Chapter 90
Lewis unfadened his seatbeh and stepped out of the caY
As he walked upstairs and opened the door, the delicious aroma of food greeted him
He hadn’t had Doris‘ cooking in days and instantly felt a wave of nostalgia.
Lately, he had been eating meals prepared by top cheft–meals he once thought were delicious. But now, they always seemed to lack something. He no longer found them appetizing.
The aroma in the air stirred his senses. He hadn’t felt hungry before, but now his stormach was growling.
He changed into slippers, walked into the living room, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over the back of the sofa before heading to the kitchen.
Doris had just placed the last dish on the table when she turned around and saw Lewis. ‘You’re here.”
“Yeah,” Lewis responded.
“Wash your hands and come cat,” Doris said with a gentle smile.
Lewis unfastened his cufflinks and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his lean, muscular forearms.
He turned on the faucet to wash his hands. His fingers were well–proportioned. Not only was he handsome, but even his hands were a work of art.
After washing his hands and drying them, Lewis took a seat at the dining table.
Doris was already seated, and the dishes had been served.
She picked up a bowl of soup and placed it in front of Lewis. “Have some soup before you eat.”
Lewis didn’t immediately move. His deep eyes lingered on Doris, who sat across from him. That was when he noticed- Doris had deliberately dressed up today.
Her lightly made–up face appeared luminous and delicate. Her dark brows arched gracefully, her lips were tinged with a soft cherry hue, and her eyes shimmered like rippling lake water.
She had styled her long hair into an elegant updo, secured with a simple yet refined antique hairpin. Not a single strand was out of place.
She was in a white dress with delicate green floral patterns, exuding a fresh and natural charm.
Doris usually didn’t care much for dressing up, prioritizing comfort over style. But she always looked clean and put- together. Tonight, however, her effort was evident–subtle yet breathtaking. Her beauty wasn’t dazzling or flamboyant; it was like a soft rain that quietly seeped into one’s heart.
Not only had she carefully dressed up, but she had also prepared such a lavish dinner.
The corners of Lewis‘ lips curled slightly, his expression calm, though amusement flickered in his eyes.
He wrapped his fingers around the rim of the soup bowl, masking his inner turmoil. “Is today a special occasion? Why so much food just for the two of us?”
“No special occasion.” Doris shook her head. “We haven’t had a meal together in a while. I just wanted to sit down and have a proper dinner with you.”
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Chapter 90
Lewis took a sip of the soup. Didn’t you say you had something important to tell me?
“No rush. Let’s eat first and talk later” Doris lifted her soup bowl and rook a sip
Lewis didn’t press further.
They focused on eating, falling into a comfortable silence.
Doris‘ cooking was truly delicious, and it instantly whetted Lewis‘ appetite.
The tomato–braised beef was perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy, making it irresistibly appetizing.
Though he was mentally raving about how good it was, Lewis maintained a calm exterior, refusing to let Doris notice his
excitement.
Doris, however, sneaked a glance at him, observing his reaction. Seeing him eat with such relish, she felt satisfied.
She thought this was the least she could do–to make it up to him in some way.
Lewis ended up eating too full, making up for the meals he had missed in the past few days.
After dinner, Doris cleaned up the table and dishes.
She washed the dishes, and Lewis helped dry them and placed them on the dish rack.
Once everything was tidied up, Doris washed some fruit, cut it into pieces, and brought it to the living room.
Lewis sat in a single–seater sofa, watching her every move.
Doris lifted her eyelashes and met his deep gaze.
His expression seemed to say, “Now we can talk about the important matter.”
Doris placed both hands on her knees, mustered up her courage, and said, “Mr. Hartman, thank you so much for taking care of me and tolerating me all this time. From now on, I won’t trouble you anymore. I’ve thought a lot these past few days— let’s get a divorce.”
The light in Lewis‘ eyes dimmed in an instant, leaving only a desolate darkness. The overhead light cast deep shadows across his face, sharpening his features even further.
“Say that again.” His voice was deep and magnetic.
“I said, let’s get a divorce.” Doris‘ long eyelashes fluttered.
“Why?” Lewis instinctively questioned.
Doris didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled out the divorce agreement she had prepared from under the coffee table and handed it to Lewis. “This is the divorce agreement. Take a look. If you have no objections, just sign it. I’ve already signed.”
Lewis‘ gaze shifted from Doris‘ face to the bold, glaring words in the center of the document.
“I asked you why. Answer me.” His voice was calm, yet it carried a hidden anger. “If you don’t give me a reason, I won’t sign.”
Doris‘ eyelashes trembled slightly, and she swallowed. She bit her lip. She didn’t want to say anything harsh, but he kept pressing her.
Her fingers clutched the fabric of her clothes as she braced herself and said, “Because I’ve fallen for someone else. We agreed when we got married that if either of us found someone we truly loved, we would let each other go and divorce.”
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Chapter 90
Someone you like? Lewis let out a mocking laugh. “Who?”
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That’s my private matter. I don’t need to tell you” Doris forced herself to sound firm. “Mr. Hartman, consider this my fault. If you need any compensation, as long as it’s within my ability, I’ll make it up to you. That way, we can part on good terms.”
“Part on good terms Lewis repeated the words slowly. “What a nice way to put it.”
Doris pressed her lips together and remained silent.
Lewis stared at Doris‘ skin and delicate features. Her expressive eyes were captivating for him.
He thought, So tonight’s dinner is actually a farewell meal. No wonder it is so lavish and delicious.
He had thought that if Doris took the initiative, he would take the opportunity to reconcile with her. But out of everything he had imagined, he never expected her to bring up divorce.
Just last night, he had told Ivan Chris that if Doris ever asked for a divorce, he would agree to it. And now, here she was,
actually bringing it up. Yet, he didn’t want to agree.
He thought, ‘She was the one who insisted on marrying me in the first place–why should I be the one getting dumped
now?
“Where were you last night?” Lewis asked.
“How do you want me to answer? Do you want the truth or a lie?” Doris wasn’t good at lying, but she also didn’t want to tell the truth. “Mr. Hartman, instead of wasting time on this, why don’t you just sign the papers? This way, you’ll be free too, won’t you?
You’re outstanding–there’s no shortage of women pursuing you. There’s no need to trap yourself in a loveless marriage with someone whose heart belongs elsewhere.”
Lewis felt provoked. “Doris, are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Doris nodded firmly.
“You won’t regret it?” he pressed.
“I won’t.” She didn’t have the right to regret.
Lewis stood up, grabbed the divorce papers from the coffee table, and clenched them in his hand. “Fine. I’ll go through the
terms.”
Without looking at her again, he turned and left.
Doris also stood up, watching his tall and upright back. “See you at City Hall at nine tomorrow.”
The only response she got was the cold sound of the door closing behind him.
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