"Gentle" Judgement

As the prison gate slowly opened, Dorothy Florence looked up at the dazzling sky. She raised her hand to peep at the sun through her fingers, which made her believe that the warmth would eventually dispel the darkness.

She took a deep breath. The air of freedom which had been stripped of for three years almost moved her to tears.

"Dorothy, I'm here to pick you up."

A familiar voice sounded. Even if the woman had not heard it for long, she was able to find the source of the voice in no time.

Alan Shane opened his arms, as he did three years ago, waiting for her to rush over to him.

Behind his glasses, his eyes were reddened with a mix of excitement and guilt.

Dorothy quickly ran over to him.

She had missed his hug for three years!

Alan looked maturer. The smell of disinfectant on him was stronger than three years ago. And he had turned from an intern to a doctor.

Alan held her in his arms tightly. When he lowered his head, his tears trickled down his cheeks. "Sorry to put you through three-year hardships."

Dorothy shook her head and was too choked with emotion to speak.

She hated to recall what she had been through over the past three years. Now that she had regained her freedom, she wanted to let it go.

"Come on, let's go home."

Alan held Dorothy's hand tightly and walked with her shoulder to shoulder.

Dorothy nodded firmly. "Okay, let's go home."

An inconspicuous black Audi was parked not far away. A man in the backseat closed the window, saying coldly, "Let's go."

The driver answered, "Yes, Mr. Lee."

When the car slowly passed by Dorothy and Alan, the man in the backseat caught a glimpse of their smiles.

"The woman killed Lara Claire in a hit and ran three years ago. How could she act as if nothing happened!"

"Dorothy, you killed two lives. Do you think three years' imprisonment is enough to cleanse your sins?"

"I'll torture you forever!"

Alan opened the door of his car for Dorothy as he used to do. "Come on, get in the car. My mother has prepared all the dishes you like."

Dorothy looked at the vehicle, which must be much more expensive than her original car. She could not help asking, "Is it your new car?"

Before she went to jail, they had a humble vehicle that she bought at the price of thousands of yuan. As Alan needed to go to the hospital for an internship, most of the time, Dorothy left it to Alan. The woman herself went to work by bus.

Alan bit his lips with an embarrassing look in his eyes.

At the thought of the previous car, Dorothy hurried to say in a joking tone, "Oh, sorry. I forgot you're a doctor now. It's improper to drive my shabby car."

With that, she hastened to get in the car with hidden guilt in her eyes.

"It's right to abandon that car. It took two lives," she thought.

They had known each other from childhood and they got together in high school. Alan was an excellent student. He was admitted to South Flora Medical University in advance and continued his postgraduate study there.

Dorothy had always been proud of him. However, Alan was from a relatively poor family and the cost of studying medicine was no less than that of studying art. Moreover, during his postgraduate life, he had to go abroad to attend academic exchanges. His family could not afford his studies.

Back then, Dorothy resolutely chose to drop out and look for jobs. She had to take several part-time jobs every day. She led a remarkably frugal life while lavishing most of her income on Alan.

They had agreed to get married after Alan became an official doctor, but an accident happened.

"Don't your parents hate me?"

Dorothy hesitated for a good while before speaking. While waiting for the answer, she twisted her fingers nervously.

She was a dropout and had a criminal record. She was afraid that his parents would scorn her.

Alan pulled over and tilted his head to look at Dorothy with a serious look in his eyes. "I don't allow you to look down on yourself. You are the only one I will marry. If you had not taken the blame for me, I would have been the one who shames and disappoints my family."

Tears were welling up in Dorothy's eyes. She could not put on a tough look anymore.

"Alan, I thought I would lose everything. Fortunately, I still have you. I was so worried that you'd hate me and avoid me..."

Dorothy burst out crying.

Alan quickly unfastened his seat belt, leaned over, and hugged Dorothy. "Silly girl, I couldn't have been what I am now without you. There are two vital principles in my life: one is to save the dying and heal the wounded, the other is to protect you."

As a doctor, he must save people.

As Dorothy's boyfriend, it was his responsibility to cherish her.

At the man's sweet words, Dorothy's cry became even louder.

Alan stroked her back and let her vent the grievances accumulated in the past three years.

After a while, Dorothy poked her head out of Alan's arms and said, "I'm okay now. Let's go home. Your parents are waiting."

Alan touched Dorothy's nose gently, replying, "Okay. My mother often tells me that she likes your smile. When you smile, your eyes are more beautiful than the moon in the sky."

Dorothy wiped her tears and laughed happily. Alan was her bright moon in her heart, and she was willing to be a dim star around him.

Alan's parents had been waiting downstairs for almost half an hour. When they saw their son's car, they both laughed.

"Dorothy, here you are. Go home with us."

Emily Stuart, Alan's mother, took Dorothy by the hand and walked home.

Dorothy had not expected that Alan's parents would welcome her. She managed to stifle her tears.

"Look at your bony figure. Have a nice meal later. I have prepared your favorite dishes in person," Emily said.

Dorothy replied with a smile, "Thank you, Mrs. Shane. I think I can finish all of them as they are cooked by you."

Walking behind them, Alan was glad to see that they were getting along so well.

In the past three years, his home had witnessed great changes. It seemed that all the old furniture had been replaced.

Emily invited Dorothy to sit down. When Dorothy was seated, Alan was about to sit beside her but was stopped by Emily. She raised her chin slightly, saying, "You go there. I want to sit with Dorothy."

Alan sighed helplessly and said to Dorothy in an aggrieved tone of voice, "Now you're back. My mom forgets that I'm her son immediately. It's like you are her only daughter."

Dorothy lowered her head and flushed. She rarely saw that Alan complained to her like a child.

"You're right. I always treat Dorothy as my daughter."

Emily had said similar words before, but Dorothy found that there were implications in her words this time.

Dorothy did not know how to answer, her smile fading away.

Without knowing what was on Dorothy's mind, Alan continued, "Indeed. After I get married to Dorothy, she will still be your daughter."

With that, Alan put pork ribs in sweet sauce in Dorothy's bowl. "Dorothy, have some pork ribs. It's your favorite."

Dorothy nodded in embarrassment and ate with her head lowered.

The meal fell into an awkward silence. Somehow, Dorothy felt that the delicacy in her bowl turned bland.

Emily glanced at her husband, who kept quiet. She angrily put down her chopsticks.

"Alan, you are just 26 years old. Your career is unstable. And the housing mortgage has not been paid off. I think it's not the right time for you to get married now. "

Alan had no idea that his mother would say so right in front of Dorothy.

He hurriedly raised his eyes to Dorothy, knowing that she must be hurt. But as his parents were present, he did not know how to comfort her.

"Mom, Dorothy is not a snob. She won't dump me because I don't have my own place. The life before was bitterer than now, but she always supported me. I believe she doesn't care."

Emily suddenly frowned, calling out, "But I care!"

Dorothy placed down her chopsticks slowly. She was clear that she was not good enough for Alan and might even be his hindrance. She totally understood why Mrs. Shane frowned on their relationship like all mothers.

Emily said to Dorothy with a smile, "Dorothy, don't get me wrong. I do not mean you. I'm just worried that Alan will be scorned if he can't afford a house when he gets married."

Dorothy managed a smile. "I understand. I'm full. I want to go home now to clean it up. It has been unoccupied for three years. It must be in a mess."

Alan was caught in a dilemma with his parents on one side and his beloved woman on the other.

The meal was bound to have an unpleasant end.

Alan got up and said, "Dad, Mom. I'm full. I'll send Dorothy home."

Dorothy wanted to refuse him, but he had reached the door. It seemed that he had something to talk to her.

When waiting for the elevator, neither of them spoke. Logically, Dorothy would not feel uncomfortable even if they spent an hour together without saying anything. But now, she found the mere minute of silence particularly unbearable.

When the elevator finally arrived, Dorothy stepped in first.

Alan stayed motionless.

In less than a meter, Dorothy felt as if they were thousands of miles away.

Alan thought for a long while before saying slowly, "Don't take what my mom said to your heart. Marriage is about us. You are the only one I will marry."

Dorothy looked up at Alan. She believed Alan's words. But if they could not get his parents' approval, their marriage was doomed to be a dead end.

She could not ignore his parents' objection.

The elevator door was being closed automatically when Alan stepped in.

Dorothy had no idea what to say. The past three years had changed everything.

Alan took off his glasses and wiped away the tears from his eyes. Somehow, he had a pessimistic feeling that he would lose her.

"The reason why I study and work so hard is to create a bright future for us. But if you leave me, what's the point of my efforts?"

Alan never told her that because he had believed that Dorothy would accompany him forever.

But now, Dorothy was like sand in his hand. The more eagerly he wanted to hold it, the faster it slipped away.

The car drove out of the community. After a few minutes, a man in a black suit waved at them.

Dorothy, the kind-hearted woman, said, "Stop the car. It seems that he is in some trouble."

Alan slowly pulled over, told Dorothy to stay in the car, and got off alone.

"Our car broke down. My master has a heart attack, and he forgot his medicine. Could you please send us to a nearby hospital?"

At his words, Alan frowned and immediately showed his identity, "I am a cardiologist. Let me see the patient."

Dorothy was so worried that she untied the seat belt and got off.

She saw Alan checking a man in the backseat of a black Audi. The man's face was pale, his lips were slightly purple, and his breath was heavy.

"Help me get him into my car. I need to take him to the hospital," said Alan.

They put the man in the backseat. Alan asked Dorothy to sit with the man. "Dorothy, don't let him lie flat. Undo his tie and buttons..."

In a daze, Dorothy did step by step according to his instructions.

The man seemed to be unconscious and could not sit up. So she had to hold his shoulder with one hand and let his head rest on her shoulder.

Then, with her left hand, she inflexibly undid his tie and buttons.

When she loosened the second button, the man suddenly grabbed her hand, his eyes slightly open, and murmured, "Lara."

His voice was faint, so Alan, who was focused on driving, didn't hear it, but Dorothy did.

She froze in shock, her pupils dilated.

Lara was the pregnant woman who died in front of her car.

Who was this man, and what was his relationship with Lara?