Chapter 15
Doris clenched her fists so tightly that her nails bit into her palms, her teeth grinding as she endured the punishment meted out by Jimmy.
“Do you admit you were wrong? Are you going to pay the debt or not?” Jimmy bellowed, his voice shaking the walls.
Gritting her teeth, Doris said, “I did nothing wrong, and I won’t pay Rupert’s debt.”
Jimmy’s fury burned hotter, his temper flaring like a firestorm “Fine. Let’s just say I raised an ungrateful wretch. Today, I’ll beat the conscience back into you, or I’ll beat you to death.”
Seeing that Doris refused to hack down even under his blows, he swung the cane with renewed force, each strike harder than the last
Peyton, unable to bear the sight, threw herself between them, shielding Doris with her body. Jimmy, stop. You’ll kill her if you keep this up, she pleaded desperately.
“If she dies, I’ll go to prison. And if we can’t pay the money back, I’ll also go to jail. What’s the difference? Either way, I’m doomed. Now back off. Jimmy snarled, his voice laced with venom.
He shoved Peyton aside with a rough push, his rage unrelenting. Peyton clung to his leg in a final, desperate attempt to stop him. “Doris, run. Get out of here. Stop going against your father, she urged, her voice cracking with fear.
Tears welled in Doris’s eyes, glinting like broken glass. “Mom…
“Go. Now!” Peyton yelled, her tone both commanding and protective.
Doris hesitated for only a moment before scrambling to her feet and bolting out of the house.
Once she was gone, Jimmy, exhausted and drenched in sweat, threw the cane onto the floor and collapsed onto the sofa.
Peyton picked up the cane, placing it carefully back into place. “You went too far, Jimmy. What if you really hurt her badly?”
“We have to go all in and take the risk, Jimmy shot back, grabbing a glass of water and downing it in large gulps. “You stood up for her just now. Let’s see if that soft heart of hers comes around.
“Keep reminding her how much we’ve sacrificed. She has to repay that money. If she doesn’t, it’ll ruin us—and Rupert. So stop being so softhearted.”
“I… I understand,” Peyton murmured, though unease churned in her stomach like a stormy sea.
Doris hailed a cab to Greenlake Hill, her back stinging with the fire of fresh welts, the pain seeping into her very bones.
‘He really went all out today. If it weren’t for Mom stepping in, I might’ve been seriously injured. Did he really want to kill me? she wondered.
The thought coiled around her heart like thorny vines, squeezing until she could barely breathe. By the time she reached Lewis’s apartment building, she felt as if she were suffocating.
She collapsed onto a bench near the entrance, the streetlamp above casting a dim golden glow over her tear–streaked face.
The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled over, coursing down her cheeks in silent streams. She bit down on her hand, stifling her sobs, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
“What happened? A smooth, melodic voice broke through the stillness, startling her.
She looked up to see Lewis standing nearby, his face shadowed but unmistakably concerned, Ivan had given him a ride
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Chapter 15
home. Lewis had just gotten out of Ivan’s cat at the gate of the complex, walking through the neighborhood when he spotted her crying here
Doris lowered her head and quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand, her movements hurried and clumsy. “Why are you here?” she asked, her voice thick with emotion
Under the faint glow of the streetlight, her tear–streaked face, framed by loose strands of hair, was heartbreakingly delicate like a flower in a storm, fragile yet hauntingly beautiful.
Lewis’s gare lingered on her for a moment, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn’t place. “Answer my question first,” he replied, his tone steady yet probing
Doris sniffles, forcing herself to sound steady. “I, I got something in my eye,” she lied, her voice hoarse and unconvincing.
“Is that so?” Lewis’s sharp gaze lingered on her pasty face and pale lips. Something felt off, though he couldn’t quite put his
finger on it.
“Why would I lie to you?” Doris mustered what little strength she had, straightening her back to feign composure. “Just go on upstairs. I’ll sit here for a while longer
Lewis hesitated for a beat before shrugging. “Suit yourself,” he said, pushing open the apartment building’s door and disappearing inside.
Upstairs. Lewis went about his routine–showering, changing into comfortable clothes, and settling in the living room book. Time ticked by, and when the clock struck ten, he glanced at the door. Doris still hadn’t come up.
with a
A faint crease formed between his brows. He figured she should’ve been up by now. Unable to shake the unease gnawing at him, he placed the book down, slipped on his shoes, and headed back downstairs.
What he found made him sigh, half in annoyance and half in disbelief. Doris was sprawled out on the bench, fast asleep.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, shaking his head. “You’ve got some nerve. Falling asleep out here like it’s a five–star hotel
He approached her and leaned down, his voice low but firm. “Doris, if you want to sleep, do it at home.”
Her face, however, betrayed no peace. Her brows were knit tightly together, and beads of cold sweat dotted her forehead.
“No… don’t hit me. It hurts… she whimpered, her voice faint yet trembling with raw fear.
Lewis’s expression darkened. ‘She’s having a nightmare? And she’s dreaming of being hit?‘ he thought.
“Doris, wake up,” he said softly, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. When she didn’t respond, he shook her gently but firmly, his voice laced with urgency. “You’re dreaming. No one’s hitting you. Wake up.”
A pained gasp escaped her lips as if his touch had caused her physical agony. Her eyelids fluttered, and slowly, she opened. her eyes, blinking. Her blurry vision focused on Lewis’s handsome face hovering close to hers.
“What’s wrong?” Lewis asked, his tone more serious now,
“L… I’m fine.” Doris whispered weakly, but her eyes shut again before the words even fully left her lips, as if she were slipping into a darker abyss,
It felt like she was trapped in an endless dream. In that dream, Doris was no longer the Doris of now. She was the beloved daughter of a wealthy couple, growing up in a home filled with love and laughter..
Her parents adored her, treating her like the apple of their eye. She even had an older brother, one who doted on her and shielded her from every storm
2/4
13:05 Wed, 26 Feb
Chapter 15
But dreams were nothing but fleeting illusions. When she woke, all that remained was cold, gray thality. Her their fate hollow, as if the warmth of the dream had been ripped away, leaving only a bitter chill.
a
The morning sun poured through the window, its rays bright and unyielding. Dorn squinted, raising had to childber eyes from the blinding light
“You’re awake.” Lewis’s voice came from nearby, calm but unmistakably relieved. He placed a thermon on the bedude cable standing tall and composed as always
Doris turned her head to him, her voice raspy as she asked, “Why am I in a hospital
“You fainted last night, Lewis explained, realizing that she probably didn’t remember anything “You were burning up with a fever. Do you have any idea how scary you looked? Like you were knocking on death’s door.”
“Sorry,” Doris murmured, her throat parched and raw.
“I brought you chicken broth. Have some,” Lewis said, his tone firm yet oddly gentle as he opened the thermos and poured the golden liquid into a bowl. Placing a spoon in the bowl, he handed it to Doris, his movements smooth and efficient
ab
Doris took the bowl, her fingers brushing the warmth of the ceramic, and sipped tentatively. The savory richness of the broth spread across her tongue, comforting yet complex.
“This is delicious,” she remarked, her voice tinged with genuine surprise.
“Of course it is,” Lewis smirked, almost smugly. I had a chef… 1 had a chef I know teach me how to make it. I cooked it myself, so naturally, it’s good.”
His words might have sounded impressive if he hadn’t nearly let the truth slip–this was the work of his private gourmet chef, someone whose culinary skills rivaled that of a five–star restaurant..
“Thank you,” Doris said with a faint smile. “Once I’m better, I’ll find a way to repay you”
“Just finish it all. Don’t waste a drop,” he instructed, his sharp gaze softening briefly as he nudged the bowl closer to her.
After finishing the meal, Doris picked up her phone to call her boss and request leave for the day. But as she set the phone down, she noticed something strange–Lewis still hadn’t left.
He stood there, composed and unhurried, as though he had all the time in the world. “Aren’t you going to work?” Doris asked, her brows knitting in confusion.
“It’s not time yet,” Lewis replied, glancing at the clock. It was already 8:20 am, and his nonchalance was almost unnerving
The air between them shifted. Doris could feel the weight of his gaze, scrutinizing and unrelenting. He clearly had something to say.
Lewis didn’t beat around the bush. “Where did those injuries come from?”
From the fragments of her sleep–talking the night before, he’d gleaned that someone had hit her. But he didn’t know who il
was.
Doris lowered her head, her lashes casting long shadows over her cheeks. Sadness darkened her eyes, and her lips pressed together tightly
“You don’t want to talk about it?” Lewis’s sharp intuition picked up on her expression, his tone making it clear he already understood her reluctance.
“I appreciate what you’ve done for me, Doris finally said, her voice quiet but resolute. “But this is personal. It’s my business.”
She wasn’t ready to peel back the layers of her pain to expose the raw, ugly truth to him. That misery part of her life was a
a
13:05 Wed, 26 Feb EXEREB
Chapter 15
wound she didn’t want him to see. It was all she had left of her dignity.
Lewis’s expression turned cold, his eyes narrowin
Chapter 15
Doris clenched her fists so tightly that her nails bit into her palms, her teeth grinding as she endured the punishment meted out by Jimmy.
“Do you admit you were wrong? Are you going to pay the debt or not?” Jimmy bellowed, his voice shaking the walls.
Gritting her teeth, Doris said, “I did nothing wrong, and I won’t pay Rupert’s debt.”
Jimmy’s fury burned hotter, his temper flaring like a firestorm “Fine. Let’s just say I raised an ungrateful wretch. Today, I’ll beat the conscience back into you, or I’ll beat you to death.”
Seeing that Doris refused to hack down even under his blows, he swung the cane with renewed force, each strike harder than the last
Peyton, unable to bear the sight, threw herself between them, shielding Doris with her body. Jimmy, stop. You’ll kill her if you keep this up, she pleaded desperately.
“If she dies, I’ll go to prison. And if we can’t pay the money back, I’ll also go to jail. What’s the difference? Either way, I’m doomed. Now back off. Jimmy snarled, his voice laced with venom.
He shoved Peyton aside with a rough push, his rage unrelenting. Peyton clung to his leg in a final, desperate attempt to stop him. “Doris, run. Get out of here. Stop going against your father, she urged, her voice cracking with fear.
Tears welled in Doris’s eyes, glinting like broken glass. “Mom…
“Go. Now!” Peyton yelled, her tone both commanding and protective.
Doris hesitated for only a moment before scrambling to her feet and bolting out of the house.
Once she was gone, Jimmy, exhausted and drenched in sweat, threw the cane onto the floor and collapsed onto the sofa.
Peyton picked up the cane, placing it carefully back into place. “You went too far, Jimmy. What if you really hurt her badly?”
“We have to go all in and take the risk, Jimmy shot back, grabbing a glass of water and downing it in large gulps. “You stood up for her just now. Let’s see if that soft heart of hers comes around.
“Keep reminding her how much we’ve sacrificed. She has to repay that money. If she doesn’t, it’ll ruin us—and Rupert. So stop being so softhearted.”
“I… I understand,” Peyton murmured, though unease churned in her stomach like a stormy sea.
Doris hailed a cab to Greenlake Hill, her back stinging with the fire of fresh welts, the pain seeping into her very bones.
‘He really went all out today. If it weren’t for Mom stepping in, I might’ve been seriously injured. Did he really want to kill me? she wondered.
The thought coiled around her heart like thorny vines, squeezing until she could barely breathe. By the time she reached Lewis’s apartment building, she felt as if she were suffocating.
She collapsed onto a bench near the entrance, the streetlamp above casting a dim golden glow over her tear–streaked face.
The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled over, coursing down her cheeks in silent streams. She bit down on her hand, stifling her sobs, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
“What happened? A smooth, melodic voice broke through the stillness, startling her.
She looked up to see Lewis standing nearby, his face shadowed but unmistakably concerned, Ivan had given him a ride
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Chapter 15
home. Lewis had just gotten out of Ivan’s cat at the gate of the complex, walking through the neighborhood when he spotted her crying here
Doris lowered her head and quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand, her movements hurried and clumsy. “Why are you here?” she asked, her voice thick with emotion
Under the faint glow of the streetlight, her tear–streaked face, framed by loose strands of hair, was heartbreakingly delicate like a flower in a storm, fragile yet hauntingly beautiful.
Lewis’s gare lingered on her for a moment, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn’t place. “Answer my question first,” he replied, his tone steady yet probing
Doris sniffles, forcing herself to sound steady. “I, I got something in my eye,” she lied, her voice hoarse and unconvincing.
“Is that so?” Lewis’s sharp gaze lingered on her pasty face and pale lips. Something felt off, though he couldn’t quite put his
finger on it.
“Why would I lie to you?” Doris mustered what little strength she had, straightening her back to feign composure. “Just go on upstairs. I’ll sit here for a while longer
Lewis hesitated for a beat before shrugging. “Suit yourself,” he said, pushing open the apartment building’s door and disappearing inside.
Upstairs. Lewis went about his routine–showering, changing into comfortable clothes, and settling in the living room book. Time ticked by, and when the clock struck ten, he glanced at the door. Doris still hadn’t come up.
with a
A faint crease formed between his brows. He figured she should’ve been up by now. Unable to shake the unease gnawing at him, he placed the book down, slipped on his shoes, and headed back downstairs.
What he found made him sigh, half in annoyance and half in disbelief. Doris was sprawled out on the bench, fast asleep.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, shaking his head. “You’ve got some nerve. Falling asleep out here like it’s a five–star hotel
He approached her and leaned down, his voice low but firm. “Doris, if you want to sleep, do it at home.”
Her face, however, betrayed no peace. Her brows were knit tightly together, and beads of cold sweat dotted her forehead.
“No… don’t hit me. It hurts… she whimpered, her voice faint yet trembling with raw fear.
Lewis’s expression darkened. ‘She’s having a nightmare? And she’s dreaming of being hit?‘ he thought.
“Doris, wake up,” he said softly, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. When she didn’t respond, he shook her gently but firmly, his voice laced with urgency. “You’re dreaming. No one’s hitting you. Wake up.”
A pained gasp escaped her lips as if his touch had caused her physical agony. Her eyelids fluttered, and slowly, she opened. her eyes, blinking. Her blurry vision focused on Lewis’s handsome face hovering close to hers.
“What’s wrong?” Lewis asked, his tone more serious now,
“L… I’m fine.” Doris whispered weakly, but her eyes shut again before the words even fully left her lips, as if she were slipping into a darker abyss,
It felt like she was trapped in an endless dream. In that dream, Doris was no longer the Doris of now. She was the beloved daughter of a wealthy couple, growing up in a home filled with love and laughter..
Her parents adored her, treating her like the apple of their eye. She even had an older brother, one who doted on her and shielded her from every storm
2/4
13:05 Wed, 26 Feb
Chapter 15
But dreams were nothing but fleeting illusions. When she woke, all that remained was cold, gray thality. Her their fate hollow, as if the warmth of the dream had been ripped away, leaving only a bitter chill.
a
The morning sun poured through the window, its rays bright and unyielding. Dorn squinted, raising had to childber eyes from the blinding light
“You’re awake.” Lewis’s voice came from nearby, calm but unmistakably relieved. He placed a thermon on the bedude cable standing tall and composed as always
Doris turned her head to him, her voice raspy as she asked, “Why am I in a hospital
“You fainted last night, Lewis explained, realizing that she probably didn’t remember anything “You were burning up with a fever. Do you have any idea how scary you looked? Like you were knocking on death’s door.”
“Sorry,” Doris murmured, her throat parched and raw.
“I brought you chicken broth. Have some,” Lewis said, his tone firm yet oddly gentle as he opened the thermos and poured the golden liquid into a bowl. Placing a spoon in the bowl, he handed it to Doris, his movements smooth and efficient
ab
Doris took the bowl, her fingers brushing the warmth of the ceramic, and sipped tentatively. The savory richness of the broth spread across her tongue, comforting yet complex.
“This is delicious,” she remarked, her voice tinged with genuine surprise.
“Of course it is,” Lewis smirked, almost smugly. I had a chef… 1 had a chef I know teach me how to make it. I cooked it myself, so naturally, it’s good.”
His words might have sounded impressive if he hadn’t nearly let the truth slip–this was the work of his private gourmet chef, someone whose culinary skills rivaled that of a five–star restaurant..
“Thank you,” Doris said with a faint smile. “Once I’m better, I’ll find a way to repay you”
“Just finish it all. Don’t waste a drop,” he instructed, his sharp gaze softening briefly as he nudged the bowl closer to her.
After finishing the meal, Doris picked up her phone to call her boss and request leave for the day. But as she set the phone down, she noticed something strange–Lewis still hadn’t left.
He stood there, composed and unhurried, as though he had all the time in the world. “Aren’t you going to work?” Doris asked, her brows knitting in confusion.
“It’s not time yet,” Lewis replied, glancing at the clock. It was already 8:20 am, and his nonchalance was almost unnerving
The air between them shifted. Doris could feel the weight of his gaze, scrutinizing and unrelenting. He clearly had something to say.
Lewis didn’t beat around the bush. “Where did those injuries come from?”
From the fragments of her sleep–talking the night before, he’d gleaned that someone had hit her. But he didn’t know who il
was.
Doris lowered her head, her lashes casting long shadows over her cheeks. Sadness darkened her eyes, and her lips pressed together tightly
“You don’t want to talk about it?” Lewis’s sharp intuition picked up on her expression, his tone making it clear he already understood her reluctance.
“I appreciate what you’ve done for me, Doris finally said, her voice quiet but resolute. “But this is personal. It’s my business.”
She wasn’t ready to peel back the layers of her pain to expose the raw, ugly truth to him. That misery part of her life was a
a
13:05 Wed, 26 Feb EXEREB
Chapter 15
wound she didn’t want him to see. It was all she had left of her dignity.
Lewis’s expression turned cold, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Doris, we’re married. Helping you isn’t some grand gesture; it’s what I’m supposed to do. If you die, I’ll be the first one people would suspect.”
“And if I ever find out you’re doing something you shouldn’t be behind my back…” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropp to an icy whisper. “You’ll pay for it. Mark my words,”
“I wouldn’t.” Doris hurriedly said, shaking her head in a frantic attempt to dispel his suspicion.
“Better not,” he interrupted, his tone calm but menacing. “Because trust me, Doris, the cost is more than you can afford He grabbed his suit jacket and draped it over his arm, his posture as composed as ever, though his words still hung heavy in the air. “Get some rest. I’m going to work.”
g dangerously. “Doris, we’re married. Helping you isn’t some grand gesture; it’s what I’m supposed to do. If you die, I’ll be the first one people would suspect.”
“And if I ever find out you’re doing something you shouldn’t be behind my back…” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropp to an icy whisper. “You’ll pay for it. Mark my words,”
“I wouldn’t.” Doris hurriedly said, shaking her head in a frantic attempt to dispel his suspicion.
“Better not,” he interrupted, his tone calm but menacing. “Because trust me, Doris, the cost is more than you can afford He grabbed his suit jacket and draped it over his arm, his posture as composed as ever, though his words still hung heavy in the air. “Get some rest. I’m going to work.”
