Chapter 1

When I arrived to pick out a puppy, the door was opened by a tall, slender young woman.

The moment she saw me, her smile froze.

Her expression dropped, and she muttered under her breath, “What? A woman?”

I didn’t understand why she said that, so I explained my reason for being there.

“Hi, I saw the pictures of your puppies in the group chat. I’d like to choose one.”

Xena Quinn gave me a once-over from head to toe, her strange expression making me feel uneasy.

With a slight curl of her lips, she said carelessly, “Come in.”

The place was a small one-bedroom apartment, clearly renovated, and a bit messy.

I kept my eyes down and followed her quietly, not wanting to stare.

Once inside, she crossed her arms, looking impatient as she pointed to a cage on the floor.

“The puppies are over there. Pick one yourself.”

I glanced into the small cage where seven or eight puppies were crowded together. It caught me off guard, but since they were her dogs, I kept my thoughts to myself.

I crouched down and picked up a puppy that instantly felt right to me.

The little dog gazed at me with bright, watery eyes, letting out soft whimpers.

As I held the puppy, I heard her mutter behind me, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Funny, the richer people are, the more of a cheapskate they are.”

I turned around, my expression hardening. “What did you just say? Who are you calling a cheapskate?”

She quickly covered her mouth and let out a playful laugh.

“Oh, relax! I was just messing with you. Look how serious you are.”

Honestly, I was already feeling uncomfortable. She might be pretty, but her attitude was downright awful.

I decided to just buy the dog and get out of there.

“So, it’s $200, right? I’ll transfer it to you now.”

Suddenly, she gasped dramatically, her expression exaggerated to the point of mockery.

“Oh my gosh! Are you serious? You really think you can buy my dog for $200?

“Judging by that pricey outfit of yours… how many times a day do you sleep around to afford it?”

I wasn’t about to let her talk to me like that. My temper flared, and I shot back without hesitation.

“Watch your mouth! You were the one who posted $200 in the group!

“And look at this dump you’re living in. What’s the matter? Couldn’t find anyone to sleep with you?”

Her face turned red with fury, and she stomped her foot.

She rolled her eyes dramatically, her manicured finger pointing in the direction of the puppy I was holding.

“The $200 ones are already sold. This one is $2,000.”

I could easily afford $2,000, but her attitude made me want nothing to do with the deal.

Without another word, I turned around, placed the puppy back in the cage, and walked straight out.

But just as I reached the door, she chased after me, yelling insults at my back.

“Look at you, dressed head to toe in fake brands, pretending to be rich.

“Can’t even cough up $2,000! If you can’t afford it, stop acting like you can!”

With that, she slammed the door shut behind me so hard that the sound made me flinch.

The next day, to my surprise, my boyfriend, Hugo Xavier, walked in with that very same puppy.

I took a deep breath and asked, “Did you pay $2,000 for it?”

He, casually feeding the puppy, replied, “No, $200. That’s what she posted in the group, wasn’t it?”

I nearly laughed from sheer frustration.

So that woman had been trying to rip me off on purpose!

Anger flared up, and I turned on him, demanding, “Didn’t I tell you everything that happened yesterday? So why on earth did you still buy the dog from her?”