Chapter 3

3

My knuckles turned white as veins popped on the back of my hands.

I slammed the gas pedal to the floor, running multiple red lights, and tore down the road straight toward the private animal clinic.

The nurse had called again to say my grandmother was already in the operating room, but no surgeon was available to proceed.

With bloodshot eyes, I barged into the clinic and grabbed Dr. Harrison by the collar.

"Jaren!" Audrey snapped fiercely. "What the hell do you think you are doing? What kind of scene are you trying to cause now?"

"If you do not let Dr. Harrison go back to the hospital, my grandmother is going to die!" I roared, glaring at her with tear-filled eyes.

"I will not divorce you! I admit I was wrong! I am begging you, please let him perform the surgery right now!"

Audrey was momentarily taken aback by my outburst, but her face quickly darkened into pure disgust.

"To drag Dr. Harrison away, you really will make up any disgusting lie, won't you?"

Kendrick stood nearby with his arms crossed over his chest. "Come on, Jaren. That is not something you should joke about."

"The old lady's vitals were completely stable, and Dr. Harrison checked on her before coming here."

Hearing that, Audrey gave me a look of icy contempt. "Jaren, you truly disgust me."

Panicking, I dropped all my pride and begged, "Please, just let Dr. Harrison go back. Whatever is wrong with the dog, there are plenty of veterinarians here. A human specialist is useless here anyway."

"That is different."

Audrey stroked the dog's head in her lap. "My baby accidentally swallowed the ring I gave Kendrick, and it ate spicy food. If Dr. Harrison leaves and something happens to my baby, who will take responsibility?"

I stared at her in utter despair. "Is my grandmother's life worth less to you than a damn dog?"

"Shut your mouth! Buster is not just an ordinary dog, he is our child, our precious baby!"

Kendrick stepped forward furiously. "And Dr. Harrison already confirmed he will be fine under observation."

"Have you ever met my grandmother? Do you even know what illness she is fighting? If she dies because Dr. Harrison is not there, can you bring her back?"

Faced with my furious interrogation, Kendrick choked on his words for a second.

Then, a mocking smirk spread across his lips, and he took a slow step toward me.

"Do you have any idea how much money I spent on Buster? That is more cash than you and your broke grandmother could make in ten lifetimes."

Kendrick looked down on me with unmasked arrogance and venom.

"If anything happens to Buster, ten lives of your worthless grandmother would not be enough to pay for it!"

My teeth ground together so hard they almost cracked.

Before anyone could react, I swung my fist straight into his face.

"You son of a bitch!"

Like a wounded animal, I tackled Kendrick to the floor, mounted his chest, and rained heavy punches onto his face one after another.

I poured all my raw fury into my fists, wishing I could beat the life out of him.

Him, and that pampered beast.

"Kendrick!"

"Pull him off! Get him off him right now!"

Audrey screamed in panic, wanting to rush over but afraid of dropping the dog, frantically screaming orders at her bodyguards.

Two large guards grabbed my arms, twisted them behind my back, and pinned me violently to the floor.

Audrey rushed over, cradling Kendrick's bruised and bleeding face in heartbreak.

Her face was twisted with dark rage, casting a terrifyingly cold glare over at me.

"Break his legs!" she commanded coldly.

"That is the price for laying a hand on Kendrick!"

Kendrick leaned weakly into her embrace, casting a smirk of triumph and mockery straight into my eyes.

I thrashed against the iron grip of the guards, but I could not break free.

Heavy tears streamed down my cheeks as I knelt on the cold tiles in sheer agony.

"Audrey, please let Dr. Harrison go back. My grandmother really cannot hold on much longer!"

Her answer was a vicious slap across my face.

"You are still lying even now."

"If you insist she is going to die, then let her die!"

My eyes widened in horror, but a guard clamped a hand over my mouth and dragged me out of the clinic.

They threw me onto the asphalt outside, my face scraping hard against the rough ground, burning with sharp pain.

I scrambled up immediately, desperate to push my way back in, but they shoved me back hard, sending my head crashing against the concrete curb.