I Plan My Death While He Bangs the Nanny

Chapter 15: The Madman

They pushed aside the grass and found a trembling puppy, no bigger than a full moon.

No collar, clearly a stray.

But the dog's appearance...

Sophia's heart clenched. She thought she had buried all those old memories, yet the image of that dead dog remained a wound she couldn't ignore.

"It's getting cold soon," Lucas said matter-of-factly. "This little one won't last long out here."

Noticing Sophia's unusual reaction, he lowered his voice. "Want to take it in?"

She snapped out of her daze, fingers curling and uncurling before forcing a smile. "No... I'm not cut out for pets."

"How do you know if you've never tried?"

"...I have." She looked away, hiding the flicker of pain. "Call an adoption service later. It's getting late, I should go."

She walked off quickly, as if fleeing.

Back home, the memory of Emily crushing that dog underfoot flashed through her mind.

Her face paled instantly.

"Woof! Whimper... Woof!"

The sudden barking snapped Sophia out of her thoughts. She froze at the sight of Lucas cradling the puppy.

"You, "

"He grew on me. I'm keeping him." Lucas towel-dried the dog's paws. "Mind if I leave him with you while I grab dinner?"

Dazed, she shook her head. Against her will, warmth bloomed in her chest at the thought of the dog staying.

She fashioned a makeshift bed, helped Lucas pick out pet supplies, despite her earlier refusal, she kept finding excuses to check on the puppy herself.

Days passed, and somehow, the distance between them shrank. When their hands accidentally brushed,

Sophia's cheeks burned.

A phone chime shattered the moment. Lucas stared at his screen, expression darkening.

"What's wrong?" She tensed. "Bad news?"

Silently, he handed her the phone. Sophia's blood turned to ice.

On screen, Ethan Foster addressed the press, announcing her "disappearance." Then, before the entire nation, he dropped to his knees.

Months had hollowed his face, sharpening his features. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, the marks of relentless torment. Yet his gaze burned with desperate hope.

"Sophia, I know you're alive." His voice cracked with raw sincerity. "I failed you. But after all these years... can you really walk away?"

"Come back. Let me make things right. I'll protect you. Love you."

By the end, he flashed her photo onscreen, offering 40% of Foster Group shares to anyone who brought her to him.

The internet exploded.