Rover was slightly surprised; he had not expected Vivian to slap Karen.
Karen was caught off guard by the slap. She staggered back two steps, her hand reaching up to the spot where she had been struck. The burning sting on her cheek filled her with overwhelming fury.
"You... you dare hit me?" Karen snarled. "You bitch! I'll kill you!"
She was about to charge forward, determined to fight Vivian, but Rover was already standing in front of Vivian, blocking her path. His cold eyes locked onto Karen as if he intended to kill her.
"Rover... you... you're protecting that whore?" Karen shouted, fear trembling in her voice but still forcing herself to yell. "Are you insane? I am the one you love the most. For three years, you cared for me, did everything for me."
"Why? Why have you changed? Rover, do you still love me or not? Answer me! Rover, if you don't give me a proper answer today, for the rest of your life, don't even dream about touching me or earning my love."
Karen cried as she spoke, her tears mixing with cheap mascara and foundation, turning her face into something both pitiful and repulsive.
When Rover heard her mention the 30 million, he thought:
'The only person I met at the bank today was Rosie... did she spread the news?'
'Looks like... I should keep my distance from her from now on. No, I shouldn't see her at all anymore. She may look gentle, but deep down she's a devil.'
He sighed inwardly.
In his previous life, during the apocalypse, he had trusted people, believing that if everyone united and helped one another, they could overcome any hardship.
But he had been too naive. Naive to the point of stupidity.
Those who smiled at him were the ones who killed him in the end.
Rosie seemed gentle only because she hid her true nature too well. Now that she had spread word of his withdrawal, she would undoubtedly become a true monster once the apocalypse arrived.
Back to the present, as Rover watched Karen screaming and crying, there was not the slightest ripple in his heart. Not even pity.
In his past life, she was the one who directly caused his death. Even if she had been deceived by Kaito, she should have been smart enough to know who truly loved her at that time.
Even though Karen died after he did, she died at Kaito's hands, not his. His hatred for her had not lessened in the slightest.
"Karen..." Rover said coldly. "Are you done? If you continue causing trouble here, I will call the police and report you for harassment."
"Rover... you..." Karen trembled, despair filling her. She had never imagined that Rover, who used to act like a loyal dog always wagging his tail at her, would now bite her and betray her.
Karen's rage exploded. She looked at Vivian like a wild beast and roared: "You bitch! This is all your fault! You seduced *my* Rover!"
She lunged toward Vivian, screaming, but Rover stood firmly in her way and immediately shoved Karen backward.
Thud!
Karen fell to the ground, her face contorted in pain and rage. She had completely lost control, screaming like someone possessed:
"Rover! You dare hit me? You bastard! I've finally seen your true face."
"In the end, you're nothing but trash! Just because you have a bit of money, you run to another woman. Hahahaha... Hey, you bitch, listen carefully! He threw me away, he'll throw you away too!"
"You're nothing but a toy for that bastard. And you, Rover... You think money makes you better than me? You're just an orphan!"
"You're nothing but my dog. Remember this, Rover: it's not you who abandoned me, it's ME who abandoned YOU!"
Rover's heart turned ice cold. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to snap Karen's neck, but that would be far too merciful.
He wanted her to keep living. To keep sinking into despair and agony. To die the most painful death possible.
The taxi arrived. Rover helped Vivian into the car. He hadn't planned to go with her, but knowing Karen was still here, she would likely scream at his doorstep all night. So he chose to leave.
"Rover! Rover! You dare leave?"
"Just wait! I'll make you pay!"
Rover could still hear Karen's hysterical screams behind them, but fortunately, after driving barely a hundred meters, her voice could no longer reach them.
Vivian sat in the back seat with Rover and hurriedly said, "Driver, please take me to Hospital Number 11."
The female driver started the car. In the back seat, Vivian glanced at Rover and asked softly, "I slapped her... are you angry?"
Rover snorted. "Pff! Hahaha... What's the point of asking that now? Why were you so brave earlier?"
Vivian pouted. "I just found her annoying. But if you hit her, everyone would blame you. So I did it instead. We're both women, so even if we fight, no one will criticize us. Hihihi..."
Seeing her mischievous expression, Rover couldn't help feeling amused.
He suddenly asked, "How old are you?"
Vivian stiffened a little, then awkwardly murmured, "I... I am... 28 this year."
"Ah, I'm 26." Rover smiled.
Vivian blushed, pressed her legs together, cupped her face with both hands, and unintentionally inhaled the faint masculine scent lingering on the jacket Rover had put around her.
"I... I'm still young."
"Really?" Rover teased. "But since you're that old, you should give me a discount. Hurry and return 20,000 to me."
"You..." Vivian pouted. "You're so stingy."
"Hahahaha..." Rover laughed and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her into his arms.
Vivian's body trembled, but she didn't resist. She let him hold her however he pleased.
Feeling her soft, faintly fragrant body pressed against him, Rover lowered his head slightly, looking into her eyes.
Vivian shyly lowered her gaze, but sensing his intense stare, she slowly lifted her head again.
The air grew thick with the scent of desire.
Vivian stammered, "This... this is a bit fast..."
"Hm? You're already my woman. Are you regretting it now?"
"No... it's just..." Vivian blushed deeply. Then, as if mustering all her courage, she leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.
Their lips touched lightly, not passionate, not deep, just a brief, fluttering kiss, like a dragonfly skimming across water.
Vivian immediately pulled back, flustered, and covered her face with both hands.
Rover found it amusing. His initial assumptions about her were slowly wavering. He didn't think someone could pretend this well... but he still wanted to observe her more.
The taxi soon arrived at the hospital.
Vivian had calmed down by then. She stepped out of the car and was surprised when she saw Rover getting out as well.
"You... you don't have to come with me."
Rover shrugged. "I'm just taking a walk. If I go home now, that dog will bark outside my door all night. I won't be able to sleep anyway."
Vivian immediately knew which "dog" he meant and found it amusing.
Rover added, "If you don't want me to follow, I can leave. I have no intention of prying into your secrets."
Thinking he was upset, Vivian hurriedly said, "No! I... it's... it's not really a secret. You can come."
She rushed into the hospital. Rover followed at a leisurely pace, keeping a respectful distance.
Vivian entered the main lobby, then headed toward a room at the back of the hospital.
She went to a counter and approached the doctor on duty. Her voice was filled with urgency.
"Excuse me, I'm here to pay the hospital bills for my daughter. Her name is Nana."
The doctor nodded and processed the payment for her. More than half of the 100,000 credits Rover had transferred to her was immediately used up.
Rover stood far behind, neither interrupting nor coming closer, but he still heard every word.
He stayed silent, merely watching.
Vivian held the payment slip in her trembling hands, her expression filled with relief. Her eyes glistened, as if she was on the verge of tears.
She seemed to forget Rover was even there as she quickly walked toward a small room at the end of the hallway. A little sign hung on the front of the door.
[Nana -- Leukemia.]
(Note: Leukemia is a type of blood cancer, also called leukemia, that causes the bone marrow to produce too many abnormal white blood cells.)
Vivian knocked a few times, then opened the door and went inside. Rover waited patiently outside.
But ten minutes later, a group of thugs appeared, led by a woman around fifty-five, dressed in a black dress with makeup layered as thick as concrete.
Rover frowned when he saw the group heading straight toward Nana's room.
Just as he expected, the middle-aged woman banged hard on the door, her expression twisted with anger.
BAM! BAM!
"Open the door! Vivian, I know you're in there!"
BAM! BAM!
Without waiting for anyone inside to respond, she slammed on the door again.
Crack!
The door opened. Vivian glared angrily. "Mom, can you be quiet for once? Nana is already in so much pain because of her leukemia. Why won't you leave her alone?"
"You still dare call me Mom?" The woman pointed at the thugs behind her and shouted, "Look at them! Why didn't you pay them this month? Why did you make them come bother me?"
Vivian frowned. "Mom! Nana's condition worsened this month. She needs more medication. How am I supposed to pay off the debt? If you have money to burn at the gambling dens, you could use that to pay. It's your son's debt, not mine."
"You wretch!" The woman raised her hand in fury.
SLAP!
Vivian was slapped hard. Her cheek stung, but she still glared stubbornly at the woman.
The woman flinched under that gaze, but quickly grew even angrier. "You dare look at me like that? Your husband's debt is your debt too. You can't escape it."
"That sick girl of yours is sucking up money and still won't live. Let her die. Once she's gone, you'll have money to pay off the debt, and these men won't bother me anymore."