This house couldn't produce a single decent person.
No wonder these three were such good friends.
I sneaked off to find reinforcements.
The villa was enormous.
As big as my psychological trauma.
Wandering through the labyrinthine halls, I stumbled upon an unexpected figure.
Sophia Larkspur.
She appeared to be one of Thaddeus's henchmen but was, in reality, an undercover cop.
In the original story, she worked undercover for three years before her identity was accidentally exposed. She was sealed in a cement barrel by Thaddeus and thrown into a river, her body never to be found.
When I read that part, my heart ached for her.
Now, she was looking at me suspiciously.
"Who are you? I've never seen you before."
Cops really are on another level. They can spot something amiss in an instant.
Unlike those clueless thugs outside.
It took me three minutes to get them to call me "bro."
How does an organization like this even survive?
I grabbed Sophia and dragged her into an empty room.
"I'm Maribel's mom. I know your identity. Let's work together."
"I just want to save my daughter. You can take the rest of them to jail."
Sophia stared at me.
"Deal!"
I breathed a sigh of relief, growing more impressed with Sophia.
Breathing women truly have an edge.
That day, after leaving the villa, I went to Leopold's house.
The moment I stepped in, I saw his mother crying.
"Leopold's been acting out lately. He's always picking fights with me. Yesterday he stormed out, and he hasn't come back since."
"Actually, I'm not his biological mother."
"When I married his father, Leopold was already eight. His dad passed away two years later. I raised him alone, thinking that if I treated him well now, he'd take care of me when I'm old."
"But now he treats me like this!"
I wanted to write "tragic" on her forehead.
In the original story, Leopold sent Maribel to his boss's bed in exchange for power and status, skyrocketing his career.
After achieving success, he abandoned his sick mother and never looked back. Her fate was never mentioned again, but it couldn't have been good.
After all, in Leopold's eyes, she wasn't really his mother.
Why bother being a martyr?
I handed her a tissue and said:
"Lady, there's an old saying: Having money for old age is the best choice."
"What does that mean?"
"I know where Leopold is. Want to team up and make some retirement money?"
8 PM, My House
Everyone was gathered: me, Leopold's mother, CEO's fiancee Bianca, and Sophia.
Here was the plan:
Leopold's mom would lure him away.
The terrier would distract the CEO.
I would handle Thaddeus.
With their leaders scattered, Sophia would coordinate with the police to round up everyone inside and outside the villa.
Finally, we'd capture the three male leads together.
"Any questions?" I asked.
Sophia raised her hand.
"Just one. Will the terrier really distract the CEO? Shouldn't we use a beautiful woman instead?"
She's so young.
I hugged the dog and told her:
"This family falls apart without the terrier."
The next day, everything went according to plan.
Leopold left after a call from his mom, visibly annoyed.
As soon as he was gone, barking rang out.
The CEO, now more dog-like than ever, perked up as if he had radar. The moment he heard the barking, he started looking around.
When he spotted the terrier in an alley, his eyes lit up.
"I have something to do. Be right back," he said, grabbing a stick and hurrying off.
"What the hell? Why is everyone leaving?" Thaddeus grumbled.
As he turned to leave, I poked my head out and waved.
"Hey there~ Come play with me~"
His eyes sparkled as he ran toward me, drooling.
"Those kids don't know your worth. They wrongly treasure Maribel."
"But I prefer someone like you."
Slurp.
Everyone, I'm not joking.
I had to strain my eyes to keep from rolling them.
This was occupational hazard-level restraint.
I beckoned him closer, transforming into a temptress.
"Come here."
As soon as he stepped within range, I whipped out a wooden stick and knocked him out cold.
Thunk!
He dropped instantly.
I tossed the stick aside and rushed outside, worried the terrier might be in trouble.
But what I saw stunned me.
The CEO cowered in a corner, clutching his head, trembling under the terrier's ferocious attack, begging for mercy.
"Don't bite me! Help!"
Me:...
And you call yourself a CEO?
Woof! Woof!
The terrier growled, majestic and imposing.
I told you. This household could not function without the dog.
I ran upstairs, pausing at the door, worried I might stumble upon something traumatic again.
Summoning my courage, I pushed the door open and sighed in relief when I saw Maribel inside.
She was crouched on the floor, head bowed, just like the day Leopold abandoned her in the burning restroom.
"Maribel."
She looked up at the sound of my voice, tears streaming down her face.
"Mom!"
I rushed over and untied her.
"Don't worry. I told you, no matter where you are, I'll come for you."
Maribel leaned into me, seeking comfort.
"I know. I listen to you, Mom. I respect myself, stay safe, and protect myself."
These were the words I told her that day at the hospital.
Back then, Maribel had been lost, her mind a tangled mess. I never thought she'd actually remember them.
I couldn't help but recall the things I overheard outside that room yesterday.
Everything the female lead had done was just to earn her mother's attention and love.
My heart softened. I held her close.
"Let's go home."
