When My Ex's Worst Enemy Became My Sanctuary novel Chapter 148

Dorothea always seemed distant. She was quiet and reserved, and Carmen was her one real friend.

The Clark family’s driver pulled up to get Dorothea. Carmen waved at her from the back seat.

“Dorothea, get in!”

Dorothea smiled, opened the door, and slid in beside her.

“Guess what? I spent forever yesterday looking for our old class photo from freshman year. Look, we’re in the last row with all the girls. You were so chubby and cute back then, so soft... You don’t feel like that anymore.”

Dorothea’s cheeks turned pink. She gave Carmen a playful nudge. “Stop making things up.”

“I’m serious. But even with a little baby fat, you were always our school beauty.”

“Did you know Jasper wanted to confess to you when we graduated? But there were too many people chasing after you, so he gave up.”

Dorothea frowned, trying to remember. “Really? I don’t remember that at all.”

Carmen rolled her eyes. “Of course you don’t. They were all too scared to say anything to your face, so they’d give me gifts to try to find out how you felt. I turned them all down.”

“Dorothea deserves only the best. I rejected all the not-so-good-looking ones for you.”

Dorothea laughed, wrapping her arms around Carmen’s shoulders. “Love you. You’re the best.”

Carmen grinned. “If you acted like that with Latham, he’d probably melt. If I were a guy, I’d be fighting him for you.”

Dorothea blushed at Carmen’s teasing, and the two of them joked and laughed all the way to the school.

The moment they stepped out of the car, a voice called out, “Well, look who it is, our school beauty.”

It sounded like a compliment, but the tone was sharp. Carmen slipped in front of Dorothea. “And there’s Zack. Tell us, where are you making your millions now?”

People exchanged glances, instantly getting the message. Of their class of fifty-plus, ten worked government jobs, about half had gone abroad, and the rest went into their family businesses. Dorothea was the only one out there making it on her own.

“What kind of company? Maybe it works with my family’s business,” someone pressed.

Carmen frowned, wanting to step in, but Dorothea gently tugged her sleeve. She was just here to see her teacher, not to start drama.

Dorothea kept her voice calm. “A star-rated hotel.”

“Oh, so you’re a receptionist? Or in sales?” someone asked, not even trying to hide the edge in their voice. “I heard hotels can get pretty messy. If you’re in sales, you probably have to go out all the time, drinking and entertaining clients, right?”

Dorothea’s eyes flashed cold for a second. She looked up, lips parting just enough to say, clear and steady, “I’m the owner.”

“What?” Everyone stared. Someone, not sure they’d heard right, asked again.

Dorothea’s lips curled into the faintest smile. “The hotel belongs to my dad. My job is owner. Got it?”