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Chapter 49
Laura approved of Lewis as her brother–in–law. He could protect Doris from their father’s mistreatment, and his family was kind and welcoming, which gave her peace of mind.
“Pick a convenient spot for you. I can drive anywhere,” Lewis suggested, considering Laura’s travel needs.
Laura mentioned a supermarket she often shopped at and then headed out using the pretense of buying groceries.
After meeting up, Lewis and Laura went to a nearby café. One ordered an Americano, the other a cappuccino.
“Is something wrong with Doris? Is that why you’re in such a hurry to meet me?” Laura asked, gripping her coffee cup tightly.
“Relax, Laura,” Lewis said, noticing her tension. “It’s nothing too serious. Ever since you two last met, she’s taken up a part- time job delivering food. She works until one or two in the morning every day.
“She spends her salary as she wishes, and I give her an allowance. I also cover any major household expenses. I don’t understand why she’s suddenly working so hard as if she’s desperate for money.
“I’ve asked her if she’s facing any problems, but she insists she’s fine. That’s why I wanted to check with you to see if there’s a reason behind this sudden change–so I can help her.”
The coffee cup Laura had just picked up slipped from her hands and hit the tray with a loud clatter. The cup toppled over, spilling coffee onto her pants, but she didn’t seem to notice.
Lewis quickly grabbed a napkin from the table and blotted up the coffee before calling a server to clean up. He also ordered Laura another cappuccino.
Laura’s face turned pale, and tears welled up in her eyes. She said, “Lewis, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I’ve dragged Doris into this mess and disrupted your lives.”
“Laura, what do you mean?” Lewis asked, handing her another napkin when he saw her tears.
Laura dabbed at her eyes, her expression filled with sadness, as she recounted the events of a few days prior when D come to see her.
Lewis listened quietly, occasionally sipping his coffee.
nad
“That’s the situation,” Laura concluded. “Doris is working so hard to help me pay off that 120–thousand–dollar debt. I told her not to get involved–I didn’t want to drag you both into this.”
She took all the blame upon herself. “Lewis, don’t blame Doris. If you need to blame someone, blame me. This is all my fault. Please, don’t let this cause any rift between you and Doris. If that happens, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Laura kept apologizing, guilt–ridden.
Lewis replied, “Laura, this isn’t your fault, and I certainly won’t blame her. I understand why she did it.
“You two grew up together and share a deep bond. Her helping you shows she’s not someone who turns her back on family.”
Lewis had a strong sense of right and wrong and saw the situation clearly. Through this, he also realized that Doris was a person of great loyalty and integrity.
Laura looked at Lewis, her eyes filled with astonishment. Her anxiety and worry eased thanks to his understanding and generosity.
She had never experienced this kind of respect and empathy from Matteo.
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Chapter 49
She felt both sad about her own misfortune and grateful that Doris had found such a good partner. She silently wished them a lifetime of happiness.
“Are you sure you’re not upset with Doris?” Laura asked again, needing reassurance.
“Blaming a woman only reflects a man’s incompetence,” Lewis replied firmly. He wasn’t that kind of man. “What we need to focus on now is solving the problem.”
“Yeah, right, solve the problem. I’ll talk to Doris and persuade her to quit her part–time job. I’ll figure out a way to pay her back,” Laura said, determined to take responsibility.
Lewis picked up his phone from the table, his fingers moving across the screen. “Laura, let’s add each other on WhatsApp.
When Laura saw the friend request, she accepted it.
“Send me your bank account details,” Lewis said.
“I can’t take your money.” Laura refused.
Lewis didn’t stop what he was doing. He raised his eyes briefly to glance at her and said, “I’ll transfer 100 thousand dollars to
you.
“Use it to pay off the debt and tell Doris that your husband learned about the situation, gave you the money, and made it clear that this must not happen again.
“Only by addressing the root of the problem can you persuade Doris to quit the part–time job and stop exhausting herself. That’s our shared goal. Nothing else matters. Do you understand?”
Laura’s heart ached at the thought of Doris working late into the night just to help her. Lewis’s words left her with no room to refuse. She had no other choice.
“I’ll treat this as a loan. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can,” Laura insisted, holding onto the last shred of her pride. No matter how hard her life got, she couldn’t let go of that small piece of dignity.
“Fine,” Lewis agreed.
Laura filled in her bank details and hesitated for a long moment before sending them over.
Once he received her account information, Lewis copied it and transferred 100 thousand dollars through his mobile banking app.
A few seconds later, Laura received a notification confirming the deposit.
“Why don’t you want her to know it’s you helping me?” Laura asked, her emotions a mix of gratitude and bitterness as she stared at the 100 thousand dollars in her account.
Even the brother–in–law–she had known for just a short time treated her better than the husband she had shared a bed with for four years.
“She didn’t ask me for help because she doesn’t want me to know about this,” Lewis explained. “Since that’s her wish, I’ll pretend I don’t know anything. You shouldn’t tell her either.”
Laura took a sip of her coffee. It was sweet, but all she could taste was bitterness. “You worry about her safety and help her sister solve her problems, yet she knows nothing about it. What’s the point of all this?” she asked.
“That’s not important,” Lewis said, never having given the question any thought. “Doris is my wife, and you’re her sister. We’re family. If I can help, I will.”
Tears welled up in Laura’s eyes once more, but this time, they were tears of joy. “Thank you, truly. Doris is so fortunate to
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Chapter 49
have you”
“Doris is a wonderful wife, Lewis replied, raising his coffee cup in a small gesture of toast.
Laura mirrored the gesture, lifting her own cup. Suddenly, a figure quickly approached and stopped in front of her.
Laura was shocked and called out, “Sofia-
Before she could finish, Sofia grabbed the coffee from her hands and splashed it onto her face.
Lewis stood up to intervene, but it was too late. Coffee stained Laura’s face, dripping down her chin. Her white blouse and beige pants were also soaked and filthy, leaving her looking utterly disheveled.
Laura remained seated, expressionless, not even bothering to wipe her face.
“Laura, you shameless woman!” Sophia roared, her voice brimming with fury. “I was right–you’re cheating on my son! Deny it all you want, but I caught you red–handed this time. Let’s see how you explain yourself now!”
Her voice carried through the café, capturing everyone’s attention.
Not wanting to drag Lewis into the mess, Laura grabbed Sophia’s arm and said, “Sophia, let’s talk about this at home.”
“What? Now you are embarrassed?! I’m not going anywhere!” Sophia shook off Laura’s hand, clearly intent on making a
scene.
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