I Plan My Death While He Bangs the Nanny

Chapter 6: Raising It Together

Ethan Foster cupped Sophia Williams' face, panic etched into every line of his features. The image of her standing alone in that restaurant, the moment he chose to run after Emily instead, flashed through his mind like a nightmare. His skin turned ghostly pale.

He stiffened and muttered, "Emily's pregnant. She's worked for our family for years… I thought the baby was more important, "

Sophia gave him a small, tired smile. "I know. You don't have to explain. I get it."

Ethan fell silent, his eyes searching hers. The tension in his jaw didn't ease. "Then why'd you tear out the flowers we planted together?"

She didn't meet his gaze. "I just thought this spot would make a nice fishpond. Something simple."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah," she said softly.

Only then did Ethan let out the breath he'd been holding. He pulled her into a tight hug, his voice barely steady. "Don't scare me like that, Sophia. I thought you were leaving me."

She smiled faintly but said nothing.

The next day, Ethan showed up with a bouquet in one hand and a grin tugging at his lips.

"Sophia, guess what I brought you?"

She walked over, and her eyes widened. Nestled among the flowers was a tiny puppy with a ribbon tied around its neck. It looked up at her with wet, innocent eyes and let out a soft, pitiful whine.

She froze.

"You don't like it?" Ethan asked, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. "I thought you always wanted a dog."

She had. For years.

But she never got one, because Ethan was allergic.

Her brows knit together as she grabbed his arm and rolled up his sleeve. Sure enough, red rashes were already forming on his skin.

"Are you out of your mind?" she snapped. "You're allergic, and you still brought it here? Take it back."

"No," he said stubbornly. "I'll take allergy meds every day if I have to. If it makes you happy, it's worth it."

He crouched down, holding the squirming puppy. "Sophia, let's raise it together, okay?"

Together?

The word echoed in her chest like a cruel joke. She didn't have enough time left to raise anything.

"Send it back," she said coldly. "I don't want it."

Her voice was ice.

Ethan's expression shifted, confused, uneasy.

But instead of arguing, he placed the puppy gently at her feet. It immediately waddled over and nuzzled her legs, wagging its tiny tail.

"I'm not taking it back," Ethan said. "It's ours now. And if you won't keep it, it'll end up on the street. You don't want that, do you?"

Damn him.

He knew she couldn't abandon it.

In the end, she kept the puppy.

Ethan beamed like he'd won something, thinking maybe, just maybe, if she kept the dog, her heart couldn't be far behind.

But what he didn't know was that Sophia had spent the next few days looking for someone to adopt it.

She didn't have much time left. Ten days, maybe less.

She just wanted to leave with no loose ends.

When she finally found a loving home for the puppy, something inside her lightened. For the first time in weeks, she actually smiled. On her way back, she bought a bag of treats and a tiny sweater for it, wanting to leave behind one good memory.

But when she stepped into the yard, her smile vanished.

Her blood ran cold.

Emily stood there, arms crossed, smug as ever. At her feet lay the puppy, lifeless.

Sophia froze. Her shopping bags slipped from her hands and hit the ground with a thud.

Emily turned to her with faux concern, voice dripping with insincerity. "Madam, where did you get this mutt? It lunged at me the second I walked in. I'm pregnant, I couldn't take any risks. I had no choice but to put it down."

Sophia's vision blurred with rage.

Without thinking, she lunged forward, only to be stopped mid-charge by a firm grip on her arm.

A familiar hand.

Ethan.

And this time, his touch didn't feel like comfort.

It felt like betrayal.