One year, one love by Aurora Miller

Chapter

Chapter 8

Thad flown by, and horis had already been living in the spacious three-bedroom apartment in Greenlake Hill

for three

days

The 1500-square-foot hwas hers alone during that time, and she relished the tranquility. It felt like a slice of

paradise. the kind of peace that seeped into her bones.

But as serene as the place was, it was glaringly incomplete-especially the kitchen. So, Doris had taken it upon

herself to fill

the void

She'd gone on a shopping spree, buying kitchen tools online and picking up household essentials at the

supermarket. Slowly but surely, the once-empty space started to feel more like a home,

After work, she found herself tearing through the pile of delivered packages like a child on Christmas morning,

reveling in the sheer joy of unpacking

“What on earth are you doing?” Lewis's sharp voice echoed in the room, startling her.

She froze mid-rip, turning toward the unexpected intrusion. “What are you doing here?” she asked, panic

flickering across her face.

“I'm the one asking questions,” Lewis replied, one brow arching high. “Did you just drag a landfill into the

house?”

Lewis's aversion to thess was well-known and he had a borderline obsession with cleanliness. The sight before

him-a kitchen littered with boxes, torn packaging, and random items strewn across the floor-was nothing short

of a nightmare.

He stood there, looking as if his world had been thrown into disarray, barely containing his frustration.

“This pristine kitchen of yours looks like it's never seen a meal,” Doris muttered with a pout, clutching a half-

opened box. “I golta cat. I'm only human, you know.”

Lewis's tone turned colder, his patience waning. “You have ten minutes to clean this up. No, scratch that-five

minutes. If not, I'll have someone cand throw everything out”

“Five minutes?” Doris gasped, wide-eyed. “That's impossible.”

“Fine. Make it three, he shot back before pivoting sharply and heading toward the bedroom.

As his tall, broad frdisappeared down the hall, Doris couldnt help muttering under her breath, “What a neat

freak.”

So much for her initial impression of him as a laid-back guy. Today, she got a taste of his no-nonsense side, and

it was nothing short of terrifying

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Not wanting to test his patience further, Doris quickly got to work tidying up. By the tshe finished, Lewis was

still nowhere to be seen.

With the place back in order, she decided to shift gears and make herself a decent dinner with the new kitchen

tools she’d bought.

Doris had gone all out with her grocery haul, so she figured she might as well enjoy the fruits of her labor. Pulling

out fresh ingredients, she started preparing a comforting meal-hearty beef chili and Caesar salad, followed by

stomato soup to round it all out.

Just as she was putting the finishing touches on the soup, Lewis emerged from the bedroom.

Gone was his usual crisp, tailored suit. Instead, he wore a simple gray loungewear set that clung to his broad

shoulders in a way that was annoyingly attractive. His damp hair fell across his forehead, softening the sharp

edges of his face. For a moment, he almost looked approachable.

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Wed, 26

Chapter 8

Lewis made his way to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and took a sip before speaking, “troni deres

something | need to tell you Starting Today, I'll be living here”

He had decided it was tto take a closer look at Doris Living together seemed like the only way to truly

understood wh kind of person she was.

The words hit Doris like a freight train. She blinked at him, her ladle pausing mid-air Then one out to

11

Her mind raced as she tried to process the sudden announcement. ‘So much for settling in the thought moerly

lamenting the money she’d spent. She glanced at the sparkling new utensils and supplies she'd painstic

Guess most of it will have to stay here. Consider it a thank you gift for lettingcrash, she thought

“There's no need,” Lewis said, dismissing the idea of Doris moving out. His tone was casual, yet firm. “Sonce

we're married, my his your home. You can stay here. Renting a place is expensive and not exactly side.

Deelt you agreed

Doris hesitated, but she had to admit his reasoning was sound. She nodded in agreement

Lewis, always the stickler for boundaries, added. “One thing-don’t go into my bedroom without permission. And

if you need to use the study, letknow first.”

“Got it.” Doris nodded again, thinking to herself, ‘As if I'd want to snoop around in his bedroom anyway

She ladled the tomato soup into a bowl and placed it on the table alongside the chili and salad. With a smile, she

turned to Lewis and offered warmly, “Mr. Hartman, have you eaten? If not, feel free to joinfor dinner.”

Lewis glanced at the spread, his expression skeptical. “Did you actually make this? And is inedible?”

Doris raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a mischievous smile. “Careful, it might poison you

Lewis was speechless, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something but decided against it. Seeing his rare

moment of obvious dismay, Doris nearly burst out laughing.

“Well, you can keep it to yourself then, Lewis retorted, though his stomach betrayed him with a loud grow

Lewis had no social engagements that evening, so he returned hearly. After a refreshing shower that

drained sof his energy, combined with the late hour, his hunger had caught up with him

Doris smirked, “I made too much anyway, so don’t let it go to waste. Con, eat.” She handed him a set of

utensils and gestured to the table.

“You're right. Wasting food would be a shame.” Reluctantly, Lewis pulled out a chair and sat across from her.

Doris didn’t say another word to expose his excuse, but the smile on her face spoke volumes as she nodded and

tucked into her meal.

To his own surprise, Lewis found himself enjoying the food more than he expected. Normally, he avoided

anything overly seasoned, but tonight, every bite felt oddly satisfying.

“So?” Doris finally asked, looking at him with expectant eyes. “How’s my cooking?”

Lewis tamped down the urge to compliment her outright. Keeping his expression neutral, he said, “It’s alright. If |

had to score it, maybe a six out of ten. Room for improvement.”

Before tonight, he'd been dubious about her cooking skills. To now admit that it was good would feel like eating

his own words, and Lewis wasn’t about to hand her that kind of victory and let her get too smug about it, fearing

shed soar with self-

satisfaction.

“You ate so much you practically licked your plate clean, and you're still giving it a six? Honestly. Mr. Hartman,

you're petty

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Wed, 26 Fi

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Chapter 8

to a fault” Doris huffed, shaking her head. “Since | cooked, you can wash the dishes, I'm taking a break”

With that, she pushed herself up from the table, palms pressed lightly against its edge, and made her way to the

living room.

Lewis frowned, his gaze shifting to the stack of dishes on the table. As the heir to the Hartman family, he'd lived

a life of privilege with chauffeurs, chefs, and housekeepers attending to his every need. He'd never washed any

dishes before.

His gaze followed Doris as she flopped onto the couch with a contented sigh.

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Walking over, he loomed over her, his tall frcasting a shadow across her face. “Doris,” he began, his tone

even but laced with intent, “let's discuss something. How does that sound?”

“It's out of the question. I'm not washing those dishes,” Doris said, catching the unspoken defiance in Lewis's

gaze.

“I wouldn't make you do it for free. His tone turned businesslike, the glint in his eye suggesting a deal was

already forming. “How about this? I'll pay you 700 dollars a month as a dishwashing fee.

u say?s

| rarely eat at home, so you'd mostly just be washing your own. Think of it as easy pocket money. What do you

Doris studied his deep-set eyes, weighing her options.

“If you're not interested,” Lewis added smoothly, deploying his second strategy, “I can always hire someone

temporary There was no way he was touching those dishes himself.

“Deal.” Doris raised her hand, a playful grin tugging at her lips. Seven hundred dollars? Better | pocket it than let

someone else take it. Easy money is still money. But wow, Lewis sure knows how to throw cash around,’ she

mused.

“Alright.” Lewis pulled out his phone, tapping away before transferring the payment without hesitation.

Moments later, Doris’s phone lit up with the notification. Her grin widened, and she practically beamed as she

saw the money in her account.

Lewis watched her light up, and a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. In his mind, money was the

universal problem-solver.

After pocketing the payment, Doris leaned back and tilted her head curiously. “Mr. Hartman, what do you do for

work anyway?”

Lewis's eyebrows lifted slightly, his expression unreadable. “Why the sudden interest in me?”

Doris laughed, waving her hand dismissively. “Don’t overthink it. Just making conversation.

Their casual banter was interrupted by the television, now playing a sleek car commercial. The flashy visuals

reminded Doris of something she'd seen earlier.

“Oh, Mr. Hartman, she started, her tone bright with sudden recollection. This morning, | saw a black Rolls-Royce

cruising past the subway station near the complex.

“The license plate had an H on it. Lola toldthat’s the exclusive ride of the Hartman family heir. Honestly, the

whole scene screamed luxury-so over-the-top, it was practically dripping with gold.”

She described the moment vividly, her words animated as if painting the scene with a flourish.

Lewis, of course, knew it was his car.

Margaret had told him Doris was a sweet girl-kind and pure, someone who'd make a great wife.

But Lewis was determined to prove Margaret wrong. He was convinced that Doris’s innocence and charm were

just a facade, and he intended to uncover the truth behind it.

Wed, 26 Feb