Chapter 1
It happened the night Dad was having a reunion with his old army buddies.
I had just gotten back from studying in Belgium when he called me over to take care of a guide dog who had once made great contributions.
He’s name was Snoopy. He’d been awarded first–class civilian honors and earned a reputation as a legend. But serious injuries eventually forced him into retirement.
I was carefully looking after him, preparing to bring him to see Dad and his old friends.
That’s when Dad’s sponsored student barged into the room with her parents right behind her.
Before I could react, she slapped me hard across the face, sending me straight to the floor.
She folded her arms and sneered at me.
“I knew Uncle was supporting another girl! Now do you believe me?” she said, glaring at her parents.
“You little bitch!” she snarled at me. “Are you trying to steal his affection from me? I swear I’ll beat you to death tonight!”
She and her parents began punching and kicking me, insulting and humiliating me.
They beat me so badly I collapsed to the floor, gravely injured, on the verge of death.
Snoopy–already old and frail–dragged himself over to protect me. And they beat him to death right in front of me!
Then, as if nothing had happened, they made dinner, and she proudly presented it to Dad.
“Uncle, I made something delicious just for you!” she said sweetly.
Snoopy wasn’t just a guide dog. Back in his prime, he’d dug out over a hundred survivors with nothing but his paws in disaster zones.
Ultimately, he was awarded first–class civilian honors for his heroic contributions.
But due to the severity of his injuries, he was forced to retire.
Dad raised him personally. After retirement, he brought Snoopy home and treated him like family–more than family, honestly. To Dad, that dog meant more than his own life.
Ever since I was a kid, a group of Dad’s old military buddies–mostly gray–haired men in crisp suits–would fly in from all over the States every year, just to see Snoopy.
Once, a stray dog broke into our villa’s garden and bit Snoopy.
The very next day, the entire city launched a stray dog cleanup operation.
One time Snoopy had nothing more than a cold and a cough, and Dad flew in one of the top vets from London, spending millions just to treat him.
In fact, I once got scolded just for playing too rough and sitting on Snoopy’s back.
Dad made me kneel and apologize to Snoopy, then punished me by making me stand for
She Served Dinner when Dad’s Dog Disappeared
1/3
3.3%
05:58 Thu, 17
an entire day and night.
83%
The day I came back from Belgium, those same buddies of Dad once again took a private jet to our home just to visit Snoopy.
The dinner party wasn’t for another three hours. While Dad was busy chatting with them, he asked me to go check in on Snoopy in his luxurious room.
So many years had passed.
Snoopy was no longer the strong and fierce dog he once was.
He just lay quietly on the plush carpet. When he saw me, he reached out his tongue and gently licked my palm like a kind old grandpa.
I knelt beside him, carefully petting him.
That’s when Dad’s sponsored student named Dixie York stormed in with her parents, all three of them fuming.
Before I could even say a word, Dixie slapped me across the face, sending me crashing to the floor.
Pain exploded across my cheek, my head spinning, blood gushing from my nose.
She crossed her arms and sneered at me.
“Hah. I knew Uncle was helping another girl!” she spat.
Cocking a brow, she mocked, “You’re trying to steal his attention, huh?”
She pursed her lips, then shouted, “Let’s see if I don’t beat you to death tonight!”
Her just parents glared at me like I’d just insulted their ancestors.
Dixie yanked my hair, and her slaps started raining down on my face.
“This villa is mine!” she claimed.
“I’m warning you,” she hissed, “get the hell out of here!”
But my mind went completely blank.
I tried to open my mouth to explain, but as soon as I did, a mouthful of blood welled up from my throat.
“You even dared to steal something from this villa?!”
Dixie had spotted the expensive diamond necklace around my neck.
05:58 Thu, 17 Jul OA
