Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Lewis arrived home in record time, parked the car, and took the elevator upstairs. As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by Biscuit wagging his tail.
“Where’s your mom?” Lewis placed his car keys on the counter. Biscuit barked twice and led the way toward Doris‘ room.
Lewis quickly followed, unlocking the door to Doris‘ room and finding her sound asleep in bed.
He had been frantically searching for her, yet there she was, sound asleep at home. But the moment Lewis laid eyes on her, the weight in his chest finally lifted.
Nothing else seemed to be important anymore. What truly mattered was that she was safe and unharmed.
He gently closed the door behind him to avoid waking her, then turned and headed to the living room.
He dialed Daniel’s number. “No need to keep looking. She’s at home. Daniel, thank you. Be sure to reward the team.”
“Glad to hear Mrs. Hartman is okay,” Daniel said with relief. Lewis would have been a wreck if he hadn’t found Doris.
“Look into the situation with Doris getting fired. If the hotel is at fault, we’re ending our partnership with Hampstone Hotel,” Lewis instructed.
“Understood,” Daniel replied.
Just as Lewis ended the call, Doris‘ voice came from behind him. “You’re home already?”
‘How long did I sleep? What time is it?‘ she wondered to herself.
Lewis turned to face her, his eyes intense and focused. “What happened with your phone? Why couldn’t I reach you?”
“I… I turned it off,” Doris admitted, her eyes dropping nervously.
“I wasn’t trying to ignore you. My parents kept calling, and I got frustrated, so I just turned it off to sleep. I forgot to let you know… it’s my fault. You can yell at me, or whatever.”
Lewis sat down on the couch, the golden glow of the setting sun streaming through the floor–to–ceiling windows, casting a warm light on him, making his features even more striking.
His strong brows and sharp eyes outshone the sunset, making him impossible to ignore.
“What’s the point of yelling at you or scolding you?” Lewis said with a half–laugh. “Everyone has their off days. As long as you let it out, it’s fine.”
Doris glanced up, her mind racing. ‘Does Lewis know something?‘ she wondered.
“I went to Hampstone Hotel,” Lewis said honestly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were fired?”
“I… didn’t know how to bring it up,” Doris said, nervously twisting the corner of her shirt.
“You’ve always been so good with words. What’s wrong now? You can’t find anything to say to me?” Lewis teased lightly.
“This is different,” Doris responded.
“How is it different?” Lewis pressed.
“It just is,” Doris said, her voice quieter.
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Chapter 71
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Seeing she wasn’t ready to talk, Lewis relented. “Well, since you’ve already quit, use this time to rest and recharge. Losing one job isn’t the end of the world.”
“Of course not,” Doris replied, but the coldness she felt in her chest was hard to ignore.
“Are you feeling wronged?” Lewis asked, hitting the nail on the head.
The reason she was fired was disgraceful, and she couldn’t accept it. After leaving Hampstone Hotel, she feared she would never get a chance to clear her name.
“It’s alright. Life is long. There will always be more chances,” Lewis said, his voice steady, as he turned to face her, his gaze burning with resolve.
His unwavering gaze filled Doris with encouragement and hope. She smiled, her eyes sparkling with newfound optimism. “You’re right. I’ll get another shot.”
After her nap, Doris wasn’t tired anymore and continued watching TV.
Lewis glanced at the time. It was already 10 p.m. “Go to bed soon. Don’t let the lack of work make you slack off.”
“Got it,” Doris replied, peeling a banana.
Lewis glanced at her, concerned. “It’s late. You shouldn’t be eating that now. It’s bad for your stomach.”
“Fine,” Doris said quietly, putting the banana back into the fruit bowl.
Lewis got up to leave, and Doris‘ eyes followed him as he entered the bedroom.
Lewis turned back to look at her, and Doris waved at him cheerfully. “Good night, Mr. Hartman.”
“As long as you don’t bother me,” he replied curtly, then disappeared into the bedroom.
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Doris listened carefully, keeping an ear on Lewis‘ movements. Once she was sure he wasn’t coming out, she sneakily grabbed the banana and happily started eating it.
It had been a long time since she stayed up this late. Now that she was finally tired, a phone call startled her awake in the middle of the night.
“Laura, what’s going on at this hour? Did Matteo bully you?” Doris asked, her voice filled with concern.
Laura’s voice was urgent. “Doris, Mom collapsed at home. She’s being taken to His Grace Hospital. You need to come to the hospital right away.”
“Alright, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Doris replied, instantly wide awake. She threw the covers off, grabbed some clothes, and quickly changed. Snatching her white handbag, she rushed out of the room, flustered and anxious.
She reached the door before realizing she had forgotten her phone. Turning back, she found it on the bed. As she turned to run again, she accidentally bumped into the door, wincing in pain.
Her hand instinctively went to her sore spot, while the other covered her mouth to stifle a cry. She glanced over toward Lewis‘ room, worried she might have woken him.
Fortunately, there was no movement.
But Biscuit was awake and ran over to bark at Doris.
“Shh,” Doris whispered, holding her fingers up to her lips to silence the dog, trying to ignore the throbbing pain on her
forehead.
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Chapter 71
But it was too late. Lewis swung open his door, his face cold and dark from being woken up. ‘Doris, why aren’t you sleeping at this hour? Playing with the dog?
“I didn’t mean to, Doris said, feeling guilty. “You can keep sleeping. I’ll leave right away and won’t disturb you again.”
As she spoke, she hurriedly made her way through the living room and toward the entrance.
Lewis followed a few steps behind her. “Doris, can you stop being so moody at this time of night?”
All I did was stop her from making noise, and now she’s acting like she’s going to run away from home? he thought to
himself.
I’m not throwing a tantrum.” Doris corrected him seriously. “I have something to do. You can go back to sleep now?
“What’s going on?” Lewis pressed. “Where are you going?”
“Laura called. My mom collapsed and they’re taking her to the hospital. I need to go see her, Doris explained.
Although her mother had always preferred her brother, she had always been kinder to Doris than her father. Doris couldn’t ignore her in a time of need.
“Wait for me. I’ll go with you,” Lewis said, stopping Doris as she was about to open the door.
“Mr. Hartman, it’s the middle of the night, and you need to work tomorrow. You don’t have to come.” Doris insisted.
She didn’t want him to go through the trouble, and besides, there was no way he would be appreciated by her parents. It would be better if he stayed home.
“How are you going to get there? I don’t trust you taking a cab alone. Stay here and wait for me. I’ll be ready in just a few minutes, Lewis said with a sharp look, warning her not to think she could slip away alone.
Doris was taken aback by his gaze and stood still, unable to argue.
Lewis quickly changed into casual clothes, a white T–shirt and a black jacket. His tall figure and long legs made him look effortlessly stylish.
They took the elevator down to the basement. Once in the car, he quickly drove them out of the underground garage. It was 2 a.m., and the streets were nearly empty, enveloped in a rare calmness.
They arrived at His Grace Hospital ten minutes earlier than usual. Lewis parked the car and stepped out.
Doris received a call from Laura. “Doris, they’re admitting Mom to the hospital. We’re on the fifth floor.”
“I’m here, heading up now,” Doris replied.
“Go on up. I’ll grab some gifts,” Lewis said. He couldn’t show up empty–handed.
“Don’t bother. You’ve already done so much for me tonight,” Doris said, her eyes flashing. “You have work tomorrow, so maybe you should go back and get some rest.”
“You don’t want me to go because you’re worried about your father and Rupert making things difficult for me?” Lewis asked, cutting straight to the point. “What can they do to me?”
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