No Ads Chapter 25 Chapter 25 At six in the morning , Laura woke up right on schedule . She had barely slept for more than two hours , but it didnt matter she had to get up and prepare breakfast for the entire family . If she didnt , not only would Sofia be displeased , but Matteo would surely lash out at her as well . There was a time when the Webbs had a housekeeper to handle these tasks . But that luxury disappeared when Sofia decided Laura had failed her duty by not giving birth to a second child . The housekeeper was dismissed , and Sofia smugly handed over the responsibility to Laura , justifying it by saying , Youre young and idle might as well put yourself to good use . By 7:30 a.m. , Matteo had eaten and left for work . As Laura cleared away the breakfast dishes , Sofia stood in the kitchen doorway , arms crossed , her expression radiating dissatisfaction . Laura , Sofia began , her tone sharp and critical , did you upset Matteo again last night ? He works so hard all day . Can you stop adding to his stress ? Laura , utterly drained from the mornings labor and lack of sleep , forced herself to respond calmly , Sofia , I didnt . All she wanted to do right now was to lie down and have some rest . Sofia , unconvinced , narrowed her eyes . To her , Lauras weariness came off as defiance. Sofia scolded , Youve failed to give us a second grandchild , and all youve managed is just one child . What good is that ? But have I made your life hard because of it ? No. Ive been patient . So dont think for a second you can act ungrateful . If you upset my son again , Ill personally see to it that youre sent packing back to your parents house . Do you understand ? Yes , I understand . Lauras voice was devoid of emotion . She couldnt muster the strength to argue . Ill take Ari to school now . With Arianna in tow , Laura walked the short ten minute distance to Evergreen Preschool . Mommy , Grandma scolded you again today , didnt she ? Ariannas large , innocent eyes shimmered with sadness as she looked up at her mother . No , sweetheart . Laura forced a smile , her voice soft and soothing as she patted Ariannas head . Grandma was just speaking a bit loudly . She didnt mean anything by it . But its all because of me . Ariannas little face scrunched up with guilt . Ill be even better from now on , so Grandma wont scold you anymore . Lauras heart ached at those words . She knelt down and pulled her daughter into her arms , holding her tightly . Ari , dont think that way . Its not true , do you hear me ? You are Mommys treasure . I love you so much . Aunt Doris loves you . Grandma Peyton loves you too . We all love you . After calming Ariannas little heart , Laura waved goodbye as she watched her daughter disappear through the gates of the preschool . Only then did her facade crumble . Her eyes stung , and tears spilled down her cheeks . She covered her mouth with her hand , muffling her sobs . But before she could collect herself , her phone rang , jolting her out of her moment of weakness . Laura , hows that $ 100,000 coming along ? Jimmys voice was cold and impatient . I expect the money tomorrow . 1/4 Chapter 25 Dad , didnt we agree on three days ? Lauras voice trembled with surprise . What difference does a day make ? Two days , three days its all the same . Just get it done , Jimmys tone grew sharper as he issued his final warning . And dont make me come to your house to get it from Matteo myself Laura gritted her teeth , her grip tightening around the phone . I understand Doris arrived at the Hampstone Hotel and quickly immersed herself in her work . It was just past ten when her phone rang , and Lolas voice came through , laced with urgency . Doris , come to the front desk right now Im swamped , Doris replied , completely occupied by work . Lolas voice was urgent , tinged with panic . This is really important With a sigh , Doris had no choice but to agree . She rushed to the front desk and was immediately greeted by a chaotic scene an entire horde of the Robinsons . Doris , thank goodness youre here . Molly , Claudias grandaunt , latched onto Doris like a drowning person clutching at a lifeboat . You have to talk to them . Tell them to let us go . Whats going on ? Doris asked , completely baffled . Ava stepped forward , wearing an expression that screamed entitlement . Doris , Rupert said you work here , so youll be covering the bill for us . What ? Doris froze in disbelief , feeling like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over her head . Yes , exactly , Molly chimed in , her anxiety growing . Avas right . Theyre making us pay , and they wont let us leave until we do . We dont even have that much money . And we need to catch a train . What are we going to do if we miss it ? The ticket costs a few dozen dollars . Another voice said , Yeah , Doris , you have to solve this for us . Otherwise , if the tickets get wasted , youre going to have to pay us back . Exactly , someone else added . And if you dont compensate us , were not going anywhere . Well stay at your parents house or even Rupert and Claudias new house . It seemed like everyone was trying to find a way to make Doris feel responsible . The room was filled with complaints and demands , and each person seemed more determined to get their way than the last . Lola caught her eye and subtly gestured for her to step aside . Doris forced a smile at the unruly group , trying to comfort them , Please , everyone , calm down . Let me figure out whats going on first . Lola dragged her to a quieter corner . Once out of earshot , Doris turned to Lola and asked , How much has my family spent here ? Lola pulled up the records with a grim expression . Its already $ 30,000 . Last night , some of them hit the bar on the basement floor . They ordered three bottles of premium liquor each worth thousands of dollars and then splurged on late night snacks . Doris , your brother is out of his mind . Why should you be paying for his girlfriends entire extended family ? She didnt stop there . Listen to me , Doris . You cant cave this time . Dont let them guilt you into footing the bill . Youve worked too hard for every penny youve saved , and theyll drain you dry . Youve barely saved $ 30,000 yourself , and if you pay this , youll have nothing left . Do you really want to let them bleed you 2/4 13:19 Wed , 26 Feb && Chapter 25 dry ? Im not gonna let you do that . Lola didnt want Doris to make such a big mistake . Lolas frustration was palpable she hated seeing her best friend get exploited by Rupert like this . Lola glanced back at the noisy Robinsons and thought , Theyre like a pack of vampires . As long as its not their own money , theyll spend recklessly without a second thought . How can people be so selfish ? She placed a firm hand on Doriss shoulder . I know youre in a tough spot , but let me handle this . You dont owe them anything . And if your parents try to blame you for this , Ill make sure they understand it wasnt your fault . Lola , I know youre looking out for me , and trust me , Im no pushover . Im not about to let them walk all over me . Im not paying a single cent of this bill , Doris said firmly , her voice steady with resolve . At that moment , Lola was Doriss anchor , the unwavering support she desperately needed . Lola felt a wave of relief wash over her , seeing that Doris hadnt let familial ties blind her into sacrificing herself for her brothers selfishness . Ill call Rupert right now , Doris announced to the rowdy relatives of Claudias . Pulling out her phone , Doris dialed Ruperts number . The line barely rang before he picked up . Rupert , Doris began , her tone sharp and direct , Claudias relatives have racked up a $ 30,000 bill at the hotel . You need to come settle this immediately . Otherwise , theyre not leaving , and if they miss their train , its on you . Just as she expected , Ruperts response was defensive and full of audacity . Doris , why are you being so stingy ? Its just $ 30,000 . Why dont you just pay it and be done with it ? Doris felt her patience snap . I have no obligation to cover this for you or for them . If $ 30,000 is such a trivial amount to dont and settle it ? you , why you come Rupert scoffed , clearly annoyed , I dont have time to argue with you . Ill let Dad deal with this . And with that , he hung up . Before Doris could take a breath , the Robinsons started up again , their voices growing louder and more obnoxious . Doris , were your guests . As hosts , isnt it your familys responsibility to cover our expenses ? What kind of hospitality is this , holding us hostage like this over some bill ? one of them said , the tone dripping with feigned innocence . Another chimed in , adding fuel to the fire , Exactly . Your family are such frauds . You city folks think you can take advantage of honest , hardworking people like us ? And youre working here at the hotel , Doris , someone else yelled , his tone dripping with entitlement . Shouldnt you just handle the payment ? The commotion grew louder , and the hotel lobby quickly descended into chaos , with the dozens of relatives creating a scene that was impossible to ignore . The din began disrupting the staff and guests alike . Lola , her black stiletto heels clicking against the polished marble floor , strode into the middle of the mess with her usual calm yet commanding presence . Everyone , please , she said , her voice slicing through the noise like a blade , settle down . Ill call the Reed family right now so they can come and resolve this together . But Ill need you to give us a little time to sort things out . Ava , never one to miss an opportunity to stir the pot , crossed her arms and sneered , Well give you time , Ms. Bates , but the train wont wait for us . If we miss it , will you personally cover our travel costs to get home ? Her words struck a nerve with the already anxious crowd . 13:19 Wed , 26 Feb Chapter 25 Shes right . The train wont wait , one of them shouted , her tone laced with panic . Yeah , youre just stalling . Youre trying to make us miss it on purpose , another said . Lola didnt flinch . If youre truly in a hurry and dont want to waste any more time , then I suggest you cooperate with us instead of making things harder , she said firmly , her gaze sweeping over the group . Doris is part of the Reed family , someone muttered angrily . Rupert told us we could order whatever we wanted and just charge it to her name . If she pays the bill , this whole thing would be over . Why is she dragging this out and making us suffer ? Doris exchanged a glance with Lola , her lips pressing into a thin line . So it was Ruperts idea all along , Doris thought bitterly , her anger simmering beneath the surface . How shameless can he get ? AD Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!