Chapter 13 Just happened to be passing by Lewis said casually , tossing out an excuse without much thought .
Is truth , hed stepped in only when he saw Rupert raising his hand against Doris Doris nodded in quiet understanding , her expression calm .
Does your brother always bully you like that ? Lewis asked , his tone tinged with a hint of irritation .
Rupert struck him as the kind of guy who was just begging for a beating .
In the Hartman family , no one would dare behave like that .
Doris , used to such situations , responded with a wry smile .
Hes not the only one dishing it out .
Ive made sure hes suffered his fair share too .
Ruperts earlier comment wasnt entirely wrong whenever he got the worst of their fights , their father would inevitably step in to avenge him .
But that was a truth Doris dared not share with Lewis .
If youve been making him pay for it , Im guessing theres no chance of you going back to that house .
Lewis speculated , his voice steady .
Doris let out a soft , humorless laugh : Shed long since given up on her family , and the idea of any semblance of affection within it .
Its not a house worth going back to anyway .
Lewis raised a brow , intrigued .
You sure about that ? Her lashes fluttered slightly as she looked up at him , her eyes bright with a spark of mischief .
Didnt you just give me a new home ? That caught him off guard for a moment , the faintest flicker of surprise passing through his features .
Mr.
Hartman , Doris said softly , Im looking forward to our one year marriage .
She was genuinely grateful for his intervention it felt strange but comforting to be protected , even if just this once .
Lewis gave her a small nod , his voice firm .
Doris , as long as you behave yourself , I wont let anyone lay a finger on you He didnt dwell on Doriss character or intentions those were now secondary in his mind .
She was his wife now , and protecting her wasnt just his responsibility ; it was a matter of principle .
Letting someone else harm her while he stood idly by was something he would never allow .
I always behave , Doris replied lightly , unsure why hed even said such a thing .
But she didnt think too much about it .
And Im not a pushover .
Dont worry about that .
Seeing she was unharmed , Lewis left without another word .
Doris , in turn , headed back to the hotel to resume work .
As soon as she stepped into the lobby , a coworker at the front desk called out , Doris , Mr.
Morris is looking for you .
Leon Morris , the manager of the Food and Beverage Department , was infamous for his sleazy reputation .
Years of skimming profits had padded not only his wallet but also his waistline , leaving him with a belly so large it seemed to swallow his neck .
Got it , Doris replied , keeping her tone neutral , and made her way to Leons office .
Knocking lightly , she entered the room and approached his desk .
Mr.
Morris , you wanted to see me ? Leons face was grim with anger , his fleshy hand slamming down on the desk with a loud thud .
Doris , are you trying to lose this job ! 1/4 13:05 Wed , 26 Feb FRE Chapter 13 His tone was sharp and accusing .
Whatever drama youve got going on at home , keep it at home .
Do you have any idea how much damage this little spectacle of your brothers has caused ? How much negative press and financial loss were now dealing with because of this stunt ? If everyones family members started barging in here and creating chaos , do you think this place could keep running ? Doriss heart sank .
Lowering her gaze slightly , she replied sincerely , Mr.
Morris , I deeply apologize for todays incident Leon scoffed , the anger in his voice simmering down , replaced by something far more unsettling .
If it werent for me stepping in , smoothing things over with Mr.
West , youd have been out of here already He stood from his chair , his beady eyes glinting with something predatory as he closed the distance between them .
So tell me , Doris how do you plan on thanking me for saving your job ? Doris froze at his words , her stomach churning with unease .
Mr.
Morris , Ill make sure to work hard and do my job well .
she said cautiously , keeping her voice steady even as her instincts screamed for her to leave .
Oh , come on , Doris .
Dont play dumb with me .
His gaze raked over her beautiful figure shamelessly , lingering in ways that made her skin crawl You know what I want .
If you just say yes , Ill make sure your career here is as smooth as silk .
As he reached out a pudgy hand aiming for hers , his grin widening .
Doris felt her chest tighten with disgust .
She took a quick step back , avoiding his touch .
Mr.
Morris , she said firmly , if theres nothing else , Ill get back to work now .
Leons expression darkened instantly , his tone turning sharp and mocking .
Dont be ungrateful , Doris .
Who do you think you can rely on now ? Mr.
Watsons not around to back you up anymore .
You think you can survive here without someone like me pulling strings ? I could fire you in a heartbeat lets see how long you last then .
Leon had always had an eye for Doris her beauty was hard to ignore .

Follow new episodes on the CrushnovelS.Com

But back when she was Ryans girlfriend , he didnt dare overstep .
Now that she was single , Leon had grown bolder , summoning her to his office under flimsy pretenses and letting his harassment become blatantly obvious .
There had even been whispers among her coworkers , little rumors that flitted through the halls like gnats .
But Doris had never let them bother her .
Let them think what they want , she thought .
I know the truth .
Straightening up , Doris turned on her heel , yanked the door open , and walked out , her head held high with unwavering dignity .
By midday , Lola found her , fuming with indignation .
Doris , did you check out the company intranet ? You got called out by name and docked three months bonuses .
This is a blatant abuse of power .
Leon is using this whole thing to get back at you Lola was well aware of Leons sleazy intentions toward Doris , and the thought of Ruperts antics only fueled her anger .
Your brother is an absolute menace , she spat , pacing the room with her arms crossed .
Someone needs to put him in his place once and for all She continued , Mr.
West mentioned that the Hartman Groups party is going to be hosted at our hotel .
If you can manage to catch the attention of the heir to the Hartman family , you could crush them all Leon , Rupert , every single one of them -like theyre nothing but dust Lola , Doris interrupted , a little more forcefully this time , I was drunk when I said that stuff before .
I dont have any interest in the Hartman family heir .
Not anymore , she added inwardly .
Im married now .
I have a husband , even if our relationship is just a sham .
I cant go around daydreaming about other men .
13:05 Wed , 26 Feb Chapter 13 Lola arched a skeptical eyebrow , Oh , sure .
And they say drunk words are sober thoughts I swear , Doris said , raising her hand as if to take an oath .
Her expression was so serious it bordered on comical Lola gave her a look that said she wasnt buying it for a second .
Finally , Dons pulled Lola down to sit and leaned in close , lowering her voice so only Lola could hear .
Okay , fine .
I have a confession .
Im married .
It was a spur of the moment thing .
I wasnt trying to hide it from you ? With the secret shed been holding inside finally out in the open , Doris felt lighter , like a weight had been lifted from her chest .
Lola froze on the spot , staring at Doris as if shed just announced shed married an alien .
Doris , youre joking , right ? Youve got to be kidding me .
Werent you obsessed with the Hartman family heir ? What happened to becoming Mrs.
Hartman and throwing that in Ryans smug face ? Doriss lips curved into a faint , serene smile .
I am Mrs.
Hartman .
Lolas jaw practically hit the floor .
Wait , wait , wait .
Are you saying he is the Hartman family heir ? Doris shook her head .
No , no .
Im not that Mrs.
Hartman .
The man I married is just a regular guy who happens to have the same last name .
As for the Hartman family heir , that was nothing more than a drunken , unrealistic fantasy of mine .
Lets face it Im just an ordinary person .
Hes so out of my league .
Obsessing over him is like getting too close to the sun .
Id only get burned or turn to ash .
Dreams are nice , but I cant live in them forever , especially the wildly ridiculous ones .
But … Lolas expression shifted to one of sheer disbelief , her worry evident .
You cant just marry someone on a whim like that My dad was pressuring me to stay with Ryan as his mistress , Doris said with a sigh , the weight of her decision heavy in her tone .
The only way to put an end to their plans was for me to get married .
Lolas jaw tightened , anger and shock flashing in her eyes .
Your dad teamed up with Ryan to force you into being his mistress ? What kind of father does that ? Selling out his own daughter like youre some kind of pawn .
Seriously , is he even your real dad .
Doris fell silent , her long lashes lowering to conceal the sorrow clouding her eyes .
In her fathers world , she was nothing more than a piece on a chessboard , someone to be traded for profit or convenience .
Lola , clearly not ready to drop the subject , leaned forward .
Okay , back to this husband of yours .
Wheres be from ? Whats debts ? his family like ? Where does he work ? Does he have a car , a house ? Does he have any More importantly , is he violent , alcoholic or addicted to gambling ? Doris hesitated , chewing on her fingernail nervously .
He seems like a local .
He has a nice apartment , a car , and a job .
But … other than that , Im not really sure .
Lola smacked her forehead , irritation dripping from her voice .
Youre kidding me , right ? What the hell were you thinking ? You married a guy you barely know ? What if hes some kind of scammer preying on clueless girls ? Lola looked at Doris as if she couldnt believe what she was hearing .
Then , bluntly , Lola asked , Did you sleep with him ? Doris flushed with embarrassment , her cheeks turning as red as a rose in bloom .
No … He and I are not that close yet .
The truth was , their marriage contract explicitly stated they wouldnt engage in any marital obligations , especially not the 13:05 Wed , 26 Feb Chapter 13 kind that involved sex .
Not that Doris had any plans to jump into that kind of arrangement with Lewis anyway .
In her eyes , Lewis was insufferable .
cold , arrogant , and sharp tongued .
She wasnt about to put herself through that kind of misery .
She had her limits , and dealing with someone like him in that way was definitely beyond them , Good .
Lola said with visible relief .
Youve got to protect yourself , Doris .
Dont let anyone take advantage of you I know .
Doris mumbled .
No , seriously .
I mean it .
I get it .
Okay , heres the deal .
You need to introduce me to this guy .
I want to meet him face to face .
If theres even the slightest red losses .
flag , youre divorcing him immediately .
No arguments .
Youve got to cut your Alright , Ill ask him if hes free .
Whats he got to be so busy about ! He cant possibly be busier than the Hartman family heir .
If I wanna see him , hed better show up .
No excuses .
Ө