Chapter 2
Her face twisted with rage as she yanked the necklace off my neck.
I cried out in pain, instinctively trying to explain in a small, trembling voice, “I… I didn’t steal
it…”
Dixie held the necklace up in her hand, towering over me with a look of superiority.
A cold, mocking smile played on her lips as she snapped, “This necklace? I saw it in my uncle’s glass cabinet the last time I was here.”
Her eyes glanced at the jewelry. “This must’ve been something he planned to give me.”
“If you didn’t steal it,” she said with narrowing eyes, “then why was it around your neck?”
I opened my mouth to explain.
But before I could say a word, her mother slapped me hard across the face.
In an instant, blood burst from my lips.
I couldn’t help but let out a scream that tore from deep within me.
Dixie sneered. “Tch. It’s already bad enough that you’re leeching off my uncle’s money.”
Her lips curled as she glared at me like I was shameless. “Now you’ve got the nerve to
steal from his villa too?”
“Even if I beat you to death right here,” she whispered, “do you really think my uncle would
care?”
Right in front of me, she slipped the necklace into her own purse.
Funny thing was, she was the one who used to be a scholarship student from the mountains; she couldn’t even afford her tuition.
It was Dad, during an inspection trip out to those rural areas, who saw her and took pity. He offered to sponsor her all the way through university.
But over the years, she’s been taking advantage of Dad’s generosity–spending the money meant for her education on food, parties, and luxury, buying designer bags and clothes
worth tens of thousands.
On her nineteenth birthday, she drove the million–dollar luxury car Dad had given her while drunk–and ran someone over, leaving them critically injured.
Later, she begged Dad, crying and begging for forgiveness.
It was me–over and over on the phone–who convinced Dad to give her another chance.
I never imagined that the underprivileged girl I’d once fought so hard to help would turn out to be this cruel and arrogant.
I lay there on the floor, struggling in a pool of blood, as Dixie and her parents kicked and punched me.
That was when Snoopy, despite his weak and battered body, finally reacted.
He rushed to my side, standing between me and them.
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He bared his teeth, growling at the Yorks.
At that moment, I saw the same fearless spark in Snoopy’s eyes that I remembered from before.
It was just like years ago when he went days without food or water, digging through the rubble to rescue hundreds of lives.
“What the hell is this mutt doing here?” Dixie sneered. “You dare bare your teeth at me?” And with that, she kicked Snoopy hard in the ribs.
He let out a choked whimper, holding back from biting her, still trying not to fight back.
When Snoopy refused to back down, Dixie’s dad grabbed a wooden broom handle and slammed it down on Snoopy’s back.
Snoopy let out a blood–curdling welp and collapsed on top of me.
Tears streamed down my face as I pulled him into my arms, shielding him with my own body. My back took the brunt of the blows after that.
The pain was so intense I went numb.
Blood spilled from my mouth, soaking into Snoopy’s fur.
He whimpered, struggling to break free from my grip.
Then, with all his strength, he leapt out of my arms and bit down on Dixie’s dad’s pant leg. Even then, Snoopy didn’t go for flesh.
It let out a whimper that sounded like a plea.
It was as if he was begging the Yorks to stop.
“You filthy mutt! You dare bite Dad?!” Dixie roared.
She grabbed the fishbowl from the table and smashed it down on Snoopy’s head!
Glass shattered everywhere, and a brightly colored little goldfish flopped on the floor, twitched a few times, then stilled.
That goldfish… It was Dad’s gift to Snoopy.
To Snoopy, that little fish was a companion–almost like family.
I still remember when the fish got sick once. Snoopy sat by it for days, refusing to eat or drink until the goldfish finally recovered.
It wasn’t until three days later that Snoopy took his first sip of water again.
