Chapter 3 of Thirty Dogs and a Deadly Betrayal

3: 3

Ethel and Melinda had no choice but to power down their phones and drop them into Mabel's drawer.

"Mae, I know another spot where there are a few strays. They haven't eaten in days, they're too weak to move, poor things! And in this heat, I'm scared something's going to happen to them."

"I'll go grab something to eat, and while I'm out I'll bring those dogs back so they can sit in the AC."

Mabel's heart ached at that. "Yes! But don't eat out there. Get it to go, bring those strays back to the dorm, and then eat here!"

She fixed me with a hard glare. "And if you dare breathe a word of this, I'll smash your phone and that laptop on your desk."

I smiled. "Don't worry. I love dogs too."

The stench of dog was overwhelming. I'd breathed in the hair, and my breathing had gone shallow and fast.

Stay in here any longer and the allergy would kill me.

So the second I finished, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

"Hold on!" Mabel called after me.

"Morris, go with her. Bring the dogs back, and don't let her talk to anyone."

Morris slung an arm around me. "Come on, babe, let's go."

Out in the hallway, my nerves were on edge.

My eyes darted around, and I smiled. "Morris, why don't you lock the door? That way Etty and Mindy can't get out."

"Good idea."

So Morris fetched a big padlock and locked the door.

"Let's hit that fast food place up ahead. I'll grab some food for Mae too."

A little way past the school gate, Morris led me to a barbecue joint.

He was supposed to be my boyfriend, yet every other word out of his mouth was Mabel.

A minute ago I'd been too weak with hunger to stand, and he hadn't offered to buy me a thing. Now he was worried Mabel might be hungry, so he rushed to get her a combo plate with roast duck, barbecue pork, and roast chicken, plus a bubble tea on top of it.

For me, all he got was one meat and one veggie.

Before, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But now I knew the two of them had something going on behind my back.

It's a bitter thing to admit. Morris and I had started dating sophomore year, a whole year ago now, and yet he was always off hanging around with my best friend, the one I'd known since middle school.

"Ow, my stomach really hurts…"

Just as he was paying, I suddenly clutched my belly and doubled over.

Morris snapped, "Baby, why's your stomach hurting all of a sudden? Don't you dare pull some stunt on me!"

His first reaction wasn't concern. It was to interrogate me.

"My period just started…"

I didn't wait for him to respond. "Wait for me here. I need to go to the restroom and deal with it."

And with that, I bolted for the mall nearby!

"Vivi, don't run off! Mae told me to bring you and the dogs back!"

He hurried to scan the QR code to pay, then chased after me hard.

The mall had seven floors. The first and second were a supermarket and clothing stores, packed with people. I cut left, cut right, and Morris couldn't keep up.

I slipped out the mall's back entrance and quickly flagged down a rideshare.

As the car pulled off, I saw Morris burst outside, looking left and right!

Then he came running straight at me. "Sophia James, you stop right there! Or I'll call the cops and have you arrested!"