One year, one love by Aurora Miller

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

My mom’s been watching Biscuit for me, but yesterday I dropped by her place, and she said she had enough. She told me to take him, or she’d throw him out, Lewis said, sounding resigned.

Biscuit had already chewed through several of his mom’s skirts, earning himself a stern scolding.

“So you’re saying Biscuit’s going to live with us from now on?” Doris asked, already feeling a headache coming on at the thought.

“What else am I supposed to do? Let my mom kick him out? Look how adorable he is. How could you say no?” Lewis raised his eyebrows, his tone light but clearly teasing.

Doris bit her lip, fully prepared to admit she could absolutely say no. But the reality was, this was Lewis’s house. If he wanted to keep a dog here, she didn’t exactly have the right to veto the decision.

“Fine, you can keep him.” She conceded grudgingly but added, “But he’s not allowed in my room. That’s non–negotiable.”

Lewis said with a smirk, “Just make sure to always keep your door locked. You know, for your own good.”

Doris glared at him but didn’t push back. She knew she didn’t have much leverage here. She was under his roof, after all.

“Are you really that scared of dogs?” Lewis asked, amusement flickering in his deep eyes.

“I’m not scared,” Doris shot back, crossing her arms. “It’s just that your dog left a… lasting first impression,” Doris replied. What she really wanted to say was that Biscuit had scarred her for life. Besides, seeing Biscuit here without any mental preparation left her even more terrified.

“Biscuit likes you. That’s why he keeps trying to get close to you,” Lewis said, scratching the dog’s ears. “He doesn’t think of you as an outsider.”

“Ha… lucky me,” Doris muttered under her breath, forcing a dry laugh.

If only he did think of me as an outsider, Doris thought.

“Hey, Lewis said suddenly, holding out Biscuit’s leash. “Why don’t you try petting him?”

Doris wasn’t about to fall for that trap. She changed the subject and asked, “Don’t you have work today?”

“My grandma’s getting discharged from the hospital. I’m supposed to pick her up and take her home,” Lewis explained. “She wants you to come too. Says she has something important to announce. So hurry up and get ready.”

Without waiting for a response, he walked off with Biscuit trotting happily behind him.

closed her door, and rushed to get dressed. She felt relieved that she’d bought herself a

shirt dress that fell just to her knees. The pearl belt cinched her waist perfectly, and the chiffon fabric added an air of elegance. Grabbing a small white shoulder bag, she stepped out of her room and said to

up and froze for

graceful, like a butterfly ready to fly. Her long hair fell like silk, with a pearl hairpin adding

at her, she frowned slightly and glanced down at her outfit. “What? Is

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Chapter 30

his fist, quickly shook off his momentary daze, and replied,

at his leash to get closer. But Lewis tugged back and gave him at warning. “Biscuit! Behave, or you’re staying home.”

dimmed, and

simply, holding out the leash

her sneakers and immediately stepped outside, pretending not to hear

at Biscuit. “Looks like Doris isn’t your biggest fan. You’d better be on your

as she saw the two of them coming together. Her eyes crinkled with warmth, and her smile was as

paperwork, Doris stayed with Margaret, helping her pack up her belongings. The two had

With Doris on one side and Lewis on the other, they

from the hospital. Doris sat with

well?” Margaret asked. It was a question she seemed to ask every

glanced at Lewis in the driver’s seat. “Yeah… Pretty well.”

know that Lewis was Doris’s husband. They had decided to break the news until Margaret was out of the hospital, thinking it would be better to tell her in person. So, for now, Margaret was blissfully unaware

her eyes at Doris, her gaze as sharp as ever. “You look

it off. Truthfully, it

it? I knew it. He’s not treating you right. The last time

decent clothes. If he’s like that, don’t put

want.”

mirror. She couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind as Margaret went on about what a terrible husband

be.

even met him. Just

marriage, they

no reason. He

laugh. It was rare to see Lewis at a

her smirking and shot her a pointed look, which only made