Chapter 4

By the time I finished handling the work and returned home, it was already three in the morning.

No matter how late I worked,

my dog, Buddy, would always run out to greet me.

But tonight, the house was unusually quiet.

My heart lurched, and I hurriedly called out to him several times.

There was still no response.

His favorite dog bed, my bedroom, and every corner of the house were empty.

I was about to rush outside and search for him like a madwoman

when I discovered a note by the door.

“I took Buddy. I’ll bring him back after you agree to lend me the house.”

I recognized Chloe’s handwriting at once.

I had kindly given her the password to my front door, and she had actually taken my dog while I was away simply because I refused her request?!

Furious, I grabbed my phone and called her.

But after more than a dozen calls, all I heard was a busy signal.

I kept calling as I rushed out of the house.

In my panic, I even forgot to bring a coat.

The weather had turned bitterly cold, and icy wind tore into my bones.

But it still couldn’t compare to the coldness in my heart.

There was nothing I could do but lower my head to her.

“Fine, I agree to lend you the house. Bring Buddy back now!”

The next second, Chloe called me back.

“Sure! But you’ll have to wait until after my wedding! Otherwise, Luke will be allergic to him!”

“But I sent him to a dog-meat processing plant. If you don’t get there in time, he might end up as a dish at my wedding.”

Her words made the blood drain from my entire body.

I had never thought Chloe’s sugary voice could sound so horrifying.

“What did you say?!”

“What exactly do you want?”

A light, cheerful laugh came from the other end.

“I already told my parents that Luke gave me the house, but they don’t quite believe me.”

“So I want you to transfer the house into my name temporarily so I can get married.”

“The dog plant where Buddy is being held is filthy and disgusting. There’s blood and bodies everywhere. He must be terrified. So, Audrey, if you want to keep Buddy from suffering, just agree to this little request too.”

I stood frozen in place, suddenly understanding everything.

Chloe hadn’t merely wanted to borrow my house for her wedding.

Her real goal had been to take over my home!

She just hadn’t expected me to keep refusing her first request.

So she had decided to drop all pretenses and threaten me directly!

“Fine, fine, fine!”

“Chloe, you finally couldn’t keep pretending anymore, could you!”

Her innocent voice came through the phone.

“What do you mean, pretending? Haven’t I been your best friend all these years? Without me, you’d still be that weird loner nobody wanted to talk to!”

“Besides, don’t you always buy me one of everything? Of course you should give me a house too!”

“Transfer it into my name before the bachelorette party tomorrow, or you can wait to eat Buddy’s meat!”

Then she hung up.

I clutched my freezing phone, trembling with rage.

I quickly called my parents and briefly explained what had happened.

Chloe only knew that my family had some money.

She had no idea that money was the least important thing my family possessed.

Finding Buddy’s location was only a matter of making one phone call.

But Chloe,

you had just cut off your own escape route!