Chapter 15 Meatloaf, Attack
Chapter 15 Meatloaf, Attack
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Anneliese chuckled. “Mr. Fullbuster, you’re an upright and honorable man–look, how could I possibly give you a nickname like that?”
She flipped her phone around to show him the contact name as proof of her innocence.
Jonathan glanced at it and said coolly, “I’m not ‘Mr. Fullbuster.‘ You don’t know my name?”
She quickly deleted the “Mr.” and changed it to “Jonathan Fullbuster,” explaining as she typed, “Of course I know–everyone knows who you are. I just thought people at your level preferred formal titles. Didn’t want to be disrespectful.”
Once the name was updated, she tilted the phone again for him to confirm before sliding it back into her pocket.
Jonathan nodded. “Names are meant to be used. What level do you think I am prehistoric?”
So that was why she’d been using the overly respectful tone.
All Anneliese could do was offer him a strained smile. Prehistoric or not, he’s definitely impossible to deal with.
Fortunately, just then, a smartly dressed young man came jogging over with a briefcase. Likely Jonathan’s assistant. He gave Anneliese a polite nod, then turned and handed Jonathan his suit jacket before getting into the car and driving off.
Anneliese scooped up Meatloaf, who looked like it wanted to follow after them.
“What’s wrong with you, huh?” she scolded. “Keep acting like this, and you’re gonna end up as a literal meatloaf! One bite, gone!”
“Woof!” Meatloaf blinked its big, round eyes at her, looking completely aggrieved.
In the back seat of the Maybach, Jonathan watched her through the rearview mirror.
In the glass, the woman and the dog gradually shrank from view. His gaze was unreadable, deep as a still lake.
The scene outside rolled backward like an old reel of film: a girl clutching a scrappy puppy, standing lost in time–helpless, uncertain.
So, the crybaby was you…
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Chapter 15 Meatloaf, Attack
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Anneliese didn’t notice the gaze from afar. She climbed back into her car with Meatloaf, and just then, Zacharias called again.
She didn’t answer. With a frown, she set the phone to silent.
That evening at Madison Villa, Coral had just taken a bath and slipped into a lacy dress. She posed a full table of beautifully prepared dishes, snapping a picture from above.
She made sure to get one fishnet–clad leg in the frame–very pleased with the result–then sent the photo to Zacharias.
Only after the message failed to send did she realize the Wi–Fi was out.
She called the property management, who assured her someone would be sent over immediately to fix it.
Coral relaxed on the couch. Less than five minutes later, a knock came at the door. Rich neighborhoods really do come with five–star service, she mused.
Answering the door, she saw a woman and two men in work uniforms bow politely with toolboxes in hand.
Coral didn’t even look at them properly. She just waved a hand and said, “Make it quick. My boyfriend’s coming home soon. Don’t ruin our romantic night.”
With a sway of her hips, she turned and walked back inside.
“Yes, ma’am. Absolutely,” the woman in the cap replied sweetly–then rolled her eyes in a dramatic, full–circle motion behind Coral’s back.
Half an hour later, Jessica and her two teammates exited the villa and got in the car. She pulled off her hat, shook out her hair, and immediately texted Anneliese.
‘All done‘
And then, with her usual fashion, she followed up with a Cheers GIF
Anneliese replied almost instantly, ‘200k transferred. Please confirm receipt. Even family keeps the books straight.
She then followed up with the same Cheers GIF
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Chapter 15 Meatloaf, Attack
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‘Thank you, my sugar mommy! I’ll be your devoted worshipper for life. If I could add a time limit–ten thousand years.‘ Jessica replied and emphasized it with a rolling–and–hugging–your- leg GIF.
Anneliese chuckled and turned off her phone. After dinner, she took Meatloaf to the park for a
walk.
When they returned to the villa, the lights were on. She assumed Zoey hadn’t left yet and didn’t think much of it.
Inside, she unclipped Meatloaf’s leash and patted it.
“We’re home. Still remember where your bed is? Go on, have fun.”
Meatloaf, clearly thrilled to be back, wagged its tail and sprinted straight toward the living
room.
Anneliese crouched down to change her shoes, but before she could finish, a scream tore through the air, followed by the sound of Meatloaf’s painful whimpering.
Her heart leapt. Forgetting her shoes, she bolted into the living room–and the sight that greeted her made her blood boil.
Meatloaf, who’d been so cheerful and excited just moments ago, now lay on the ground, trembling.
Lenora Shaw, her sister–in–law, was standing over him with an ashtray, repeatedly slamming it down onto his body. Blood trickled from its head, and it curled up in a ball, whimpering in pain and helplessness.
“Lenora! I dare you to lay one more hand on Meatloaf!” Anneliese’s fury exploded as she charged forward and shoved Lenora hard.
She didn’t hold back. Lenora fell backward with a cry, crashing to the floor. The ashtray shattered, slicing open her hand.
“You pushed me?! You hit me over some filthy mutt? Anneliese, I’ll kill you!” Lenora screamed, staring at her in disbelief.
Anneliese glanced down at Meatloaf, whose blood was now streaming into its eyes. It looked up at her with tears glistening in its big, trusting eyes, and her heart shattered.
Without hesitation, she strode forward, climbed on top of Lenora, and slapped her across the face–once, twice,
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“You’re insane!” Melody came rushing down from the second floor.
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“Mom! She hit me! And she brought that filthy dog back home!” Lenora howled, already accusing through sobs.
Hearing her insult Meatloaf again sent a fresh wave of anger through Anneliese.
Meatloaf had always been such a sweetheart. She’d taught it that Melody and Lenora were family, and good dogs didn’t bite family. So even as it was being beaten, it just whimpered and lay there without fighting back.
But now she had seen it with her own eyes. Who knew how many times Meatloaf had been abused when she wasn’t around?
“Stop calling it filthy. Between you and it, the one acting like a rabid dog is you,” she snapped.
Just as she raised her hand to strike again, Melody lunged forward. She grabbed Anneliese by the hair and slapped her–hard.
Smack!
Melody had done hard labor in her younger years, and her strength was no joke. The force of the slap sent Anneliese flying. Her head slammed into the TV cabinet with a sickening thud, her ears ringing as her vision went dark.
“Woof! Woof, woof, woof!”
Meatloaf, seeing Anneliese hurt, rushed to her side, growling and snarling as it stood protectively in front of her.
Melody pulled Lenora up, her expression harsh.
“Anneliese! You know I’m allergic to dog fur. You brought that mutt back here without permission, and now you’re hitting Lenora? You want me to have Zacharias divorce you? Kick you out of this house? Out of this family?!”
Blood dripped from Anneliese’s forehead. She clutched it with one hand, using the other to brace herself against the wall as she stood. Her gaze turned icy
Her lips curved into a mocking smile. A drop of blood slid from her brow to the corner of her eye–but instead of looking weak, the sight only made her appear more dangerously beautiful.
“Huh! What, does your family actually have a throne to reign? Go ahead. Let him divorce me. I’ll say a prayer for you daily and thank you for it.”
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Chapter 15 Meatloaf, Attack
“She’s cursing you, Mom!” Lenora shouted, stomping her foot. “She wants you dead!”
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Anneliese laughed coldly. “I didn’t say anything like that. If anyone cursed you, it’s your precious daughter.”
“Liar! You did! I heard it! Don’t think I don’t know what you meant–wishing my mom dead! I’m telling my brother!”
Melody’s chest heaved with fury. She raised her hand again and charged at Anneliese.
Once, Anneliese had endured it all—for Zacharias, for the sake of keeping the family peace. She had backed down, swallowed her pride.
But not anymore.
She stepped back and warned, “Try that again, and I’ll let Meatloaf bite you.”
“She’s bluffing, Mom!” Lenora scoffed. “She’s nothing but a useless leech, living off my brother. Filthy inside and out, can’t even give him a kid. She wouldn’t dare turn that mutt on us!”
With a sneer, she grabbed a vase off the table. Melody rushed in behind her, both of them charging toward Anneliese.
Lenora wasn’t just furious–she wanted revenge. She wanted to destroy that perfect, beautiful
face.
“Meatloaf!” Anneliese roared. “Get them!”
In the very next second, with a sharp bark, Meatloaf became a golden blur and launched himself at them.
