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608words
I lunged at the pot, frantically fishing for more of Dodo's remains.
After scavenging the pot, I dug through the trash — I couldn't miss even the smallest fragment.
But it wasn't enough.
"Where's the fur?" I grabbed Joel's shirt. "What did you do with Dodo's fur?"
He tore my greasy hand away, calling me a crazy b**ch.
I glared at him, eyes bloodshot.
"What will it take to give Dodo back to me?"
Joel smirked dismissively,
"I sold it to a fur trader — what can you do about it?"
Desperate, I wheeled away like I'd given up.
But at the door, I yanked it open and screamed,
"Joel Hunter stole and tortured a dog! He's eating dog meat in here! Somebody catch him!"
Joel rushed to cover my mouth, but a crowd had already gathered.
They stared at the bones in my arms, whispering.
"Someone really ate dog meat in a hospital? How vile."
"Miss, did he steal and eat your dog?"
Someone recognized Joel and pointed their phone camera at him.
"Isn't that the motorbike champion? He eats dog meat?"
"Say something! Did you steal this lady's dog?"
Joel froze, trapped.
I pried his hand off my mouth and hissed,
"Give me Dodo, or I'll make sure Chloe trends online!"
Joel raised his hand to slap me. But with cameras rolling, he forced his arm down, veins bulging.
"Fine. You want that damn dog? I'll give it to you."
He gave me a sinister look, eyeing my legless lower body.
"But only if you crawl up Mount Veridia to pray for Chloe's health and regret what you've done to her."
Mount Veridia had 13,800 steps. Even fit people struggled to climb it.
He deliberately gave me the impossible task. But I wouldn't let him win.
I looked him dead in the eye, "Have Dodo's fur ready, or I'll ruin you and Chloe."
At the mountain base, I refused the nurse's help to carry me up and started climbing with my bare hands.
My sleeves tore, my arms scraped raw and bloody — but I made it to the summit at last.
I got the prayer tag, but going back down was even more tormenting.
Gritting my teeth, I tucked the tag close, closed my eyes, and rolled down the rocky slope.
Bushes scratched me bloody, but I reached the bottom.
Joel handed over Dodo's fur, his expression dark.
"Mia, you said you'd cut ties with us. Don't you dare regret it!"
He threw a signed parent-child severance document at me.
Back then, Chloe oiled the stairs and made me fall, sending me into early labor.
I gave birth alone. No one was there in company.
After nearly dying, I finally had my first blood-related family in this world.
I raised Joel with everything I had.
But at three, Chloe showed up with his birth father, and some candies won Joel's heart.
"You're a control freak! A psycho!"
"Chloe never bosses me around like you! I like her better!"
"No wonder Dad left you — I'd hate you too if I were him!"
Those words used to gut me. Now, I felt nothing.
The system chimed: "Torment mission progress: 40%. Complete the rest to open the time-space door."
Ignoring Joel, I left the hospital with Dodo's remains.
My second son Noah was brilliant. He graduated college at nineteen and started his own business.
Within years, he climbed to the top, becoming a young CEO.
Chloe enjoyed countless privileges thanks to him.
At the lobby of his company, I said I was there for Noah.
They escorted me to his office and knocked the door.
