Chapter 66
Chapter 66
“Harass you? Don’t flatter yourself,” Leia snapped, naturally taking Ryan’s side.
“Who’s flattering themselves, I wonder?” Doris scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Without wasting another word, she turned on her heel and began to walk away.
Seeing Doris leave, Leia chased after her, relentless. “Doris, feeling guilty and trying to run away, huh? You had the nerve to do it but not the guts to admit it? You shameless witch! I’m going to rip that smug face of yours to shreds!”
Ryan grabbed Leia’s arm, stopping her in her tracks with a look of disdain. “Leia, don’t you think this is beneath you?”
“Beneath me? She’s the one seducing you! If anyone’s disgraceful, it’s her!” Leia shot back, pointing toward Doris, who had already stepped out of the room.
“She didn’t seduce me. I’m the one who sought her out,” Ryan said matter–of–factly.
Leia’s eyes widened, trembling as though she’d just been dealt a devastating blow. “What did you say? I don’t believe it.”
This isn’t real. It can’t be,‘ she shook her head as she thought, desperately trying to deny what she’d just heard.
“Believe it or not, it’s the truth,” Ryan replied, utterly indifferent to her reaction.
“Ryan, I’m your fiancée! I’ve given you my whole heart, watched over you with nothing but love. How could you do this to me? Don’t you feel the least bit guilty?” Leia grabbed the front of his shirt, her voice breaking with anguish.
Ryan pried her hands off him and pushed her away without a second glance. “Leia, let me say this one more time. I never loved you. If you hadn’t set me up, Doris and I would still be together, and none of this would’ve happened.”
“All of this is your fault. Don’t act like a victim. It’s the price you have to pay.” He cast her a cold glance, then picked up his suit jacket and walked out without looking back.
“Ryan!” Leia’s voice cracked with despair as tears welled up in her eyes. Her heart throbbed with pain. ‘I won’t accept this. I won’t give up,‘ she wondered.
*****
In the hotel’s public restroom, Doris rinsed off the wine stains on her face and body.
However, the red wine had seeped into the fabric of her blouse, leaving a permanent mark. With no other choice, she went to the employee locker
Film and changed into a spare shirt.
As she stepped outside, a cool breeze greeted her. The night wind played with her long hair, sending it swirling in the air and partially obscuring her vision.
She raised a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, clearing her sight. It was then that she spotted a familiar tall figure approaching her at a steady pace. A spark of joy lit up Doris‘ eyes.
When Lewis drew closer, she smiled. “What brings you here?”
“I just finished work and happened to be in the area, so I thought I’d pick you up,” Lewis explained casually, having stayed late at the office after hearing Doris was working overtime.
“Why didn’t you call to check first? What if I’d already left? Wouldn’t you have made the trip for nothing?” Doris said, feigning a bit of annoyance.
“I sent you a message, but you didn’t reply. I figured you were busy.” Lewis pointed out, gesturing toward the phone she was holding.
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Chapter 66
Doris unlocked her phone and found an unread message from him. “Oh, sorry about that. I didn’t notice,” she said apologetically. “It’s so late. Have you had dinner?”
“I ate at the office. What about you?” Lewis replied.
Reassured by his response, Doris nodded. “I did. Let’s head home then.”
“Sounds good,” Lewis replied, nodding in agreement.
As the two began walking side by side, a voice called out from behind them. “Sir, are you pursuing Doris?”
Both of them stopped in their tracks and turned to look. Standing not far from the hotel entrance was a small group of people, whom Doris recognized as her colleagues. They had likely just finished their shifts as well.
The one who had spoken was Lily, whose gaze at Doris carried a hint of contempt.
Lewis turned slightly, his posture straight and composed, his sharp eyes even deeper than the surrounding night. “And if I am?” he replied evenly,
Lily’s expression shifted as she stared at the handsome and elegant Lewis. Jealousy and bitterness swirled in her heart. ‘How does Doris always get so lucky?‘ she thought.
“Sir, Doris may look innocent, but she’s not a good person. You’d better watch out and not let her fool you. There were many people present on the scene.
Lewis‘ lips curved into a faint smirk as he glanced at Doris beside him. “What could she possibly fool me about? My feelings? Isn’t that exactly what I want? If she chooses to deceive me, I’d gladly let her. And you… What right do you have to criticize her?”
Doris‘ pupils slightly dilated as she watched Lewis‘ overly romantic defense play out before her eyes.
Meanwhile, Lily was left speechless, her attempt to stir trouble thwarted by Lewis‘ unwavering response.
‘How could someone so handsome also be so hopelessly naive? Doris is only attractive. What makes her deserve better luck than me?‘ she wondered.
Lily had worked at the hotel for years, encountering wealthy men countless times. Yet, none of them had ever shown her the kind of genuine attention Lewis was giving Doris.
They were either old and overweight or already had families or girlfriends. When Doris and Ryan started dating, Lily had been consumed with jealousy.
She’d fallen for Ryan the moment she saw him and had tried every trick, from subtle hints to outright advances, only to be ruthlessly rejected. The bitterness from that humiliation never left her.
“Doris didn’t even work overtime today,” Lily began with a venomous smirk. “She was meeting Mr. Watson in one of the hotel rooms. Now tell me, what do you think a man and a woman alone in a room would be doing?
“Mr. Watson has a girlfriend, someone from an excellent family, by the way but Doris just can’t seem to leave him alone. They supposedly ended things when he got engaged, but here she is, shamelessly trying to rekindle their affair.”
She added, “And honestly, why wouldn’t she? Men like Mr. Watson, young, rich, and handsome, are a rare breed. Sure, you’re good–looking, but how could you possibly compete with him?
“Face it. You’re nothing more than a backup plan, a filler to keep Doris entertained when Mr. Watson isn’t around.
“Sir, wake up! There are plenty of women out there who are prettier and more virtuous than Doris. There’s no reason for you to degrade yourself by sharing a woman like her with another man. Don’t let her drag you into the mud along with her.”
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Lily’s tone dripped with disdain as she painted Doris in the worst light possible, making her sound utterly immoral
Doris‘ expression darkened as she turned to face Lily, “Lily, I’ve always considered you a colleague and never wanted to make an enemy out of you. But if you keep spreading lies and pushing me like this, don’t blame me for not holding back.
“Lies?” Lily scoffed, feigning innocence. “I’m just stating the facts. Are you getting defensive because I struck a nerve? I’m only saying all this because I hate to see this gentleman being played for a fool. He deserves to know the truth,”
Lily turned to Lewis once more. She smiled smugly, masking her malice with false kindness. “Sir, you don’t have to thank me. I’m just naturally kindhearted and honest.”
Lewis‘ face remained calm, his deep eyes filled with unwavering conviction. “I don’t believe a single word you’ve said,” he declared, taking Doris‘ hand in his own. His gaze softened as he turned to Doris, his voice brimming with affection. “I only trust what she tells me.”
Doris tilted her head slightly to meet Lewis‘ eyes. The tenderness in his gaze was almost overwhelming, making her heart flutter.
‘Does he really only believe me?‘ she wondered, feeling her defenses begin to melt under his warmth.
Lily, seeing her scheme fail, found herself on the receiving end of their open display of affection. The bitterness boiled inside her, and she began plotting her next move when a sharp, mocking voice interrupted her.
“Lily, if you’re so good at making up stories, why not try your luck as a screenwriter?” A woman stepped forward, her icy gaze sweeping over the small crowd of onlookers.
She spoke with authority, her voice laced with disdain for Lily’s antics. “Doris was Ryan’s actual girlfriend. That jerk was the one who cheated, and he’s been hounding Doris ever since. Doris wants nothing to do with him, and I can vouch for that.”
