
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