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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . Lolas jaw practically hit the floor . Wait , wait , wait . Are you saying he is the Hartman family heir ? Doris shook her head . Im not that Mrs. 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 . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!