Chapter 144 Kind for Once
Dean looked at Leila, who remained silent. He knew that this chubby woman was the sister of Hubert's wife. For his friend's sake, he wasn't going to let her pay for the repair fee.
She was not intentional this time either.
He was also responsible for the accident. He drove too fast.
His gaze made Leila nervous. Holding her son tightly, she was about to say something, but Dean beat her to say, "You bought so many things. Why didn't you call your husband over to give you a hand? Or you could have bought fewer."
"My home is far from here, so I planned to get them all back. I called my husband, but he told me that he was too busy to pick me up. I had to carry them on my own. I was careless to run over a brick. The trolley was turned over, and that can of milk powder rolled down the road. It happened to be hit by your car."
Leila explained in a low voice, "My son was crying. I had to pick him up first and had no time for the objects.
"Mr. LaRoche, it was not my intention, I promise."
She paused and continued, "Could you charge me half the repair fee? It was an accident, and part of the cause was that you were driving too fast."
Dean groaned in his heart. In the previous accident, Hubert pleaded with him through a call. He relented and only charged her $1,500. In fact, he paid more money than Leila did.
Back then, Hubert didn't reveal that he had married Teresa, or else Dean probably wouldn't have asked Leila for any compensation.
Dean bent over and picked up the diapers.
Leila looked at him in confusion.
Before her eyes, the man put the diapers on the cart and pushed the stroller back. He said, "Get in the car. I'll take you guys home."
Presumably, this chubby woman's husband didn't treat her well.
His wife called him for help, but he refused to come over. Was his work more important than his wife and child?
If Dean were her husband, he would come over as soon as he could.
Given Leila's appearance, Dean believed that her husband was sick of her.
She was too fat.
Leila didn't get in the car as he suggested. With her son in her arms, she rushed over and got the stroller back. Dean looked at her in confusion.
"Mr. LaRoche, I appreciate your kindness, but I can take my time to walk home or call my sister over. She has a car. Thank you anyway."
Dean was confounded at first but soon figured out the situation. She was afraid that he was a human trafficker.
He said with amusement, "You don't have to guard against me. I mean you no harm and just want to give you a ride since you're carrying so many things and have to take care of your son. Through the previous accident, I think you're aware that I know your brother-in-law."
Leila indeed knew.
However, she was not familiar with this man. She had only met him twice in car accidents and really did not dare take his car.
"Get in. I can see your son is tired. He looks sleepy. It will take you a long time to walk home."
Leila still wanted to decline, but it started raining as fate would have it.
The weather was cold in November, and the rain was chilling.
Leila was wearing a short-sleeved blouse, but she didn't feel cold, maybe because she was fat.
"It's raining, and I see no umbrella. Come on and get in the car. If your son catches a cold, you'll be distressed."
With that, Dean took over the cart and got it into the car.
Leila hesitated for a moment and complied.
"Ms. Heller, I'm doing this only for Hubert's sake. You don't have to overthink it."
"I didn't."
Leila blurted out.
She meant it.
No longer a naive girl, she was now a wife and a mother. No longer a pretty girl, she had become a fat, ugly woman after she got married.
"Well then, let's talk about compensation," Dean smiled.
Leila tensed up once again.
She didn't have much savings left, and his car was damaged more seriously than last time. Presumably, the repair fee would be costly. She probably would go broke and get scolded by Patrick."
She scraped his car with the cart by accident last time, and it cost her $1,500.
"Where are you living?"
"Brightview."
"That's in a school district. Wise choice!"
The houses at Brightview had been sold out.
"My husband bought it before we got married. We're still paying the mortgage. Mr. LaRoche, how much will you charge me this time? Well... I'm not trying to shirk responsibility or refuse to pay, but I'm just a housewife with no income. My savings are running out, and I don't think it's enough to cover the expense."
"Can I pay in installments?"
Leila probed, "I'm trying to find a job now. When I have a stable income, I'll pay off the debts, I promise."
Dean said while driving, "Relax, I'm not going to charge you. I asked you for compensation last time so that you'd learn your lesson and be more careful on the road. In any accident, you'd suffer more losses. Don't forget that your son is in the stroller."
Leila paled at the thought of what could have happened.
"I don't think you've learned your lesson. Only about a month has passed, and another car of mine was busted."
He decided not to drive any luxury cars again. She was really his bane.
Leila was too embarrassed to speak.
Meanwhile, she was relieved to hear that Dean would not claim compensation.
They were not familiar with each other. This man was kind to her just for Hubert's sake. Met with her silence, Dean also stopped talking.
They arrived at Brightview in less than ten minutes.
Since Leila had her son to look after and so many things to carry, Dean asked her to swipe the card and then drove into the community. Under her guidance, he stopped the car at the apartment building.
Dean got off and helped her get the objects out of the car.
"Mr. LaRoche, thank you so much."
Leila was very grateful.
"I'll help you carry them upstairs."
"It's okay, Mr. LaRoche. Just help me watch over them. I'll carry some of them up first. It won't take long since there is an elevator."
Dean hummed in consent and watched her push the cart away with the kid in her arms.
A few minutes later, she came downstairs alone.
"Is there anyone else in your house?"
Dean asked casually.