One year, one love by Aurora Miller

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After work. Doris hadn't expected to cross paths with Ryan and several CEOs from other companies dining at the

hotel.

She instinctively averted her eyes, lowered her head, and tried to slip away unnoticed. But Ryan deliberately

blocked her path in full view of her colleagues, who, knowing about their past relationship, eagerly observed the

unfolding scene.

“Doris, I'm thirsty. Geta glass of water, Ryan said, lounging on one of the plush sofas in the left corner of the

hotel lobby.

Doris’s expression didn’t so much as flicker. “Sorry, Mr. Watson. I'm off duty. If you need assistance, feel free to

ask another staff member.”

“Is that the level of service your hotel offers?” Ryan arched a brow, his tone carrying a note of condescension.

“Doris, it’s just a glass of water. Or is that worth filing a complaint over?”

Clamping down the surge of irritation rising in her chest, Doris silently fetched a glass of water and placed it on

the coffee table in front of him

But as she turned to leave, Ryan stretched his leg out just enough to trip her. Doris stumbled forward, landing

awkward! near his feet, the scene unfolding as though she'd purposefully thrown herself at him.

She scoffed internally. So this is his game-makinglook desperate, so my colleagues think I'm still not over

him? Is this his way of forcingto get back together with him?”

Ryan leaned down, using the moment to clasp her arm in a mock gesture of concern. “Doris, it's been days. Have

you missed

me?”

She jerked her arm free and straightened herself, fixing him with a glare. “Ryan, you're engaged. You have a

fiancée. Show srespect for yourself and for her

“Respect?” Ryan let out a low chuckle, his gaze tightening on her like a predator savoring its prey. “And what if |

don’t feel like respecting boundaries?”

“This is a hotel, Ryan, Doris said, her voice dropping to an icy whisper. “What are you trying to do here? Can't we

just part ways peacefully?”

She knew exactly what the scene must look like to her colleagues-like she couldn't let go, that she was clinging

to Ryan in a pathetic attempt to win him back. No amount of explanation would clear her nfrom their

judgmental whispers.

asm

*Part ways?” Ryan's lips curved into a smug grin. “Doris, | never agreed to break up. You don’t get to walk away

from me.”

Her fingers curled into tight fists at her sides, barely holding back the urge to punch the self-satisfied smirk off

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

his face. If not for the growing number of curious eyes around them, she might have done just that.

“What do you want, Ryan?” she hissed through gritted teeth, on the brink of losing her composure.

“Simple,” he replied, his voice silky smooth. “Cback to me.”

Doris’s reply was as sharp as a blade. “I've already told you-never.”

Ryan’s gaze darkened, though his smirk remained. “Fine. Then be ready for the surprise I've prepared for you,”

With one last lingering look at her, he rose to his feet and strode away.

The moment he disappeared. Doris exhaled a shaky breath, her body finally relaxing from the tension coiling in

her muscles. She couldn’t fathom why he wouldn't just leave her alone.

As if her encounter with Ryan wasn't already a disaster, her phone buzzed just as she stepped out of the hotel.

Seeing Jimmy's number on the screen sent an ominous shiver down her spine.

1/4

K87%

87%[

Chapter 14

“Get your ass hright now! Jimmy barked before slamming the call shor

When she arrived home, Jinny was puring the living room like an enraged bull. The fury on his face only grew as

he tossed a document in her face. “Take a good look at this he spat

Doris scanned the contents of the letter, her heart sinking as she read the words. It was a formal notice from

Ryan's lawyer, stating that Jimmy and Peyton owed him one million dollars. If they didn’t repay the amount

within a month, Ryan would take them to court.

Jimmy roared, his face twisted with anger, “This cfrom Mr. Watson's lawyer just now. He said if we lose, the

court will enforce repayment by freezing our assets-our savings, the house, the car. Everything!

He jabbed a finger at Doris, his voice dripping with accusation. “I don’t care how you do it, but you have to

convince Mr. Watson to drop the lawsuit. We're your parents. And he’s your ex-boyfriend. This debt is yours to

settle

Doris stood frozen in shock, unable to form a response. “Dad, back then, you took advantage of my relationship

with Ryan, hoping to squeeze sbenefits out of him. You asked for a ridiculous amount-one million dollars.

And what did you do

with it?

“You turned around and bought Rupert a new house and had it renovated. Now he and Claudia are enjoying their

luxurious life in that house, and you're askingto repay this debt?

“If anyone should pay it back, it’s Rupert. A million dollars is more than | could ever make in a lifetime. How can

you put this on me? Have you even thought about what this means for me?”

Deep down, Doris already knew the answer. Her father never thought about her feelings. Yet, the bitterness and

injustice stung all the same.

Jimmy showed no remorse, his face hardening as he laid the blsquarely on her. “If you'd just agreed to stay

with Mr. Watson, none of this would've happened. You're the one who made him angry, so it’s your mess to clean

up.

“Why should we-or Rupert-have to take the fall for your mistakes? Rupert is our youngest. He's your little

brother. As his sister, you're supposed to make sacrifices for him.”

Doris scoffed inwardly, ‘What a twisted version of reality. Their greed created this mess, and now they want me

to take the fall?

Peyton took a different approach, her tone soft and pleading, hoping Doris would sacrifice for their family. “Doris,

think about Rupert and Claudia. They're about to get married. We can’t afford to let something like this ruin

things for them.

“If Claudia finds out we owe Mr. Watson a million dollars, she might call off the wedding. You wouldn't want that

to happen, would you?

“And surely, you wouldn't want to see your father andend up in jail at our age. Would you really be that

heartless!”

Doris’s heart ached with frustration, but she refused to waver. “You're my parents, and | owe you for raising me.

I'll honor that debt by taking care of you. But | don’t owe Rupert anything, and | won't pay a single cent for him.”

Jimmy and Peyton had always coddled Rupert, enabling his every whim. But Doris was done with their favoritism

and refused to indulge him any longer.

Peyton quickly latched onto Doris’s words, her tone turning wheedling. “Yes, you don’t owe Rupert. But we're

your parents. For our sake-for the sake of the whole family-Doris, just find a way to get that million dollars and

help us out of this

“A million dollars?” Doris repeated, her face a mask of disbelief. “Where on earth would | even get that kind of

money?”

She genuinely had no idea where this absurd expectation was coming from. ‘I don’t even know that | have so

much money. What kind of ridiculous rumor is this? she wondered.

2/4

13:05 Wed, 26 Feb EL EL FL

Chapter 15

Jimmy leveled a finger at Doris, his voice sharp with accusation. “Stop pretending. Dorns. You think | don’t know!

After you broke up with Mr. Watson, his mother gave you one million dollars” His tone was laced with certainty,

bolstered by the hints dropped earlier by the lawyer

Doris couldn't help but laugh, though anger simmered beneath her smile. “Oh, so that’s what you think! Yes, Mrs

Watson did cto see me, but she didn’t giveone million dollars

“She offered three hundred thousand dollars. | didn’t take it. My love and devotion in this relationship isn’t

something money can buy.”

Jimmy's face turned a furious shade of red, his chest tightening up. “Three hundred thousand dollars? Do you k

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

many years you'd have to work that dead-end job of yours to make that kind of money?

know how

“And you just threw it away? You're too proud for your own good. Whether you took it or not doesn’t matter.

You'll pay the

debt.”

“One million dollars! Keep dreaming: Doris sneered, her voice icy.

Jimmy's temper exploded. “Doris, you think you've grown up now, huh? Got your own wings, don’t need your

parents anymore! That's why you can be so cruel, so selfish. You'd stand by and watch your parents lose

everything-even face a lawsuit-without lifting a finger to help?”

“Say whatever you want. Doris’s voice was flat, her patience worn thin.

“Shut up.” Jimmy roared, his fury filling the room like a storm ready to break.

Doris inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. The defiance in her chest burned brighter, but her father’s

overpowering presence pressed down on her like a weight.

Judging from the look on his face, she could already see what was coming next, and it twisted her stomach into

knots. Ever since they were kids, only Doris and her big sister, Laura, faced punishments when they did anything

wrong.

Laura, the obedient daughter, lived to please Jimmy-even to the extent of marrying someone he handpicked.

Jimmy was satisfied with Laura’s compliance and rarely made things hard for her.

Jal

But Doris had a rebellious streak. She refused to bend to his every whim, and that had made her his target time

and again. By now, she had grown used to it.

“How long are you going to punishthis time? Doris straightened her back, meeting his gaze with unwavering

defiance

The answer cswiftly-a sharp crack as Jimmy’s cane lashed across her back.

The sting was instant, the pain spreading like wildfire across her skin. Her body instinctively hunched forward,

but she bit her lip hard, refusing to make a sound. Her silence was her shield, her stubborn refusal to let him win.

Peyton, watching from the side, clutched her hands nervously. Seeing how pale Doris looked, Peyton pleaded,

“Doris, be a good girl. Just apologize to your father. If you do, he'll go easier on you. Why make it harder for

yourself?”

“Apologize? For what? I've done nothing wrong. Doris shot back, her voice unwavering despite the pain. She

knew even if she gave in, it wouldn't earn her any mercy from Jimmy.

Jimmy's face twisted into a scowl. “Let's see how tough you really are.”

The cane cdown again, another sharp blow. The sound echoed in the room, and the pain left Doris gasping

for breath.

3/4